Saturday 31st October 2020

John Cooper, Nigel Graham, Pete Hann, Wayne Starsmore, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. One mix of cement taken in. Initially all hauled spoil up from the bottom shelf to the midway tunnel. Pete then went cementing whilst the rest of us hauled the spoil up to the bottom of the entrance. Then we hauled 18 loads up to the surface, by which time Pete had finished cementing. Had to return to rescue Nigel’s van. 3 hours. John.

Saturday 24th October 2020

John Cooper, Nigel Graham, Pete Hann, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. Although Adrian took capping kit down it wasn’t used. Lots of spoil hauled up the from the bottom until the bottom ledge was quite full. Plenty of hauling next week. 1½ hours. John.

Saturday 17th October 2020

John Cooper, Nigel Graham, Pete Hann, Wayne Starsmore, Adrian Vanderplank, Jude Vanderplank and Barry Wilkinson (in his own bubble on the surface so the underground group stayed legal at 6). 10 am start. Two mixes of cement to the bottom where Pete built walls supervised(?) by Adrian. Meanwhile the rest moved 10 loads of spoil from the alcoves to the tunnel, then moved it on up to the base of the entrance and then on to the surface in only 5 (heavier) loads. Capping again next week. 1½ hours. John.

Saturday 3rd October 2020

John Cooper, Nigel Graham, Pete Hann, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. 10 am start. With storm Alex passing through Pete thought it might be too wet to cement so just Adrian capping a conglomerate boulder at the bottom. One alcove filled with spoil but the other still empty. Trickle of water reportedly heard below, otherwise quite dry 1½ hours. John.

Saturday 26th September 2020

John Cooper, Nigel Graham, Pete Hann, Wayne Starsmore and Barry Wilkinson. Started where we finished last week. With Pete filling, Wayne above him and John above Wayne all the spoil was passed to Nigel to stack at the bottom of the entrance. Once this was complete Nigel went to the surface to assist Barry. With Pete filling and Wayne moving the buckets up the slope, John on the Naughty Step, Barry and Nigel hauled 23 loads to the surface to leave the dig clear of spoil. 2 hours. John.

Saturday 19th September 2020

John Cooper, Nigel Graham, Pete Hann, Wayne Starsmore, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. One mix of cement taken in. First moved spoil up from bottom to step, Pete loading, Wayne above and John stacking. Then while Pete did some cementing we moved it on up to the alcoves and then on up to the tunnel. Once that was completed Jude went down to join Pete and a bit more spoil moved on up to the alcoves and then on up to the tunnel. Finally we made a start on moving the spoil up from the tunnel but after only a few loads Pete and Jude had finished cementing so we all left. 2 hours. John.

Saturday 12th September 2020

John Cooper, Pete Hann, Matt Randall, Adrian Vanderplank and Jude Vanderplank. First hour moved spoil up from bottom to alcoves. Jude loading, Pete above, Matt next, Adrian next and me stacking in alcoves. Then Pete drilling with Jude assisting while rest moved spoil up from alcoves to mid tunnel for another hour. Matt loading, Adrian above him and me hauling then stacking. All clear by time charge ready for firing. Didn’t hear it on surface but heard a little way down entrance shaft. 2 hours. John.