Report - Northants Ironstone Mines, March 2014

[Deleted member 77241]

Ok all, this is my first post & my pics arnt up to much but were took with a pretty basic digital so go easy on me!
I am new to this exploring, but have heard rumours of local mines for years now! I am no young pup so a few weeks ago thought if \I am ever gonna go I should do the necessary research & do it!
There are 3 o 4 different mines just a few miles from my house but so far with a bit of good map reading intuitive (& a lot of luck) I have found the entrance to just 1.
Don't know much about these mines other than whats already been covered on here before. I believe these were shut in the early 1900's but what I can tell u is there is a wealth of history down there.
There is lots of tools, hobnail & hoof prints & even graffiti burned on with gas lamp soot, that all give you a real insight into what life must of been like down there.
I can also confirm the first 50 ft is ankle deep sticky mud which led to many comedy walk moments & the tunnels are vast & easy to get lost in!
Anyway heres the pics, hope you find them a bit interesting!

Looks safe enough

Lots of doors in this area!

Bit of Ironmongery.

There was a fork in the tunnels here :laugh

Area of roof collapse was amazing.

One for the geologists.

Graffiti dating from early 1900's burned in with soot

good to see things have not been touched.

Oh that's what all them "paint tins" were then!

A welcome sight.

 

[spungletrumpet]

Nice first report mate.

Those tins of Ammonal are very special!

 

[Deleted member 77241]

Dozens of em! we only found this one with label on on second visit.
Spent hours after the first wondering what the hell they could of been painting down there lol

 

[canute]

Nice work How was the air quality?

 

[wellingtonian]

Looks spot on does that. You even found an ET in there.........

 

[Deleted member 77241]

Ar is ok so far as we are all still alive!... joking aside I have heard after the event the air can be really bad in there & I have obtained a gas tester for any future visits!

 

[dangerous dave]

the iron sucks the oxygen out the air big style so be careful as hell in there and please use the buddy system so if your running overdue somebody outside of the mine knows to call mines rescue. seeing as you have a 4gas on the way do you know what the safe levels are for O2 and other gases are

 

[Deleted member 77241]

No but will do the research before a revisit! I guss running through them wasn't the best idea then? but that's what u get goin in with a bunch of triathletes!

 

[Dan1701]

Look, ironstone is a mixture of iron-2 and iron-3 oxides. Iron-3 is fully oxidised and stable, iron-2 isn't and tends to pull oxygen out of the air. The net effect is to deplete the oxygen in the mine.

This isn't like blackdamp in a coal mine or hydrogen sulphide in a manky sewer; you cannot smell oxygen depletion, you can't taste it and it doesn't feel like you're choking.

Air is 20.9% oxygen. Minimum continuous level that a working mine is permitted to have is 19.5%, 17% causes noticeably deeper breathing, and below about 16% a flame is extinguished. At about 12%, judgement is impaired, and peoples' lips start turning blue. Levels below about 8% to 10% cause unconsciousness and are eventually lethal (especially as once knocked out by lack of oxygen, you aren't going to be able to rescue yourself).

If you go back into that mine, tell someone where you're going and what time you'll be back. Take someone with you. Get a working GR6 mining lamp from somewhere (NOT an open flame lamp) and keep that with you, it'll give you advanced warning of low oxygen, though a properly calibrated 4-gas sensor unit is much better. DO NOT just assume a 4-gas is working because the seller said so, get it properly calibrated before you use it.

 

[dangerous dave]

did advise the O/P this in PM and the safe working levels and to get out at 17% O2