HOME  |  CAVING AND MINING  |  ALDERLEY EDGE  |  MEMBERS' PAGES  |  SITE MAP  |  SEARCH

Home page

The mines The mines Database Wood Mine West Mine Engine Vein Brynlow Mine The Hough Level The Cobalt Mine Other mines Mottram Mine Virtual Tours

General history General history Chronology Archaeology Names of mines Biographies Employment Employment 1870s summary Bibliography

Geology and biology General geology Mineralisation Common minerals List of minerals Biology

Mining About mining Extraction Services Ore processing Processing post-1858

What's on now Current activities Events at Alderley Exploration Archaeological work Research programme Visiting the mines Open days Lectures and exhibitions Legal issues Landscape Project The National Trust

Photogallery Photo gallery introduction Wood Mine West Mine Engine Vein Brynlow Mine The Hough Level The Cobalt Mine Other mines Mottram Mines Exploration Open Days

Around the Edge Introduction The Legend of the Wizard The books by Alan Garner The Weirdstone of Brisingamen The Surgery The surrounding area

About the DCC About the Club Club events Caving with the DCC Club resources Social events Newsletters Joining the Club Rogues gallery

Website tools Search with FreeFind Downloads Links Website map Copyright notice

Where am I?  DCC > ALDERLEY EDGE > CURRENT ACTIVITIES > EXPLORATION > ILLUSTRATION

EXPLORING THE MINES

CLEARING A SHAFT AT BEAR PIT

Bear Pit at Engine Vein. This shaft was filled to near the surface in the 1960s and then capped with concrete.  Exploration of the lower passages was obstructed by the fill in the shaft so it was decided to clear it from the top.  A headframe was erected and a dumper used to remove the spoil.  The material coming out of the shaft was clean mine spoil and suitable for reuse in repairing and constructing paths around the Edge.

(Left) The concrete cap.  This picture shows the concrete cap when we started to make the new lid which was bolted down around the new opening and then concreted into place.

Return to previous page