Mining remains around Buxton - back to Orchard Common

 Last time I looked at Orchard Common I did note a couple of areas of lighter vegetation which could have been possible mine shafts, but I didn't see any concrete marker pillars and as they were next to an old quarry working I ignored them. However, on studying my OS map whilst writing my previous blog post I did spot a couple of round marks that looked like shafts next to the quarry. I recently passed that way again and decided to take a closer look.

A quick look around revealed two markers on the ground. This is the southerly one, hiding behind reeds;

There's a circle of raised ground next to the shaft, waste brought up from sinking the pit was often used to build a raised area partly for a horse gin and partly to try and protect the pit from flooding.

The second marker is close by;

This one is a little harder to spot.

A close-up of the marker;

And, looking back at the first shaft from a higher vantage point;

The raised ground can be seen in the middle of the frame.

These two can be found at SK 0240 6940, and sit between the 3rd and 4th pits in my previous post.

Interestingly I've only seen those marker pillars on Orchard Common so far, I've not seen any on Axe Edge.

More info on markers and remains here.

Whilst taking these photos a curlew flew around calling out, a sight and sound that I never tire of.

Paul.

Aerograph Super 63 airbrush

 Ever since I bought my slot-head Aerograph I've been keeping half an eye out for another with a larger paint reservoir. Eventually I won a boxed Super 63 for £21 on eBay;

I'm unsure of the age, but condition is generally good although the chrome is faded.

There's a cam inside, controlled by a ring behind the lever, which allows you to set the lever position and therefore the spray pattern, something that I can't see me using;

My first job, after fitting a quick release coupling, was to remove the tip and needle for inpection, both had what looked like ink residue on them. Next I filled it with neat screenwash and tried it out. I used screenwash as that's what I use to clean my 'brushes after use. This allowed me to check the spray pattern, which looked ok (my Super 93 had a worn tip which showed up at this stage). My only concern was the air valve which seemed a bit stiff and lacked sensitivity.

Nozzle and needle are interchangeable with my Super 93. The innards however are very different;

As can be seen I stripped mine down for a clean and just to see how it goes together. I'm not going into any detail about this, simply because it's a pain to put back together again so I wouldn't recommend doing it! All I will say is make sure the lever is pulled back on re-assembly and dig out your self-closing tweezers.

Once it was back in one piece I mixed up some Vallejo black and had a play;

I think my mix was a bit too thick, and I need to have a play with air pressure. This 'brush has a very fine tip (nozzle), about .18mm I think, so it will I feel be less tolerant than my other 'brushes where paint and pressure are concerned.

So far I'm pleased with it. Stripping it down might have been a pain but to me it was worth the effort as I have adjusted the air valve which now has a nicer feel. If I ever need to strip it again I'll probably leave the cam assembly off.

Paul.

Another Narrow Planet/6point5 R.A.R. gunpowder van

There were two versions of this kit (it seems to be discontinued now), to both 9mm and a 6.5mm gauges. I've previously built the 009 version, and now it's the turn of the 6point5 variant.

Originally the body was built using a printed shell with etched nickel silver inserts, however this was I believe quite costly to produce so later kits had a cast resin body. Both versions use a printed chassis. This build uses the cast body.

The kit comprises of the cast body, printed chassis, 6,5mm gauge wheels and tiny neothingyum magnets for couplings. Here's the body and chassis cyano'd together;

Note the coupling pin, I'm using link and pin couplings again. I've also filled in the holes in the end of the frames provided for coupling magnets.

The 6.5mm gauge chassis is, as you'd expect, narrower than the 9mm gauge version;

As I'm using 6mm gauge I've turned my own wheels, to 5.6mm dia., seen below next to the supplied 4mm dia. wheels;

The supplied wheels are really too small for the prototype, but with them fitted the coupling height matches Busch Feldbahn stock. My 5.6mm wheels bring the coupling height up to my preferred 6mm, and are closer to the prototype's diameter.

Painting started with a coat of Hycote red oxide primer, decanted from the rattlecan and applied with my Badger 200NH. The main body colour is Vallejo 70.982 Cavalry Brown with Vallejo 70.862 Black Grey used for the roof and chassis, the body being sprayed and the chassis brushed. As usual the number was done with a mapping pen and white ink. Vallejo matt varnish finishes the job off.

Alongside my 009 version;

And all of my 006 stock so far;

Another enjoyable build, and I'll be looking out for another unbuilt kit.

Paul.

Big-Big tippers

 To go with my Big-Big Ruston, 3 matching skips;

They've been taken apart and cleaned under the tap, which is as far as I'll go with them.

The dark green skip has some body damage;

But I'm not going to worry.

Here they are coupled to my Ruston;

One day I'll sort out some track and actually run them!

Paul.

Mining remains around Buxton - Orchard Common

 Although Buxton and its environs are better known for limestone quarrying there was at one time quite a number of coal mines in the area, mostly centred in the Goyt Valley and on Axe Edge. Although no mining has taken place for over 100 years there are still traces to be seen, and I thought it might be interesting to search out some of these remains whilst riding around the area on my mountain bike. I'm not going to post any history, there are more knowledgeable people than myself for that, but instead concentrate on the more obvious remains still to be seen.

I'm starting with Orchard Common, an area next to Axe Edge that I know well having ridden through it many many times in all weathers, and I also worked at Orchard Farm (a care home for children and young people) for a while. There are several pit remains in that area, it seems that shafts were dug, coal mined around the bottom of the shaft as far as practical then another shaft dug nearby with pick and shovel. This is just a guess, there's little written about these working that I can find although the nearby Axe Edge workings are covered in The Coal Mines of Buxton by A.F. Roberts and J.T. Leach.

The first pit that I photographed is in fact located in a field in front of Orchard Farm (SK 0210 6885), and is the most visible;

When I worked at Orchard the top of the shaft was covered in rubble and broken glass, now it's been cleared and you can see down into the flooded shaft;

The next few are a bit more difficult to spot, but the signs are there. A change in vegetation and small concrete pillars, similar to trig points, mark where the shafts once opened up. This one is at SK 0225 6920;

There is faded lettering on that pillar warning people to stay off the shaft head.

A little further along, protected by cows, is another pit;

This shows well how the vegetation changes around the shaft.

Note the round slightly raised bank close to the pillar - possible evidence of a horse gin?

All of the above shafts are marked on my 1:25 000 map (OL24). The next few aren't.

Further along, at SK 0250 6955 where two footpaths join, is another pillar;

I've walked and cycled past this many times without understanding its significance. Note my trusty fatbike.

A couple of weeks after taking the above photos I was walking on Drystone Edge, which overlooks Orchard Common, and from that vantage point another shaft site became obvious;

And again I'd noted the pillar in the past but not its significance! This is located at SK 0260 6970, close to a gate in a drystone wall. Note that the pillar had been upturned. All of these sites are on a straight line, with the last four alongside a well built stone track, obviously following a seam. Also of note is a quarry, at SK 0235 6940, which would have been well positioned to provide materials for lining the shafts being located between the 3rd and 4th shafts.

At the other side of the wall a depression in the ground might be the sight of another pit;

Or it might not. There are a lot of mine workings in the area, especially on nearby Axe Edge, some were even rail worked, with an incline for narrow gauge tubs.

All of the information above is my own conjecture based on the fact that coal was mined in the area, if any of it is wrong then only I am to blame.

Paul.