Results 1 to 4 of 4
  1. #1
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Yorkcestershire
    Posts
    26
    Thanks
    4
    Thanked 9 Times in 7 Posts

    Default Rampgill lead/zinc mine, Cumbria, October 2012

    I've not been able to get on here for ages - the last time I tried the site seemed to have gone tits-up. Still, it doesn't look like I'e missed much as the last underround post was over a month ago. What's up? No one go underground anymore?

    Anyway... I had a good mooch, with a bunch of fellow underground mentals, around this mine recently. Five hours and a few miles later we re-emerged after seeing about 10% of the place...

    A bit of history, nicked from t'interweb n that...

    "Rampgill Horse Level was started by the Greenwich Hospital in 1736 following the Scaleburn Moss Vein until it reached Fairhill Vein, this then followed into Rampgill Vein. Rampgill Vein may have been worked as early as 1690. There are references to other veins being worked from much earlier on which join into Rampgill Mine. In 1745 the lease was sold to the London Lead Company who developed the mine at an impressive rate and found the Rampgill Vein and others to be incredibly rich in ore. Altogether Rampgill with all its veins yielded 140,000 tons of lead ore between 1703 and 1886.

    By the end of the 19th century most of Rampgill Vein above the water table had been worked out. Between 1899 and 1921 the Vieille Montagne Zinc Company reworked some of the veins in Rampgill Mine and Coalcleugh Mine for zinc ore, with the Rampgill Horse Level being used for access to Coalcleugh Mine. The Rampgill Horse Level was also used as a haulage way via the Hanginshaw Branch Level for the eastern workings of the Middlecleugh and Longcleugh Veins in Smallcleugh Mine. "

    Brewery shaft - pipework from the compressed air system.


    Wadorz needed here. In fact they're needed in the whole place. I don't think there's a dry bit in the whole mine.


    Ore chute from a higher level in the mine.


    Whiskey Bottle Corner.




    Tunnel...


    More pipework at another shaft.


    Calcite deposits forming stalactites.


    Although this looks like it could be dogshit, I am assured it is dynamite.


    More tunnels but with stonework.


    A crawl through water.


    Roof supports in former collapsed/blown in section. At some time after closure this area was dynamited but was dug out by explorers in the 1980s/90s.


    In some sections of tunnel the original constructors had used concrete and when fitting the shuttering they had covered it with newspaper to help it come unstuck once the concrete was set. This pic shows remains of the newspaper that they used over 100 years ago - still stuck to the concrete ceiling.


    Point lever from underground narrow gauge railway.


    More tunnel...






    Don't tread on me

  2. The Following User Says Thank You to Rustynail For This Useful Post:

    luverlyjuberly (04-01-2013)

  3. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2008
    Location
    Lancashire
    Posts
    1,591
    Thanks
    175
    Thanked 309 Times in 251 Posts

    Default Re: Rampgill lead/zinc mine, Cumbria, October 2012

    Top shelf!
    Love the old bottles, great set of pics
    The only thing to do with good advice is pass it on. It is never any use to oneself.

  4. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    386
    Thanks
    186
    Thanked 116 Times in 89 Posts

    Default Re: Rampgill lead/zinc mine, Cumbria, October 2012

    Nice stuff, I've seen this report before somewhere?? 28??
    The rest of my photos are here..........
    My Blog http://nellyurbex.blogspot.com/
    My Facebook http://www.facebook.com/NellyUrbex

  5. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    Yorkshire! Salt of the earth!
    Posts
    1,905
    Thanks
    176
    Thanked 577 Times in 468 Posts

    Default Re: Rampgill lead/zinc mine, Cumbria, October 2012

    Nice enough boss, we changed from .co.uk to .com as its more international sounding like James Bond is. Think it confused a lot of folk but there slowly coming back.


    "How come the compression is so bad on all those shots man? It looks like they've been edited with a Commodore 64." JST

  6. The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Clough For This Useful Post:

    birdinanaviary (22-10-2012), luverlyjuberly (04-01-2013)

Similar Threads

  1. Llangunnor Lead Mine, South Wales - May 2012
    By -Walsh- in forum Underground
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 06-06-2012, 12:23 AM
  2. Frongoch Lead and Zinc Mine, Mid Wales, April 2012
    By cunningcorgi in forum Underground
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 30-04-2012, 07:03 AM
  3. Bwlchglas Lead Mine- Upper Adit- April 2012
    By -Walsh- in forum Underground
    Replies: 10
    Last Post: 29-04-2012, 08:18 AM
  4. Frongoch Lead Mine - Mid Wales, April 2012
    By -Walsh- in forum Underground
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 29-04-2012, 08:16 AM
  5. Bwlchglas Lead Mine, Shallow Adit, April 2012
    By cunningcorgi in forum Underground
    Replies: 4
    Last Post: 28-04-2012, 08:52 PM

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •