The exploration of Welbeck didnt feel like and explore, it felt like a war! Closure has been on the cards for years so we have had the advantage of a bit of forsight but im still sorry to say we didnt win every battle here.
We first headed in after reciving word from coal kings Dave and Joe that all underground activities had stopped. We arrived to find cables severed on both winders and demo crews allready munching their way through the medical centre and workshops.. In a way we got lucky there as coal prep and the majority of that side of the site was deserted and that allowed us to knock off the downcast stock on our first 'recce' trip. In the end we pushed a little too far that day and a hasty retreats were twice made, once after getting 'almost' spotted outside the upcast winding house and then again after tentitivly heading back in for the bath house.
After the first trip things got harder, despite the demolition this place is not derelict, its a live site with workers about 7days a week. We twice returned to photograph the bath house without the possibility of getting any deeper into the site. By visit 3 the workshops were on there way down and we again had to leave without having done the upcast stock or either winding house..
Visit 4 had to wait a few weeks, we had pretty much exhausted what was possible on a daytime trip so after reciving another heads up from Dave that coal prep had bitten the dust we headed back after dark for one last snowy go. Alas we were again a little too late, we arrived to find our main target, the 'unexplored' upcast winding house a pile of rubble.. fail... Downcast was again tight after the demo crew had apparently cottoned on to the death defying method a handful of others had used to get inside so we settled for a climb of the upcast stock before heading back down to Birmingham for the night.
Currently both headstocks remain along with the ventelation, powerhouse admin/security buildings and ofcourse the 'nuns chuff' downcast winding house.. Its still very much worth a go
Downcast
Coal Prep
We first headed in after reciving word from coal kings Dave and Joe that all underground activities had stopped. We arrived to find cables severed on both winders and demo crews allready munching their way through the medical centre and workshops.. In a way we got lucky there as coal prep and the majority of that side of the site was deserted and that allowed us to knock off the downcast stock on our first 'recce' trip. In the end we pushed a little too far that day and a hasty retreats were twice made, once after getting 'almost' spotted outside the upcast winding house and then again after tentitivly heading back in for the bath house.
After the first trip things got harder, despite the demolition this place is not derelict, its a live site with workers about 7days a week. We twice returned to photograph the bath house without the possibility of getting any deeper into the site. By visit 3 the workshops were on there way down and we again had to leave without having done the upcast stock or either winding house..
Visit 4 had to wait a few weeks, we had pretty much exhausted what was possible on a daytime trip so after reciving another heads up from Dave that coal prep had bitten the dust we headed back after dark for one last snowy go. Alas we were again a little too late, we arrived to find our main target, the 'unexplored' upcast winding house a pile of rubble.. fail... Downcast was again tight after the demo crew had apparently cottoned on to the death defying method a handful of others had used to get inside so we settled for a climb of the upcast stock before heading back down to Birmingham for the night.
Currently both headstocks remain along with the ventelation, powerhouse admin/security buildings and ofcourse the 'nuns chuff' downcast winding house.. Its still very much worth a go
Downcast
Coal Prep
