United Cavers Exploration Team

Cave and Mine Exploring => General Chatter => Topic started by: Tony Salusbury on Mar 03, 2015, 06:50 PM

Title: Series of tunnels nr Petrolheads, Bagillt
Post by: Tony Salusbury on Mar 03, 2015, 06:50 PM
Whilst driving the bus I've noticed a tunnel just at the side of the road nr Lyon's Fitness on the A5026, Bagillt.

Had a nosey today and there is a series of tunnels. What were they from? There's quite a few of them and most are collapsed but one seemed to go on, but as I had no wellies with me and it was ankle deep in water I didn't go in. Also further back in the fields there is also another tunnel under a tree.

Was this the site of an old brickworks?

https://goo.gl/maps/QjNML

Here's some piccies.


This is the tunnel with ankle deep water which I didn't go in.
Title: Series of tunnels nr Petrolheads, Bagillt
Post by: Tony Salusbury on Mar 03, 2015, 07:11 PM
Capped Shaft?
Tunnel in field behind
Tunnel in field behind
Title: Series of tunnels nr Petrolheads, Bagillt
Post by: Doug Thompson on Mar 04, 2015, 07:55 PM
Nice Fungi  :woohoo:
Title: Series of tunnels nr Petrolheads, Bagillt
Post by: Tony Salusbury on Mar 04, 2015, 08:42 PM
Anyone know what this place was?
Title: Series of tunnels nr Petrolheads, Bagillt
Post by: Robin Jones on Mar 05, 2015, 11:06 AM
[quote="WelshSossy" post=25347]Anyone know what this place was?[/quote]

Nope but I'll hazard a few guesses / observations.  

[ul]
  [li]Probably something to do with the Courtaulds factory[/li]
  [li]If you've been to the portal, you will notice a tunnel to the west of similar contruction[/li]
  [li]They look exactly like the tunnels near Abakhan Mill that were part of the old lead smelter[/li]
[/ul]

Nice one Tony, never knew they existed  :cheer:
Title: Series of tunnels nr Petrolheads, Bagillt
Post by: Nick on Mar 15, 2015, 06:56 AM
I did have a look a few years ago.its a lead smelting and kilns.the holes you see are just leats for carring water from the pool on the top.i think it's the works for the lead and zinc taken from the portal side of the tunnel..
Title: Series of tunnels nr Petrolheads, Bagillt
Post by: Les Williams on Mar 15, 2015, 11:52 PM
On Mendip, lead smelting fumes used to be directed along a series of long horizontal (usually) tunnels (flues) where lead and other metals (such as arsenic) would condense from the hot gases onto the walls. Every so often small children (normally) would go in and scrape the material form the walls to recover it. It is possible that if these tunnels are associated with a smelting works that they may have had a similar use...
Title: Series of tunnels nr Petrolheads, Bagillt
Post by: Martin Poole on Mar 24, 2015, 01:38 PM
its Bagillt lead smelting works from the 1800's. I did a report on it on nwex a few years back ..nothing to see as most is covered in soil and shite and its feckin hazardous in them tunnels dues to the toxins so dont bother going in them its awful!