Please see Part 1 first.
Brewer's Yard
I must admit, when OT took me to the slope shaft for the first time, and said 'crack on then', I genuinely crapped myself a little. I was staring into a dark void which had no visible stairs, ladders, lifts, escalators or even handholds.
Then getting to what you think is the bottom, and it tightens up, and goes on even further through some nasty collapses!
My favourite part of this quarry was this access, it's just enough of a physical and mental challenge to put a smile on your face.
The pram, at the bottom of the slope shaft:
The slope shaft (Barely identifiable due to a very large collapse):
One of the short tramways on the upper level. Sleeper holes still visible, deads stacked either side:
Passageways on the lower level:
Cut stone on the lower level - Trapped down there by a major collapse:
Kingsdown Quarry
Often referred to as 'Swan Mine', this relatively small system has some rather nice remaining artefacts and unique features.
It also has several access points, varying in difficulty, and to top it off, has quite a few interesting squeezes and crawls that in my opinion, make it well worth a look.
One of the passageways, clearly showing the cart tracks (this quarry had no rail system):
Another passageway showing cart ruts:
A rotting ladder that heads up into a natural fissure:
A cutting bench, complete with saw, and decorated with artefacts (notably Lyle's Golden Syrup tins):
Monks Park
Monks Park was linked to Ridge Quarry (see below) and was used for munitions storage in the war.
There is a good amount of unique equipment left behind in Monks Park, which made it a damn good explore in my opinion.
Looking towards the base of the slope shaft:
At the bottom of the shaft is an 'emergency pass rack':
Also at the bottom are offices, and a substation:
This quarry has many large open passageways, which are full of cut stone, and quarrying equipment:
To this date, I have never seen a hydraulic crane like this anywhere else:
Ridge Quarry
Ridge was partially converted into an ammunition storage facility, but never completed.
I miss Ridge probably more than any other now-sealed quarry in Wiltshire.
It contains absolutely -loads- of graffiti by MOD workers that were stationed there, and some is quite excellent.
Looking towards the bottom of the slope shaft into Ridge - Note the military style concrete column, almost identical to those in the MOD part of Box:
Old rotten wood lies on the floor, hinting of it's life as a quarry, whilst more recent signage from it's war days is visible every so often:
Regrettably, I don't have enough pictures of the amazing graffiti, but here's a couple:
Simply awesome:
On an end note, here's a piece of graffiti that reminds me of a very sad time, but also stirs some very fond memories:
I'm sure there are many of you who'd like to see this again.
I hope you have enjoyed reading.
I'd like to say thanks to everyone who showed me something new in Wiltshire, it's been a cracker!
Andy
Brewer's Yard
I must admit, when OT took me to the slope shaft for the first time, and said 'crack on then', I genuinely crapped myself a little. I was staring into a dark void which had no visible stairs, ladders, lifts, escalators or even handholds.
Then getting to what you think is the bottom, and it tightens up, and goes on even further through some nasty collapses!
My favourite part of this quarry was this access, it's just enough of a physical and mental challenge to put a smile on your face.
The pram, at the bottom of the slope shaft:
The slope shaft (Barely identifiable due to a very large collapse):
One of the short tramways on the upper level. Sleeper holes still visible, deads stacked either side:
Passageways on the lower level:
Cut stone on the lower level - Trapped down there by a major collapse:
Kingsdown Quarry
Often referred to as 'Swan Mine', this relatively small system has some rather nice remaining artefacts and unique features.
It also has several access points, varying in difficulty, and to top it off, has quite a few interesting squeezes and crawls that in my opinion, make it well worth a look.
One of the passageways, clearly showing the cart tracks (this quarry had no rail system):
Another passageway showing cart ruts:
A rotting ladder that heads up into a natural fissure:
A cutting bench, complete with saw, and decorated with artefacts (notably Lyle's Golden Syrup tins):
Monks Park
Monks Park was linked to Ridge Quarry (see below) and was used for munitions storage in the war.
There is a good amount of unique equipment left behind in Monks Park, which made it a damn good explore in my opinion.
Looking towards the base of the slope shaft:
At the bottom of the shaft is an 'emergency pass rack':
Also at the bottom are offices, and a substation:
This quarry has many large open passageways, which are full of cut stone, and quarrying equipment:
To this date, I have never seen a hydraulic crane like this anywhere else:
Ridge Quarry
Ridge was partially converted into an ammunition storage facility, but never completed.
I miss Ridge probably more than any other now-sealed quarry in Wiltshire.
It contains absolutely -loads- of graffiti by MOD workers that were stationed there, and some is quite excellent.
Looking towards the bottom of the slope shaft into Ridge - Note the military style concrete column, almost identical to those in the MOD part of Box:
Old rotten wood lies on the floor, hinting of it's life as a quarry, whilst more recent signage from it's war days is visible every so often:
Regrettably, I don't have enough pictures of the amazing graffiti, but here's a couple:
Simply awesome:
On an end note, here's a piece of graffiti that reminds me of a very sad time, but also stirs some very fond memories:
I'm sure there are many of you who'd like to see this again.
I hope you have enjoyed reading.
I'd like to say thanks to everyone who showed me something new in Wiltshire, it's been a cracker!
Andy
some really nice photos in both parts of your report mate, cheers for posting them up.
