The winter had taken its toll on the culvert leading up to the
level entrance; part of the sides had slumped down causing obstructions. A week
or so of dry weather allowed things to dry out and a digger dumper combo were
brought up to clear out the culvert. In the siding level leading up to the
shaft Ian and Student Pete have been concreting the shaft collar and the walls,
making everything more stable and neat.
Some work was carried out on the
wooden rails, namely lifting the sleepers and digging channels under them to
allow the free flow of water out of the mine. A new ladder was installed in
first section of the shaft along with a simple platform on either side to make
access easier and safer.
Down in the shaft the digging, spiling and
installation of support timbers was progressing well. The water, with a little
assistance was free draining and the presence of large rocks hopefully
indicated that the current position in the shaft could well have been the main
collapse. |