This week we were delighted to be able to help out South Crofty mine with their efforts to re-open the mine. As part of their works they needed to test the ‘man rider’ winding gear with a load weighing several tonnes, and the mine didn’t have enough ballast to carry out the test … but we did! Mark Cann, one of Sailor’s Creek Directors, was delighted to speak with Julie Skentelbery on Radio Cornwall to explain how this came about.
It all started with an offhand mention by the son of one of the mine’s managers to Mark that the mine was looking for ballast which coincided with Keewaydin’s restorer Spike needing to temporarily move the ballast on the ship to access the floor. But … the ballast was needed by the mine within 24 hours. Cue a huge team effort to make this happen!
A team of four hauled out the ballast blocks of rusty iron that each weigh between 40 and 60 kg, on a lift then rolled them down a plywood chute to be loaded onto pallets. They were loaded onto a pontoon which was pushed across the river to Cockwells boatyard, and then transferred onto Mark’s trailer and driven to South Crofty.
Obviously Spike will need them back but Sailors Creek are delighted to loan them out to support one of Cornwall’s other important industries!
BUY a BOLT for Keewaydin: Saving Keewaydin - a Community crowdfunding project in Falmouth by Saving Keewaydin (crowdfunder.co.uk)
Check out some videos of the day on our YouTube channel here: Sailors Creek CIC - YouTube