Brynlow Mine

Clearing the leaf-filled gulley leading from the adit entrance	An improvised winch for working in the narrow sloping vein clearing in-fill	Timber shuttering to hold back material that had been tipped into the mine	A small diameter shothole found and photographed at the end of the adit
The Cobalt Mine

Tom's Shaft conveniently located inside the DCC museum	Looking up the temporary ladder in Tom's Shaft	One of the smaller sections in the Cobalt Mine	Shuttering in the Cobalt Mine where sand has slipped down from abandoned workings
Doc Mine

Bricking up the connection between the upper and lower parts to prevent inexperienced visitors getting into danger. The wall is now completely hidden by sediment.	Building a new entrance on the old concrete slab over one of the shafts	Starting to survey Doc Mine in 1973. Note the antiquated compass on a tripod.	A record photograph showing the current state of the mine. Photographs are taken regularly showing how the mines change
Engine Vein - Blue Shaft Passage

Laying track below the bridge (which was not there at the time) to carry the infill to a dump	Filling tubs at the blockage near Bear Pit	Checking the stopping put in to prevent Bear Pit from spilling into the passage. This has since been removed as Bear Pit has now been cleared from top to bottom.	A view of the stopping after clearing the main passage. The pipe took surface water away from the working area.	The teleferique at the top of Blue Shaft - an abortive attempt to clear the shaft which was eventually cleared from below

Using Malcolm's tub and railway to work below Balloon Shaft	Tipping down Bear Pit (compare with the picture above when the stopping was still in place)	The rebuilt ore chute at the bottom of Bear Pit
Square Shaft

Square Shaft was the key to exploring the Hough Level. It had to be cleared from top to bottom. However, at the bottom, the passage was found to be clear both ways.	Putting the headframe in place. This dig preceded Bear Pit and a simple three-legged scaffolding frame was used.	Setting the rings in place	Looking up Square Shaft from below. One of the unexpected finds were some of the 19th century track still in situ below the shaft. These have now been placed vertically in the shaft.
The Hough Level

Filling tubs at the face in the Hough Level. Clearing the Hough Level was seen as essential to clearing Blue Shaft	Track in the Hough Level near the entrance	Finds included the remains of one of the boats used in the 1930s to carry visitors from Engine Vein to Brynlow.	Graffiti near the boat. Modern graffiti is deplored but this gives the names of some of the visitors on the 1920s and 30s.	A tub coming out of the entrance to the Hough Level

The entrance seen from the main tip. The timber bridge meant that side-tipping tubs could be emptied easily.	The tip. The mound to the left is the 19th century tip which was not disturbed by our work.	For a short time, a diesel loco was used to pull out the trucks. It turned out to be too heavy and was removed.
Bear Pit

Starting the dig on the Bear Pit using a pneumatic drill to break through the concrete. A historic picture.	One works, the rest watch.	Laying the concrete around the new lid.	General view of the Bear Pit dig in progress.	Keith operating the petrol-driven winch

Derek supervising at the shaft top. The buckets were raised to the next level for emptying	Todge on the dumper waiting for a load	On the headframe
Ring Shaft

The early stages of digging Ring Shaft. It's presence was known from underground	Bringing in the rings that gave the shaft its name	Rings in situ	Descending Ring Shaft on an abseiling rope. The second rope is the guidewire for the buckets being raised
Balloon Shaft

Balloon Shaft after removing the old timber capping	The new lid in place surrounded by shuttering and concrete being poured	Moving the headframe from Ring Shaft to Balloon Shaft	Digging Balloon Shaft using the same technique as at Bear Pit
Field Shaft

Improvised winch at Field Shaft where the field had collapsed into an old shaft that had probably been lined with timber	Debating the best way to line the shaft. A traditional brick well system was used	More up to date mechanisation using a capstan winch	Steve shows that not all the visitors to the mines have two legs
Sand Shaft and Stump Shaft

Digging Sand Shaft where an old shaft had run into the Stump Shaft excavation	Looking down into the heavily timbered Sand Shaft. This was eventually concreted at the rock head	Stump Shaft in the later days when it had nearly been levelled back up to the field	The last resting place of the headframe before it was dismantled.
Temple Shaft

The 'Temple' in Wood Mine that gave the name to Temple Shaft	Temple Shaft was probably the most elaborate project of its kind with the excavated shaft 12 ft square and 15 ft deep	At the bottom of Temple Shaft where the sand finished and the rock started. A concrete plug was installed	One of the digging team
Wood Mine

The reopening of Wood Mine. This was the first project carried out by the Club	Jock and Todge clearing the adit in Wood Mine in 1970	Rebuilding the adit at Wood Mine. It had been blasted in in the 60s	Exploring Blue Lake by dinghy	Digging in Canal Turn, a backfilled passage

The improvised winch and railway in Canal Turn	The dig at Roadworks Shaft which drops below the passage for about 20 ft. The name came from the road sign visible in the picture	Installing fencing around Roadworks Shaft
West Mine

Pouring concrete around the entrance lid in 1975	A plaque recognising the work by members in reopening West Mine	A rare photograph of a person coming through the recently opened way into West Mine in 1975. A steel ladder replaced the electron ladder	On early trips, there was no bridge at Plank Shaft so we climbed around the shaft using a fixed rope	Excavation of the entrance to West Mine in 18 Acre Field

The completed entrance	Installation of a frame over Plank Shaft to facilitate access down the 60 ft shaft	The passage at the bottom of Plank Shaft awaiting exploration
Finlow Mine

Winter digging!	The shaft top	Exploring one of the narrow passages in Finlow Mine	On the vein in Finlow Mine
Other mines

The level near Beacon Lodge. This passage is now concealed by the path	The Canyon Opencast while being surveyed	Rock Shaft near Stormy Point. Dug from top to near bottom	Reeking Mine during surface surveying in the area