NorthWest Exploration Forum - ARCHIVE: Cutacre Opencast Revisited

Called in this morning and met two keen amateur geologists, although their knowledge was certainly not amateur! Showed me the best areas to look for fossil nodules and described the processes which led to their deposition.
It was red hot and a circling buzzard gave the place an eerie feel

One of the old Wharton Hall Colliery shafts was exposed, it's brick lining had shelled off, the interesting bit was the side inset tunnel into the Brassey seam

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...ftandinset.jpg

Ochrey water was coming up the shaft out of old workings

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040434.jpg

Ventilation sheeting used to course the air round the workings, known as brattish sheeting

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040438.jpg

Terex wagon

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040447.jpg

Fossil shark egg case

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040456.jpg

Neuropteris fern

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040458.jpg

Fossil seeds with hairs visible

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040459.jpg

A carbonicola mussel preserved unusually in an upright position

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040463.jpg

Nice haul of calamites roots

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040464.jpg

Best calamites section

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040466.jpg

Shale with small carbonicola mussels within it and two separated ones

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040467.jpg

Section of mussel bed, the mussels are the brownish bits

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...d/P1040469.jpg