There are parts of Smallcleugh that get blanked, you pass passage
branches knowing that they do not go anywhere, and so it is easy to think that
there is nothing worth while to see, so this time not having been down
Smallcleugh for a while we thought it might be good to see the forehead of
Middlecleugh Second Sun Vein (MCSSV) and to check out some rises and further
sub levels. We where surprised.
Between Cow Hill Cross Vein and the
junction leading to Bogg Shaft there are a number of things that we have often
passed but never looked at. The first junction you come to is Luke Hall's
Gullyback Cross Cut, this did not go anywhere, and it seemed to end in a
collapse as according to maps it should connect to the Longcleugh Vein south of
MCSSV. After this we went down the series of steps that lead into a sub level
below the incline. This sub level is a continuation of the sub levels that we
have previously explored (see
Middlecleugh
Second Sun Vein and Sub Levels). The level is only short and quickly came
to a partial collapse, after which there was a sump. The sump leads to
Caplecleugh Level and is know as the Double Rise, we do not know if it is
blocked. Karli popped down to the first staging, but concluded that it looked
rather dodgy and so he came back up. Past the sump, some artifacts where found,
but the level did not go on as it was back filled. Back on the incline we
carried on heading west trying to find more possible links to the Longcleugh
Vein, the maps show they exist, but we could not find them, and have concluded
that they may be in stopes above the incline level. Just before the junction
leading to Bogg's Shaft we came to Pickering's Rise to the Caplecleugh Level,
rigging a safety line, we climbed down using the wooden ladders in place, and
this brought us out in a short sublevel 36m long, which towards the end looked
rather unstable. Pickering's Rise itself was interesting as it had air pipes
and square wooden ventilation ducting going down it. We did not descend further
and climbed back up onto the incline.
Shortly afterwards we passed the
junction for Bogg's Shaft and carried on along the MCSSV. After a short
distance we came to a ore truck and carrying on, we climbed up a fairly long
rise which emerged into a very large stope above the level. We stopped for
lunch here and then had an explore. The stope was in the great limestone,
around 10m high in places, with parts of it stone arched. Charlie and Karli
climbed up a very steep slope to the west to see if it went on and I stayed
behind taking photograph's. It turns out that the stope went on some way and it
may have been possible to carry on. Returning to the level below we carried on,
encountering many artifacts, rises and hoppers leading back up towards the
stope. As we went on in some of the rises you could see that the stope was
getting smaller and smaller, as the vein was getting exhausted. Eventually the
stone arching gave way to concrete lined passage way which the Vieille Montagne
Zinc Company must have put in. The level here was driven just below the great
limestone as you could see the interface with the tuft. At a cross cut
intersecting the main passage the remains of a wheel barrow could be seen
poking out about the water. Some 70m more and we came to the forehead of MCSSV,
turning right we proceeded along the short New Cross Vein to where the drive
was stopped, at the forehead we came across some small fossils in the great
limestone. On the way back after Pickering's Rise we climbed up a promising
rise into a very large stope and discovered a pile of wooden nails. A return
visit, as always is required to carry out further
investigations. |
