Coal Cutter
Well-known member
Barrons Sump is deep within the western reaches of Smallcleugh lead mine. Smallcleugh is such a vast mine that you could explore every week for six months and still see every nook and cranny. I had been planning this trip for over a year having seen pics of it and I just had to see the sump chamber for real.
Unfortunately not a lot is known about it. It is deep underground and the chamber is about 40 feet high. It is built from brick and mortar and has an excellent curved brick roof. In the centre of the floor of the chamber is a 200 feet deep sump. The chamber would have been intended as a pumping house. The rods from the pumping engine would have went down the central sump where water drained to. It seems trhat it was never completed, possibly due to the mine closure when lead prices fell in the late 1800s.
The journey to Barrons is very strenuous. Two crawls involved would not be suitable for anyone with a chest size over 44 inches. There are several free climbs up and down shafts and its generally a lot of fun. Heres a few snaps:
First junction on the way there:
The second crawl. This is the easiest one, the other is a bit tighter:
Some huge massive flats we found by accident. For scale, the pipe on the right is about 5 feet high:
Barron's Sump chamber. Photos can really not show how big it is:
The other end of it showing the arch where we entered, note the caving bag and tripod for scale:
An old ore kibble. Only the skeleton remains, the wood has long rotted:
Hand cranked ventilation fan:
Some workings next to the chamber:
The wooden boxes on the left are old ventilation trunking:
A nice tub chassis. It still rolled!
Self portrait, showing the gorgeous ochreous mud:
Thanks for looking folks
Unfortunately not a lot is known about it. It is deep underground and the chamber is about 40 feet high. It is built from brick and mortar and has an excellent curved brick roof. In the centre of the floor of the chamber is a 200 feet deep sump. The chamber would have been intended as a pumping house. The rods from the pumping engine would have went down the central sump where water drained to. It seems trhat it was never completed, possibly due to the mine closure when lead prices fell in the late 1800s.
The journey to Barrons is very strenuous. Two crawls involved would not be suitable for anyone with a chest size over 44 inches. There are several free climbs up and down shafts and its generally a lot of fun. Heres a few snaps:
First junction on the way there:
The second crawl. This is the easiest one, the other is a bit tighter:
Some huge massive flats we found by accident. For scale, the pipe on the right is about 5 feet high:
Barron's Sump chamber. Photos can really not show how big it is:
The other end of it showing the arch where we entered, note the caving bag and tripod for scale:
An old ore kibble. Only the skeleton remains, the wood has long rotted:
Hand cranked ventilation fan:
Some workings next to the chamber:
The wooden boxes on the left are old ventilation trunking:
A nice tub chassis. It still rolled!
Self portrait, showing the gorgeous ochreous mud:
Thanks for looking folks
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