In The Dark: Underground London Subterranea Britannica 2021-01-29 | This webinar is part of a series:Part 1: this videoPart 2: youtu.be/gTOuM2rFL-gPart 3: youtu.be/YvRNA3c9qw4Part 4: youtu.be/QZEoPOmxUjoIn 2013 Nick Catford's book Secret Underground London was published by Folly Books. This was Nick's third book for Folly. Secret Underground London is a comprehensive photographic record of a hidden world which lies beneath the capital but which is not generally seen by the public. This webinar includes photos of many of the sites features in Nick's book with a lot more.Included in this webinar is a miscellany of sites, from the disused tube stations and closed sections of the London underground railway system, many of which were given a new lease of life, to the secret central government and military bunkers - operations rooms and control centres - which protected London against the German bombers during the Second World War.He will also look at London's Cold War bunkers, never used in anger; and similarly the more modest Royal Observer Corps posts. There are air raid shelters, large and small, public and private; mines and underground quarries, some going back to the 17th century, and tunnels of all sorts: pipe tunnels, horse tunnels, tram tunnels, service tunnels, and the tunnel under the Thames Barrier. Last but not least, and not for the fainthearted, is a collection of photographs showing the capital's creepy Victorian cemetery catacombs.Nick Catford was granted unprecedented access to many of the sites in order to compile the collection of images you will see in the Webinar.Agenda* Closed tube stations* Victorian cemetery catacombs* Bunkers big and small, Cold War and WW2* Underground stone quarries* Deep level tube sheltersPresenterNick CatfordBorn in Hammersmith, West London in March 1952, Nick Catford was educated at Sutton Grammar School in Surrey, 'dropping out' midway through A-levels to take up a career in local radio. From an early age, Nick has taken a keen interest in photography, getting his first camera in 1962. In 1979 he studied A-level photography at Sutton College of Liberal Arts followed by a City & Guilds photography course at Richmond College in 1980.Nick has always been self employed, working as a photo journalist for many years. Since the mid 1960s, Nick's other passion has been industrial archaeology; first disused railways, then canals and mills before discovering the excitement of underground and military exploration in 1982. He joined Subterranea Britannica, Britain's foremost underground research and exploration society, that year. He was membership secretary for nearly 25 years and became editor of their journal Subterranea in December 2007, a job he still enjoys doing.Nick's underground exploration has taken him into a wide variety of underground sites, including many disused mines; he reluctantly learnt how to abseil to gain access. Since the end of the Cold War he has turned his interest to nuclear bunkers, both derelict and operational, writing his first book, Cold War Bunkers, in 2010. Having run out of UK bunkers to photograph he turned his attention to the Eastern Bloc in 2001 where he has toured extensively visiting and recording the bunkers of the former Soviet Union.Nicks love of underground exploration has declined with age and he now spends much of his spare time attending live music gigs and during lockdown in 2020 has started editing many hundred of live music videos he made in the 1990s and uploading them to YouTube. Over 50 two hour plus videos so far. He has also uploaded a short promotional video he made about Sub Brit in 1991. youtu.be/hAytRFTyWIY
In The Dark: Underground London (Part 4) Subterranea Britannica 2021-12-10 | This webinar is part of a series:Part 1: youtu.be/0ImibAisXN0Part 2: youtu.be/gTOuM2rFL-gPart 3: youtu.be/YvRNA3c9qw4Part 4: this videoIn 2013 Nick Catford's book Secret Underground London was published by Folly Books. This was Nick's third book for Folly. Secret Underground London is a comprehensive photographic record of a hidden world which lies beneath the capital but which is not generally seen by the public. This webinar includes photos of many of the sites features in Nick's book with a lot more.Included in this webinar is a miscellany of sites, from the disused tube stations and closed sections of the London underground railway system, many of which were given a new lease of life, to the secret central government and military bunkers - operations rooms and control centres - which protected London against the German bombers during the Second World War.He will also look at London's Cold War bunkers, never used in anger; and similarly the more modest Royal Observer Corps posts. There are air raid shelters, large and small, public and private; mines and underground quarries, some going back to the 17th century, and tunnels of all sorts: pipe tunnels, horse tunnels, tram tunnels, service tunnels, and the tunnel under the Thames Barrier. Last but not least, and not for the fainthearted, is a collection of photographs showing the capital's creepy Victorian cemetery catacombs.Nick Catford was granted unprecedented access to many of the sites in order to compile the collection of images you will see in the Webinar.Agenda* Closed tube stations* Victorian cemetery catacombs* Bunkers big and small, Cold War and WW2* Underground stone quarries* Deep level tube sheltersPresenterNick CatfordBorn in Hammersmith, West London in March 1952, Nick Catford was educated at Sutton Grammar School in Surrey, 'dropping out' midway through A-levels to take up a career in local radio. From an early age, Nick has taken a keen interest in photography, getting his first camera in 1962. In 1979 he studied A-level photography at Sutton College of Liberal Arts followed by a City & Guilds photography course at Richmond College in 1980.Nick has always been self employed, working as a photo journalist for many years. Since the mid 1960s, Nick's other passion has been industrial archaeology; first disused railways, then canals and mills before discovering the excitement of underground and military exploration in 1982. He joined Subterranea Britannica, Britain's foremost underground research and exploration society, that year. He was membership secretary for nearly 25 years and became editor of their journal Subterranea in December 2007, a job he still enjoys doing.Nick's underground exploration has taken him into a wide variety of underground sites, including many disused mines; he reluctantly learnt how to abseil to gain access. Since the end of the Cold War he has turned his interest to nuclear bunkers, both derelict and operational, writing his first book, Cold War Bunkers, in 2010. Having run out of UK bunkers to photograph he turned his attention to the Eastern Bloc in 2001 where he has toured extensively visiting and recording the bunkers of the former Soviet Union.Nicks love of underground exploration has declined with age and he now spends much of his spare time attending live music gigs and during lockdown in 2020 has started editing many hundred of live music videos he made in the 1990s and uploading them to YouTube. Over 50 two hour plus videos so far. He has also uploaded a short promotional video he made about Sub Brit in 1991. youtu.be/hAytRFTyWIY
In The Dark: The Military Geosciences and Subterranean Operations Subterranea Britannica 2021-11-12 | Serving as Army Reserve specialists in the Royal Engineers, the British Army has three geologists within its ranks. Whilst few in number, deep specialist military and civilian geological knowledge enables these geologists to provide support to operations, training and sustaining the defence estate.Whilst a primary role will always remain ‘warfighting’, British Army geologists have been on-call for UK Resilience tasks, contributed to overseas humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations, and supported capacity building training in numerous countries around the world.This presentation aims to provide an introduction to military geology and shine a Davy lamp on the topic of Subterranean Warfare which, whilst being as old as warfare itself, has had somewhat of a resurgence in recent years. The reasons for this, the threats therein, and what is being done to counter them will be investigated using historical and contemporary examples.Agenda* Military geology within the British Army* Subterranean Operations – an old but new dilemmaPresenterLt Col Drew Craig, SO1 Geology, Royal EngineersLt Col Drew Craig is the Senior Army Geologist and has served across a wide range of roles during his 27 years of Army Reserve service. He mobilised to support operations in Iraq; has supported overseas exercises in Kenya, Ghana, and Cyprus; and participated on expeditions in Uganda, Bolivia and Brazil. A graduate of the University of St Andrews and Imperial College (The Royal School of Mines) he specialises in economic geology as an exploration geologist and mining finance specialist. He is a Fellow of the Geological Society and a Chartered Engineer and Member of the Institute of Materials, Minerals & Mining.
In The Dark: Underground Warfare: Trends, Challenges and Opportunities Subterranea Britannica 2021-10-16 | Dr. Daphné Richemond-Barak is a co-founder of the International Working Group on Subterranean Warfare. Her book, UNDERGROUND WARFARE (OUP, 2018) is the first of its kind to examine tunnel warfare in a systematic and comprehensive way, addressing historical, operational, strategic, and legal ramifications of this age-old tactic.She has a keen interest for novel or otherwise noteworthy developments on the contemporary battlefield – from the deployment of intelligent defense systems to the rise and return of foreign fighters and artificial intelligence. Her approach is deeply grounded in multi-disciplinary research, at the intersection of international relations, international law, policy, and security studies.Daphné's talk discusses current and future trends in underground warfare, argues that tunnels remain popular in spite of improving technology, and concludes with some insights for states and decision-makers.Agenda* Current trends: Diffusion of underground warfare tactics since 2001 across Asia, Middle East, use by violent non-state actors, rise of cross-border tunnels* Future trends: Why are tunnels so popular and will this change in near future, as technology improves?* Challenges: Detection (IDF Operation Northern Shield against Hezbollah tunnels), adaptation, and innovation in underground warfare* Opportunities: DARPA's efforts, states re-owning the subterranean, cross-fertilizationPresenterDr. Daphné Richemond-BarakDr. Daphné Richemond-Barak is Assistant Professor at the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy and Strategy at Reichman University (IDC Herzliya), where she serves as Academic Director of the International Program in Government.She also serves as Senior Researcher and Head of the International Law Desk at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), as an Adjunct Scholar at the Modern War Institute at West Point, and a Senior Fellow at the Institute of Law and Land Warfare.She is the author of Underground Warfare (OUP, 2018) and the co-founder of the International Working Group on Subterranean Warfare. She co-organised the first academic, multi-disciplinary conference on subterranean warfare at IDC Herzliya in December 2019.She holds a Maîtrise from Université Panthéon-Assas (Paris II), a Diploma in Legal Studies from Oxford University, an LL.M. from Yale Law School, and a Ph.D. from Tel Aviv University.
In The Dark: Underground London (Part 3) Subterranea Britannica 2021-09-16 | This webinar is part of a series:Part 1: youtu.be/0ImibAisXN0Part 2: youtu.be/gTOuM2rFL-gPart 3: this videoPart 4: youtu.be/QZEoPOmxUjoIn 2013 Nick Catford's book Secret Underground London was published by Folly Books. This was Nick's third book for Folly. Secret Underground London is a comprehensive photographic record of a hidden world which lies beneath the capital but which is not generally seen by the public. This webinar includes photos of many of the sites features in Nick's book with a lot more.Included in this webinar is a miscellany of sites, from the disused tube stations and closed sections of the London underground railway system, many of which were given a new lease of life, to the secret central government and military bunkers - operations rooms and control centres - which protected London against the German bombers during the Second World War.He will also look at London's Cold War bunkers, never used in anger; and similarly the more modest Royal Observer Corps posts. There are air raid shelters, large and small, public and private; mines and underground quarries, some going back to the 17th century, and tunnels of all sorts: pipe tunnels, horse tunnels, tram tunnels, service tunnels, and the tunnel under the Thames Barrier. Last but not least, and not for the fainthearted, is a collection of photographs showing the capital's creepy Victorian cemetery catacombs.Nick Catford was granted unprecedented access to many of the sites in order to compile the collection of images you will see in the Webinar.Agenda* Closed tube stations* Victorian cemetery catacombs* Bunkers big and small, Cold War and WW2* Underground stone quarries* Deep level tube sheltersPresenterNick CatfordBorn in Hammersmith, West London in March 1952, Nick Catford was educated at Sutton Grammar School in Surrey, 'dropping out' midway through A-levels to take up a career in local radio. From an early age, Nick has taken a keen interest in photography, getting his first camera in 1962. In 1979 he studied A-level photography at Sutton College of Liberal Arts followed by a City & Guilds photography course at Richmond College in 1980.Nick has always been self employed, working as a photo journalist for many years. Since the mid 1960s, Nick's other passion has been industrial archaeology; first disused railways, then canals and mills before discovering the excitement of underground and military exploration in 1982. He joined Subterranea Britannica, Britain's foremost underground research and exploration society, that year. He was membership secretary for nearly 25 years and became editor of their journal Subterranea in December 2007, a job he still enjoys doing.Nick's underground exploration has taken him into a wide variety of underground sites, including many disused mines; he reluctantly learnt how to abseil to gain access. Since the end of the Cold War he has turned his interest to nuclear bunkers, both derelict and operational, writing his first book, Cold War Bunkers, in 2010. Having run out of UK bunkers to photograph he turned his attention to the Eastern Bloc in 2001 where he has toured extensively visiting and recording the bunkers of the former Soviet Union.Nicks love of underground exploration has declined with age and he now spends much of his spare time attending live music gigs and during lockdown in 2020 has started editing many hundred of live music videos he made in the 1990s and uploading them to YouTube. Over 50 two hour plus videos so far. He has also uploaded a short promotional video he made about Sub Brit in 1991. youtu.be/hAytRFTyWIY
In The Dark: Inland Jet Mining in the North Yorkshire Moors Subterranea Britannica 2021-06-11 | Jet has become so inextricably linked with the sea cliffs around Whitby, that most people are totally unaware that it was extensively mined throughout the North York Moors and Cleveland Hills. Since 2014, members of the North York Moors Caving Club have been involved in a project to explore these long-forgotten workings, for which few contemporary records exist.Previously regarded as a cottage industry with trivial underground working, we have since re-discovered a period of furious mining activity driven by fashion and mapped jet workings measuring over 12km in length on a single site alone.Agenda* Early jet mining (before Queen Victoria!)* Standard methods for jet working (or the lack of)* Historic exploration 1970s-2000s* Recent exploration, surveys and 3D modellingPresenterChris Twigg, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council & North York Moors Caving ClubChris has been involved in mine and cave exploration across the North East for the last decade. An active member of the North York Moors Caving Club, Cleveland Mining Heritage Society, Durham Cave and Mine Club and Cleveland Industrial Archaeology Society to name but a few.After witnessing the final demise of the Teesside Iron and Steel industry for 20 years, Chris has been employed by Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council since 2017 on “East Cleveland’s Industrial Heartland” a Lottery Heritage Funded project to discover, catalogue, promote and conserve industrial heritage in the area.
In The Dark: Mines Rescue and Safety Awareness Subterranea Britannica 2021-05-22 | This webinar discusses the dangers of mines exploration as well as past mines rescue operations undertaken by the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (UWFRA).The presentation also includes a section on the main mining locations situated around UWFRA’s area of operations.Agenda* UWFRA and Mines Rescue* Mining areas local to Grassington* Identifying mineshafts* The dangers of mines exploration* Mine gassesPresenterSam RobertsSam Roberts is a mine explorer and caver as well as being a founding member of the Grassington Mines Appreciation Group. He is also a member of the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association who provide mountain, cave and mines rescue services in the Yorkshire Dales.
In The Dark: Fuelling the Cold War Subterranea Britannica 2021-04-30 | Tim Whittle is the author of 'Fuelling the Wars – PLUTO and the Secret Pipeline Network 1936 to 2015'.His talk deals with the second half of his book covering from the recommissioning of the network as a result of the Cold War through to its sell off by the government in 2015.Agenda* The Cold War expansion of the network* Strategic storage of fuels in the Plumley and Cape farm Salt Cavities* Use of the system for ground fuels and civil aviation* The end of the Cold War* The sell-off of the systemPresenterTim WhittleTim Whittle is a retired chartered engineer with forty years experience in the control and instrumentation industry of which thirty years were spent on pipelines including twenty on oil pipelines. He has both science and technology degrees and has given many talks on both the wartime and 'cold war' pipeline networks. In his retirement he is currently taking a part-time history degree.
In The Dark: The Thames Tideway Tunnel Subterranea Britannica 2021-04-17 | Tideway is building the Thames Tideway Tunnel – London's new super sewer, a 25km tunnel under London's river that will prevent the tens of millions of tonnes of pollution that currently pollute the River Thames every year.This presentation will take you through the extraordinary history of London's sewer system through the amazing feats of engineering that are taking place across the Thames Tideway Tunnel project.Agenda* Sir Joseph Bazalgette's system* The sewage problem in London* Thames Tideway Tunnel solution* How it works & project update* Creating a legacyPresenterRichard LewisAsset Ownership Director at Thames TidewayRichard is a career project and programme manager working in many sectors before moving into Thames Water and then Tideway in 2015. First as a Sponsor and Client Programme Manager, but more recently as Asset Ownership Director looking at the ultimate commissioning and use of the tideway capability.
In The Dark: The Grassington Mines Subterranea Britannica 2021-03-26 | The talk will cover an abridged history of the lead mining in the Grassington Moor area and the local geology in the area (Upper Wharfedale, Yorkshire Dales National Park).The talk will then highlight the aims of The Grassington Mines Appreciation Group (GMAG), our progress so far and potential for future development.Agenda* Lead Mining in Upper Wharfedale* The aims of the group* Our progress with preservation so farPresenterJohn HelmDr John A Helm Chartered Scientist, Chartered Geologist, FGS EurGeol FRGS FLS.Born and bred in Yorkshire Dales, Chairman of Grassington Mines Appreciation Group. Professional Geologist and Geophysicist, with a career in energy exploration (Oil, gas and geothermal).Active member of Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association (covering rescues above and below ground). Life member and Hon Secretary of The Craven Pothole Club (one of the largest caving clubs in the country founded in 1929).
In The Dark: Underground London (Part 2) Subterranea Britannica 2021-03-12 | This webinar is part of a series:Part 1: youtu.be/0ImibAisXN0Part 2: this videoPart 3: youtu.be/YvRNA3c9qw4Part 4: youtu.be/QZEoPOmxUjoIn 2013 Nick Catford's book Secret Underground London was published by Folly Books. This was Nick's third book for Folly. Secret Underground London is a comprehensive photographic record of a hidden world which lies beneath the capital but which is not generally seen by the public. This webinar includes photos of many of the sites features in Nick's book with a lot more.Included in this webinar is a miscellany of sites, from the disused tube stations and closed sections of the London underground railway system, many of which were given a new lease of life, to the secret central government and military bunkers - operations rooms and control centres - which protected London against the German bombers during the Second World War.He will also look at London's Cold War bunkers, never used in anger; and similarly the more modest Royal Observer Corps posts. There are air raid shelters, large and small, public and private; mines and underground quarries, some going back to the 17th century, and tunnels of all sorts: pipe tunnels, horse tunnels, tram tunnels, service tunnels, and the tunnel under the Thames Barrier. Last but not least, and not for the fainthearted, is a collection of photographs showing the capital's creepy Victorian cemetery catacombs.Nick Catford was granted unprecedented access to many of the sites in order to compile the collection of images you will see in the Webinar.Agenda* Closed tube stations* Victorian cemetery catacombs* Bunkers big and small, Cold War and WW2* Underground stone quarries* Deep level tube sheltersPresenterNick CatfordBorn in Hammersmith, West London in March 1952, Nick Catford was educated at Sutton Grammar School in Surrey, 'dropping out' midway through A-levels to take up a career in local radio. From an early age, Nick has taken a keen interest in photography, getting his first camera in 1962. In 1979 he studied A-level photography at Sutton College of Liberal Arts followed by a City & Guilds photography course at Richmond College in 1980.Nick has always been self employed, working as a photo journalist for many years. Since the mid 1960s, Nick's other passion has been industrial archaeology; first disused railways, then canals and mills before discovering the excitement of underground and military exploration in 1982. He joined Subterranea Britannica, Britain's foremost underground research and exploration society, that year. He was membership secretary for nearly 25 years and became editor of their journal Subterranea in December 2007, a job he still enjoys doing.Nick's underground exploration has taken him into a wide variety of underground sites, including many disused mines; he reluctantly learnt how to abseil to gain access. Since the end of the Cold War he has turned his interest to nuclear bunkers, both derelict and operational, writing his first book, Cold War Bunkers, in 2010. Having run out of UK bunkers to photograph he turned his attention to the Eastern Bloc in 2001 where he has toured extensively visiting and recording the bunkers of the former Soviet Union.Nicks love of underground exploration has declined with age and he now spends much of his spare time attending live music gigs and during lockdown in 2020 has started editing many hundred of live music videos he made in the 1990s and uploading them to YouTube. Over 50 two hour plus videos so far. He has also uploaded a short promotional video he made about Sub Brit in 1991. youtu.be/hAytRFTyWIY
In The Dark: The Standedge Tunnels Subterranea Britannica 2021-02-26 | Trevor Ellis is vice-chair of the Huddersfield Canal Society, and has been interested in the Huddersfield Narrow Canal since childhood, when he used to pass by this then-derelict canal and wonder why. He was involved in the restoration campaign from 1976 and has led the Society's volunteer effort for many years. During this time, access to the Canal's most celebrated feature, the Standedge Tunnel, was forbidden, which only served to increase his interest. In 2016, it became possible for volunteer to become "Boat Chaperones", helping private and hire boaters to navigate this difficult tunnel, and some discoveries made in the course of that work showed that existing accounts had serious flaws. He subsequently wrote a book about the tunnels.Trevor's talk begins with a brief historical background, then follows a trip through the Canal Tunnel from Marsden to Diggle, linking the underground progress to remains on the surface which visitors to the tunnel do not normally see.Agenda* Brief historical background* Journey through the Canal Tunnel with reference to surface remains* A brief explanation of developments at the Diggle end of the Tunnel, which was most affected by the subsequent railway tunnelsPresenterTrevor EllisTrevor is a native of Huddersfield with a long–standing interest in transport, initially railways, but subsequently canals. He has cruised most of the canal system and has become an authority on old postcards, particularly linked to the canal system. He has been Vice-Chairman of the Huddersfield Canal Society for many years.
In The Dark: Fuelling the War Subterranea Britannica 2021-01-08 | Tim Whittle is the author 'Fuelling the Wars – PLUTO and the Secret Pipeline Network 1936 to 2015'.His talk deals with the first half of his book covering from the inception of the network through to the development and operation of the PLUTO cross-channel pipelines and the end of WW2.Agenda* Petroleum usage in the UK up to the 1930s* The RAF fuel reserve crisis and the construction of fuel storage depots* The impact of the War on the system* The fuel pipeline network* PLUTOPresenterTim WhittleTim Whittle is a retired chartered engineer with forty years experience in the control and instrumentation industry of which thirty years were spent on pipelines including twenty on oil pipelines. He has both science and technology degrees and has given many talks on both the wartime and 'cold war' pipeline networks. In his retirement he is currently taking a part-time history degree.
In The Dark: Underground Warfare 1914-1918 Subterranea Britannica 2020-12-18 | Simon Jones is a freelance military historian, battlefield guide and former museum curator. He is author of Underground Warfare 1914-1918 (2010), a subject which he has been studying for more than thirty years.His talk examines the war beneath the trenches in which an ancient method of warfare was revived on a massive scale using modern technology and a highly skilled civilian workforce.Agenda* What was military mining during 1914-18?* Profile of miners & mining engineers enlisted.* Technology & explosives.* Underground tactics.* Evaluation of military effectiveness.PresenterSimon JonesSimon is a former curator at English Heritage and the Royal Engineers and King's Regiment Museums. He has taught at Liverpool and Lancaster Universities and was lead historian for the exploration of a tunnel system and archaeology on the Somme at La Boisselle, 2011-2015. He blogs at SimonJonesHistorian.com.
In The Dark: Tunnelling HS2 Subterranea Britannica 2020-12-14 | Andy Kendall is a Tunnelling Professional with Consultant Jacobs and is currently seconded to High Speed Two (HS2) as a Senior Tunnel Engineer.He works within the Tunnel Engineering Team of the HS2 Chief Engineers Group who has the Technical Authority responsible for defining the Tunnelling Specifications, Standards and Requirements that together will deliver a railway that meets the Sponsors & Stakeholders requirements.The Chief Engineers Group are responsible for managing the processes to enable HS2 to be 'Placed into Service', which involves demonstrating that the Tunnelling Infrastructure is compliant with the HS2 Act, legislation and requirements.This presentation will take you through the key Requirements and Construction related aspects of constructing Tunnels and Underground structures on High Speed Two.Agenda* Tunnelling and Underground Structures overview.* Tunnel Boring Machines (TBM's).* Shafts.* Cross Passages.* Porous Portals.PresenterAndy KendallAndy is a Chartered Civil Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers (FICE) and has worked on HS2 for the last 5 years. Previously he spent 5 years as Engineering Manager for the Western Tunnels of Crossrail, London, part of the London Underground Elizabeth Line. Prior to that Andy spent 10 years designing various tunnelling projects across the UK. Andy was also an Engineer working on High Speed One’s North Downs Tunnel in Kent in the late 1990’s and on London Underground’s Jubilee Line Extension in the mid 1990’s.
In The Dark: How Old Are The Chaldon Quarries? Subterranea Britannica 2020-11-13 | Peter Burgess has been a member of Wealden Cave and Mine Society for over 40 years. He has researched the history and archaeology of subterranean extraction sites in Surrey for many years.Peter's talk describes the difficult challenge of identifying the age and active timeline for the Reigate building stone quarries at Chaldon, near Reigate, using a variety of approaches.Agenda* The location of the quarries.* Historic buildings known to have stone from Chaldon.* Dating the artefacts from the quarries.* Inscription analysis.* Radiocarbon dating & overall analysis.PresenterPeter BurgessPeter is a graduate from University College London (Chemical Engineering) but has spent most of his working life in IT. Mining history is part of Peter’s wider interest in industrial archaeology. Peter has managed the volunteer-run Reigate Caves public tours operations for Wealden Cave and Mine Society for several years.
In The Dark: Warfare Underground Subterranea Britannica 2020-10-23 | Tim Cockitt is chair of the Manchester Military History Society, and has had a lifelong interest in Military History, with a strong interest in WW1, and the Battle of Verdun, 1916 in particular.Tim's talk begins with underground elements in Ancient and Medieval warfare, looks at WW1 in detail, and concludes with the Cold War.Agenda* Siegecraft in ancient and medieval times.* The introduction of gunpowder, particularly in relation to fortresses.* WW1. Mining and countermining & The French buried forts, Verdun.* The Maginot line.* WW2 bunkers and Cold War bunkers.PresenterTim CockittTim is a graduate of Oxford University. He is particularly interested in military history, and has visited numerous battlefields around Europe and the UK. Having gained early retirement from a career in computing in 2016, he has been able to devote more time to his historical interests. Tim is the chair of the Manchester Military History Society.http://www.mcrmilhist.org.uk
In The Dark: The Bunkers at Zossen Subterranea Britannica 2020-09-25 | Phil Catling describes the major underground bunkers at Zossen in Germany.Wunsdorf and Zossen have over a hundred years of military and bunker building history. From a POW camp with its own Mosque, to the home of the German General Staff throughout World War II. Later, following the post-war division of Germany, it was home to the primary air force arm of the Warsaw Pact in Europe - the Soviet 16th Air Arm. With a direct rail link to Moscow, the 'fortified city' was a closely guarded secret, now join Sub Brit to look below the surface. Lots of concrete guaranteed.PresenterPhil CatlingSub Brit member Phil Catling, aka the Tunnelinspector, has hosted a number of Spring and Autumn meetings over the last three years as well as arranging the diverse speakers. Phil spent 14 years as Manager of Stockport’s Air Raid Shelter Experience and has recently become freelance as a heritage guide and speaker specialising in underground spaces.facebook.com/tunnelinspector13linkedin.com/in/phil-catling-a0517983twitter.com/tunnelinspector
In The Dark: 20 Years Under the Volcanoes - A Brief Introduction to Lava Tube Caves Subterranea Britannica 2020-08-21 | Sub Brit and International Union of Speleology's commission on Volcanic Caves member Ed Waters has spent a good deal of the last 20 years exploring lava tube caves under volcanoes all over the world. Over this time Ed has visited many of the world's most important Lava Tube Caves and been fortunate enough to discover and map many that were previously unexplored. Covering caves in Iceland, The Canary Islands, Mexico, Korea, Sicily and Hawaii Ed will describe how these fascinating caves are formed, some of the features to be seen in these caves, and because this is for Subterranea Britannica some examples of how lava tube caves have been used by people. The climax of the presentation will describe how Vulcanospeleogy (the study of volcanic caves) is on the verge of new horizons that are literally out of this world.Agenda* What are lava tubes?* Typical features of lava tube caves.* The world's longest lava tubes.* Examples of human use of lava tubes.* Extraterrestrial lava tube caves.PresenterEd WatersEd Waters is a caver with over 30 years of experience of underground exploration both at home an abroad. He is a member of the Mendip Caving Group, Subterranea Britannica and the International Union of Speleology's Commission on Volcanic Caves.
In The Dark: The Tunnels of Gibraltar - A Walk Through the Rock Subterranea Britannica 2020-08-07 | Sub Brit member Tim Wellburn will outline the development of Gibraltar's labyrinth of tunnels, constructed from the late 18th century up to the 1960s. By far the most intensive period of tunnelling took place during WWII when the Royal Engineers excavated 18 miles of underground facilities designed to allow the garrison to withstand a one-year siege.He will then illustrate a walk through the length of the northern tunnels, mostly dating from this period. Entering the system approximately half-way down the peninsula, his route takes in communications, power generation, medical, storage, accommodation, fighting positions and bulk petrol storage, emerging at the foot of the North Face of the Rock.Agenda* History, Geology, Tunnelling Phases & WWII Tunnel Specifications.* The Great North Road, Calpe Hole, Fordham's Accommodation, Hay's Level & Liddell Communication.* Middle Galleries, Thomson's Raise & Admiralty Wireless Station.* Pearce's Finger, Thumb & Toe, MacFarlane's Gallery & Williams' Way.* 'Project C' RAF Fuel Storage.PresenterTim Wellburn
In The Dark: The Williamson Tunnels in Edge Hill, Liverpool Subterranea Britannica 2020-07-24 | A photo presentation of the areas of the Williamson Tunnels in Edge Hill, Liverpool which are in the care of The Friends of Williamson's Tunnels, covering the discovery, clearing out and making accessible for all.The talk will start with a brief history of the man himself, where he came from, how he made his money and came to do the crazy things he did. Tom will briefly discuss the background of the FoW group.Tom joined the Friends in 2009 as a volunteer and digger and has been a regular since then, at the heart of everything they do. He is now a trustee of the charity.Agenda* Who Joseph Williamson was and how he came to build his tunnels.* Discovery and preservation efforts.* Making the tunnels accessible to the public.PresenterTom Stapledon
In The Dark: Discovery and Rediscovery in the Caves and Mines of Sandford Hill Subterranea Britannica 2020-07-10 | Sub Brit and Mendip Caving Group member Ed Waters will describe the efforts to explore the interconnected lead mines and natural caves of Sandford Hill which lies within the Mendip Hills of Somerset. The Webinar will cover over 15 years of tough exploration, including digging out fill from narrow passages and an 80ft (24m) shaft. These efforts have led to the discovery of extensive previously unrecorded mine workings and caves not seen since the miners were last here in the 18th Century. Given the lack of written records, such exploration is the only way to study these mines and a great deal of knowledge has been gained by this work. However, we have still to shed light on a 19th Century legend or to realise the hoped for "through trip" from the top to the bottom of the hill, though it is tantalisingly close.Agenda* Location of Sandford Hill and history of mining.* The legend of "The Gulf".* State of underground exploration on Sandford Hill.* Description, history and exploration of Sandford Levvy.* Reopening and extension of Pearl Mine and current activity on Sandford Hill.PresenterEd WatersEd Waters is a caver with over 30 years of experience of underground exploration both at home an abroad. He is a member of the Mendip Caving Group, Subterranea Britannica and the International Union of Speleology's Commission on Volcanic Caves.
In The Dark: Cold War Cuckfield. The restoration of an ROC nuclear monitoring post bunker Subterranea Britannica 2020-06-23 | In this webinar, Sub Brit member Mark Russell will give us an illustrated history of the Royal Observer Corps from its pivotal role during the dark days of the blitz and World War 2 to its new role during the Cold War as part of the UKWMO (United Kingdom Warning & Monitoring Organisation) and onto its stand down in 1991. We will then hear about the fate of the hundreds of bunkers that were left throughout the UK and in particular the underground post at Cuckfield which was lovingly restored in 2009/2010 by Mark and friend Ed Combes, and has been opened yearly ever since for the public to visit.Agenda* A brief history of the Royal Observer Corps.* 'Going Underground' - The ROC during the Cold War.* Stand down and the dereliction of the Monitoring posts.* The restoration and public open days at Cuckfield ROC post bunker in Sussex.PresenterMark Russellfacebook.com/cuckfieldnuclearbunker
In The Dark: Trip Planning and a Virtual Visit to France Subterranea Britannica 2020-06-23 | In this talk, John will outline how he goes about identifying targets, researching access routes, validating (as far as possible) that accessibility should be possible, and finally visiting the sites and getting underground. With past trips to France, Germany, the low countries, Sweden, Italy, Ukraine, Hungary, Czech Republic, Albania, Romania, China and many others he has plenty of experience to share.After talking about his research methodology, John will give a photo tour of the underground sites visited in a group trip to France in late 2018. This part will feature V1 and V2 storage sites, an underground factory, several quarries and a later NATO site.Agenda* How to research and arrange international underground trips.* A virtual tour around some of France's many sites.PresenterJohn Smiles
In The Dark: Underground Stockport and the Shelters Subterranea Britannica 2020-06-23 | Phil Catling will be exploring the Stockport Shelters in this presentation, and explaining the history, current state and background of the largest purpose built civilian air raid shelters in the world. In addition, Phil will be looking at other underground spaces in the sandstone of Stockport.Agenda* Underground Stockport - why and how.* The Chestergate Hotel, Stockport Shelters - the largest purpose built civilian shelters in the world.PresenterPhil CatlingSub Brit member Phil Catling, aka the Tunnelinspector, has hosted a number of Spring and Autumn meetings over the last three years as well as arranging the diverse speakers. Phil spent 14 years as Manager of Stockport’s Air Raid Shelter Experience and has recently become freelance as a heritage guide and speaker specialising in underground spaces.facebook.com/tunnelinspector13linkedin.com/in/phil-catling-a0517983twitter.com/tunnelinspector
In The Dark: Saving Wartling ZUN Subterranea Britannica 2020-06-23 | By the time Sub Brit member John Smiles reached the R3 ROTOR bunker at Wartling (code-named 'ZUN'), it was in a sorry state. Severely flooded, John led a group of volunteers - including many of our own members - to complete 'The Big Pump', recovering access and beginning the lengthy process of preserving the site.During his talk, John will recount the enormous effort that went into reclaiming the site, the site's history and role within the wider ROTOR radar programme.Agenda* The ROTOR project: bunkers for the UK's air-defence radar.* RAF Wartling: one such bunker that Sub Brit members, led by John, helped to save.PresenterJohn Smiles
Sub Brit promo from 1990 Subterranea Britannica 2020-06-23 | A 2-minute Sub Brit promotional film made in around 1990. Channel 4 were asking societies and clubs to submit videos promoting their groups, the best of which would be broadcast on a special programme. Nick Catford decided to have ago and came up with this short film detailing Sub Brit's interests. The finished film was delivered to Channel 4 but sadly the programme never happened.
