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Report - - Various Underground Quarries in Corsham (Part 2 of 2) | Mines and Quarries | 28DaysLater.co.uk

Report - Various Underground Quarries in Corsham (Part 2 of 2)

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FaZy_UK

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Please see Part 1 first.

Brewer's Yard

I must admit, when OT took me to the slope shaft for the first time, and said 'crack on then', I genuinely crapped myself a little. I was staring into a dark void which had no visible stairs, ladders, lifts, escalators or even handholds.
Then getting to what you think is the bottom, and it tightens up, and goes on even further through some nasty collapses!
My favourite part of this quarry was this access, it's just enough of a physical and mental challenge to put a smile on your face.

The pram, at the bottom of the slope shaft:
16608157920_6d816ee866_c.jpg


The slope shaft (Barely identifiable due to a very large collapse):
16588228117_eb95588440_c.jpg


One of the short tramways on the upper level. Sleeper holes still visible, deads stacked either side:
16794391141_226d2885ea_c.jpg


Passageways on the lower level:
16607946838_ef6120e3ee_c.jpg


Cut stone on the lower level - Trapped down there by a major collapse:
16173199544_28ec79980b_c.jpg



Kingsdown Quarry

Often referred to as 'Swan Mine', this relatively small system has some rather nice remaining artefacts and unique features.
It also has several access points, varying in difficulty, and to top it off, has quite a few interesting squeezes and crawls that in my opinion, make it well worth a look.

One of the passageways, clearly showing the cart tracks (this quarry had no rail system):
16608181490_e094ce324a_c.jpg


Another passageway showing cart ruts:
16794484141_c30e93baac_c.jpg


A rotting ladder that heads up into a natural fissure:
16794479041_6b46c0ba9b_c.jpg


A cutting bench, complete with saw, and decorated with artefacts (notably Lyle's Golden Syrup tins):
16795595965_7746134b8f_c.jpg



Monks Park

Monks Park was linked to Ridge Quarry (see below) and was used for munitions storage in the war.

There is a good amount of unique equipment left behind in Monks Park, which made it a damn good explore in my opinion.

Looking towards the base of the slope shaft:
16608231310_45fd0f29f9_c.jpg


At the bottom of the shaft is an 'emergency pass rack':
16609455109_41ab3db2b4_c.jpg


Also at the bottom are offices, and a substation:
16175662233_ef4159ddd5_c.jpg


This quarry has many large open passageways, which are full of cut stone, and quarrying equipment:
16794472441_363c1bd3fc_c.jpg


To this date, I have never seen a hydraulic crane like this anywhere else:
16173279484_d7a19fe1cb_c.jpg



Ridge Quarry

Ridge was partially converted into an ammunition storage facility, but never completed.
I miss Ridge probably more than any other now-sealed quarry in Wiltshire.
It contains absolutely -loads- of graffiti by MOD workers that were stationed there, and some is quite excellent.

Looking towards the bottom of the slope shaft into Ridge - Note the military style concrete column, almost identical to those in the MOD part of Box:
16175659613_a67a77e106_c.jpg


Old rotten wood lies on the floor, hinting of it's life as a quarry, whilst more recent signage from it's war days is visible every so often:
16608217670_f6be65fcc8_c.jpg


Regrettably, I don't have enough pictures of the amazing graffiti, but here's a couple:
16794469832_8af5657017_c.jpg


Simply awesome:
16588247177_9ae17d91a8_c.jpg



On an end note, here's a piece of graffiti that reminds me of a very sad time, but also stirs some very fond memories:
16175653713_8cc816de61_c.jpg

I'm sure there are many of you who'd like to see this again.

I hope you have enjoyed reading.

I'd like to say thanks to everyone who showed me something new in Wiltshire, it's been a cracker!

Andy
 

The Kwan

28DL Regular User
Regular User
The mutherlode all in one go :) some really nice photos in both parts of your report mate, cheers for posting them up.
 

Oxygen Thief

Admin
Staff member
Admin
Only one of those is accessible at the moment, as far as I know.

What a belting set of pictures. They were wasted on farcebook mate, thanks for posting them here.
 

slayaaaa

Moderator
Moderator
It's such a shame when stuff gets stuck on Facebook and not properly documented. No one will ever see it again on Facebook so cheers for taking the time to do a report, I personally enjoyed it and I know it's a bit more effort than just uploading them to Facebook but this time you can have a search in the forum and google and this'll pop up. :) Brilliant pics and a fantastic compilation!
 

Tomw1989

28DL Full Member
28DL Full Member
One of the best reports I've seen in ages (both parts)!

Nicely shot man!

Pity the good ones are sealed up though :turd
 

dweeb

28DL Regular User
Regular User
I read that the syrup tins were home made lamps, a miner would have to supply his own lighting, and the more hard up you were the cruder your lamp was. The syrup tins had a hole pierced in the lid, filled with oil and a wick fed through.

I quite fancy trying it down there to see just how much light they put out.

Lovely well composed photos there...
 

FaZy_UK

28DL Regular User
Regular User
Thanks for the comments everyone, I'm glad the report was well received.

There's still plenty down there that I need to see though...

Dweeb: I didn't know that! I have seen Lyle's tins in a number of underground workings though, so that makes sense.

Andy
 

Altair

Poking holes since '84
28DL Full Member
Couple of brilliant reports there mate with superbly lit pictures. I have found memories of Brewer's Yard and Kingsdown for other, slightly more amusing reasons!
 

BeerRunner

28DL Member
28DL Member
Another thing the Lyle's tins were used for was lubricating the saws. The quarrymen would use a tin with a hole at the bottom to provide a constant drip feed of water to the saw cut.
 
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