Iron Man's Cache Traditional Cache
GizmoKyla: As the owner has not responded to our previous log requesting that they check this cache we are archiving it.
Please note that as this cache has now been archived by a reviewer or HQ staff it will NOT be unarchived.
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Regards
Dave & Dawn
GizmoKyla
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The cache is located at the site of the old Llanharry Haematite Iron Ore Mine near Llechau Farm.
The Location
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This cache is hidden near the location of a forgotten deep mine located in Mid Glamorgan, not used for mining coal but for iron ore. The Llanharry Haematite Iron Ore Mine opened in the early 20th century near Llechau Farm and brought with it a population explosion to the area.
The Iron Mine was a chief source of labour for Llanharry and it was a serious setback when it closed in 1975. The mine yard was also used to store thousands of old tyres until a massive fire destroyed this stock. The associated damage can was still visible in and around some of the surface buildings (buckled & scorched steelwork, etc.).
Iron ore was railed out to Port Talbot & Newport Steel Works via the sidings at Pontyclun.
Quite a bit of the mine surface infrastructure remains, including the fitting shop, mine offices, pit head baths and one capped mine shaft - with a steel vent pipe, but this area is currently sectioned off.
Goethite is extremely abundant at Llanharry making up the greater percentage of the iron ore mined. The National Museum of Wales holds a extensive suite of Llanharry specimens, many of which were collected during working operations at the mine. Unfortunately, in recent years, it seems that Llanharry is a village that no longer has iron in its soul.
The cache
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Has been 'temporarily' replaced with a small magnetic container that has tried to fit in with the whole iron theme.
The old medium sized plastic box which was placed especially to help the Welsh Miner's Coin 2009 (TB2YB4M) on its mission of visiting as many mining areas of the UK & Worldwide as possible is in storage until such a time as the main site location becomes accessible again.
Directions
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The cache has been replaced and the coordinates updated (on 31/03/2013) and is situated at one of the last parts of this historical site that is visible to the public. The new location is near the site of one of the old mine buildings and one of the only ones still visible from the road - there is a redundant rusty gate here... for now at least.
With a new housing development started in 2012 next to the mine area, the mine itself was fenced off and is being "redeveloped", and once this redevelopment has been finished, if it is made available to the public then the cache will be moved again to a more suitable location.
The new location is accessible to strollers and to wheelchairs, however the actual retrieval of the cache itself may not be possible from by a wheelchair user.
#FTF#
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Congratulations to The ColliCrew, ShortTaffy & JT303 on being the joint #FTF# - but just so they could say they’d beaten Brandane to the cache - I guess that’s what friends are for :)
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
Ernpu nebhaq gur ehfgl veba, gbjneq gur gbc, ohg jngpu gur oneorq-jver.
Treasures
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