Brickworks Dig - June 1014

Due to the Forest of Dean Symposium being cancelled we moved our venue to South Wales to continue the Brickworks Dig. This was a very well attended weekend which allowed a mixture of caving and digging to happen over the weekend with a BBQ on Saturday evening. Pumping started on Friday evening and proved slow due to problems keeping the generator running, but we were able to remove the bulk of the water. Saturday morning saw the rest of water pumped and the bottom of the slope filled and levelled to a constant gradient, then covered with conveyor belting. Once this was completed work turned to the dig face. Sunday saw the whole team turn their attentions to the dig. Some engineering was undertaken with pumps and pipes to allow the overnight water seepage to be quickly despatched. Dig trays were re roped and we commenced bringing spoil up to the cross rift. The digging continued to explore the roof tube over the dig face, but this does not look like a useful direction, the way on looks like it will be down in the floor. Bad air stopped play at about 3pm, we will need fans to continue digging.

Present Saturday: Keith Edwards, Mark Burkey, Jess Burkey, John Smith, Graham Smith, Brendan Marris, Becca Kirkpatrick, Darren, Loz Appleby, Andy Kempster, Helen Nightingale, Tony Ferrun, Rob Campbell, Phil Lester and Steve Wallis

Present Sunday: Keith Edwards, John Smith, Graham Smith, Brendan Marris, Becca Kirkpatrick, Darren, Loz Appleby and Andy Kempster

4 out of 6 ain't bad...

The Dig Weekend at the Brickworks Dig was so popular that the exercise needed some careful planning. It was decided that while one team was down the dig, I would take one group into Top Entrance for a quick trip, then we would return to take our turn at digging, while Brendan would take a group into Pant Mawr and return later to take over digging from our team.

In spite of having been caving for the last 9 years, this was my first try at leading a trip into OFD (something to do with being navigationally challenged) so I decided to keep thing simple by doing a short 'tourist trip' to the Trident and Judge, taking in the Corkscrew, Swamp Creek, Shatter Pillar, President's Leap, Selenite Tunnel and Salubrious Streamway. With a group comprised of Helen, Phil, Becca, Loz and Darren, we soon found ourselves at the Corkscrew climb down. Phil's shoulder had been playing up as soon as we got into the entrance, and he felt that relying on his dodgy shoulder to support him through the Corkscrew would not be sensible, so he decided to head back. As Helen knows Top Entrance well, I asked her to accompany him back to the entrance while the rest of us made our way slowly down the sand crawls towards Swamp Creek.

We met up with Helen again at the Trident and Judge and continued with the trip. All went well - 9 years of Keith and Brendan tutting in despair every time I failed to identify areas of the cave was finally vindicated. The most difficult part was tearing Darren away from all the 'pretties' - stals, curtains, helictites, and the roof of Selenite Tunnel being just a few. It's so lovely to go caving with people who are overwhelmed by how beautiful the caves are!

Once back at the entrance Helen left us and went off to squirrel around down a muddy tunnel and the rest of us went back to the club ready for our turn to dig.

Keith was waiting for us at the club, and for some reason didn't seem too impressed that I had set off with a group of 6, and come back with 4! I later found out that Phil and I had our wires crossed earlier, and that he had thought Helen was taking him an alternative route to join up with us, so had waited at the entrance and even wandered around some of the passages looking for us, before he gave up and went back to the club! Just goes to show how important it is to make sure we all understand the same thing.

Helen wasn't long in joining us, and although we were all ready to dig, there was no digging to be had, as one of the pumps had failed and there was a problem with bad air, so we were forced to drink tea in the sunshine for the rest of the afternoon.

Present: Jess B., Becca K., Loz A., Phil L. Darren, Helen N.


 

Brickwork's Dig

The dig was last visited in February when Graham and John fitted the entrance gate frame and started to ‘brick in’ the gaps around the sides.  We also managed to pump out the dig using the new pumping system but failure of the bottom pump along with water flowing in at a rate which would have required continuous pumping meant that we had to abandon any attempt at digging and go caving instead.
This time Graham and John completed the ‘bricking in’ around the sides of the frame and we managed to completely pump out the system.
The pumps and generator were set up on the Friday evening and we pumped for an hour or so until the bottom pump got itself clogged again.  The pump was dismantled and unclogged in the workshop but it was too late to resume pumping operations.
On Saturday as well as bricking in we also finished pumping out, moved 120-130 bags to surface which were stacked in the cross rift and filled another 60-70 bags which were stacked in the cross rift.
Sunday was less successful.  The bottom pump refused to lift the remaining sludge to the middle tank in spite of lowering the connecting pipe.  While pump maintenance and re-cabling was being done the filled bags from the previous day were bought out to surface.  The pump still refused to lift the sludge so we packed up early.
For next time it seems we need a pump for the bottom which can handle the sludge.

Graham lowers the new dig truck containing pumps and sand bags while Keith supervises

The new entrance to the dig complete with giant spider's web which mysteriously appeared when we were underground

The Friday Digging Team: Graham, John, Keith & Mark

The Saturday Digging Team: Andy, Brendan, Graham, John, Keith, Mark & Mel

The Sunday Digging Team: Brendan, Graham, John, Keith & Mark

A South Wales Weekend - The Water-Gate Affair

Graham constructs a gate for the dig

The Team: Roger Bryan, Keith Edwards, Brendan Marris, Graham Smith & John Smith.

Brickworks Dig & the Polish Plumbers

After a few weeks of dry weather, and now with a new set of beefy pumps, the prospects looked good for a productive weekends digging. By Thursday evening only Keith and Brendan had committed to going and we reluctantly packed up the pumping gear that evening. It looked like all that we would be able to do would be to install the new pumps, when the mill door swung open, and in walked Bartek and Paulina. Is anyone going caving this weekend? they asked. Keith looked at Brendan and then said well sort of... and so was hatched a plan, in return for help setting up the new equipment in the dig, we would arrange a nice caving trip for them in the afternoon.

Paulina supervises Keith and Brendan setting up the pumps - Photo by Bartek Biela

Arriving at the dig we first popped down the bottom to asses the state of play. Water was a foot lower than when visited two week earlier, so was going to be easily pumpable. We set about installing the header tanks into which the new pumps would sit, plumbing them into the existing pipework. The rigid yellow pipe proved difficult to connect to the tanks until an ingenious idea was thought up. A large teapot was filled with boiling water and transported back to the dig, after as short spell under the flow of boiling water the pipe slid onto the connector to form a watertight seal. Tanks were set up half way up the rail track and also to the side of the middle pool. Once in place the pumps were dropped in and the generator fired up into life. The lower pump filled the higher header tank which was then in turn pumped up to the surface. The float switches activated the pumps as needed, so once connected they could be left unattended. With the middle pool drained and the tank installed we then moved down to the bottom of the dig. The cables just reached the new end point and a pump was dropped into the pool to drain the last of the water, the system above ran unattended clearing the water in record time.

Bartek watches the setting up of the pumps - Photo by Paulina Biela

With the water gone, the digging could now start. Kieth attacked the dig face, concentrating on the area straight ahead. After a few minutes of work with the shovel, a low arch was uncovered, under which was hard packed silt. Attention was also given to the passage that has now appeared on the left. This contained much softer infill and was much more pleasant digging. After an hours work we had achieved as much as could be done with the four of us, so headed out for tea and cake at the Club in readiness for our caving trip.


Present: Bartek Biela, Paulina Biela, Keith Edwards, Brendan Marris

The Brickworks Dig

Whilst in South Wales this weekend I decided to lift off the tin lid to the Brickworks Dig and venture down to see what state things were in after the long wet summer and winter lay off. Despite heavy rain in the night, the dig was relatively dry. The conveyor belt was completely dry down to the cross rift and you could see right to the dig face. A few inches of water were held behind the sand bag retaining wall we had built, with the last twelve feet as you approach the dig face being a static pool. No significant collapses had occurred while we have been away. Inspecting the dig face indicates that there is definitely a passage on the left, two feet of clear passage roof can be seen, that reflects the roof of the main passage. Ahead the wall continues to dip and probably continues, but spoil and water prevent you seeing this conclusively. New pumps, some dry weather and a little enthusiasm may see some progress in the dig this year!

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

We have started to back-fill some of the passage as well as removing the railway track from the main sump pool and partially filled it in. The dig is now about 3 feet longer - we have begun to dig out below the arch that we discovered last time. It is also a few feet deeper. More details on the dig page. 

The Dig Team - Sunday 16th September 2007

Left to Right - Chris Webb, Keith Edwards (rear), Heather Simpson, Derek Robertson, John Smith

The dig team: KeEd, BrMa, DeRo, HeSi (Sun only), JoSm & ChWe + Piers from SWCC (Sat only)

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

A busy weekend.  On the Saturday we replaced two of the wheels on the truck, pumped out the cave, removed the stacked bags from the cross-rift, started to permanently install the yellow pipes, placed cup-hooks down the main passage to hold up the cables and started to dig a 'sump pool' below the cross-rift.

On the Sunday we completed the installation of pipes and cup-hooks and continued to dig the sump pool.

More details on the dig page.

The dig team: KeEd, AnGr (Sat only), BrMa, GrSm, JoSm & ChWe

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

The smallest dig team ever (KeEd, BrMa & DeRo) cleared out the infill which had slumped in from the cross-rift over the Winter, installed conveyer belt in the main dig passage, surveyed the system down the the cross-rift and broke through into approximately 15 feet of virgin passage!  Details on the dig page.

The Team:  KeEd, BrMa & DeRo

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

At the dig face nearly all of the in-fill from the 'lost' roof of the passage had slumped in revealing back space in the ceiling. After some digging we were able to climb up into this. The passage here is around ten feet high. Ahead appears to be the continuation of the chocked narrow rift, above is a 4 inch square hole in the roof which is another inlet, but to the left is (as we suspected from last time) another passage and the in-fill does not go quite up to roof level - more black space! We can see about six feet along this passage before it appears to turn right again. This is a very interesting area.

For more details of the weekend see the Dig Page.

The Dig Team:  MCa, KEd, BMa (Sat only), DRo, GSm (Sat & first 15mins of Sun only), JSm & ASt

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

Weekend 12/13th August We now have 150, 13" x 30" sand bags - each one holds more than a bucket full. On Saturday we filled 100 bags (approx. 120 buckets) and stacked them at the bottom of the main railway track. With only 4 people we had to initially stack the bags in the cross-rift and then move positions to get them to the bottom of the entrance passage. On Sunday we pulled 80 bags out to surface before the front wheels of the main dig truck were worn so badly that they splayed out and came off the railway track. We took both trucks back to the workshop and swapped two wheels between the trucks. We were then able to drag out the remaining 20 bags. After this we filled another 50 bags and stacked them in the cross-rift. Over the course of the weekend we added approx. 10 feet to the system. Near the dig face we have lost the roof again, but we think that at the dig face we may have got the roof back. Also on the left there may be a side passage.

Keith Edwards with the stacked sand bags at the cross rift.

Keith Edwards below the cross rift.

The Dig Team:  JDu (Sat and Sun morning only), KEd, CJe (Sun only), BMa and DRo

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

A very successful weekend. On Saturday we were able to remove the infill which had fallen out of the cross rift and make a little forward progress under the arched roof. On Sunday we added another few feet to the system. In the afternoon we managed to drop a boulder out of the roof which revealed some "black space", but after much excitement we found after a few feet the infill was back up to the roof. 


The Dig Team: PAn (Sun only), MBo, MCa, KEd, BMa, MNo (Sun only), DRo, GSm, JSm & ASt

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

The water slightly higher than 'normal level'.  Pumping took nearly all day.  When we got to the bottom of the extension passage it was noted that more infill had fallen out of the roof and had washed down to the dig face.  Also by this time the rain which had started when we started pumping had set in for the day and was falling heavily.  More .....

Present: KEd, BMa, GSm, JSm, ASt & CWe

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

The water was at 'normal level' with only a foot of so of water in the extension passage.  Pumping took less than an hour.  It was found that several tons of infill had fallen out of the roof of the cross rift exposing the ceiling and about 6 feet of passage to the right - not in the direction we want to go but another 6 feet for the survey nevertheless.  More ...

John Smith at the dig face.

Present: KEd, MCa, BMa, MNo, GSm, JSm, ASt + Garry from SWCC

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

We started pumping operations at 12:45 and the pumping went very well indeed. Everything performed as we had predicted/hoped for and we were shifting the water at over 6 gallons per minute.

More ...

Present: KEd, BMa, ASt & CWe + Thomas (a relative of Adrian's)

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

A large dig team and probably a record for the amount of infill removed - 140 buckets on the Saturday and 120 buckets on the Sunday, but nevertheless a little disappointing.  The Club Dig Page for more details.

The team outside the cave at the end of Sunday.

The Dig Team: PAn, MBa, DBo (Sun only), KEd, BMa, MNo, JSm, ASt & CWe

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

More progress has been made with about 10 feet of passage added to the system and the first "air space" discovered in the whole 19 year history of the dig.  See the Dig Page for more details.

The dig face showing airspace above.

The Dig Team: MCa (Sun only), KEd, BMa, MNo & ASt

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

Another very successful digging weekend. On Saturday morning we constructed a single-bucket railway over the pool and in the afternoon we removed 75 buckets of spoil. On the Sunday we removed another 112 buckets of infill. We appear to have discovered a cross-rift with the passage we have been following, continuing ahead. Another weekend should confirm this. During the weekend we added 6 feet to the length of the cave.

Keith Edwards in the newly discovered cross rift.

The Dig Team: MCa (Sun only), KEd, BMa, MNo, GSm, JSm & ASt

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

During the most successful digging weekend ever another ten feet of passage was added to the system.  See the Club Dig page for details.

Pete removing a boulder.

Present:  PAn (Sun only), MBo (Sun only), MCa  (Sun only), JDu (Sun only), KEd, BMa, MNo (Sun only), GSm, JSm, ASt & CWe

Brickworks Dig, Penwyllt, South Wales

One of the most successful dig weekends ever.  Much of the weekend was spent scaffolding and stabilising the area before the final right turn, but we still managed to remove 105 buckets of in-fill and add another six feet to the length of the system.

Present:  MBo, KEd, BMa, JSm & ASt