Report From	Wayne Sheldon.
Report Date	03/2007
Published	03/2007.

Tony Marsden noticed a mine shaft on New Rake to the East of J.H. following a surface collapse. This was investigated by Keith Joule and Wayne Sheldon. A 12m descent reached a natural chamber and natural passage. To the SE a passage rose steeply to a boulder choke. Adjacent to this a horizontal parallel passage, 3m wide by 1m high, ends at a climb down to a short descending crawl and a draughting dig. A survey was completed with assistance from John Beck giving a total length of 51m (39m of natural passage plus the 12m shaft).

We would be grateful if cavers can stay away from the shaft until an access arrangement has been agreed with the landowner and we have completed our exploration.

Report From	Jim Lister.
Report Date	03/2007.
Published	03/2007.

Dives were made by Simon Cornhill and Jim Lister on the 27th and 28th of February 2007. JPL collected 300 metres of Don -ten, comm's cable, from Nick Williams. The cable was transported in to the cave and laid along the guide line, being attached to it by the divers using heavy duty cable ties, at the appropriate places.

The cable runs the full length of the sump from the dive base at lake passage, to the 15m platform at Doom's Retreat. Simon is at present servicing the field telephones, which will be installed next week, when the divers return to the sump.

Additional cable ties will then be added, and can be used as direction indicators. The ties will be placed as a pair, 1cm apart at an interval of approximately 30cm, along the guide / comm's line. A long yellow tie will mark the way in, and a short blue tie will mark the way out {Blue = cold = out}.

The purpose of the comm's cable is to provide communications between the digging team who are working beyond the sump, and dive base, both for general communication and in the event of an emergency or problem. As a precaution the comm's cable will be tested at the end of every trip (by asking Ann to put the kettle on).

previous related report 10/2006

Report From	Ed.
Report Date	03/2007.
Published	03/2007.

Hollandtwine Mine was 'lost' during the late 1970's during opencast mineral extraction on Dirtlow Rake. The mining company ceased operations here recently and are currently filling and landscaping the open workings. As far as anyone could remember the excavated pit was not extended through the shaft and a few reports suggested that it had been capped with a large boulder prior to the area being leveled off in the mid 1990's. If this were the case, there was a reasonable chance that access to the shaft could be regained.

Over the last few months some careful survey work using data from old maps and calibrated aerial photographs pinpointed the position of the shaft. Three separate sets of data, derived using different methods and information, produced locations within 2m of each other. Permission was sought and granted with support from both the Peak District National Park Authority and the earth moving company. On Saturday 10th March the services of a 360 excavator were employed and everyone looked hopefully on. Sadly though, after two hours, there was no sign of the mine. The general concensus was that the shaft, capped or not, was beyond the reach of the arm. The area will now be levelled and landscaped.