Subterranean Adventures under Edward's Lane Est.

[DJ360 6,780]

Back around 1960 ish, a couple of friends and I went 'caving' just off Valley Road (Arnold).

 

There was (probably still is?) a surface water drain which flowed into the 'Daybrook' at the edge of the little recreation ground by the old 'Five Ways' pub.  The one where there was also a miniature railway track.  The end of the drain was closed off by steel bars, but as ever, some enterprising soul had bent them, allowing for access by small boys.

 

So on summer mornings, we would wander down there from Southglade Road to have our 'adventure'.

 

We carried candles in jam jars dangling from string and would make our way along the storm drain., straddling the small flow of water. If I recall correctly, it was possible to go straight through and out of the other end, the 'Daybrook' being effectively culverted for a stretch.  

 

But there were also branches part way along heading uphill towards Edward's Lane Est.  They had hand painted markings and arrows indicating that the branches went to 'Rise Park', or wherever.  We never had the nerve to go very far up them.

 

I never saw much water flowing out of that drain so am left wondering if it was some sort of overflow, just there to take excessive flow in storm conditions?  Someone here may know.

 

Did anyone else venture into the 'Valley Road Cave System'? 

 

Anyway our little adventures just fed into my lifelong fascination with caves, and a later period of more challenging trips into the caves of Yorks, Derbys and Somerset.

 

Col

[loppylugs 8,429]

Too claustrophobic for me.

[FLY2 10,109]

It was probably just a soak away or overflow of some sort as Rise Pk is considerably higher than Valley Rd. 

Maybe Edwards Lane Estate too. That's a new one on me !

[Cliff Ton 10,580]

There's a thread on the Day Brook which covers some of that area.  https://nottstalgia.com/forums/topic/8888-the-day-brook-at-daybrook/#comment-109842

 

[DJ360 6,780]

Thanks for that Cliff.  Fascinating how that area has changed over the years.

[FLY2 10,109]

If I ever get my model railway set up in the loft, then I'm basing it on Daybrook station. It seems to have everything for a good model. 

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

The large culvert that comes under the 5 Ways pub and enters the Daybrook near the Edwards Lane, Valley Road junction is the top water drain that covers Edwards Lane estate, Bestwood Park etc in other words the southerly part of the hill that is Beckhampton Road. If you go down there in a storm for a look you will see just how much water comes down the drain.......a lot.

 

The top water drains for Rice Park flow in the other direction and into the Lean.

 

The miniature railway was actually at the junction of Hucknall Road and Valley Road behind what used to be a police post.

 

So you caved Col, me I am ex Eldon PC based in Buxton, DCRO team M.

[DJ360 6,780]

I was a member of SLICC (South Lancs Industrial Caving Club) which grew out of some caving activity promoted by a chap called Rev. Barry Whitehead, an Industrial Chaplain. Barry was also well known in Car 'Hill Climb' circles and last I heard was still active.

 

SLICC had an arrangement whereby we used a farmhouse rented by Bolton Spelio Club at Upper Winskills near Settle.  Some fun nights in the 'Brass Cat' in Settle and the Craven Heiffer at Helwith Bridge.

 

Have heard of Eldon PC.  IIRC, they have a lot of credits for exploration and development of Derbyshire caves.  I had a good look at Carlswark Caverns  and also used to love P8 (Jackpot) at Perryfoot near Edale, but otherwise most of my caving was in Yorks.  Alum Pot, Juniper Gulf, Kingsdale System, Lancaster Hole system, Casterton, Aygill and many others.  Great days but I spent half my time scared silly.  Good for the soul though.

 

And yes.  Now you say it, the little railway was where you say, because I saw it from the 28 bus.

 

As for the drainage from 'the other side'.  Early 70s I worked on two projects associated with that but not sure whether they were for sewage or top water.  I'd imagine the latter.

One ran down Cantrell Road, thus heading towards the Leen via Highbury Vale.  The stretch across Bulwell Common from the current Tesco/Top Valley area was, I think trenched, but Cantrell Road was tunnelled, by Irish lads who worked incredibly hard and earned a small fortune.  I was just a banksman.

The other went through the hill from Southglade Road more or less where Southglade Sports Centre is now, heading towards Tesco Top Valley.  I did about half a shift underground there to cover for an injured Irish lad.  Damned near killed me.

Contractor was J.P. Donelan.  We used to get paid out personally by the man around lunch time on a Friday.

 

Col

[TBI 2,351]

You wouldn't get me squeezing through a black, narrow tunnel deep in the bowels of the earth for a million quid. Just thinking about it's made me come over all peculiar.

[DJ360 6,780]

Me neither TBI.  The thing is that most caves aren't like that.  They tend to be either vertical slots which can be many tens of feet high, but narrow and sometimes difficult to negotiate at floor level, or they may be low and wide 'bedding planes'.   Also sometimes passages as large as underground railway tunnels, or big chambers.  All sorts really.  There are odd very tight and restricted tube like things which can require you to be calm and controlled to avoid panic, but they are not that common and certainly not the norm.

For me, the really scary bits were the hundred or more foot ladder climbs in vertical shafts, often with a waterfall crashing down on your head.

I am a fully qualified coward, but I managed a few 'challenging' caves, so it can't be that bad 

Col.

 

Alum Pot Yorks.  About half way down. 100 foot or so to go for the chap on the 'bridge'.  Bin there... Dun that..

Note the handline secured to the rock under the overhang on the right.  No such thing in the mid 70s whe I dun it.  Just a careful hands and knees crawl. Basically safe as houses but knowing there's a couple of hundred foot sheer drop on your left as you approach the bridge tends to encourage caution..

 

 

Long Churn.  One of the ways into Alum Pot.

 

Upper Long Churn.  Dr Bannister's Handbasin

 

 

 

Note that you also get to spend your time in the company of attractive cheerful young ladies.... 

 

Col

[TBI 2,351]

Mmmm well, perhaps I might be able to manage it after all...

[DJ360 6,780]

That's the spirit!! 

[carni 10,094]

DJ360,  I thoroughly enjoyed reading your last two posts and  your pictures certainly set the scene. Just looking at the images had my Adrenalin pumping. I spent most of the time feeling like fainting, being the claustrophobic coward that I am. Even the pretty girls didn't tempt me . Seriously though, what fantastic adventures you have had. Thanks for sharing.

[Cliff Ton 10,580]

21 hours ago, DJ360 said:

Back around 1960 ish, a couple of friends and I went 'caving' just off Valley Road (Arnold).

There was (probably still is?) a surface water drain which flowed into the 'Daybrook' at the edge of the little recreation ground by the old 'Five Ways' pub.  The one where there was also a miniature railway track.  

 

That miniature railway is remembered by many people here; and it's mentioned quite a lot in this thread.  https://nottstalgia.com/forums/topic/10717-miniature-railway/?page=1

 

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

I started caving in Matlock but soon moved up into the High Peak (good job really met the wife there, pretty girls do tempt me). Yep P8 was a cracker of a little cave ideal for the beginner, it provided the first wet pitch for many a virgin. I spent some time down in South Wales as well, I like the big passage's where you could walk for miles instead of lying on your gut..

 

Back in 71 we were invited by Norbert Casteret (a member would you believe) over to France to have a crack at the Gouffre Berger the lads had a great time but I had got married and promised to pack it up.

 

Good pictures they bring back some memories. Paul Deakin was our main surveyor/photographer but of course it was mainly black and white back then especially with the limited lighting available.

[DJ360 6,780]

Carni. #13.  Thank you.  I should point out that the photos are 'stock' ones that I have lifted from the internet.  We had our share of pretty young ladies too back in the 70s and I have a few photos, but none are uploaded to anywhere so I can't put them up.

 

Oh.. hang on...  Not a young lady (despite the hair..) and not pretty.  This is me snapped by my mate Dougie on our way up to Alum Pot for a descent by ladder sometime in the 70s.  It was a warm day and we were pretty much worn out by the time we'd dragged all the ladders and ropes etc., to the cave. Note my very fetching wetsuit.  Made from a kit.

Alum Pot itself is an 'open' pot and sheep/cows etc., used to fall in, because part of it was only protected by a bit of wire.. where a stream went in.  There was a cow and a couple of sheep down there.  They were dead.. and very smelly.

[DJ360 6,780]

New Basford Lad. #15.

 

I did a double take when you mentioned Norbert Casteret, because he and Martel were always seen as the fathers of modern caving.  I hadn't realised that Casteret lived until the late 80s.

I read a book, the title of which I can't remember.  It went into great detail about the exploration of the PSM ( Gouffre Pierre Saint Martin) and the GB ( Gouffre Berger)  the death of Louben and the subsequent efforts to recover his body are caving legend.

 

I have a book by Bruce Bedford which I can't locate at present, but it details the whole Louben tragedy, along with much closer to home things such as the death of Neil Moss in (I think ) 'Peak Cavern'. back in the 1950s. I recall folllowing that in the press at the time.

 

Caving can indeed be very dangerous, but I think it is so 'objectively' dangerous that most people take a lot of care.

 

Far more people die from casually wandering onto the hills, than ever died in caves.

 

Col

[Oztalgian 3,418]

I used to rock climb all through the Peak District, and spent a lot of time around Hathersage,  Stanage Edge, Burbage Edge, Millstone Edge just to name a few. Often the day ended in the Fox Inn at Hathersage where several pints were consumed on many summer weekend evenings.

The mode of transport was an old Ford hearse owned by one of my mates, tyres down to the canvas, marginal brakes and burnt more oil than petrol, but it had plenty of room for the climbing gear. One evening a mate partook of too much ale and passed out so we laid him out on the platform for the coffin in the back of the hearse. We had many strange looks and even some of the older people stood and doffed their caps as we made our way home.

A cousin of mine was a keen potholer and suggested I go with him on a couple of adventures. Trips down three or four relatively dry caves revealed vast cathedral like caverns, ghostly limestone flows and beautiful stalactite and stalagmite formations. Then one day he said I should bring my wetsuit, I should have known enough to say no at that point but youth and stupidity prevailed.

I can't remember the name of the cave but distinctly remember descending an electron ladder for about thirty feet until it met a stream flowing into the cavern. I know it was not possible but I got the impression that the freezing water was flowing into the sleeves of the wetsuit and out of my boots.

Having descended to the bottom of the hole we walked along a stream channel until the roof caused us to crawl and eventually slither on our stomachs with our faces an inch from a rather bright yellow coloured mud into another magnificent chamber. It was there I had my first experience of total darkness. Having switched off all the lights you could hold your hand up in front of your face, know it was there but still not see anything.

My potholing career came to and end when the group leader said that we were going to "force a syphon" that is follow a stream that fills the tunnel until you get to an area where the roof is higher than the stream level and air is available. It was at that point I decided to stick to rock climbing and at least if I fell off I could enjoy the view.

[DJ360 6,780]

#18.  Excellent Oz!

[Compo 10,334]

DJ360: I seem to recall there being a feature of Alum Pot called "The Cheese Press" or have I mixed iti up with Bull Pot/Gaping Gill?  I was a member of the RAF caving club for a while during 1970/71.

 

I also recall playing in the Day Brook tunnels during the early 1960s.  There were double ended swings and other amusements on the rec by the Five Ways too.

[Compo 10,334]

You'll need lots of space to model Daybrook Station Fly2....take a  look at this lot!

 

 

[Chulla 4,946]

Interesting picture Compo. The line at far right must have an incline because it has a jack-trap to derail any loose wagons before they can enter the main line.

[Compo 10,334]

The line with the trap is alongside a steep embankment and from other photos I have seen, seems to be a siding alongside the down platform. It didn't go over the bridge and I don't recall it joining the line at the other end of the platform either.

[DJ360 6,780]

Compo #20.  The Cheese Press is a low squeeze in the Alum Pot/Long Churn system.  I'm trying to recall exactly where, but I think it is in the Lower Long Churn entrance.  Thing is there are several entrances and exits along the Long Churn cave as it is relatively shallow.  However it eventually leads down into Alum Pot. via a series of features and minor obstacles such as Plank Pool and the Double Shuffle before arriving at the 'Dolly Tubs' pitch. This is from memory about a 40 foot pitch down to a large balcony leading out into the tremendous 'daylight' part of Alum Pot. (First of the pictures above)  The balcony is I think about halfway down Alum Pot proper and you have to continue down the 'Greasy Slab' and then traverse around to the right where the handline is visible in the picture and then down the 'bridge',which is actually a massive fallen block which is wedged between the pot walls.  From the bottom of the bridge there is another pitch of about 40 feet to the cave floor.  Then you can walk under the bridge to a final ladder pitch of about 25 feet and a short passage to a sump.  Also at that point is where 'Diccan Pot' comes down to the same place.

Diccan Pot is a deep shaft which is in effect 'behind' Alum Pot.  It is accessed by one of the lower entrances to Long Churn, often called the 'Diccan Pot Entrance'  I've been along the passage that leads to Diccan pot but I've never descended Diccan.  It's a long way down!!  Coming back to the 'Cheese Press' I think it's in the Diccan Pot entrance area, but it's also possible to get to the Dolly Tubs from there.  There are bigger maps if you search in Google but they are resistant to copy/paste.

 

 

Col

[Compo 10,334]

Thanks for that DY360, it's a long time since I was don Alum pot.