Navvies 287

navvies volunteers restoring waterways

Canal Camps preview: Make the Lanky less leaky Help the Mont hold water Unearth the Mon & Brec Geldeston oh Geldeston... issue 287 february-march 2 0 1 8

Intro

Cotswold

Apologies for featuring the Cotswold Canals yet again in our colour pages, but it’s all happening there right now. Here, a boatload of scrub heads for the bonfire on our New Year camp, while below, Prince Charles meets the Cotswold Canals Trust volunteers working to finish Lower Wallbridge Lock on his visit to open the Phase 1a length of canal.

Fingers crossed for the Lottery bid for the next phase!

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In this issue Contents For latest news on our activities visit our website wrg.org.uk See facebook group: WRG Follow us on Twitter: @wrg_navvies Production

Contents

Editor: Martin Ludgate, 35 Silvester Road, East Dulwich London SE22 9PB 020-8693 3266 martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk Subscriptions: Sue Watts, 15 Eleanor Rd., Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9FZ Printing and assembly: John Hawkins, 4 Links Way, Croxley Green, Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 3RQ 01923 448559 john.hawkins@wrg.org.uk Navvies is published by Waterway Recovery Group, Island House, Moor Rd., Chesham HP5 1WA and is available to all interested in promoting the restoration and conservation of inland waterways by voluntary effort in Great Britain. Articles may be reproduced in allied magazines provided that the source is acknowledged. WRG may not agree with opinions expressed in this magazine, but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated - otherwise WRG and IWA accept no liability for any matter in this magazine.

Waterway Recovery Group is part of The Inland Waterways Association, (registered office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA), a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee, registered in England no 612245, and registered as a charity no 212342. VAT registration no 342 0715 89.

Directors of WRG: Rick Barnes, John Baylis, George Eycott, Helen Gardner, John Hawkins, Dave Hearnden, Jude Palmer, Mike Palmer, George Rogers, Jonathan Smith, Harry Watts.

ISSN: 0953-6655

© 2018 WRG

From the Chairman 4-5 Coming soon BCN Clean Up, Leader Training Day, Barn Dance 6-7 Camps preview Montgomery, Lancaster, Waveney and Mon & Brec 8-10 Camp reports Chirstmas on the Cotswold and the Wilts & Berks, plus Lapal 11-17 Safety risks from burns 18-19 Diary WRG, IWA, CRT, canal societies’ working parties and camps 20-25 Tech tips bonfires 26-27 WRG BC news from our Boat Club 28 Progress around the country 29-35 News Pocklington opening in July 36-37 Infill with Dear Deirdre 38 Lichfield progress in pictures 39

Contributions... ...are welcome, whether by post or email.

Photos welcome: digital, slides, prints. Please say if you want prints back.

Digital pics are welcome as email attachments, preferably JPG, but if you have a lot of large files it’s best to send them on CD or DVD or to contact the editor first.

Contributions by post to the editor Martin Ludgate, 35, Silvester Road, London SE22 9PB, or by email to martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk.

Press date for issue 288: 1 March.

Subscriptions A year's subscription (6 issues) is available for a minimum of £3.00 to Sue Watts, 15 Eleanor Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9FZ. Please pay cheques to "The Inland Waterways Association".

This is a minimum subscription, that everyone can afford. Please add a donation.

Cover Picture: Group photo from the Cotswold Christmas Camp at Bond’s Mill Bridge control cabin (and former World War 2 pillbox). See Camp Report, p14-16. (Picture by Martin Ludgate) Back cover: Stratford St Mary Lock on the River Stour fills with water following the completion of restoration - see Progress, p32-33 (River Stour Trust)

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chairman’s Comment “It’s only by having a much bigger fan base that waterways will continue to thrive and we can be sure that all our valuable work will not be lost” Chairman’s Comment As a heritage organisation we like to think that the important bit is the detail: that slight change to the brickwork courses that signifies you are no longer on the Nitts and Stuffs canal but have moved onto the Upper Bilgewater navigation, or the use of blue bullnoses instead of coping stones that signifies a particular lock was extensively repaired during the 1930s; perhaps the change in the design of the bridge number plaques. That sort of thing.

But sometimes the big things are important. In the modern world these are often called objectives and many people feel the urge to sit around debating which of these big things are important and which are not.

One of our parent body the Inland Waterways Association’s official objectives this year is to continue to build on the successful Family Camp it ran last year and, as you may have seen, there are three of them planned for this year. This is all part of an even larger objective of using events like this as a ‘gateway activity’ to get more and more people involved and interested in waterways. It’s only by having a much bigger fan base that waterways will continue to thrive and we can be sure that all our valuable work will not be lost.

(Hopefully many of you are now looking wistfully into the distance remembering brilliant holidays and agreeing that waterways are a brilliant place for kids to live and learn.)

But if IWA is going to introduce a new, younger audience to the waterways it is only fair that it’s done safely and so, in the light of this work, IWA has published a Safeguarding Policy for Children and Vulnerable Adults.

Which means what for WRG exactly? Well actually very little, because as you may have noticed, we don’t do very much with children (we will explain in more detail how this policy will apply with regard to our work with vulnerable adults in the next issue). However, there are a few events on the fringe of what we do where children do come along, so because these events are not really different to any of the higher profile IWA events, this policy will need to be applied and will mean a few changes. Now the good news is that, for the sort of events that we run, the requirements are pretty small. The exact steps are detailed in the policy but basically it’s just additional checks that the work, the supervision and the accommodation are appropriate.

The one change that will be apparent is that any events were we have applied these extra checks will be clearly flagged as such, and children will be able to attend. The flip side is, Last year’s first Family Camp on the Uttoxeter: making bat boxes...

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of course, that if the checks cannot be completed, then children cannot attend. So in reality very little has changed, the default expectation for our events was that children would not be present and that’s still the case.

What has happened is that any event where children could be present will be clearly flagged as such.

So that’s a hybrid of my opening waffle – it’s a big thing that results in just a few details changing.

Finally just to sign ...and pulling up Himalayan balsam. off with another small detail. Picture, if you can, the smile on my face as I was sitting in bed this morning listening to the birds, drinking coffee and reading the autobiography of entrepreneur Alistair Sawday. Now picture just how big that smile got as I encountered a paragraph detailing how, on a cycling tour of the Mon & Brec, he “...stopped to talk to the volunteers restoring the Locks. I love the way the British volunteer likes to rebuild assorted reminders of our past: railways, canals, bridges, dry stone walls and footpaths. ...Is it a way of having both the satisfaction of physical works and the company of others?”

Couldn’t have put it better myself.

Mike Palmer

The young volunteers with their completed bat boxes

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coming

soon

Book now for the BCN Clean Up - see form opposite WRG Barn Dance 10 March The Barn Dance is coming back to Rowington Village Hall on Saturday 10th March 2018. We will be joined by local Ceilidh band 5 Minutes to Midnight, featuring a familiar WRGie face.

Booking is now open so come and show your support and your best moves! As always there will be a raffle, drinks and the finest in WRG dining provided by Jude Palmer and Eli Mathieson. All funds raised will go towards supporting WRG activities in the coming year.

Entry is £15 and you can get your tickets here - https://wrg.cloudvenue.co.uk/barndance2018 For more info contact Head Office on 01494 783453. See you there!

Donated prizes are always welcome for the Raffle and help us raise extra money on the night. So, if you are looking for somewhere to re-gift those unwanted Christmas presents, you know where to bring them!

BCN Clean Up 24-25 March Here’s leader Chris Morgan with the latest news on our annual weekend of throwing grappling hooks into the murky waters of the less well-used lengths of the Birmingham Canal Navigations and pulling out old bikes, shopping trolleys, prams, tyres, you name it...

A new bit of canal for us this time on the Wyrley & Essington Canal, its been a few years since we visited the ‘Curly Wyrley’, so its back to that little gem of a canal in the industrial Midlands. We will be working from Wednesfield to Sneyd Junction; for those of you who attended last year: we start where we started last year but go north instead.

Our accommodation is the Stables Outdoor pursuit centre in Tipton, a nice place with nice warm showers! Our usual cooks will be on site to feed you up and some local real ale will be on site for the evenings’ socialising. The customary Cheese and Port Party will also take place on Saturday night.

So please use the form opposite or see wrg.org.uk to book up for your dirty weekend in the Midlands working on the Lovely BCN. Anyone wanting T-shirts please contact me (Chris Morgan) on 07974 111354 to pre order.

Leader Training Day 12 May We have a new team in charge for this year’s Leader Training Day. Over to David Evans...

We are back at Rowington Green Village Hall in lovely Warwickshire. After many years of leading this important event, Ed Walker has stepped aside (thanks, Ed; for leading it, not for stepping aside!) and now George Rogers and I are having a go at doing as well as Ed did.

If you’ve ever thought you could do as well as (or better than) the previous leaders on a camp, then come along. The day is open to those who are thinking about becoming a leader (or assistant) or a cook as much as for those who have led a few camps or many, many camps. Old hands at leading know that complacency is a big enemy of safety and efficiency and this day helps to stop it creeping in.

It will still be the usual format in that participants should arrive from 09:30 for a 10:30 start. There will be tea / coffee / breakfast buns to get you ready for the sessions which will include: Leading People, Effective Communication, Safety Updates, Host Societies and WRG, Risk Assessments, and more. These skills and updates are very important for leaders and will help leaders to manage their responsibilities better and more easily. I know all this sounds a bit on the dry side, which is why there will be some fun and active parts to the day as well. Cooks are as much part of the leadership team as the leader and his / her assistant and we’ll be having a separate session for them in the afternoon to pick up tips from some of WRG’s finest chefs.

Lunch and dinner will be provided, as will be space to lay your bed if you want to stay the

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Clean Up, Training...

See the Diary on pages 20-25 for more forthcoming events night after an evening’s discussing the finer points of dynamic risk assessments, catching up with mates, making new pals and enjoying some local lubrication – all free of charge. Apart from the beer! Jude Palmer is leading the catering team so you know you’ll do well for sustenance.

If you have anything you think could be included in the day, please let me know via Alex Melson at Head Office (01494 783 453 ext 610 or Alex.Melson@waterways.org.uk).

George and I are not promising we’ll be able to include it but there are other ways of disseminating important messages and updates; eg: Toolbox Talks, Head Office updates, etc.

Please book on to the day as you would for camps – by telephone or online – making sure to let us know dietary considerations, etc. Thanks and hope to see lots of you there.

David (Evvo) Evans

Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice 5-7 May Once again, a team of volunteers will be helping to set up and run the Inland Waterways Association’s popular annual canal festival at London’s Little Venice. Contact George Rogers on georgmrogers@outlook.com or 07789 493967. And there’s also a little matter of some volunteers needed to prepare fudge for our fund-raising fudge stall - see Navvies News page.

...and then what?

Hopefully we’ll have details of the WRG Training Weekend in the next issue.

BCN Clean Up 2018 Waterway Recovery Group in association with BCNS CRT IWA DCT CCT I would like to attend the 2018 BCN Canal Cleanup on 24 - 25 March Forename:

Surname:

Address: email: Phone:

Any special dietary requirements?

I require accommodation Friday night / Saturday night / both nights I enclose payment of £

(pay 'Inland Waterways Association') for food (£13 for weekend)

Do you suffer from any allergy or illness, such as epilepsy or diabetes, about which we should know, or are you receiving treatment or under medical supervision for any condition? YES / NO (If yes, please attach details) In the unlikely event that you should be injured, who should we contact?

Name:

Phone:

Signed: Please send this form to: National Cleanup bookings, WRG, Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA

You can also book online via the WRG website wrg.org.uk

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canal camps Preview Looking at four sites where you might be interested in joining a canal camp this year - in the North, the East, Wales and the Borders Camps Preview 2018: Can we interest you in helping to make the Lancaster or Montgomery hold water?

Or working on the Waveney, where there’s plenty of water and boats already visiting the site? Or the Mon & Brec, where it’s not just about bringing the water and the boats back – but about uncovering the heritage of the canal’s working days?

In the first of this year’s Canal Camps Preview articles, we’re looking at four of this year’s canal camp sites – two where we’re holding camps at Easter, so this is our last chance to tell you about them, and two more for later in the year.

Montgomery Canal When are the camps? 31 March – 7 April; 7 – 14 July; 14 – 21 July What’s the work? Repairing leaks on the length between Redwith and Crickheath Wharf.

Martin Ludgate

Why is it important? The plan is for this to be the next section of the canal reopened to boats. Since 2003 they have been able to get from the Llangollen Canal via Maesbury to Gronwyn Bridge, the length beyond there has already been rebuilt, but before any more of the canal can be reopened it needs to be restored as far as Crickheath, where there will be a ‘winding hole’ (turning point for boats) – and any problems with keeping the water in the rebuilt channel need to be dealt with.

Progress had been very slow because of two problems lack of money and the presence of rare protected Great Crested Newts. But these problems have been solved – the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Inland Waterways Association’s Tony Harrison legacy have provided funding, and Shropshire Union Canal Society (SUCS) have been busy on the newt habitat work (see their report in our Progress section).

And now we have been invited back to play a part in getting progress going on the Montgomery canal again. The camps this year will be the first of many, and an opportunity to remind people of the great work Montgomery: we need to fix the leaks for this section to reopen our volunteers can perform.

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What’s the bigger picture? Thanks to the Lottery grant, with work from WRG and SUCS we can get the canal to Crickheath - but that’s only the start. Already, there are plans for the next section to the Welsh border at Llanymynech. The legacy money is to fund the rebuilding (by a combination of contractors and volunteers) of the only missing road bridge on this length, and the other main blockage (an old railway embankment) was removed by WRG volunteers last year. And if we can get the canal open into Wales, it improves the chances of finding funding to link it up with the 12 mile isolated length through Welshpool that’s already been reopened.

Lancaster Canal When are the camps? 31 March – 7 April; 7 – 14 April What’s the work?

Working at a site in Stainton in Lancashire, using flexible geotextile and blocks to reline the canal.

Alongside this volunteers will also be clearing vegetation at Hincaster Tunnel Why is it important? This forms part of the Lancaster Canal Trust’s ‘First Furlong’a 220 metre stretch of canal from Stainton Crossing Bridge to Sellet Hall bridge. This will be the first part of the dry northernmost length of the canal to be put back into water, extending the range of the Trust’s trip-boat.

Lancaster: our job is to re-line it and make it hold water

What’s the bigger picture? The Trust aims to one day reopen the whole of the ‘Northern Reaches’ – the part of the canal north of Tewitfield which once reached to Kendal on the edge of the Lake District but was cut off in the 1960s and 1970s by the construction of the M6 motorway and other new roads. There had been hope that regeneration schemes in Kendal could have seen part of the canal reinstated, but this came to nothing – and the ‘first furlong’, born out of frustration at a lack of progress, was a way to show that the canal really is coming back to life, and demonstrating the benefits of a reopened canal in the hope of preparing the way for dealing with the more difficult blockages.

Monmouthshire Canal When are the camps? 11 – 18 August; 18 – 25 August What’s the work? Continuing the archaeological work begun in 2017, as well as getting involved in the restoration work on the Ty Coch flight of locks between Newport and Cwmbran in South Wales. On the archaeological site volunteers will dig trial pits, recover historical artefacts, catalogue them and help piece together the site’s interesting history; on the lock restoration they will learn traditional heritage techniques.

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Why is it important? This flight has been a focus for restoration work for some years now, with an active local volunteer project aimed at giving people skills to get full time employment. We’re supporting this work, but we’re also supporting the archaeological work.

This aims to not only uncover the story of the various canal-related buildings that used to stand alongside the locks, but to turn the whole restored flight into a local heritage attraction.

What’s the bigger picture? Restoring the locks will extend the restored southern length of canal (which runs from the edge of Newport northwards towards Cwmbran) to reach the edge of Cwmbran town. The ultimate aim is to reopen right through the town, linking up at Five Locks with the 35 miles of canal which are already open, passing through stunning scenery all the way to Brecon. But that section through Cwmbran is a very tricky one, with a quarter mile of main road built on the canal bed, plus five new road bridges needed and 15 more locks to restore. Making Ty-Coch a local attraction will help to secure local support and good relationships with the local authorities which will make it more likely that funding can be found to reopen the more difficult lengths

River Waveney When are the camps? 14 – 21 July; 21 – 28 July What’s the work? Something completely different! If you’re tired of working on derelict canals without any water in, try the River Waveney on the Norfolk / Suffolk border, where we’ll be continuing on from 2017, removing damaged brickwork at Geldeston Lock and carrying out repairs to the lock.

Martin Ludgate

Why is it important?

Without our work, this historic lock was in danger of collapsing.

We began rebuilding one wall in 2017, but high tides, rain and floods slowed us down – however our bricklayers had made enough progress by the end of the week that we should be out of reach of high water this year. When we’ve Last year’s Waveney camp - and yes, those are boats in the distance! completed that side, the other wall will need the same treatment, securing the structure’s long-term future.

What’s the bigger picture? Unlike most of our sites, there are no current plans to reopen the lock to navigation. However boats can already get to the site from downstream, including one very important historic boat – the last former cargo carrying wherry (the sailing barge of the Broads) Albion, which was built to work on the Waveney. The hope is that the restored lock can provide a place for Albion to moor so that the public can see an original Waveney craft in its traditional setting.

For dates and information for all camps see the Navvies diary and wrg.org.uk.

Contributions by Alex Melson and Martin Ludgate

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Lapal

Camp report

Back in summer 2017, volunteers returned to Brmingham to carry on from 2016’s work - and to start a new site. Here’s how they got on... we received from members of the Trust, including the Chairman (Terry) who was usually on site giving us their moral support.

We are sorry that this report is a little later The Director of the local Trust (Hugh) had a than we would have wished – blame the fact diary clash that week and had booked his that the leaders are now retired from full holiday in Singapore. However, his son-intime employment and are therefore too busy! law (Simon) deputised admirably while we were on site and visited us every day. On After a couple of false starts in previous years, this was WRG’s second visit to Lapal, the Tuesday evening we were, once again, firstly to finish the work on the wharf wall treated to a narrowboat trip on the adjacent and towpath that we started last year (2016). Worcester & Birmingham Canal (the intention New work this year (2017) was to create our is for the Lapal Canal to be reconnected to this) into Birmingham, where we were roysecond site, on the other side of the old ally treated to dinner by the local Trust. bridge, enabling us to remove some tree The team arrived on the Saturday and stumps and investigate the construction of of the 19 people in 2016 we had 8 returning the original towpath foundations. in 2017 (Ian, Bev, Malcolm, David S*, Chris, The Lapal Canal Trust team did their David M, Daniel and Philip). These were usual wonderful job of arranging all the accommodation and on-site facilities, includ- supported by three new DofE’ers (a warm ing the use of the local Scout hut as a place welcome to and a big hand for Dominic, to eat sandwiches, use the toilets and shelter John and Victoria) and an old WRG hand from the rain. What can we say about the (David J), a total of 12. The DofE members constant supply of fresh homemade cakes greatly deserved the good reports they reetc.? ‘Scrumptious’ doesn’t begin to do ceived and this activity will form a useful justice to them. They were merely one addition to their CVs in years to come. example of the continuous encouragement * MUP or Most Useful Person.

Lapal Canal Camp 2017-12 29 July - 5 August 2017

fact file Lapal Canal Length under restoration: 5 miles Locks: none as built Date closed: 1917 (tunnel collapsed) The Canal Camp project: Rebuilding / reinstating towpath and canal wall on two lengths in Selly Oak Park To Netherton Windmill End To Stourbridge

Why? To re-water this length, in the hope that it can be linked up to the Worcester & Birmingham Canal by reinstating the next section as part of a redevelopment.

The wider picture: Reopening from the Worcester & Birmingham into Selly Park is the first step towards opening the two miles to the surprisingly-named California (yes!) and a new marina at the east portal of Lapal Tunnel.

Ultimately Lapal Canal Trust hopes to bypass the collapsed tunnel and open through to Hawne Basin

Dudley No 2 Canal navigable to Hawne Basin Gosty Hill Tunnel Hawne Basin

‘Lapal Canal’ is a name given to the abandoned length of the Dudley No 2 Canal from Hawne Basin to Selly Oak Canal Camp site: Selly Park Bridge

To Birmingham

Proposed diversion with new locks California Lapal Tunnel (collapsed)

Selly Oak

To Worcester

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We were fortunate to have the services of Bev Williams as cook again.

Not only is she a wonderful cook, providing hot, tasty and substantial meals but she is also keen to get her hands dirty on site. (n.b. she did wash her hands before preparing the evening meals!) We also had the benefit of Jen from Head Office for the first few days as our ‘official’ Assistant Leader. Not only had she brought the second van from a previous camp, but Lapal had been selected as a random camp for inspection by an agent for WRG’s insurers, to check that WRG’s Health & Safety practices were being carried out correctly.

The only thing on which we could have done better was correctly fitting dust masks [See article in the last Navvies ...Ed] – everything else was perfectly satisfactory. After only his first camp the previous year, Malcolm was nominated as Ian’s ‘deputy acting assistant leader – unpaid’. He wasn’t too sure what he was supposed to do (so he is going on an Assistant Leader’s Course in 2018!) but in the end of camp review the team said kind things about him.

We experienced something a little out of the ordinary in the ‘wee small hours’ of Monday morning. At the accommodation we had some disgruntled local ‘visitors’ who found their way in and felt the need to pour poster paint into our boots and socks and they ‘decorated’ the accommodation walls with it. When they were discovered they ran away and Ian and several others spent a ‘happy’ couple of hours washing boots and socks and trying to dry them in time for everyone getting up in the morning, before returning to bed at 4.00 am. The positive outcome of this was that in the evenings, in addition to the normal daily work, David S and the DofE’ers set to with a will and redecorated the walls, leaving them in a cleaner state that we found them.

Saturday Bev’s car is a cross between an Aladdin’s Cave and Dr Who’s TARDIS – the first meal had

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Dealing with stumps

arrived ready cooked! After the evening meal Ian gave the H&S briefing to the camp members and members of the local Trust before introducing us to the plans for the week.

Sunday On site by 9.00 am and enjoyed a further, site-specific, H&S briefing. Set up base under the bridge, removed safety fencing on the edge of the wharf wall and cleaned a few bricks!

Monday Excavator delivered, plus the skip for rubbish and the tons of ballast, sand, cement and lime which were stored in the compound under the old bridge with the cement mixer.

Removed some old roots from, and continued repairing, the last 20 metres of the edge of the wharf wall. Scrub bashing on the old towpath to get to the tree roots that were to be removed which disturbed some very angry wasps. Excavator used near the wasps nest and preparations made for removing the two designated tree stumps.

Tuesday Tree roots removed from both sites; work continued on wharf wall, including concrete reinforcement.

Wednesday A third tree root was removed. This was tougher than expected but, as the Trust website says… “Nothing gets in the way of a determined WRG volunteer!” As the tree roots were heavily intertwined with the brick towpath walls, the removal brought down 8 metres of wall but, as the saying goes, “You can’t make an omelette without breaking eggs”. It was the ‘least worst’ option as, if the roots had been left in, the wall would have remained permanently weakened. We did an ‘archaeological investigation’, i.e. a ‘deep dig’ on the wall and it transpires that the large sandstone foundations were probably from the nearby Weoley Castle when the canal was built in 1796.

a lot of careful planning before starting, method sheets and risk assessment forms to be prepared and materials and equipment ordered. On the last day, all the tools cleaned and carefully stored for the next group. This also applies to all the canteen cooking utensils as the WRG provide everything.

The total repaired towpath wall over the two years is now 50 metres. We also completed the last 17 bricks on the path retaining wall from last year, removed a number of roots and reset the 1960’s concrete wharf coping stone.

We all perhaps tend to assume that the preparation and tidying up go without saying but we are appreciative that the local Trust acknowledged how much preparation goes into running a one week WRG Canal Camp.

Although WRG aren’t going to Lapal Thursday this year (2018) work continues locally and Penultimate day with lots of rain but work the Trust have just (January 2018) ancontinued until 7.30 pm (again! – the same nounced grants totalling £25,000 towards an happened the previous year). Ian has prom- Action Plan to raise the estimated £2m cost ised that this won’t happen on his next camp. of the first two stages totalling half a mile from the Birmingham & Worcester Canal (see above) to Selly Oak Park which is where Friday WRG have been working.)

Finishing off and tidying up. You know, Ian Gaston and Malcolm Parker from experience, that this isn’t a quick job!

Unfortunately, this identified that we had lost a bow saw which, despite extensive searching, we couldn’t find. Apologies to WRG and to whichever camp received the kit from us.

Summary With thanks to the Lapal Canal Trust website: We completed the work started last year on repairing and reinstating a brick wall in Harborne Wharf, in total 20 metres of wall with bricks removed, cleaned and replaced… large tree stumps removed from the wall. A work camp is a significant operation,

Towpath wall brickwork nearing completion

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Camp report Cotswold Reporting from Christmas on the Stroudwater near Bond’s Mill in preparation for (fingers crossed) the next Lottery-supported project We all sat down and Ian and myself did the standard Health & Safety talk, showing On 26th December 2017 some lost souls the current video, and then it was down to headed to Brimscombe Port near Stroud, for serious business - food! Once everyone had the annual Christmas Camp. eaten and everything tidied away, then it was Leading it was me (Moose), assistant down to the socialising bit, the local pub was was Ian Rutledge, who was a ‘virgin leader’, closed, so everyone stayed in. never having assisted before, and the Cook Next morning onto site, we were workwas Maria, unfortunately with no kitchen ing at Bond’s Mill just west of Stonehouse. helper this year.

We decided to go for the longer stretch of As usual at this time of year it was lot work, where the Kescrg and London WRG of the regulars with a sprinkling of volunChristmas party started three weeks before teers either new to the Christmas camp or us, so everyone got started and it was not new to WRG. long before a fire was going; luckily there Due to the numbers expected, I had was no Tim Lewis (as he can stop fires just asked for all the vans and on first night, two by being there!) People collected the work arrived, plus with a ‘naked van’ if needed. (It boat and operated that all week, fetching and was an ex-WRG ‘proper’ van i.e. it’s a Transit) carrying wood.

No problems other than the trouble When we left site that evening, having with Christmas public transport and having achieved a good opening day, back at the to send a van to go to Gloucester to pick up accommodation several others had arrived, two intrepid travellers including one from and I now had four chainsaw operators. I am Germany. ‘X’ had done a camp or two before, certain Ian the assistant was wishing he and there was one from France, Tony - this could play with his, but being the assistant, was his first camp. he had been told he was not allowed, so for

Cotswold Canals Christmas camp

fact file Cotswold Canals The Canal Camp project: clearing trees and vegetation around Bond’s Mill

Length: 36 miles Locks: 56 Date closed: 1927-46

Why? On the offside (non-towpath side) of the canal in particular there were a lot of overhanging trees, branches and smaller vegetation which would potentially be a hindrance to navigation, as well as blocking would could be a good view of the canal from neighbouring properties The wider picture: Although some restoration work had been done here a long time ago (including installing the ‘plastic liftbridge’), most efforts have been concentrated on the Lottery-funded Phase 1a section (Stonehouse to Brimscombe). This is now almost complete, and a Lottery bid for the Phase 1b length (Saul to Stonehouse) has recently gone in (fingers crossed for a good result in April), and a return to this length to put it in good condition is in order.

Phase 1b: Saul to Stonehouse

Canal Camp site: Bond’s Mill

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Phase 1a: Stonehouse to Brimscombe

Phase 3: Brimscombe to Cerney

Phase 2: Inglesham to Cerney

Pictures by Martin Ludgate

Paul and Nick recover felled branches with the work punt

the rest of the week he had to watch the others play. After the evening meal, Ian and I stood up and said how everyone had done so well and worked hard, and we thanked Maria for the food.

The next few days flew past, with the normal “just job” or two coming in, you know: “Oh this tree has fallen down, can you just sort it?” So the following day, and with Ian needing the experience of standing up in front of the camp, one evening I got him to do the talk in the evening after the food, and it was then that Nigel gave Ian a new name, he was called ‘Mini Moose’, which I can see some likeness but of course I am the better looking one!

So really this was the plan of attack for the rest of the camp. One or two more arrived, so by now we were up to 30 people it’s surprising how much work can be done with such numbers. This meant at the end of the camp we ran out of work had to fall back to another area on the other side of Bond’s Mill Bridge, near some industrial units. This again was attacked with gusto, they Trust in discussion with the locals had put very tight restrictions on the sites for fires etc, but after

a day and half it looked like a swarm of locusts had been through. On the final day both sites were left in a very tidy fashion, but how much work had been done!

Several things always amaze me - one is the amount of work that can be completed, I had been pestering the locals to make sure there was plenty, and there was, but we finished it. During the week in the mornings we would travel to site in snow, frost, rain and a dry day or two! We came off site on the last day slightly early as it had started to rain very hard, the weather forecasts that people were looking at on there phones was saying this band of rain was in for the rest of the day, so after consulting Ian, sorry, Mini Moose we agreed to have a late lunch back at the accommodation. This happened, but as normal the sun came back out. However we had cleared site and left a very large pile of logs to be collected by the locals.

Back at the accommodation the tools were checked in and cleaned and put in the trailer, the vans (all five) were cleaned inside and out, kit was sorted between personal kit and London WRG site kit.

page 15

In the evening we had a 3 course meal WRGies? Not completely but some were prepared by Maria, tables were tarted up, the knackered. Have I succeeded in bringing roast joints were carved by Mini Moose and another assistant/leader to the Fellowship of myself, then we passed around the vino, WRG Leaders? I think so, Mini Moose has everyone sat down and had a lovely meal. already said he would like to assist on anAfter the meal we had the thank you other camp to gain more practice and experispeeches, including thanks to all the drivers, ence, so what more can I say? the breakfast cooks, the main cook Maria, Just the final thankyou to all Maria for and then I thanked Ian, who had done a very cooking and the breakfast cooks, the drivers, good job, considering he had never done and the drivers who brought all the kit, anything like it before, he had not only asLondon WRG for the loan of kit. And of sisted on site and in the accommodation, he course the volunteers the WRGies who had done the talks and H&S briefing for the appear like magic and just get on with the late comers, Maria had shown him about the work. See you all next Boxing Day venue and accounts, he had everything first class, oh location to be decided, looking for an assistbut he did forget the mugs on the first day ant! Someone who would like to see if they on site, oh and the milk, but he did rememcan join the fellowship. ber the biscuits and the cake - another leader Dave ‘Moose’ Hearnden in the making for the future!

Before we all finished the speeches, Mini Moose had one more surprise, anyone who had seen my phone will understand why I do not look at texts - the screen is cracked and there’s dust in there, and it makes texts almost unreadable, it was one of those things I had to get around and getting a replacement, but I don’t want all the cr*p that is on a phone I just want to be able to make and receive calls (being able to see the number that I dial would help!), I don’t really do texts even before I broke the screen, I don’t want a camera but it must have big buttons - Mini Moose then gave me a new phone, I was almost speechless!

The following morning after tiding up cleaning the hall, packing the catering kit away in the van and all saying goodbyes, we all left.

On the journey home I had a chance to reflect on the camp. It was a good one, of course, but Alan hard at work with the brushcutter did I manage to break any

page 16

Camp report Dauntsey WRG’s BITM regional group held its own Christmas camp on a length of the Wilts & Berks Canal at Dauntsey. Rachael Banyard reports...

WRG BITM Christmas Camp Dauntsey, Wilts & Berks Canal Boxing Day dawned bright and clear, blue skies and sun, but alas it was too good to last. The next 24 hours threw just about everything at us – rain, hail, gale force winds – so that by the end of the afternoon a bedraggled crew returned with relief to the nice warm Foxham Reading Rooms. Apart from that the week didn’t proceed too badly, and there was only one day we had to hold back for an hour before going on site. Most of the rain otherwise fell at night.

We had started on Boxing Day working to the west of my cottage, burning where Luke had strimmed and cut the hedge back where it was protruding onto the towpath. After that we moved to the east end of my section of the canal, again having nice big bonfires with loads of strimmings to burn. Tony was our bonfire monitor, with everyone else raking up materials to add to it. As we cleared each section, it revealed the saplings and small trees that needed tirforing out. You just have to blink and the willow trees have grown! There were eight of us on the camp, so the jobs could be shared out.

I have a Canadian canoe at Dauntsey, and we brought that up on the roof of my car so we could reach the trees on the far bank. Obviously Alan, being a lifeboat man, was captain, towing the chains across to the offside stumps. We progressed each day, with never any shortage of work and stuff to burn.

Most of us were oldtimers on BITM Christmas camps, and it was good to see friends again, and we also had one newcomer, Lesley from Droitwich, who fitted in very well, and was a valuable part of the team. This even applied to joining in with the usual jigsawing.. They all got so involved that no-one wanted to go out to the cinema or any other evening attractions – only three of us walked down to the pub one night – and three 1,000 piece jigsaws were completed by 11.45 pm on New Year’s Eve. The Foxham Reading Rooms have recently been refurbished, and are looking very smart, and apart from no shower (we all used the one in my cottage) is ideal for a smallish group. The two camp dogs got on well, with a little care to separate them at mealtimes, while Di fed the rest of us (separately).

It might seem to some that we’re boring old f*rts, with time divided between working on site, eating and jigsaws, but we’re a happy band of navvies. We have at least one newcomer each year to add to the group, which is great. There’s something to be said for staying in the warm on later December evenings!

My thanks to everybody for their hard work and their company, and I now have a nice clear section of canal.

Rachael Banyard Just for the avoidance of any possible confusion, this was not a Wilts & Berks Canal Trust event but a camp run entirely by WRG’s BITM regional group. BITM also hold regular weekend working parties every month, with some interesting new sites planned for this year incuding the Maidenhead Waterways and River Parrett. See our diary for details.

page 17

health & safety Burns There have been a couple of accidents on canal camps recently involving burns - and in circumstances that perhaps you might not expect...

Risks to vounteers from burns Appearing as it does in a winter issue of Navvies, with the scrub-bashing season still in full swing, you might expect this to be an article about the risks from bonfires. But there are other possible causes of volunteers being at risk of suffering from skin burns. And there have been a couple of such accidents recently on WRG camps - so here are descriptions of what happened in these two cases (and a couple of quite graphic photos), as a reminder of some of the issues that you need to think about on site...

Concrete burns

Martin Ludgate

The first case concerns a volunteer who was involved in a lengthy concreting job taking all afternoon. It was a wet site, the volunteer was (quite correctly) wearing wellington boots, and he was wearing work trousers and overalls. Despite this, some concrete somehow got stuck inside the top of his wellingtons, and in the wet conditions he didn’t notice that it was there. By the end of the job, when he finally noticed, it was too late - he had a 70mm by 50mm skin burn.

This isn’t something that happens instantly - it comes from the chemical action of the alkali in the wet cement of the concrete, as a result of it being in contact for the skin for some time. So while you should avoid your skin coming into contact with wet concrete, it’s even more important that if this does inadvertently happen, you wash it off immediately with plenty of clean, cool water. And likewise any clothing that gets soaked in it.

Bonfires might be the most obvious example of a risk of burns - but they aren’t the only one by any means

page 18

Sparks from a bricksaw The second case concerns a volunteer using a bricksaw with a metal cutting disc. She was using it to cut through reinforcing bar - no problems with that. But even though she was wearing work trousers, the sparks from the bricksaw penetrated through them and burned her leg.

Not only that, but despite being properly dressed with burn dressings, the wound subsequently became infected and she ended up having to be signed off work by her GP for three weeks.

So don’t just rely on clothing to protect the operator from sparks; do as the leader did after this incident and assess the work area for operating the tool so that Painful reminders: the results of bricksaw spark burns the job can be done without this (above) and concrete burns (below) happening.

There are other occasions when volunteers need to be aware of risks of burns. As mentioned at the start, there is the obvious example of bonfires - see Mick Lilliman’s article elsewhere in this issue (in particular his point about using a pitchfork, not your hands even with gloves on - to ‘turn the fire in’ or if you need to take fuel off the fire). And then, of course, there’s the kitchen - don’t think that accidents only happen on site.

Martin Ludgate

This article is not an attempt to be a comprehensive guide to risks of burns - the real purpose is to remind you all that even minor burns can be incredibly painful and, as our bricksaw operator discovered, can have significant and long term impact.

Martin Ludgate

Avoid skin contact with concrete. If it does happen, wash it off immediately, not after the job’s done.

page 19

navvies

diary

Canal Camps cost £70 per week or as stated. Bookings for WRG Camps with Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA. Tel: 01494 783453, enquiries@wrg.org.uk. D Feb 24 Sat wrgNW Mar 2-8 WAT Mar 3/4 London WRG Mar 3/4 NWPG Mar 7 Wed wrgNW Mar ??/?? wrgNW Mar 10 Sat WRG Mar 10 Sat WRG Mar 10 Sat WRG Mar 11 Sun WRG Mar 17/18 wrgBITM Mar TBC wrgFT Jan 21 Sun Ashby CA Mar 24/25 London WRG Mar 31-Apr 7 CC201802 Mar 31-Apr 7 CC201803 Apr 6-12 WAT Apr 7/8 KESCRG Apr 7/8 NWPG Apr 7 Sat wrgNW Apr 7-14 CC201804 Apr 14 Sat WRG Apr 21/22 London WRG Apr 21/22 wrgBITM Apr ??/?? wrgNW May 4-10 WAT May 5/6/7 NWPG May 12 Sat LTD2018 May 12/13 London WRG May 12 Sat wrgNW May 13 Sun WRG May 18/19/20 wrgBITM May 25-28 KESCRG Jun 1-7 WAT Jun 2-9 wrgNW Jun 9/10 KESCRG Jun 9/10 London WRG Jun 9/10 NWPG

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection Wendover Arm: Profiling & lining Fri-Thu Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Wey & Arun Canal: Dunsfold Summit Ad Hoc Meeting Uttoxeter Canal: TBC (or Lancaster) First Aid Course: Rowington Village Hall PAT Testing: Rowington Village Hall Barn Dance: Rowington Village Hall Committee & Board Meetings: Rowington Village Hall Grantham Canal: Tree clearance at Woolsthorpe To be advised: Date to be confirmed Ashby Canal: Gilwiskaw Aqueduct BCN Clean Up: Birmingham Montgomery Canal Lancaster Canal Wendover Arm: Profiling & lining Fri-Thu Cotswold Canals: Inglesham Cotswold Canals: Stroud Phase 1A or Phase 1B ‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection Lancaster Canal Restoration Hub Workshop meeting Buckingham Arm River Parrett: Slipway at Langport Lancaster Canal: TBC (or Uttoxeter or Mont) Wendover Arm: Profiling & lining Fri-Thu Wey & Arun Canal: Dunsfold Summit or Shalford Leaders/Cooks Training Day: Rowington Village Hall Shrewsbury & Newport Canals ‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection Committee & Board Meetings: Rowington Village Hall Rickmansworth Festival: Site Services (open to public on Sat 19 & Sun Cotswold Canals: Inglesham (Fri-Mon) Wendover Arm: Profiling & lining Fri-Thu Montgomery Canal: Redwith, resealing offside wall. TBC Cotswold Canals: Inglesham (joint with London WRG) Cotswold Canals: Inglesham (Joint dig with KESCRG) Cotswold Canals: Stroud Phase 1A or Phase 1B

For details of diary dates beyond the end of this list ple

page 20

WRG and mobile groups

h number e.g. 'Camp 201802' should go to WRG Canal Camps, Island House, Diary compiled by Dave Wedd. Tel: 01252 874437, dave.wedd@wrgbitm.org.uk Barry McGuinness Roger Leishman Tim Lewis Bill Nicholson Mike & Liz Chase Ju Davenport

0161-681-7237 01442-874536 07802-518094 01844-343369

b.mcguinness1@gmail.com rwleishman@gmail.com london@wrg.org.uk bill@nwpg.org.uk

07808-182004 01494-783453

nw@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Mike Palmer Dave Wedd

01494-783453 01564-785293 07816-175454

enquiries@wrg.org.uk mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk

Peter Oakden Tim Lewis

01827-880677 07802-518094

info@ashbycanal.org.uk london@wrg.org.uk

Roger Leishman Bobby Silverwood Bill Nicholson Barry McGuinness

01442-874536 07971-814986 01844-343369 0161-681-7237

rwleishman@gmail.com bobby@kescrg.org.uk bill@nwpg.org.uk b.mcguinness1@gmail.com

07802-518094 07816-175454 07808-182004 01442-874536 01844-343369 01494-783453 07802-518094 0161-681-7237 01564-785293 07816-175454 07971-814986 01442-874536 07808-182004 07971-814986 07802-518094 01844-343369

london@wrg.org.uk bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk nw@wrg.org.uk rwleishman@gmail.com bill@nwpg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk london@wrg.org.uk b.mcguinness1@gmail.com mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk bobby@kescrg.org.uk rwleishman@gmail.com nw@wrg.org.uk bobby@kescrg.org.uk london@wrg.org.uk bill@nwpg.org.uk

George ‘Bungle’ Eycott

Jenny Morris Tim Lewis Dave Wedd Ju Davenport Roger Leishman Bill Nicholson

20)

Tim Lewis Barry McGuinness Mike Palmer Dave Wedd Bobby Silverwood Roger Leishman Ju Davenport Bobby Silverwood Tim Lewis Bill Nicholson

ease contact diary compiler Dave Wedd: see top of page

page 21

navvies

diary

Canal societies’ regular working parties 3rd Sunday of month ACA Every Sunday if required BBHT Every Tuesday BCA Once per month: pls check BCNS 2nd & 4th w/e of month BCS Thursdays Sep-Apr BCT 2nd Sun & alternate Thu BuCS Every Mon and Wed CCT Every Mon am Thu pm CCT Various dates CCT Every Sunday ChCT Every Tue and Thu CSCT Every Tue & Wed C&BN Every Friday ECPDA Most Wed and Sun DSCT Second Sun of month FIPT Thu and last Sat of month GCS Tuesdays H&GCT Weekends H&GCT Wednesdays H&GCT Thursdays H&GCT 2nd Sunday of month LCT Every Wed/Thu/Sat/Sun LHCRT 3rd Sunday of month LHCRT Last weekend of month MBBCS Alternate Saturdays MWRT Two Sundays per month NWDCT Weekly PCAS Every Wed and 1st Sat RGT 2nd Sunday of month SCARS 1st Sunday of month SCCS Last weekend of month SCS 2nd Sunday of month SNT Every Thu and Sat SORT various dates SRL 1st weekend of month SUCS Every Tuesday morning TMCA Most days, please contact WACT 1st w/e of month (Fri-Thu) WAT Every Sun WBCT Every Wed WBCT 2nd and last Sun of month WBCT

Snarestone Peter Oakden Bugsworth Basin Ian Edgar Basingstoke Canal Chris Healy BCN waterways Mike Rolfe Basingstoke Canal Duncan Paine Aqueduct section Tim Dingle Buckingham area Athina Beckett Cotswold (W depot) Reg Gregory Cotswold (E end) John Maxted Cotswold Phase 1a Jon Pontefract Chesterfield Canal Mick Hodgetts Chichester Canal Malcolm Maddison Chelmer & Blackwater John Gale Langley Mill John Baylis Derby Canal Keith Johnson Foxton Inclined Plane Mike Beech Grantham Canal Ian Wakefield Oxenhall Brian Fox Over Wharf House Maggie Jones Over / Vineyard Hill Ted Beagles Herefordshire Wilf Jones Lancaster N. Reaches Robin Yates Lichfield Hugh Millington Hatherton Denis Cooper Creams Paper Mill Steve Dent Maidenhead w/ways Ian Caird N Walsham Canal David Revill Pocklington Canal Richard Harker Stowmarket Navigtn. Martin Bird Sankey Canal John Hughes Combe Hay Locks Derrick Hunt Stover Canal George Whitehead Sleaford Navigation Mel Sowerby Sussex Ouse Ted Lintott Baswich, Stafford John Potter Montgomery Canal David Carter Thames & Medway Les Schwieso Wey & Arun Canal Northern office Little Tring Roger Leishman Swindon Oliver Gardiner Wootton Bassett John Bower Pewsham Ray Canter

01827-880667 0161-427 7402 01252-370073 07763-171735 01252-614125 01288-361356 01908-661217 01452-614362 01285-861011 07986-351412 01246-620695 01243-775201 01376-334896 01623-621208 07845-466721 0116-279-2657 0115-989-2128 01432 358628 01452 618010 01452 522648 01452 413888 01539-733252 01543-251747 01543-374370 07802-973228 07581-092001 01603-738648 07702-741211 01394-380765 01744-600656 01225-863066 01626-775498 01522-856810 01444-414413 01785-226662 01244-661440 01634-847118 01483-505566 01442-874536 07785-775993 01793 636297 01249 659111

Please send updates to Navvies diary compiler Dave Wedd (see previous page)

page 22

Canal societies and CRT Canal & River Trust ‘Towpath Taskforce’ maintenance working parties 1st Wednesday of month 2nd Saturday of month 2nd Saturday of month Every Tuesday Alternate Thursdays 1st Thursday of month 1st Sunday of month 3rd Thursday of month Last Saturday of month 3rd Thursday of month 1st Saturday of month 4th Thursday of month Every Wednesday 1st Wed & Fri of month Last Sunday of month 1st Saturday of month 2nd Friday of month Every Wednesday 1st Thursday of month 3rd Wednesday of month 3rd Thu & Sat of month 3rd Friday of month Alternate Tuesdays 1st & 3rd Sat of month 3rd Thursday of month 3rd Tuesday of month Last Tuesday of month Every Tuesday Every Thursday 2nd Thursday of month Alternate Tuesdays Alternate Thursdays 3rd Saturday of month 2nd Wednesday of month Every Friday 3rd Saturday of month 2nd Wednesday of month Every Tuesday Alternate Fridays 2nd Thu & Fri of month Alternate Wednesdays 4th Saturday of month 2nd Tuesday of month Every Tuesday Every Thursday

Anderton Weaver Audlem Shropshire Union Aylesbury Aylesbury Arm Bath Kennet & Avon Blackburn Leeds & Liverpool B&T Bridgwater & Taunton Burnley Leeds & Liverpool Cheshire Locks Trent & Mersey Chester Shropshire Union Devizes Kennet & Avon Fradley Coventry/ T&M Gailey Staffs & Worcs Gloucester Glos & Sharpness Hatton Grand Union Hawkesbury Coventry/Oxford Hemel Hemp. Grand Union Huddersfield Huddersfield Broad Icknield Port BCN Mainline Knottingley Aire & Calder Lancaster Lancaster Canal Lapworth Stratford Canal Leeds Leeds & Liverpool Leicester Soar/Grand Union London Cent. Regents/Docklands London East Lee & Stort London West Paddington/ GU Mirfield Calder & Hebble Mon & Brec Monmouth & Brecon Newark River Trent Newbury Kennet & Avon North Staffs Caldon/T&M North Warks Coventry/Ashby Oxford Oxford Preston Lancaster Canal Sefton Leeds & Liverpool Selby Selby Canal Skipton Leeds & Liverpool Sneyd Wyrley & Essington South Derbys Trent & Mersey Stratford Stratford Canal Tamworth Coventry/ Fazeley Tipton BCN Mainline Weaver River Weaver Wigan Leeds & Liverpool Worcester Worcester & B’ham

Abbreviations used in Diary: ACA BBHT BCNS BuCS BCS BCT ChCT CBN CCT ECPDA FIPT GCS H&GCT KACT KESCRG LCT

Ashby Canal Association Bugsworth Basin Heritage Trust Birmingham Canal Navigations Soc. Buckingham Canal Society Basingstoke Canal Society Bude Canal Trust Chesterfield Canal Trust Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation Cotswolds Canals Trust Erewash Canal Pres. & Devt. Assoc.

Foxton Inclined Plane Trust Grantham Canal Society Hereford & Gloucester Canal Trust Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Kent & E Sussex Canal Rest. Group Lancaster Canal Trust

LHCRT MBBCS NWPG NWDCT PCAS RGT SCARS SCCS SCS SNT SRL SORT SUCS TMCA WACT WAT WBCT

Jason Watts Jason Watts Sonny King Steve Manzi Alice Kay Steve Manzi Alice Kay Liam Cooper Jason Watts Steve Manzi Sue Blocksidge Sue Blocksidge Caroline Kendall Sue Blocksidge Sue Blocksidge Sonny King Becca Dent Sue Blocksidge Becca Dent Alice Kay Sue Blocksidge Becca Dent Wayne Ball David Ireland David Ireland David Ireland Becca Dent Caroline Kendall Wayne Ball Steve Manzi Liam Cooper Sue Blocksidge Sonny King Alice Kay Alice Kay Becca Dent Alice Kay Sue Blocksidge Wayne Ball Sue Blocksidge Sue Blocksidge Sue Blocksidge Jason Watts Alice Kay Caroline Kendall

07824 356556 07824 356556 07876 217059 07710175278 07825 196 365 07710175278 07825 196 365 01782 779903 07824 356556 07710175278 07917 585838 07917 585838 01452 318028 07917 585838 07917 585838 07876 217059 0113 2816811 07917 585838 0113 2816811 07825 196 365 07917 585838 0113 2816811 01636 675704 020 7517 5556 020 7517 5556 020 7517 5556 0113 2816811 01452 318028 01636 675704 07710175278 01782 779903 07917 585838 07876 217059 07825 196 365 07825 196 365 0113 2816811 07825 196 365 07917 585838 01636 675704 07917 585838 07917 585838 07917 585838 07824 356556 07825 196 365 01452 318028

Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Rest'n Trust Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Society Newbury Working Party Group North Walsham & Dilham Canal Trust Pocklington Canal Amenity Society River Gipping Trust Sankey Canal Restoration Society Somersetshire Coal Canal Society Stover Canal Society Sleaford Navigation Trust Stafford Riverway Link Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust Shropshire Union Canal Society Thames & Medway Canal Association Wey & Arun Canal Trust Wendover Arm Trust Wilts & Berks Canal Trust

page 23

navvies

diary

Inland Waterways Association and other one-day working parties Every Wed Feb 17 Sat Feb 17 Sat Feb 20 Tue Feb 20 Tue Feb 24 Sat Feb 27 Tue Feb 27 Tue Feb 28 Wed Mar 3 Sat Mar 4 Sun Every Wed Mar 8 Thu Mar 10 Sat Mar 11 Sun Mar 14 Wed Mar 15 Thu Mar 17 Sat Mar 17 Sat Mar 20 Tue Mar 20 Tue Mar 27 Tue Mar 27 Tue Mar 28 Wed Apr 1 Sun Every Wed Apr 7 Sat Apr 8 Sun Apr 11 Wed Apr 12 Thu

RGT/IWA Ipswich River Gipping: Pipps Ford, or Baylham Mill Lock 9am-4pm IWA Chester Shropshire Union Canal: Chester area, painting & veg clearance.

IWA Manchester Venue T.B.C.: Greater Manchester area. Veg clearance, etc.

BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm IWA Northants Northampton Arm: Painting, veg clearance & litter picking IWA PeterboroughHorseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 10:00 to 15:00 BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm IWA NSSC/BPT Burslem Arm: Luke St, Middleport, Stoke on Trent. 10am-3pm IWA PeterboroughHorseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 10:00 to 15:00 IWA NSSC/BPT Burslem Arm: Luke St, Middleport, Stoke on Trent. 10am-3pm IWA Northants Northampton Arm: Painting, veg clearance & litter picking RGT/IWA Ipswich River Gipping: Pipps Ford, or Baylham Mill Lock 9am-4pm IWA NSSC/CUCT Uttoxeter Canal: Work party at Bridge 70, Crumpwood. 10am-3pm RGT/IWA Ipswich River Gipping: Pipps Ford, or Baylham Mill Lock 9am-4pm IWA Lincs/SNT Sleaford Navigation: Various work on navigable section IWA PeterboroughHorseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 10:00 to 15:00 IWA NSSC/TMCS Trent & Mersey Canal: Cheshire Locks. Meet at locks 47 & 48 IWA Chester Shropshire Union Canal: Chester area, painting & veg clearance.

IWA Manchester Venue T.B.C.: Greater Manchester area. Veg clearance, etc.

BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm IWA Northants Northampton Arm: Painting, veg clearance & litter picking BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm IWA NSSC/BPT Burslem Arm: Luke St, Middleport, Stoke on Trent. 10am-3pm IWA PeterboroughHorseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 10:00 to 15:00 IWA Northants Northampton Arm: Painting, veg clearance & litter picking RGT/IWA Ipswich River Gipping: Pipps Ford, or Baylham Mill Lock 9am-4pm IWA NSSC/BPT Burslem Arm: Luke St, Middleport, Stoke on Trent. 10am-3pm IWA Lincs/SNT Sleaford Navigation: Various work on navigable section IWA PeterboroughHorseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 10:00 to 15:00 IWA NSSC/CUCT Uttoxeter Canal: Work party at Bridge 70, Crumpwood. 10am-3pm

Apr 14 Sat

RGT/IWA Ipswich River Gipping: Pipps Ford, or Baylham Mill Lock 9am-4pm

IWA branch abbreviations BBCW = Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire; Other abbreviations: BCN = Banbury Canal Partnership BPT = Burslem Port trust; CUCT = Caldon = Trent & Mersey Canal Society; CRT = Canal & River Trust

Mobile groups' socials:

The following groups hold regular social gatherings

London WRG: 7:30pm on Tues 11 days before dig at the 'Rose & Crown' Colombo Street, London NWPG: 7:30pm on 3rd Tue of month at the 'Hope Tap', West end of Friar St. Reading.

page 24

IWA and partners For WRG, canal societies and CRT working parties see previous pages 10am-4pm 10am-4pm

10am-4pm 10am-4pm

Martin Bird Jason Watts

01394-380765

01394-380765 07976-805858 01522-689460 01366-324102 07976-805858

restoration@rivergippingtrust.org.uk jason.watts@canalrivertrust.org.uk secretary@manchester-iwa.co.uk bcpontheoxford@gmail.com geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk david.venn@waterways.org.uk bcpontheoxford@gmail.com steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk david.venn@waterways.org.uk steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk restoration@rivergippingtrust.org.uk steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk restoration@rivergippingtrust.org.uk workparties@sleafordnavigation.co.uk david.venn@waterways.org.uk john.brighouse@waterways.org.uk jason.watts@canalrivertrust.org.uk secretary@manchester-iwa.co.uk bcpontheoxford@gmail.com geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk bcpontheoxford@gmail.com steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk david.venn@waterways.org.uk geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk restoration@rivergippingtrust.org.uk steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk workparties@sleafordnavigation.co.uk david.venn@waterways.org.uk steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk

01394-380765

restoration@rivergippingtrust.org.uk

07710-554602 Colin Garnham-Edge Geoff Wood David Venn Colin Garnham-Edge Steve Wood David Venn Steve Wood Geoff Wood Martin Bird Steve Wood Martin Bird Chris or Steve Hayes David Venn John Brighouse Jason Watts

01366-324102 07976-805858 01366-324102 07976-805858 01394-380765 07976-805858 01394-380765 01522-689460 01366-324102 07808-878317 07710-554602

Colin Garnham-Edge Geoff Wood Colin Garnham-Edge Steve Wood David Venn Geoff Wood Martin Bird Steve Wood Chris or Steve Hayes David Venn Steve Wood Martin Bird

07976-805858 01366-324102

MK = Milton Keynes; Mcr= Manchester; NSSC = North Staffs & South Cheshire & Uttoxeter Canal Society;

RGT= River Gipping Trust; SNT = Sleaford Navigation Trust; TMCS

in pubs.

Please phone to confirm dates and times

SE1 8DP.

Contact Tim Lewis 07802-518094 Contact Phil Dray 07956-185305

page 25

tech tips Bonfires How do you get them going? How do you keep them going?

How do you put them out? Mick Lilliman tells us all about bonfires The rough guide to bonfires

.

Bonfires are simple… aren’t they? Light a match and ten minutes later there’s a roaring blaze… errrr, no: it’s not quite as that...

The following is knowledge distilled from getting bonfires wrong, making a few mistakes, making some splendid bonfires, and some knowledge unashamedly pinched from wiser people than me. So, I have started with the basics. Grandparents please suck your own eggs!

The basics Any fire needs three things (technically known as the Fire Triangle) to take place: (1) Oxygen: without it combustion cannot take place. Remove the oxygen or replace it with a non-flammable gas and the fire goes out. Increase the flow of oxygen (for example by wafting it) and the fire goes a lot better.

(2) Fuel: without fuel the fire will go out; obvious really! However do not think that just removing the timber means the fire is out – those ashes and embers will burn on for many hours.

(3) Heat: if there isn’t enough heat to start with, then the fuel can’t burn. To get the fire going in the first place we need to apply heat for sufficient length of time to start the kindling (see later) burning. So we need a firelighter – the very best thing to light a new fire with is some embers carefully carried from the previous fire.

However, if that’s not possible, then its best to fall back to dry newspaper and/or conventional firelighters.

Preparation First carry out a risk assessment: is a bonfire a safe way of dealing with the brash / trees / grass cuttings where you are working? Would it be safer to carry out the bonfire some other time? Look for obvious hazards such as boats nearby, fuel station, high pressure gas pipeline, overhead power lines. Ask a few obvious questions such as:

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. . .

Where is a safe site for the bonfire, avoiding overhanging trees and keeping access for the towpath? In particular understand that ‘green brash’ (which is the sort of thing we encounter most) tends to throw off lots of sparks and embers that will float downwind for quite a distance. Always make sure that there are no risks including if the wind direction changes.

How big can the bonfire be? Small and controlled is actually quite a challenge!

Will we have the means to extinguish a bonfire that gets too big?

Is there safe access to the bonfire site to avoid WRGies falling into the bonfire (think of the paperwork)

Bonfires should never be left unattended, so check where your welfare provision, etc is going to be. You may have to leave a ‘watcher’ or take tea-breaks in shifts if your lunch or teabreaks are round the corner.

Finally, while we hope you never have to call the Fire Brigade (and its very rare that we do, our rare visits are usually caused by passersby phoning in their concerns) it’s important to make sure you have all the relevant details (location, access, etc) before you start the fire, rather than waiting till its really rather urgent.

Starting a fire Once a safe site is selected, then a bonfire can be built. This task should be assigned to an individual or a small team. In fact that’s a good general rule for bonfires – make sure just one or two people are in charge of them. When everybody is just piling timber on the top bonfires get unruly. Best to have just one or two people directing where the next branch should go.

To work well a bonfire needs to be built well. There are more opinions about this than there are WRGies on site. In general terms: Find dry dead wood to act as kindling. Best places to look are in the branches of trees or in hedges where fallen branches get lodged. Dead wood found on the ground tends to be damp and more difficult to light. Some people come prepared with a supply of dry kindling!

Place the kindling in an ordered pile in the centre of the fire site, ensuring that the firelighter is covered but not smothered by kindling. If necessary make allowance for the wind blowing the fire along once it gets going.

Make sure there’s enough kindling to get a good blaze going.

I prefer to add bigger pieces of wood before igniting the firelighter but there’s nothing wrong with starting small and adding selected bigger bits once the fire has started.

Next job is to ignite the firelighter using match or lighter. NEVER use petrol /diesel to get a fire started, it’s uncontrollable and usually explosive. Singed eyebrows are not a fashion statement, more like stupidity.

Getting a good blaze going The fire’s started, the kindling is starting to burn so now add it’s time to build the fire base up to a decent bonfire. Try to avoid piling brash (small loose trimmings) on at this stage.

What the fire needs is some selected big chunks of good firewood such as ash, pine, hazel or well-seasoned timber. Place the additional firewood so that flames from the kindling don’t go to waste. Soon there should be a decent blaze going.

Building up a bonfire At this stage the brash that the rest of the team has been cutting can be added. Some guidelines listed below: Trim (‘sned’) branches so that the fire doesn’t get too high. Keep the fire as compact as possible.

Place branches on the fire in the same direction so that the thick stems are on the upwind side of the fire. It will burn better and be more compact like this.

Where possible feed the fire from the upwind side, to avoid smoke inhalation.

Vary the fuel if possible: big bits, brash, grass, logs. The fire will burn better with varied fuel.

Brambles can make the fire very high, if possible add logs to weight down the brambles.

Heavy fuel can be added at right angles to support the brambles.

Don’t waste the fire! Add fuel to where the flames are but do not let the fire start to move/ creep down wind.

BEFORE the end of the day In good time before the proposed finishing time, stop adding fuel to the fire and allow it to burn down naturally. As this happens the unburnt edges of the bonfire can be tuned into the centre of the fire so the fire will be less likely to spread.

If necessary turn the fire over with a pitchfork to ensure that unburnt wood is consumed by the fire.

There should now be a big heap of embers and ash.

IWA insurance is quite clear about this: fires should be extinguished two hours before leaving site. This is based on a combination of risks – the main ones being harm to passers-by and risks of the fire re-igniting. It’s all too easy to think a fire looks safe and can be left, however there are many cases of changes in the wind causing a fire to start up again and, without anyone looking out for problems, causing significant damage to nearby property, etc.

To completely extinguish a fire, water needs to be tipped into the centre of the fire to take away the heat and extinguish the fire. It takes a lot of water and gets messy!

What can go wrong (1) Fire gets overfed with fuel and, as a result, the oxygen is excluded, fire dies down, looks like it’s going out. Remedy this by taking fuel off the fire (with pitch forks not hands), allow oxygen to get to the remaining fuel, let the fire build back up and add fuel slowly.

(2) Fire starts getting too big and uncontrolled. Rectify by not putting any more fuel on! Consider the use of buckets of water to cool the fire down. If all else fails call the Fire Brigade and expect to be severely admonished! Again, with only having a couple of people feeding the fire it’s easier to keep the fire controlled.

(3) The team go for teabreak (making sure the fire is in view / designating a fire-watcher), come back and the fire is struggling to keep going. Remedy by adding plenty of small bits of fuel, and then build up slowly until there’s a good blaze.

(4) Lots of grass added and the fire gets choked. Keep turning the grass over until it’s burnt right through. Add varied fuel so grass is added a bit at a time to avoid choking.

(5) It’s so wet that the fire doesn’t get going. Rectify this by getting enough heat to start the fire. More firelighters and as much dry kindling as possible.

My learning point for this: Bonfires are a lot easier to do than to write about.

Mick Lilliman with additional contributions from Mike Palmer

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Boat club

News

WRG Boat Club is encouraging members to head for St Neots Festival, to volunteer for the Committee, and to renew your membership on time...

WRG BC Facebook group so that those who ‘do’ Facebook can let the club know where Firstly and most important - HAVE they’re cruising and add places and informaYOU RECEIVED YOUR MEMBERSHIP tion of interest. They can even include phoCARD? tographs.

I posted them all (to paid-up members) (Note that I didn’t say that you have so if you haven’t got yours it’s because I’ve to understand Facebook! I just bumble got the wrong address! Please let me know, around on my phone and sometimes find including your correct address, so I can something of interest so any advice or help rectify this. on how to set up a group will be much Now for confessions of incompetence appreciated.) (at its best?). I did write that your current Our annual gathering and AGM will be membership card is valid until October 2018, at the IWA Festival of Water at St. Neots, on well it isn’t! To quote from the ‘General the Great Ouse, August Sat 25th - Mon 27th.

Rules/Constitution’ of our club - All SubPlease put this in your diaries as a Must Do scriptions are due annually on 1st Septem- event. This is in my corner of the forest (as ber. The bit that I’d been reading was Winnie the Pooh fans will say) so watch this ‘Those who fail to pay by 31st October space for useful information on travelling shall be considered to have terminated their down the River Nene, through the Middle membership.’

Level and onwards.

This is why I wait until after 31st OctoGosh it only seems a short time since ber before I send out the cards, just in case we were all going that way to the Festival at someone has forgotten, I kindly send reSt Ives! minders to those who haven’t coughed up by As my boat is at present on the Ashby the middle of September, so I give them a Canal, I’m not likely to be there by boat. chance to rectify their error.

Difficult decision - to have the boat handy, As you can imagine all these shenani(not as handy as it was at the end of the gans take time and money. I urge members garden - due to house move) or to stay up to make a bank standing order. This saves on the canals, where I can see friends and you from having to remember to pay each there’s a tow path! My days of leaping up year, and it saves you postage! I have the banks carrying mooring pins and ropes are forms for you to complete and you can email long past! to me for one - save you postage again. We One last plea, (as Rev Spooner would are nothing if not considerate, efficient no, say, I’m a bright little pleader), as an ageconsiderate yes. ing group of officers we need new memAnother thought while on the subject of bers. Please consider - can you offer to subscriptions - the club has been going for help us? The work load is small, really as 20 YEARS and Subs have remained at £10 much as you fancy making it. Please let per year! Where else could you get such a one of us know that at least you’re thinking bargain? about it.

Speaking of bargains, Club Burgees HAPPY NEW YEAR to all, and good (available from Lynne) cost only £12, which boating in 2018. Hope to see you someincludes postage and Club window stickers where and/or hear of your adventures! are available from me at a mere £1.50, xxx Sadie Heritage which also includes postage, please state if sadiedean@msn.com you want them to stick on the inside or 07748186867 outside.

41 Priors Road, Whittlesey, This year I’m determined to start a Peterborough PE7 1JR

WRG Boat Club News

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progress Wey & Arun Our regular roundup of progress around the system begins in the deep south, where the Wey & Arun Canal Trust have finished another lock... volunteers but some critical parts of the construction project were undertaken by The Wey & Arun Canal Trust are proud to contractors,” said Sally Schupke, Trust Chairannounce that the official completion of man. “The piling and concrete shell were restoration of Gennets Bridge Lock will installed by our contractors, Burras Ltd, with be celebrated on Saturday, 21st April 2018 at the rest of the work completed by our team midday. of volunteers”.

This is the Trust’s latest restoration We invite visitors to join us in the celproject and also marks the retirement of Eric ebrations at the lock side on the 21st April.

Walker MBE, leader of the volunteer team Parking will be available at Loxwood North who have worked on the lock for the last two Hall (on the B2133 in Loxwood village) and it years. Our guest of honour will be Mr Nigel is a short (but maybe muddy) walk to the Gibbons who has been a huge support durlock. A map and souvenir brochure will be ing the project. available from our publicity stand at LoxWork started in June 2015 after the wood North Hall. required protected species measures were Further details are available on our complete. The lock is situated on the Surwebsite www.weyandarun.co.uk together rey/Sussex border path. with details of boat trips from our canal “Most of the work has be carried out by centre during the day.

WACT

Wey & Arun Canal

The completed Gennets Bridge Lock

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progress

Wendover

Next, we head for the Wendover Arm of the Grand Union Canal, where the Wendover Arm Trust are still hard at work on re-lining the canal channel Grand Union Wendover Arm

WAT

November and December Working Parties: Bank and bed lining (on the dry length from Tringford to Aston Clinton which is being rebuilt as it wouldn’t hold water) again proceeded during these working parties and, subject to weather, was due to continue in January and February.

Whitehouses: The latest news on the design and progress of the pseudo weir and wing walls to the wharf wall at the site of the former Whitehouses pumping station is that the design has been received by Wendover Arm Trust and is at present being costed by the Canal & River Trust. No firm date for this

work has been agreed although a date of April/May 2018 has been suggested. However attempts are being made to bring this forward to avoid clashing with WAT’s work that should have reached Whitehouses about that time.

Heritage Lottery Fund Bid: The HLF bid is currently ‘on hold’ pending a review of the project due to an estimated cost overrun [resulting from the unexpected discovery of badly contaminated infill ...Ed] and other delays.

Roger Leishman Restoration Director, Wendover Arm Trust 01442 874536 rwleishman@gmail.com

Bank lining under way on the Wendover Arm using hollow concrete blocks

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progress Montgomery Then it’s over to the Montgomery, where the Shropshire Union Canal Society’s volunteers are lining the leaky channel - and dealing with newts Montgomery Canal

Chris Smith, CMS video

Three major projects occupied the Shropshire Union Canal Society’s volunteers during the 2017 restoration season, all of which had to be completed to a deadline. Two sections of channel on the length between Redwith and Crickheath (which will form part of the next section of the English length of the canal to be reopened to navigation, from the current limit beyond Maesbury to the turning point at Crickheath Wharf) received attention and there was a lot of work on newt habitat compensation measures.

On Phase 1A, that is the first 75 metres south westwards from Pryces Bridge, the channel has been shaped, lined with various waterproof layers and then covered in concrete. The concrete in the bit nearest Pryces Bridge was mass concrete because of the proximity of the adjacent house, and the rest covered with blocks. The programme dictated that this section be finished by the end of the year so that a water test can be carried out over the coming winter. This has been achieved.

The rest of the year’s work was connected in some way or another to the presence of great crested newts in the whole of

the Pryces Bridge to Crickheath channel. This consisted of newt exclusion work in the Phase 1B channel (the section at the rear of our compound), and newt compensation ponds located on the site of our former base at Redwith. This work is sometimes questioned by towpath visitors, but it should be remembered that it is a legal requirement: no newt ponds, no boats.

The Phase 1B work comprised enclosing the section with a newt fence in March and, after the Canal & River Trust’s ecologists had trapped out the newts, stripping vegetation off the site and carting it to Redwith. Again a deadline – this time the requirement for completion before the newt hibernation season.

The work at Redwith involved the construction of newt ponds (six to date and counting). These are a pre-requisite for the submission of a newt licence application which, if successful will enable work right through to Crickheath. It would be fair to say that this work has not been without problems, but with perseverance this job too was ultimately successful.

So a busy and successful year on site.

There are detailed accounts of our activities at www.shropshireunion.org.uk/ montgomery-canal-restoration. Roll on 2018!

View from above Pryces Bridge: Phase 1A in the foreground, 1B beyond, Llanymynech hill in the distance

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River Stour

progress

Meanwhile down on the Essex / Suffolk border, the River Stour Trust have celebrated the completion of restoration of Stratford St Mary Lock River Stour: Stratford St Mary Lock completed

Pictures by RST

October 2017 saw the final stage of the restoration of Stratford St Mary lock on the Suffolk Stour by the River Stour Trust. The restoration is the culmination of 12 years of back-breaking work by a dedicated group of volunteers, who battled obstacles both natural and bureaucratic, and the lock has been renamed The Roger Brown Lock to honour the Trust member who led the campaign.

The last step, the fitting of new gates was made possible by an £85,000 grant from Cory Environmental Trust in Britain and the IWA’s Tony Harrison Legacy Award, with the first boat passing through the lock since it fell into disuse eighty years ago.

Stratford was one of four locks rebuilt Delivering the new gates to site - by water

by South Essex Waterworks Company in the 1930s in return for being granted water abstraction rights, and was a last attempt to stimulate commercial traffic on the river, whose original charter dates back to 1705, and which has been made famous by John Constable’s

A lot of silt had to be removed from the lock chamber

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many paintings, including The Haywain, The Lock, and Boatbuilding at Flatford.

The Trust has already restored Flatford and Dedham locks, with the fourth lock chamber at Brantham being left permanently open.

The concrete chamber at Stratford was in remarkably good condition, but the gates were rotten. To reopen the lock the team had to excavate tonnes of silt and vegetation from the lock itself, and the approach and tail channels, and had to rebuild and stabilise the banks of the channels. The work was made all the harder because the lock is on an island, with the only access being across the river, and so all personnel, plant and equipment had to be ferried across every day on Versadock rafts.

For this reason the new Above: fitting one of the new top gates Below: RST tripboat becomes the first boat to pass through the lock since the 1930s gates also had to be floated upstream from a launch point a mile downriver, on rafts, before being craned into position by their builders, Hargreaves Lock Gates.

Stour locks had a possibly unique system of raising and lowering the gate paddles, using a chain windlass operated by spikes. This system was deemed to be too dangerous for use today, and has been replaced by modern winding gear, but the original windlasses have been retained on the tops of the gates for show.

The Trust successfully fought plans to extinguish the right of navigation in the 1960s, has now built or restored four of the original 13 locks on the 25 miles of the waterway, and provided public access points and slipways along its length.

Emrhys Barrell

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progress Buckingham ...and on the Buckingham, they’re preparing to start rebuilding Bridge No 1 at Cosgrove, where the canal leaves the Grand Union Main Line November 2017 from EU LEADER for this heritage restoration work, complemented by In the Isle of Albion, there are three weather a generous donation from Northampton IWA fronts. Frequently the weather comes off the combined with various other donations.

Atlantic, and rain falls on Salisbury Plain; Restoration of the bridge is now progressing occasionally it reaches us. Infrequently our broadly to the time plan.

Earlier in 2017 we were short of water, weather is sent from France, and we have storms. Finally, it comes down from the but now it is there in abundance, but not Arctic, and we have those beautiful blue always in the right places. We have not had a continuous forty days and forty nights, but skies, and crisp, cold, days.

Our intrepid navvies mostly ignore the on some days, it has felt like it. Hardy navweather and try to turn out regardless to vies regularly make a trip to Cosgrove and start up pumps to move water around from restore the canal, but occasionally the Trustees have to restrain you if we get an ‘Infrethe bridge void to the rewatered section that now extends 250m towards the A5 quent’ one, or indeed a day needing snowA project team has been established for shoes! The Arctic has prevailed this year lending a natural feel and tone to the Buckconstruction of a new channel between Cosgrove and Passenham. Meetings are ingham Canal Society’s Winter Statement. being held regularly face to face, and using Bridge 1 at Cosgrove has continued to teleconferencing, to progress a design, and reveal its secrets of previous construction. prepare a bid to the EU (Anyone wanting a Brain cogs have been turning on structural discussion on Brexit and funding, talk to our design, and gallons of elbow grease are at hand. BCS was delighted to finalise a grant in Terry Cavender – if you dare!). We have an

Martin Ludgate

Buckingham Canal

A bridge here by this time next year: London WRG preparing for the start of rebuilding at Bridge 1

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excellent multidisciplinary team consisting of SEMLEP (South East Midlands Local Enterretired engineering professionals, spearprise Partnership) for other schemes as well. headed by Terry who has yet to hang his day Once again, thanks all round for the job boots up, and seems to pack more into work at all our project sites by all the socieach day than the hours naturally allow. ety’s volunteers, our Support Workers, variPerhaps he owns a different clock to the rest ous Trustees with various civil engineering of us. Formal presentations have been made and other skills who like to use them, and to the local District and Parish Councils, and also corporate visiting groups as well as generally, the details have been well reWRG weekends who all relish days spent ceived. There have also been recent update working on our canal. meetings with the Canal & River Trust reThe BCS Annual General Meeting gional and national management, which (AGM), will be held on the 24th March 2018 provide a useful platform for the exchange of and is now in the advanced planning stage. ideas, and our receipt of valuable guidance in This is a special day for all of our members our work. and visitors, and we will be offering an interIn addition to construction / restoration esting programme of events, as well as a work at Cosgrove, another favourite site is range of food and drinks. We are pleased to the Hyde Lane nature reserve. Our recently say that two new persons have stepped sown grass seed has turned into grass, and forward for election as Trustees at the forthnature’s watering can has sped it along. Far coming AGM. from praying it will grow when first sown, So, this is where the society is at right we now have to trim it every now and then. now, as we tolerate winter, and think of Our work parties keep an eye on things, and spring. There is a lot going on as usual, and keep our canal looking neat. The Bourton we are all enthusiastic about that. Have a Meadow stretch near Buckingham at the end look at our website, and if any of the vacanof our canal requires regular maintenance to cies interest you, give us a call. keep it looking at its best. Last year we were Jim Mcilroy delighted to see a range of wildlife in that BCS Trustee and Archivist area from small dragonflies to red kites. Such And finally... events make habitats real and alive, and make Not exactly restoration progress, but at least it gave the important contributions to Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal, the Nob End site and the bio-diversity.

Canal Society lots of good publicity...

The society continThe temporary ‘Swan’ artwork was designed by Liam ues to explore grant Curtin (responsible for the adjacent ‘Meccano Bridge’) and funding for a range of installed to see if the idea was actually doable. restoration, new work, Like the Channel 4 TV ‘ panning’ logo, as you walk and maintenance. We across the bridge the swan suddenly appears whole when have recently been sucyou are right cessful in securing fundin the miding for an additional solar dle. Go to pump to get the Hyde the side and Lane section in water. it’s just a set This will make excellent of sticks! use of free energy from The the heavens to move Society is water around in our now discussgreen corridor. Funding is ing a permaalso being sought for a nent new accessible footbridge artworkwith over the bottom gate of CRT and Cosgrove Lock. If sucBolton Councessful this will make the cil, and seekBuckingham Canal more ing funding. open to visitors. Discussions are being held with

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News

navvies

A reopening on the Pocklington this summer, a restoration conference, and the really important news: the return of the WRG Fudge Stall!

Fudging the issue...

Restoration Conference WRG’s parent body the Inland Waterways Association is once again getting together with the Canal & River Trust to run a oneday canal restoration workshop conference on Saturday 14 April at South Wolverhampton and Bilston Academy. It’s free to attend, and aimed primarily at waterway societies and trusts, but everyone involved in canal restoration is welcome to attend.

Subjects include the practical side of restoration (dredging, water management, major infrastructure projects, safety) as well as the ‘political’ side (community engagement) and publicity (how to make best use of social media).

To find out more, see waterways.org.uk and select ‘workshops and courses’ from the ‘events’ menu.

Martin Ludgate

Yes, the rumours are true - the WRG fudge stand is returning to Canalway Cavalcade at London’s Little Venice on the May Day holiday weekend this year. The fudge is always popular with attendees (and volunteers..) at the festival and raises vital funds for WRG activities, so thanks must go to Carolyn Smith once again for donating it to us. If you want to come and stock up on a selection of tasty chocolate and vanilla confectionary, you will find us in the usual spot on the corner of Warwick Crescent (by the herb man!).

Volunteers Needed! Before it makes it to the stand, the fudge needs chopping and packing - we need some willing volunteers to help with this on Sat 21st April.

You need to be able to get to Chalgrove, near Oxford, by 8.30-9.00am on the day.

And we will probably also need some volunteers on the Bank Holiday weekend to help us sell it at Little Venice. If you are able to

help, please email Alex Melson at alex.melson@waterways.org.uk.

Reopening in July: Thornton Lock on the Pocklington Canal...

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Opening soon... ...is the next section of the Pocklington Canal. The two mile length from the current limit of navigation at Melbourne village to Bielby, including Thornton and Walbut locks, is scheduled to reopen in July. An official opening on the Wednesday 25 will be followed by a celebratory boat rally the following weekend 28-29 July.

That leaves less than three miles of canal from Bielby to Canal Head at Pocklington still to restore, two of the five locks on this length have already been restored, and WRG hopes to get involved in restoring one of the remaining three locks in the not too distant future. Watch this space!

Welcome... ...to Nicola Kiely, who has joined our head office staff as Volunteers’ Support Officer.

And best wishes to Sarah Frayne, fundraising officer (and regular Navvies contributor) who is leaving for pastures new.

Bonfire Bash / Reunion site Our annual WRG Reunion working party, a big end-of-season get together attracting as many as 100 volunteers, is due to be held on 3-4 November.

It’s usually a massive scrub-bash with a lot of vegetation burned on big bonfires hence its alternative name of the Bonfire Bash - and it can give a restoration project a real boost. But as we went to press we hadn’t yet found a suitable site to hold it.

It’s still several months away and we do hope to find a suitable site, but if any of you canal society folks reading this think you might have suitable work for us, we would like to hear from you.

The work needn’t necessarily be tree and scrub clearance. We do find that that type of work makes the logistics of employing large numbers of volunteers less tricky, but we have run successful Reunions on construction / repair / restoration work in the past. If you think we could help your restoration project, contact Head Office.

Bus books found in bus...

Two old (and possibly rare?) booklets about buses were left in one of our minibuses recently. Were they yours? If so, please contact the editor. If nobody claims them, expect to see them on the WRG North West sales stand in due course.

Leaders wanted We’ve already found leaders, assistants and cooks for most of the year’s Canal Camps, but we are still looking to fill a few gaps. If you haven’t already volunteered for this year and fancy giving it a go, get in touch with Jenny Black or Alex Melson at head office on 01494 783453 or enquiries@wrg.org.uk.

Martin Ludgate

Op Ashton + 50

...then we’ll start restoring the next lock before long

Yes, it really is coming up for half a century this summer since the Operation Ashton ‘big dig’ in September 1968 which attracted hundreds of volunteers, showed the indifferent local authorities what they could do, and was a pivotal point in the campaign to reopen the Cheshire Ring.

There are plans to hold an event to commemorate the anniversary. We will give details when we hear more.

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infill including Dear Deirdre Putting the record straight on Paperchases, Deirdre on ‘getting knocked up at the Bonfire Bash’ and some deeply scary Nigerian stuff about canals 30 40 years of Paperchase

Dear Deirdre My husband really wants us to have a baby but I’m keen to commit to the next phase of the Cotswold restoration. How on earth am I supposed to fit a pregnancy around all the work planned at Inglesham?

MT, Newmarket

Deirdre replies Really it’s very tedious that science hasn’t sorted this out yet. Until they manage to figure out how to grow them in jars, we’re just going to have to carry on fitting gestation around the summer camp season. The trick is to conceive immediately after your last summer camp, so you can dump it on your husband with a big tub of newborn formula the following July.

Readers of the article last time on the 400th Northwest Paperchase may have rolled their eyeballs at the Try to avoid getting knocked up at the Bonfire Bash. Cold nights and crude alteration of “300th” to “400th” on a publicity high spirits lead many WRGies to board. No, we didn’t miscount - the board was done make that mistake but it means for our 300th, ten years ago and had lain in my gayou’re pretty much out of action for rage since then. We do like to re-use where possible!

John Foley the whole summer season.

And finally...

A useful aid for lazy journalists (i.e. probably pretty much all of us) looking for news story leads these days is Google News Alerts. You can set them up to pick up on any news items that hit the internet with particular keywords in them, and send you an email link. And while there’s still a fair bit of speed reading and deleting to be done to get rid of all the irrelevant ones (think of all the ‘canals’ which don’t have anything to do navigation, such as drainage canals, alimentary canals, ear canals etc...), they can be a useful tool. And with a bit of work it’s possible to fine-tune them to exclude a lot of the unwanted stuff.

So you might have thought that an alert leading you to a story with ‘canal’, ‘lock’ ‘gates’, ‘reservoir’, ‘warehouse’ and ‘nature’ in it would be a sure-fire relevant lead.

Read this piece of sober, restrained journalism from a Nigerian paper and think again...

The canal nature of man is the warehouse for Satan’s tools unlike the spiritual nature which is the bank for God. There is a lock that closes the spiritual reservoir of God’s gift called the canal nature of man. The blind spot of man is called canal nature that prevents him from seeing the gates of Hell like in the days of Noah. The thief that steals the key of David in our life is called canal nature. Man without canal nature is a threat and a great fear to Satan.

We think it probably meant to say ‘carnal nature’. But we’re not entirely sure...

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outro

Lichfield New gabion wall by the site for the new lock at the boat Inn

It’s a while since WRG ran a canal camp on the Lichfield, but that’s set to change this year. We’ll have more next time, but meanwhile here are some pictures of recent progress Canal wall restoration at Fosseway Heath

Excavation for new channel at Darnford Lane

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