SA dig ...16

[SAbottles]

Friday 27 was a Public Holiday, overcast and perfect for digging - so, to the Lane. Unfortunately there was a downside ~ probably because it was a holiday a Railway Security team came wandering along, removing vagrants who were sleeping in a couple of derelict buildings. On seeing me labouring away, the head of the team came over to see what I was doing and, inevitably, asked who had given me permission to be there ? As I couldn't produce a permit but could only refer to a senior engineer who had said it was "probably all right", it means I will now have to battle to get some sort of 'official permission'. Bummer !

Oh well - to the dig itself. This was the next of the trenches; area of last dig shown by marked line:

Once the hole was down into the main layer, I found I had to undercut towards the big pile and to the left - to the very limit of my reach with the fork :

 

[SAbottles]

This is some of the 'junk' that came out, some of them damaged by me, most already dinged:

Once I started finding pockets of bottles they were pretty much on top of each other; here are two Codds and a plain slick in close contact:

 

[SAbottles]

After an exhausting 6 hours, I had to call it a day and fill in; this is the hole filled in & fairly well 'restored'.

It had been a good dig and I was quite frustrated as I could see & feel bottles at the full extent of my reach, but it would have meant a very considerable removing of overburden & rock and I was just too tired !

 

[SAbottles]

Here is a shot of what I got, after an initial wash to get most of the mud off:

After 15 digs with virtually no dolls' heads, I managed to split this one, which was already damaged:

but also got this one, which is not suffering some dread skin disease, but is nicknamed "Rusty"!

 

[SAbottles]

And perhaps the prize of the dig, considering how few of these we dig, was this enamel advertising sign :

damaged & a bit rusty, it still has some lovely artwork :

 

[SAbottles]

So now we wait to see what will happen as regards permission. I have contacted my engineer friend, who says he will "see what he can do". But I am a bit concerned as the "Railway Authorities" are not really into being understanding about these things and are probably not keen to set any sort of precedent, especially as they have tremendous problems with people stealing cables and damaging signals etc.

It would be a shame to lose this site, considering how much more potential there is.

 

[surfaceone]

a Railway Security team came wandering along, removing vagrants who were sleeping in a couple of derelict buildings. On seeing me labouring away, the head of the team came over to see what I was doing and, inevitably, asked who had given me permission to be there ? As I couldn't produce a permit but could only refer to a senior engineer who had said it was "probably all right", it means I will now have to battle to get some sort of 'official permission'. Bummer !

You aren't kidding, Dale,

I hope that you will have some luck in getting "official" permission.It would be a terrible loss to have this lane go undug. You have unearthed some real beauties from this lane.

At least they didn't clap you in irons!

Who are those long necked aqua beauties in the cleaned up photo? Peppersauces, or lime juices, maybe?

That Van Houten's sign is killer! Say, "hey" to "Rusty." [8D]

 

[madman]

great finds! good luck with the permissions or just try to avoid the rail road guys

 

[kastoo]

I've yet to dig a sign...nice

 

[Terphunter]

Cool finds and nice photos...thanks for posting!