No. 115
August 1957
Page 1
EDITORIAL Caving reports. Quite a few people must be wondering by now when, or even if, the next caving report is coming out, and what – apart from general slackness – is holding up the stuff which has been submitted for future reports. The original scheme was for such reports to be published whenever there seemed to be a need to record work which the club had done, and it was estimated that about two such reports per year would be about average. A fixed price of half a crown was also agreed upon. However, after the report on St. Cuthbert’s, the small size of the next reports has resulted in a new scheme of charging a price according to the length of the job, so that the next two will be a bit cheaper. Number 3, on the construction of lightweight caving ladders, is being prepared now and Number 4 will probably be cut before the end of the year. Prices and dates will be published in the B.B. later. “Alfie” _______________________________________________________________________________________
GENERAL NEWS July Committee Meeting Owing to holidays, attendance was low and not much new business was discussed. Apart from the progress on plans for the new hut and the electricity, the report from the analyst was discussed and a further report on the state of the drinking water was awaited. Progress is continuing on the redecoration of the women’s room. *
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Caving. The club G.B. day on the 29th June was taken advantage of by a party of 7 who had a pleasant cool 4 hours underground, away from the heat of the surface. Roy Bennett was in charge. The next date allocated for the B.E.C. to visit G.B. is the August Bank Holiday weekend. Cuthbert’s had a active month again, but to date no spectacular discoveries. Saturday, June 29th Coase managed to get Tom Radcliffe down for his first caving trip since he has been in Bristol. A visit to the Maypole series proved the reasonable access to this section of the cave. The so-called Upper Traverse Chamber Pitch needs in fact a 15’ ladder. The chain on the second pitch proved to be not so difficult as expected but all the same rather hard on the hands. A further 15’ ladder is need on the third Maypole Pitch pulled up from below on the Nylon line that is left there. (A correction to the last month’s account. It was incorrectly stated that the 20’ steel ladder was erected on the “last” Maypole Pitch. This should of course read “first”). On this same trip, a rawlbolt was fitted at the top of the big gour and a chain fixed to replace the “knobbly dog” previously used. On Sunday, 30th June, Norman Petty lead a party of six Sandhurst and two other B.E.C. members on a “tourist” trip. It was learnt that the Rabbit Warren extension was included and one Sandhurst type was persuaded to climb into the high level passage which didn’t go. The only snag was that he couldn’t bet back down and the rest of the party had to build them selves into a pyramid to rescue him! It is also reported that one member of this party through carelessness, broke off a number of fine stalagmites at the awkward ten foot climb. A great pity, will leaders of trips make sure that this sort of thing doesn’t happen again. Also, muddy hand prints have been planted on a number of stal. banks. The entrance to Harem Passage from the Railway Tunnel is one spot where with reasonable care, it is not necessary to touch the stal.