Around the
base of the Thriddle Incline there are a number of surface features. Centre to
all the pumping and haulage requirements for the New Engine and Thriddle Shafts
was Millican's water wheel, named after its operator. The wheel itself has long
gone, but the remains of its pit, and water races can be clearly seen. The
water wheel drove the winding system for the New Engine Shaft and the pump rods
and winder for the Thriddle Shaft. For the Thriddle shaft the pump rods ran up
the Thriddle Incline were they entered the Thriddle Shaft Day Level to meet up
with the balance bob at the shaft top.
Thriddle Shaft reaches all the
way down to Deep Level, a total of 150m. It also intersects Fleming's and
Taylor's Levels. The West Bonsor Shaft was the original shaft that provided
access to the deeper workings on the Bonsor Vein. It was superceeded in the
1840's by the New Engine Shaft, which was sunk for the purpose of bringing ore
up from the deepest workings in the Coniston complex. The shafts depth to Deep
Level from the surface is 100m, and it carries on to the 170 Fathom Level for
another 311m, from this deep part of the mine it also provided drainage for the
205 Fathom Level, some 64m further below.
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