Wey & Arun

camp report Inglesham

And it came to pass... that the first of this issue’s camp reports will probably get the editor run in for blasphemy rather than just libel...

KESCRG Camp 2018-05: Inglesham Lock, Cotswold Canals

The regional mobile group KESCRG have made Inglesham Lock the focus of most of their weekend digs this year, rather in the manner of their former involvement with the Dig Deep Project. Following visits in April, May and June to prepare the compound-side chamber wall for rebuilding, the group took charge of the first of six week-long WRG camps to commence the Biblical task of reconstruction. Mighty were their deeds…

Pictures by Bobby Silverwood unless credited otherwise

On the first day, the wrgies said “Let there be shade”. And there was shade. With Saharan temperatures forecast for most of the week and beyond, a roof of tarpaulins was erected over the scaffolding to create vaguely bearable working conditions for our happy campers, and to prevent the lime mortar going off like postcrete!

On the second day, the wrgies said “Let there be progress”.

And there was progress. Whilst the bulk of the campers beavered away stripping back damaged brickwork in the centre of the lock, Mick did what Mick does best; tackling the fancy brickwork rebuild around the paddle gear.

On the third day, the wrgies said “Let there be Bungle”. And there was Bungling. The process of restoring locks is often to strip them right down and rebuild from the bottom up. In some cases, the same is also necessary for the kit used to restore said locks. In this case, the dumper received a not-insignificant amount of TLC courtesy of Phil, George ‘Bungle’ Eycott and others.

On the fourth day, the wrgies said “Let there be square holes and round holes”.

And there were holes of all shapes and sizes. The paddle chamber rebuild really started to take shape by the middle of the week, by this point led by John but reported back daily to Robert who had spent the first couple of days on site, but then defected to Cirencester to dig up Roman mosaics and coinage.

fact file Cotswold Canals

Length: 36 miles Locks: 56 Date closed: 1927-46 The Canal Camp project: rebuilding the second chamber wall at Inglesham Lock

Why? The lock is being restored thanks to an appeal by WRG’s parent body the Inland Waterways Association. As the final lock where the Cotswold Canals meet the Thames, it will open up access to the canals from the rest of the national waterways system. The wider picture: Most efforts on the canals in recent years have been concentrated on the Lotteryfunded Phase 1a section (Stonehouse to Brimscombe), which will now (following a provisionally successful second Lottery bid) be followed by the Phase 1b length (Saul to Stonehouse). But it’s important that the east end of the route isn’t forgotten in all this, so the work at Inglesham helps to continue to put the case for reopening of the entire 36 mile length.

Phase 1b: Saul to Stonehouse Canal Camp site: Inglesham

Phase 1a: Stonehouse to Brimscombe Phase 3: Brimscombe to Cerney Phase 2: Inglesham to Cerney

On the fifth day, Rick said“Let there be bricks, laid in neat courses”. And Rick saw that it was good. This is where the real production line style progress begins, setting the pace for the rest of the camps season.

On the sixth day, the wrgies said “Let there be an RAF centenary fly-past”. And God said “Have a thunderstorm instead”.

The Royal International Air Tattoo just over the fields at Fairford provided much entertainment and occasional distraction for the last day on site, but sadly the first rain in what felt like months meant that the big fly-past was called off.

The WRGies also said “Let there be a beautifully cast quoin” And it was so. Stephen saw all that he had made, and it was very good.

The shuttering was struck from the quoin that had been cast on Thursday, followed by much scutch hammering to make it look more like the stone it was replacing. By the seventh day, the WRGies had finished all the work they had been doing; so on the seventh day they rested from all their work (in a sparkly clean accommodation). Then the WRGies blessed the seventh day and made it Mark Antony Richardson holy, because on it they rested from all the restoring that they had done.

With thanks to Ian Williamson and Mark “Mk2” Richardson for leading an excellent week, and to Nina Whiteman and Bobby Silverwood for keeping everyone amply fed, but mostly to the band of happy campers whose hard work set the pace for weeks two to six.

If the remaining five camps haven’t finished it all by then, KESCRG will be back in September and October to add what will hopefully be the finishing touches to the lock. Do come along and join us to see the progress for yourselves.

camp report Inglesham

Second week of seven this summer at Inglesham, and already the ‘gateway’ lock to the Cotswold Canals is seeing great progress...

Inglesham Week 2

Once again Nigel Lee’s camp was fully booked weeks before the camp. He was to be assisted by Colin Whitcombe and the master cook Anne Lilliman.

When the review of those who attended was taken it was noticed that one third of the twenty volunteers were coming from Devon. So would the last person left in the county please turn off the lights? Thank you.

With five members of the camp already there before breakfast, the handover from the previous camp was seamless and while Nigel tasked Paul to put up the tool talk sheets on the wall the rest of the volunteers arrived during the rest of the afternoon. The French contingent of Irene and Simon arrived from the same train but took over ten minutes difference to find the van. The setting up of everyone’s bed resulted in ‘St Helen’s Janet’ overlooking one of the spare beds while the second was given to Simon. Pete F mistook Paul’s bed for RAF Martin’s and was going to pinch it until he sighted additional bags...

After the welcome briefing from Nigel, we went to watch the H&S video which had more pauses than a Catholic prayer.

Port bottle number 1 was opened

Problem number one was that the men’s shower was out of order

After the evening meal we mass invaded the Ship Inn.

Sunday: After breakfast cooked by the normal crew of Colin & Paul, the early site crew of Mick L , Pete F and Paul went off to site to start the pumps and other site items ready for the arrival of the volunteers who had had to come via a different route to avoid the Fairford air show. All the volunteers were given a site specific tour and then tasks were allocated. The ‘chuckle brothers’ Mike & Andy were given the job of mixing. Meanwhile the French contingent were under the bricklaying guidance of Alan, and Dave and Ian S were also on brick laying duties. The St Helen’s duo were with Colin laying blocks while Pete F, Paul & Steve were tasked with setting up the corner stone close to the compound and bridge. When finished Paul and Steve spent the rest of the day making up the former for casting a stone next to the paddle hole. Here the ‘three codgers’ old John H, old Pete and middle age Mick set to build up the wall. Rob was confined to his wet ladder recess which was still damp from before the pump out.

RAF Fairford laid on a wonderful display during the day of both modern and vintage aircraft but this did not stop Janet from sunbathing at every opportunity at the

John Hawkins

A useful addition to WRG’s training aids?

Paul Ireson

breaks. The chuckle brothers were quoted as saying they were buggered after a day of barrowing and mixing which they had misunderstood during the briefing. Irene sported a T-shirt which could be a Tool Talk on how a WRGie needs to get dressed in the morning [see pic above].

Pimms number 1 mixture created.

Monday: The drive to site today went past Fairford for a spot of plane spotting and we kept a beady eye out for RAF Martin. We should not have bothered as we were treated to as many planes today as when the show was on.

Duties were rotated but some kept their previous day’s allocation which included the old codgers and Rob as well as Irene on the bricks.

The chuckle brothers’ work today was a load of blocks while Steve and Paul with assistance from Pete on the mixer cast the first stone of the week. When everyone returned to the accommodation, while most relaxed before dinner, Paul and Janet were energetic enough to go for a 5km run although Paul looked very distressed when returning. After dinner most of the camp went off for an evening at Sapperton Tunnel and the Tunnel House pub close by.

Tuesday: Steve and Paul distressed the cast stone (with phrases like “You’re a Trump supporter” or “Do you realise your builders have crossed several borders?”) Meanwhile the block and brick laying continued at pace but the ladder recess work was temporary postponed while Rob went off on an archaeological dig in Cirencester. Nigel come down from his pedestal and helped Colin infill behind the stone laid on Sunday along with moving and laying blocks to support it.

Nadine released herself from kitchen duties and was given the task to build the escape tunnel along the wing wall as she was informed that there was a pub on the other side of the fence. The end stop plank runs were constructed and brick were laid to support them.

Late afternoon it was decided to cast the second stone which meant that Acrow props would prevent a free flow of mortar delivery. So a late night crew of Pete, Steve, Paul and Mick would set up everything and cast the stone after everyone had gone. However, setting up the props gave Simon an interesting obstacle course during his final barrow runs.

The good news item - the men’s shower had now been repaired.

Wednesday: This morning’s breakfast was prepared under the influence of dancing and singing. Colin took over as master mixer and stated that he had no complaints from the brickies, but most of them were inexperienced and therefore were not aware of the standard bricklayers’ phrases and taunts. The chuckle brothers were separated as Andy helped Colin while Mike joined the brick laying team. The old codgers were joined by young Pete to insert the arch former and to start building up the base. After distressing the second stone and removing all the Acrow props, Nigel gave Steve and Paul a ‘just job’ of sorting out the container and clearing up enough space for the delivery of fifty bags of lime the next day. This meant that ten Acrow props were to be left in store while the other thirty one was loaded onto the trailer to be stored at Brimscombe where a team including Pete, Steve, Paul and Andy put them into unit 8.

at Brimscombe and was loaded onto the trailer and when on site placed in the container. A message from Jon P that the Acrows needed to be in unit 8b caused several personnel to rebel. Colin’s mixing team now swapped chuckle brother as Mike took over because Andy had been broken the day before. Master bricklayer Irene continued on her sixth day of the task as she did not want to stop. Steve and Paul were dispatched to play with the excavator and digger to move the large stones and soil, however it should be noted that marksmen should stay awake during operations. The honesty invasion caused one half of the St Helen’s crew to attack the other half with a trowel in the name of swatting them. Upon return to Brimscombe, the team of chuckle brothers, Steve, Paul, Pete, Dave and Rob moved the 31 props from one unit to another. The rebels in this party stated that if they were wanted to be moved again they were to be fixed together and placed in an orifice.

Cook notice - experimental meal not successful due to quantity of food, various cooking times and the vagaries of the oven. Normal service will be resumed the next day.

Friday: Steve’s exclusive vegetarian breakfast was to be shared as we had a new recruit for the day in the guise of Ricey who was to be the next week’s leader. As it was his first visit to Inglesham, he was given a guided tour of how to get to site, however the attempt of unlocking the front gates and then trying to open the still landlocked side caused hilarity in the van as he was also not informed of the twisting post when closing the gate. As John H was going to the senior citizens’ dig at Geldeston, Paul took over the driving duty, this meant that Simon had more legroom. The St Helen’s crew joined seven day brickie Irene on finishing off the course along the wall, while Dave, Andy, Ian and Paul were detailed to block laying. Rob had been continuing his ladder recess after his day’s absence and was now at the same level as the brick layers, while the arch now had two courses of bricks overt it. During the afternoon push, the French contingent along with Mike were given some excavator instruction by Steve.

A team of Dave, Pete, Simon and Rick raised the scaffold level closest to the bridge while Ian, Andy and Paul continued their block laying assisted by Carol who was pointing up the blocks with a few suggestive comments when parts of her body prevented the full use of the long level...

The evening meal was followed by the ‘thank yous’ to the catering team and all other helpers. The evening was fuelled by various ports, gins, Pimms and other alcoholic beverages which resulted in the evening entertainment in the pub of the leaders both this week and next using a colouring in book and having their results displayed in the mess room back at the accommodation. Space has been provided for the three leaders in August.

A big thank you to everyone who attended this camp this year, we achieved what was required and have advanced the final completion of the lock.

Paul Ireson John Hawkins

The lock chamber wall rebuild progresses

camp report Waveney

While the discussions continue on the Letters pages about the merits of camp reports, here’s one that at least deserves an Oscar or two...

WRG

in association with River Waveney Trust

presents a major slow motion picture THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN

...Gentlemen of a Pensionable Age Coming soon to a canal near you. Not a cowboy in sight!

Starring: Bob “The Builder” Crow Nigel “The X-Factor” Lacey Ian “Cookie” Johnson Andy “Toolman” Catling John “The Hawk” Hawkins David “Private Fraser” Williams David “Whip-Cracker” Evans

Filmed between 21 and 28 July 2018 on location at Geldeston Lock, River Waveney, Norfolk, or Shipmeadow Lock, River Waveney, Suffolk if you are from south of the water.

The story so far: in a quiet border area of East Anglia a village lock is facing ruin. The Fallen Tree Gang and the Crumbling Mortar Brigade are attacking the lock chamber’s south wall. The local citizens of the River Waveney Trust have been working valiantly to resist the banditry of these two villainous groups. However, their efforts are starting to ebb as the tide comes in so they send for the Magnificent Seven Gentlemen. Into town they trundle, 459 years of expertise in a SAD yet trusty red wagon to free the RWT from their adversaries...

Look out for:

The M7G ride the tide to remove the destructive mortar and tree.·

The M7G brave the blazing sun, suffering hallucinations as a mirage of the Locks Inn·

oasis taunts them continually. The wall rises like a phoenix to repel disintegration.·

Casting: Nicola Kiely Technical Support: Mikk Bradley Cleaning: Andrew Mackney, Geoff Doggett, Tim Bacon, Graham Peache and Alva O’Malley Heavy Lifting: Joe and Margaret Langran Doughnut Suppliers: Maurice Philpot and Phyllis Mills Canopies: Joe Langran Morale Boosters: David and Sarah Patey Tool Recovery: Joe Langran Producer: Bernard Watson Executive Producer: Alex Melson Duty Director: Rick Barnes

As Whip-Cracker, I would like to thank all the WRGies and RWTers who made all this possible and such a rewarding and fun week.

The Magnificent Seven Gentlemen of Geldeston Lock 2018

Above: the team; top: the tree root; left the brickies

fact file River Waveney

Length: 4 miles Locks: 3 Date closed: 1934 The Canal Camp project: Continuing rebuilding the offside wall of Geldeston Lock

Why? Following on from summer 2017, this year’s camp continued rebuilding the lock, which had been in a poor condition and could have collapsed if restoration hadn’t started soon. The wider picture: As long ago as 1670, the creation of the River Waveney Navigation saw three locks built to allow boats to continue from the tidal reaches (which were already in use between Breydon Water and Beccles), on up to Bungay. These lower lengths (plus their links to Lowestoft and the upper Yare) still form part of the Broads; however the length above Geldeston fell out of use and closed. There are no current plans to reopen the locks (the upper two of which have been replaced with sluices, making it more difficult), but Geldeston is to be restored as a historic feature - and hopefully a place to moor the unique preserved wherry (sailing barge) Albion, which traded on the Waveney in the early 20th Century.

Ellingham Lock Canal Camp site: Tidal river to

Geldeston Lock Breydon Water and Great Yarmouth

Bungay Wainford Lock Geldeston Lock Beccles

camp report Wey & Arun

Meanwhile down in the deep south, our friends in NWPG have been finishing off a slipway and making improvements to the Loxwood Link

Wey & Arun Canal WRG/NWPG Camp July 2018

As this was one of the first camps of the main season, the first task was to drive north to Tom’s farm where Mike Palmer had kindly prepared minibus BOB and kit B ready to drive straight off before retracing our steps to Kirdford Village Hall in deepest West Sussex. A good hall for a summer camp, it can comfortably accommodate about 20 volunteers, the Wey & Arun Canal Trust (WACT) portable shower unit on the front car park and the WRG and NWPG gazebos on a newly paved area down the side of the hall. We were to eat all our meals out here, given the excellent weather.

This won’t be the first report to say that this was to be a hot week – as I now know, others have been hotter! Temperatures on our two work sites were never below 25C and often up at 28C – especially at the slipway site where there are few trees and little natural breeze.

The 2018 Camps Brochure had indi-

cated that the work was to be a combination of towpath laying and visitor centre construction at the northern end of the canal. As is often the case in planning camps nine months before they are due to take place, it is difficult to guarantee that all the necessary permissions are going to be in place and/or that other priorities are not going to arise in the meantime. Both were the case here. WACT had set a date for the opening of the slipway on the summit (see news pages) as well as having instigated a programme of improvement works to their showpiece navigable length of canal at Loxwood. Our camp was to work on both of these sites, with the originally planned work now postponed to the WRG autumn camp in October. Following the usual and necessary safety talks and briefing and our first Saturday welcome barbecue, the camp split into two groups on Sunday morning and were to stay that way all week. The smaller group headed off to the slipway site at Dunsfold where the main task was to dig out all the soft (but rapidly hardening) clay around the fact file Wey & Arun Canal

River Wey to the Thames Shalford

Length: 23 miles Locks: 26 Date closed: 1871

The Canal Camp project: Finishing off works on the new Summit Slipway, and improvements to the restored Loxwood Link length of canal.

Why? The slipway is being built so that trailboats can be launched into the recently restored section of over a mile of the canal’s summit level. And the Loxwood work helps to keep a showpiece restored length of canal up to scratch and usable by tripboats, which provide valuable income and publicity to support further restoration.

The wider picture: Having spent some years concentrating on the Loxwood Link length, the Canal Trust has adopted a ‘three sites strategy’ aiming to spread activity onto the northern sections too, as part of the long-term aim to open the whole route. One of the new sites is the Summit, which is set to be further extended by another new bridge; the other is at the north end of the canal near Shalford, where WRG volunteers will be working on the October camp. But at the same time it’s vital to keep the lengths already restored (as at Loxwood) in a good state.

Bramley

Dunsfold Birtley

Canal Camp site: Summit slipway Canal Camp site: Loxwood 9

Loxwood

Restored Loxwood Link section

Newbridge

Tidal River Arun to the coast Pallingham

new slipway and wharf and to replace it with of the day as well as holding the vessel in hardcore and a finished surface. Work on the position whilst these operations were being slipway has been on-going since being undertaken. By the end of the camp just over started at last year’s WRG autumn camp and half of the required length had been comththe Trust has set an opening date of 30 pleted - about 75 metres in total. September almost exactly one year on. At the lock, a second team set about

This was essentially a team of plant replacing all four of the lock gate quadrants drivers with Pete Bunker and Adrian Sturgess as the originals had either sunk or were in taking turns at operating the Trust’s 13-ton the wrong position for the boat crews’ feet. and 6-ton diggers and Duncan Robertshaw Led by Graham Hawkes our (very tolerant) and Ian Rutledge sharing out the 9-ton and assistant camp leader, this was the physically 5-ton dumpers and the ride on roller. The hardest job on the camp as each new quadhot dusty work continued all week – fortu- rant hole had to be dug through the rocknately the team had the benefit of Camp hard dried Wealden Clay with only limited Dave’s well established site welfare and other machine access and assistance. There was facilities including a fridge and fan to cool off also the additional problem of the plans not in between bursts of plant driving. matching with the expectations of either

Mention of Camp Dave reminds that the KevDave or the boat crews who continued to camp (and all other physical volunteer activi- operate boat-trips through the lock whilst ties on the canal) are now masterminded by work was on going. Unfazed and having Dave (KJD) Evans – not to be confused with rebuilt one of the quadrants twice, the team Dave ‘Evvo’ Evans though both Supreme completed all four by the end of the week. Leaders in their own right. KJD, now full Team 3 had the job of constructing the time with WACT had the onerous job of lock tail steps. This were originally of plypreparing all the task plans for the camp wood, and like the walings had perished which have to agreed in advance with IWA insurers before any work takes place on site. As a camp with a number of small teams carrying out multiple tasks this was a considerable volume of paperwork and having completed the exercise we considered that it would be unreasonable to expect a volunteer to do it. Maybe it is only canal trusts and societies with access to paid staff that are going to be able to run camps in the future – or those with very dedicated volunteers?!

The larger section of the camp were based at Loxwood and centred on and around the New Lock and wharf close to the Onslow Arms and Canal Centre. Their tasks all related to the aforementioned improvements and came under the supervision of ‘KevDave’ Baker, the WACT ranger for the Sussex section. Team 1 led by Steve ‘Pugwash’ Saunders with shipmates Sam Doe, Tony Unseld and Michael Kendra took the workboat ‘MV Dave’ (May Upton) and spent the week replacing the timber walings on the walls both under the road bridge (nicely shaded) and along the main wharf. Drilling, Pictures by Bill Nicholson grinding and gluing were the order

after 10+ years of use. This was more of a case of Build and Design - Mike Fellows and Dave Rumble knew what the end result needed to be and the maximum depth and height of each step. There was already a retaining wall to the correct height so having dug out behind it, the target length was set out and construction began. After that it really was a case of ‘step by step’. Later in the week Pete Turville and new recruit Willy Field used their two days on the camp to build the remaining steps up to the tow- Trip-boats pass through the Loxwood New Lock as work continues path with the whole job completed on the Friday and ready for the Half Moon pub quiz where against some nd rduse by the trip boat crews. expectations out teams came in 2 , 3 and th

There were two other jobs at the lock. 4 just missing out on the gourmet meal for One was to dig out and jack up the electric four which was won by the inevitable profesmetal cabin at the lockside used to use the sional quiz team. Instead of the promised back pump electrics so that it was once more boat trip which had to be cancelled due to on the level. The other was to reposition the what water available being reserved for paid lockside rustic fence closer to the lock allow- up charters, we enjoyed a pleasant evening ing for the lock to be more securely gated off walk up from Loxwood to the recently comfrom the towpath/road access adjacent. pleted Gennets Bridge Lock, finishing off for Having experienced the hard clay on the a pint in The Sir Roger Tichbourne. I forget quadrant job, KJD had sourced a new auger who won the skittles match but as usual it attachment for the hired 3 ton digger. The was keenly contested. job was started and finished (apart from We made significant progress at the fitting the gates) in one day with Rob Nichol- slipway such that the target opening date thson, Derek Williams and Malcolm Hawkes (30 Sept 2018) is now achievable and we taking the lead roles. completed all the improvement work at

I have mentioned a large number of the Loxwood New Lock and much of the timber team but as with most camps there are the walings. Thanks to all the teams who made it others who don’t take a lead role but do the an enjoyable and successful week – we hope leg work of digging, mixing and barrowing. to see many of you team back for the WRG The two Rogers ‘Aussie’ Wishart, returning Autumn camp during October half term for his second camp on the W & A and where the plan is to start the towpath works WACT regular ‘Cranleigh’ Roger Beazer; also on a new section of canal at Birtley. But then Steve Melling and John Barnes who mixed plans… most of the concrete for the quadrants. Back Bill Nicholson at base the unflappable Su Webster kept us well fed with her excellent and much appreci- In addition to the October camp, London ated cuisine. It is safe to say that everyone WRG will be visiting the Wey & Arun for a worked tirelessly all week. weekend work party on 1-2 September - see

It wasn’t all about work – we attended diary pages.