wheal jane | no feed, no water, no chance
13|01|07

By now everyone was stumbling around in the darkness, our torches unable to penetrate the gloom of such a huge, cavernous space. I took some final shots from the main control room, now completely dark, the control panels lifeless, the VDU screens blank.

We felt we’d seen enough. Wheal Jane was far more interesting, and far more intact than Mount Wellington, but time, and the approaching darkness, had cut short our exploration.

Sometimes, when trips are planned, and alternatives are outlined, it’s the final choice, the plan 'C' which turns out to be the most satisfying and interesting trip of the day.

© Simon Cornwell 2007



"As a youthful electrician I installed all the cables into the panels on the gantry. This was in the spring / summer of 1980. The original building dates back to the late sixties however I understand that the mill was shut down again in 1978. After two years the mine was again sold and money made available for refurbishment. The first test run was mid summer’s day 1980 with full production achieved by the end of August of the same year. I left Wheal Jane after working the last night shift by the commissioning team on the 25th of August 1980. The electrical workshop was sited underneath the settling tank detailed in your third picture. What a shame that the mill was to again close, this time for ever." - Barry, 9th October 2015