Dear All,
The most common timber used in the Weardale mines was Larch, not just any
Larch but European Larch. If you have tried dressing a baulk of European for
'fitting', you will know what I mean - it's v.tough! Japanese Larch is not
suitable for u/g use since it does not hold well or last properly in wet
conditions.
Pine: Norway Spruce or Sitca is not suitable since it is not a good 'stress'
wood. You only have to look at plantations of this timber after a good gale
to see what I mean! However, it was used in lagging or boards until quite
late, but it is a false economy unless the workings are to be very 'short
life'. Again, in Weardale European Larch was used for everything.
I noticed one reply about the use of old u/g timber. I can state one case of
this. When Faraki were attempting to open the Burtree Pasture Shaft in
Weardale for Samuk, at about 500' they came across large shaft timbers of oak
- both in position and fallen - that had to be removed to enable the shaft
buckets and torpedo pumps etc. to be lowered. It was endeavoured to cut these
timbers in place before lifting but nothing would touch them, and they had to
be lifted one at a time. They were placed on the tip end since 'one or two'
thought they could make money out of them, sadly, within a few weeks, you
could put your fist into them! In the end they just fell to bits! It must be
borne in mind that these timbers were submerged at depth, and this effect is
quite normal for submerged timber: that in wet but unsubmerged positions does
last a long time, but I am always very wary of it all the same! - depends on
the ventilation as well. With dry conditions I never trust any very old
timber I see.
Pitch Pine is of course strong, durable, and 'close grained' and has a good
life span - it's sap of course helping considerably. Most other 'general'
pines by their 'build' are not suitable.
Fungal Growths: There were many spectacular instances of this in Weardale
(old parts of new workings), indeed during the early 1970's until the late
1980's biochemists from ICI (and others), were regular permitted visitors to
take samples.
Regards, Bernard
|