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TJ’s Swallet - 28 April Gonzo, Mike, Dave, Alan and Rich by car. Duncan later by velocipede. Fernhill - 24th April Paul, Brian and Robert Marchbank spent a great afternoon in the quarry. The draft in Fairy was considerable and very welcome today. Removed the ladder from the rift in Fernhill and its now waiting at the MNRC to be retired/reused. No sign of any further problems at Fernhill but the padlock did not want to unlock. Took awhile but did manage it. Paul. Fernhill Thurs 22nd April In sorting out various nuts,bolts and steel plates, Dave found a more suitable eyebolt than Richards offering on Wed night (it will still come in handy one day Rich). Armed with various bits of iron work, nuts and bolts, 2 battery drills, bucket, cement, shovels etc. Dave set about the required repairs to Fernhill entrance and fixing the ladder belay eyebolt. A steel plate with tapped hole and eyebolt screwed in and locknut behind, fitted below padlock staple on existing bolt. Second bolt fitted right through eyebolt plate, staple plate and pipe wall etc. Replacement nuts locktited on existing bolt. The whole lot then walled in with rock and cement, then covered with loose spoil as had been done to the rest of the pipe on Wed night. There is now no access to feed a sling or chain through the hole in the pipe, but instead an obvious 1" diameter ring just below the padlock staple. This should negate the need for anyone to try and put a krab through the non load bearing padlock staple. Dave. Fernhill Wed 21st April. Andy Watson, flying visit earlier to kindly deposit 2 bags of cement by Fernhill entrance. Alan Merry (car park only) to donate some hose pipe to the cause, Dave to store (always space for a freebie). Alan Gray, Rich W, Clive N, Mike R, Dave K, joined later by Lee H, & Jackie A. Dave had brought along an eye bolt for a more permanent ladder belay, but Richard raised the stakes with an Ex-MOD threaded eye bolt but no nut. Fortunately Dave's nut was a perfect match. All on surface duties only. The vandals had had another go at the entrance, but with much less vigour this time. It was noticed that the nut was missing off the bolt that secures the padlock staple to the the top of the pipes. With very little effort, they could then have pushed the bolt through the plate where it would have dropped down the shaft, and opened the gate/lid with the staple plate and padlock still attached to the gate. But this would have required a level of IQ they probably don't posses. Alternatively, perhaps someone has pirated the entrance and put the bolt back afterwards. Several batches of mortar were mixed and the exposed vulnerable pipe was soon protected by a natural stone and cement overcoat. This was then supplemented by a huge volume of spoil covering the cemented rocks. A gap was left to carry out remedial work to the padlock staple plate and the fixing of the eyebolt, which Dave will attend to Thurs morning. A good evenings work, lots done, time to re-group & re-hydrate at W & H. Joined later by the Yoxter Shafters and later still, Tav. Dave K. Yoxter - 21 April Gonzo, Kate, Mandy, Matt (and Dylan the digging dog). Back to Chancellor's farm to revisit 'Barbershop' Mine (which Richard assures us already has a name but I bet it isn't as good as 'Barbershop' Mine!). With the aid of a makeshift dexion and rope frame, 3 pulleys, misc. tat and elbow grease the wedged stone cap was removed. Gonzo then descended to investigate the disconcerting objects that Mandy had observed last week. Down the slope below the ladder, next to a large, orange, gas cylinder was an alarming-looking grey metal object about the size and shape of a collander. Kate went down with a brighter light which showed . . . that it was indeed a collander and not something more sinister. There was also a barbecue and a bus stop sign so someone obviously had a good party! The mine is about 40 ft deep, full of rubbish and with no clear way on. A few more sites to check out in the next few weeks. Photos with Paul. Hilliers - 18 April Antoinette Bennett, John Cooper & Duncan Price surveyed the Red Room area. On exit, an alternative and easier route through the 4th boulder choke was noted which will require measuring. A wet puddle was also passed to enter a sizeable side chamber which also needs mapping. Fernhill - 14 April Whilst Rich and his stalwart team of cement-mixers and allied trades got on with securing the Fernhill entrance (full report from Rich no doubt) Dave King, Peter Burgess and Clive went underground...... Several large containers of fresh water, a wheeled plastic tank, assorted brushes and miles of hose had been carted across to the cave. All this was to clean-up the formations (in the main chamber) which had got a bit muddied during the recent digging operations. The system worked well and all the affected stal received a wash and brush up plus the steps down into the chamber. In addition Dave and Clive drilled and bolted the steel ladder to the base of the piped shaft. Clive Yoxter, Priddy - 14 April While the trusty stalwarts got their hoses out over at Fernhill the renegade B Team of Gonzo, Matt, Mandy, Paul and Kate went to investigate some mines over at Chancellor's Farm. We started at a small hole that a cow had disappeared into some years ago. A small void was noted but a lot of spoil would need to be removed to gain access. The second, provisionally named Barbershop Mine, was descended by Mandy for 8m to a sloping chamber requiring a re-visit with more ladder. Various bits and pieces will need removing before safe progress can be made. We then moved on to Bedstead Mine (so named by Kate for obvious reasons!), noting recent collapses on the way. BM is about 3 m deep and appears to be choked. On again to a third site where Gonzo descended for 6m to see a continuation down a steep slope requiring rope or ladder for safe access. A revisit with more equipment is planned for the near future. Photos with Paul. Gonzo Hilliers - 5 and 7 April Duncan Price surveyed through the 5th BC into the Red Room. The latter will require at least one trip to measure. Exited cave and got to pub to find everyone on their second drink. 05/04 Duncan Price & John Cooper surveyed from the cross-roads in Cambridge Grotto (where the Stream Series and Brenda's Chamber lead off) to the start of Suicide (5th BC). We then visited the Red Room and climbed up to the very top of the western end of the chamber. A stream was flowing in Hilliers. Another trip should see the survey reach the Red Room. No cats were rescued. Duncan Fernhill - 7 April Rich, Dave, Alan and Clive (Gonzo down Withyhill) It was decided to clear out the digging tools and tidy up prior to departing for pastures green (should that be brown?) ie TJs, for the summer. It wa noted that someone has been climbing over/through the wire fence and that a scramble bike had been active in the quarry. Rocks had been tipped off the wall by the entrance and the concrete ring at the top had obviously come under considerable attack with rocks as had the metal lid. There were a number of smallish rocks at the base of the entrance pipe. Underground the tidy up was quickly done, the end looked at by CN (looks good, if a bit squalid) and the 'strain-gauge' on the big block checked - all fine. Loads of Great Crested newts in the pond! Next week the plan is to build up a cemented rock wall around the concrete ring to protect it and maybe do some washing down on the stal underground. Clive Fernhill - 31 March Gonzo, Dave, Alan, Duncan and Clive Just enough for a 'crack' (or should that be 'cracked') team to dig in Fernhill. Gonzo at the sharp end sending large amounts of 'feculence' up the rift much to the delight of the others who ferried it to the 'dump slope'. Clive on light duties at the top of the slope, due to a bad back. (I just hope I put it all in the right place....!) A few large rocks were left in the 'pending' tray awaiting Rich's return. Not much more to add unless Gonzo can throw some more light on the way on????? (They are in Darren this weekend I believe Free cottage pie in the Waggon afterwards...... Clive Fernhill - 24 March Alan, Dave, Rich and Mike Alan Hilliers - 24 March Duncan and Tav surveyed Brenda’s Chamber and the very impressive streamway. Gonzo took some photos and Mandy assisted. Duncan Fernhill - 17 March Dave King (late), Clive North, Duncan Price, Mike Richardson, Mandy Voysey & Rich Witcombe. Mandy dug out several skip loads of feculence to expose a big boulder blocking the NW side of the dig against the bedding roof. This was attacked using physical means and a variety of tools by Duncan before the decision was made to "go chemical" aided by Clive. Three rocks were treated. Clive and Dave installed some refernce points in the rift to check for movement. Duncan Fernhill - 10 March Dave, Mandy, Mike & Rich Hilliers - 10 March Breaking News: Duncan and Tav surveyed from station 90 to the "crossroads" where Brenda's Chamber and the route leading to the streamway go of right and left respectively from Cambridge Grotto. Gonzo took photos. Duncan Fernhill - 3 March Alan, Dave, Rich, Mike and Clive Armed with oak timbers and a sledge hammer courtesy of Dave Speed we set-to in an attempt to reassure ourselves as to the safty of the overhanging wall, roof of the dig. There is no doubt that since last week the crack has widened again by a few millimetres. We spent some time sawing and shaping three baulks of timber which were wacked firmly into place giving the rift the appearance of a small scale Cornish tin stope. I'm now happy that we have done all we can to 'hold' the right hand wall and that it is unlikely to fall across the rift. Whether it would slip downwards though remains to be seem. Before departing we drilled two small holes on either side of the crack where Dave will Epoxy in two metal reference points which means we can monitor any further movement. If there is more movement though I think it would be foolish in the extreme to carry on work in the rift. Oh, and Mike managed to cleared several exceedingly claggy loads of mud from the far end.... Clive Hilliers - 3 March The intention was to continue the survey from last time. Mandy offered to assist with note taking as there was already a full service of Fernhill chefs. We had barely got started when the Shetland Attack Pony packed up on the third survey leg. Intead we checked out the rest of the cave, taking in Brenda's Chamber (Mandy has never been here) and the streamway (neither of us had been here and it is most impressive despite its welming feculence). Visted the Red Room from which it took 40 minutes to get out.
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