Serious Roof Collapse
A collapse occurred sometime between the end of May and beginning of June
2004, about 100m in from the entrance of Level Fawr (Cwmystyth) at a T-junction
near to where a truck still sits on the rails. This collapse effectively
blocked the main route on to the chamber near the skip road shaft and
the passage off to the left (under impressive timber roofing) which also
lead to the skip road.
What collapsed?
Fortunately club member Ian Cooper took a photograph of the area on 23rd
May 2004 (picture 1) looking back towards the T-junction from under the
timbering (see picture 1). At this time only a small amount of mine waste
and rock had fallen from the void beyond the timbering into the T-junction
area - it had been like this for a number of years.
Comparing the older picture with one taken on Sunday 20th June (picture 2) it appears that a very large fall of material occured from some point above and beyond the last 2 or 3 timbers. Studying the more recent picture (2) the actual timbers protecting the road-way still seem to be in place, although the last one or 2 timbers may have collapsed due to the inrush.
The result is that the debris has fallen straight into the junction area, completely blocking the route under these timbers and spilling back into the main route straight into the mine, partially blocking it.
New Tube
A tube, of 'ribbed' plastic like the one fitted through the entrance roof-fall
was fitted through the collapse during August. However to get this tub into
place a section has been cut out of it, allowing it to be "rolled-up"
and pushed through the entrance pipe.
It is believed that the installation has been done by "interested" local people, and they have made a very good job of it (see Pictures 4 and 5).
A well constructed wall protects the 'in-bye' side of the tube, which is supported through-out its length (about 2m).
The tube is a little narrower than the entrance one, but it should allow 99.9% of cavers/mine explorers through !!
Picture 3: The
view 'outbye' from the truck, with the fall behind and a glimmer of light
from the entrance, early July 2004.
Picture: Kelvin
Lake - I.A.Recordings
Picture 4: Almost the same view, with
the tube fitted through some nice walling (built end of July 2004).
Picture:
Kelvin Lake - I.A.Recordings (Oct. 2004)