Shaftmen at work.

Bet you thought it was all machine work; part of the record-breaking team of shaftmen at work. Showing concrete being poured through a metal pipe from the surface (visible to the right of the 1st man). These were called ’Elephant’s Trunks’ as they were short lengths linked together to make them flexible and they looked like an elephant’s trunk. The concrete was vibrated using a compressed air vibrating poker, to make sure the concrete was mixed properly to stop it honey combing, the man on the left is doing this.
Image  and words courtesy of Alan Franks.