Ladies Showers - progress at last

The March Committee meeting agreed that completion of Ladies Showers would go ahead during the working week and that there would be 3 cubicle showers installed.  As there was a good deal of work required to prepare the walls and floor, this had to start over Easter so that concrete and render would have time to dry out before tiling.

The first problem was how to remove the Galpinite which was not only on the floor but had also crept up some of the walls.  Knowing the difficulties encountered in the Gents Showers, more serious kit was obtained

John Lister attacked the old shower partitions with an ancient but effective air breaker and succeeded in demolishing the dreaded Galpinite.

Brian got a little too close and nearly precipitated the election of a new Warden at the Annual General Meeting

Various people assisted with removal of the floor; Allan Richardson is seen here with the heavy breaker.

As it was, there was an upper screed of Galpinite about 2 or 3 inches thick with a much thicker layer beneath it.  It was decided to remove only this upper layer and leave the bulk intact.  

Because of this, the showers floor will be higher than originally planned, giving a problem with the height of the entrance, already rather low

It was decided that as the floor was going to be higher, then the entrance would have to be enlarged by a similar or greater amount.  Unfortunately, this part of the wall is solid cast concrete over the original stonework and it was very difficult to deal with.

Not too much later, a large lump of concrete was removed using an appropriate method; some ladies using the Gents Showers at the time were forced to lie low for a short while during this operation.

Careful attention was paid to the size of the entrance in order that it would fit ladies of differing vertical development.

Technical constraints meant that no such allowance could be made in the x-axis and any ladies of girth greater than 84 inches will scrape their bodywork as they enter the new showers.

Personal Protective Equipment was issued to all taking part.

The floor and walls are now being concreted and rendered ready for tiling and plumbing during the Working Week.  Ladies will be interested to know that the Committee decided against a feature row of tiles in pink.

For those many of you who seem not to know when the main Working Week takes place, the date is w/c Monday May 26th., although work will start over the preceding weekend 24th. and 25th. Contact Chris Grimmett cmg@goostrey.demon.co.uk or Allan Richardson allan@caving.demon.co.uk if you would like to come and help.

by Chris Grimmett

Harvey, Vince and Paul take samples of Galpinite away for analysis.
(Right)

Paul and Alex Meredith (with help from Haley) are shifting debris while a Dobson works away in the corner.
(Below)

Vince and John apply several hundred horsepower.
(Below Right)

Kevin Diffey was on wheelbarrow duty!