British Caving Library | Audio Archive

Doug Nash on mining part 1

Doug Nash on mining part 3

Doug Nash on mining part 2

Australian Cave Diver and Anaesthetist Richard Harris is interviewed about the traumatic decisions made to dive the 12 boy football team and their coach out of the flooded Tham Luang and the very slim chance of a successful outcome.

A BBC Radio Shropshire interview with Emma Porter, the Secretary of the British Cave Rescue Council, about the Thailand cave rescue

A BBC Radio Shropshire interview with Mike Clayton who was responsible for assembling equipment and ensuring it was sent out to Thailand

Dave 'Moose' Nixon has been at the centre of many significant finds in the Peak Cavern system since the mid 1980's, with his explorations including the White River Series, the major extensions to James Hall Over Engine Mine, and Titan. In this interview, Moose describes the opening of the top entrance to Titan, a task that took from October 1999 to June 2003, and required the excavation of a 46 metre deep shaft and a 20 metre long adit. The result has allowed cavers ready access to the most impressive shaft in the UK.

Dave 'Moose' Nixon has been at the centre of many significant finds in the Peak Cavern system since the mid 1980's, with his explorations including the White River Series, the extensions to James Hall Over Engine Mine, and Titan. In this interview Moose describes how he wasn't tempted by the gritstone crags surrounding his home town of Hathersage, but with some school friends, was drawn to the limestone caves which they explored with the minimum of equipment. He also pays homage to three iconic figures of Derbyshire caving who were his greatest influences - Ian 'Buster' Wright, Keith 'Ben' Bentham, and John Beck.

Dave 'Moose' Nixon has been at the centre of many significant finds in the Peak Cavern system the mid 1980's, with his explorations including the White River Series, the major extensions to James Hall Over Engine Mine, and Titan. In this interview Moose describes how he heard what he thought was a waterfall at the end of The Trenches whilst on a solo trip between Peak Cavern and Speedwell in 1991. Further investigation resulted in the discovery of the extensive White River Series. He goes on to describe how four years of intensive effort in JH allowed him and his colleagues access to the passages beyond Far Sump, which eventually led to breaking through to the base of Titan.

On the 22nd May 1966 after many months of surveying and digging by a large number of Derbyshire cavers, the connection between Oxlow Cavern and Giant's Hole was finally forged through the Chamber of Horrors, a horrendous 700' flat-out crawl which includes three ducks. Fifty years later, a celebration of the achievement was held in Castleton village hall on the 21st May 2016. In this talk recorded at the time, Clive Westlake, who was intimately involved in the project, describes with the help of his log books, the events leading up to the connection. He explains how a re-survey of Giant's Hole by Paul Deakin clarified the relationship between the two systems, which inspired a concerted digging effort. As this was recorded before an audience, there is some background noise.