Engineering wonders.

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

Here's one, I'd love to see it being carried out in a month or so's time. The last mine I worked at in the UK is Boulby, after around 40 years of use the reinforced concrete tower is showing it's age, cracks!! It is to be replaced with a steel headframe with a new cast concrete tower around it.

The old tower weighs in at over 2000 tonnes, and is going to be cut off at the base and slid out the way, then demolished. The new tower, over 1000 tonnes, will be slid over the top of the 3/4 mile deep shaft and secured into place.

[colly0410 1,181]

Looks strange to see head-stocks with no wheels on them, also an upcast shaft with no airlock gubbins. I remember reading on your mining site that the fans are underground..

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

Way back when they were, these days they are on the surface, the Number 2 shaft has airlocks... I wonder if they were ready for production last Monday a week back??

[colly0410 1,181]

Ah yes, had to have a new head-frame if I remember right, I expect some one will update us about whats going on over on the mining forum... I see I've been promoted to a Shotfirer on there, does that mean I can boss people around? Lol..

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

That's to do with post counts, that photo doesn't show the sheave wheels installed, they are on the ground leaning against the steelwork. I have a couple of photos from someone who takes photos for the company, but I'm not allowed to post them as they are strict copyright to CPL, they clearly show the sheave wheels in place shortly before the number 1 tower was cut off at the base and inched slowly off the top of the shaft.

If you are on Facebook, there's a group where one feller who operated the emergency winder, posted photos of the tower being inched away from the shaft on the massive steelwork built for the job, he clearly shows the "stub" left, and the heavy shaft cover to prevent anyone or materials falling down the shaft.

Although when I was working there, there was a massive double shaft doors at the minus 30 foot level, not sure if they are still in place.

[colly0410 1,181]

Yes I'm on FB, I'll have a look through to see if I can find that status, thanks for info..

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

Here's a link to the group.....

http://www.facebook.com/groups/11870161932/

[colly0410 1,181]

Thanks for the link, asked to join & been accepted. Looks some good stuff on there, I'll have a look through when I come back from my line dance class..

[Ayupmeducks 1,730]

His photos are a tad "blown out" I presume he used a phone to take them, pity really, if he'd taken a half decent camera with him, they'd have been great shots, compare them to Gary O'Hagan's on the mining forum, fair enough Gary has an expensive Canon, but even if he'd taken them with a bridge camera, they would have been a lot better.

That's one of Gary's photos at the top of this thread.