WRG Navvies magazine October - November 2018 291

navvies volunteers restoring waterways

Camps: reporting from Grantham, Chelmer, Swansea, Inglesham, Shrewsbury What’s next for the Wey & Arun Canal? issue 291 october-november 2 0 1 8

Picture by Gordon Pavey

Intro camps contrast

Picture by Ralph Mills

A couple of contrasting pics from the summer camps. Above is Grantham lock 14 before we started - compare with the front cover once we’d done some serious damage. And below, for something completely different, archaeological excavation of the lock cottage at Ty Coch goes on during the Monmouthshire & Brecon camps

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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 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

PLEASE NOTE: Navvies subs renewal cheques MUST be made payable to The Inland Waterways Association

Contents Coming soon Christmas digs and camps 4-5 Camp reports Shrewsbury, Inglesham, Swansea, Grantham, Chelmer 6-21 WRG BC news from our Boat Club 22-23 Diary WRG, IWA, CRT, canal societies 24-29 Wey & Arun restoration feature Looking to the future for this southern project 30-35 Safety working at heights 36-37 Safety hand-arm vibration 38-39 Letters Pindars, ‘banter’ and Norfolk 40-41 Progress roundup 42-43 News 44-45 Infill including Dear Deirdre 46 KESCRG at Inglesham in pictures 47

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

Photos welcome: digital (as email attachments, or if you have a lot of large files please send them on CD / DVD or to contact the editor first), or old-school slides, prints.

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 292: 1 November.

Subscriptions A year's subscription (6 issues) is available for a minimum of £3.00 (cheques payable to The Inland Waterways Association) to Sue Watts, 15 Eleanor Road, Chorlton-cumHardy, Manchester M21 9FZ. This is a minimum subscription, that everyone can afford. Please add a donation.

Cover Picture: This summer’s Grantham camps saw the start of demolition on Lock 14.

See camp reports, p14 (picture by John Hawkins). Back cover top: View of the Chelmer Camp through the bridge they were working on - see report, p18 (Gavin Darby). bottom: official opening of the new Wey & Arun slipway - see feature, p30 (Wey & Arun Canal Trust)

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coming

Soon

The WRG Reunion 3-4 November, Lichfield Canal: full up?

The Reunion is our annual major working party and get-together for all canal volunteers (also known as the Bonfire Bash), and this year for the first time ever we’re holding it on the Lichfield Canal.

The good news is that we’ve got plenty of work for all the volunteers on three different sites. The not-so-good news if you haven’t already booked in is that as we went to press we had just stopped taking bookings because it was fully booked - but if you want to be added to the waiting list in case anyone cancels, please contact head office.

Let’s hear the latest about the weekend from leader Becky Parr: “The work on site is continuing with the wall building at Fosseway Heath [which we were doing on the summer camp, see report last time ...Ed]; scrub bashing some yukky brambly scratchy vegetation in the bed of the canal; and hedge laying. The accommodation is at Brownhills Community Centre in Walsall. Please note that we can’t provide barrels of beer at the weekend, so if you fancy a shandy you need to bring your own. There is an Aldi and Tesco in walking distance. The lovely Jude Palmer is leading the amazing kitchen team so you can be sure of being well fed. See you at the bonfire bash - it’ll be fab!”

KESCRG / London WRG Christmas dig: 1-2 December, Cotswold Canals The Christmas season opens with the usual get-together, dig and festive fun run by two of the main mobile working party groups based in the south of England (but as ever, open to everyone who wants to join us) on the first weekend in December.

The big news is that we’ve chosen the theme for the fancy dress and fun & games on Saturday evening in the accommodation at Brimscombe Port - it’s “Food and Drink”. So if you’ve always fancied dressing up as a haggis or a bottle of gin, now’s your chance. And the leader of the entertainments (aka the Navvies editor) has promised us at least one edible quiz round plus a chance to demonstrate your cooking prowess as part of the fun.

Oh, and the work. We’re not exactly sure yet, but I suspect there’s a good chance that it will be not too dissimilar to what’s being planned for the Christmas Camp (see below) ie scrub-bashing prior to full restoration towards the canal’s western end.

To book, just contact either the London WRG or KESCRG contacts on the Diary pages (p24-25) or see either group’s Facebook page.

WRG Christmas camp on the Cotswold Canals 26 Dec - 1 Jan We’re heading for the Cotswolds for our regular week of scrub-bashing to fill the ‘cold turkey days’ between Christmas and New Year. Let’s hear from leader Dave ‘Moose’ Hearnden...

“The plan is to go back to the same site as two years ago, along the stretch northwest of the A38 at Whitminster. The Cotswold Canals Trust are well on their way to securing the main funding for restoring this length, and clearance work ahead of restoration is imperative.

Everything should be just as before – accommodation at Brimscombe Port, access down from the locked gate by the road, and a boat to help us, plus a portaloo.

Work will be scrub bashing and if I remember rightly there is plenty (I have requested Forestry) so plenty of work to keep us warm - oh, and the odd fire or two!

Camp starts on the 26th December 2018 and finishes 1st January 2019, either book in with Head Office or for late bookings contact me in advance on Moose_dave@wrg.org.uk and bring CASH (we do not take cheques or cards). Now at the moment the leadership team is: me as Leader and Maria as Cook, possible jointly with Gorgous George, (think of those puddings!), but he still might need convincing! But a kitchen person is always welcome. We

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have had over 35 people on the camp previously. Those who are observant will have spotted that there is no Assistant Leader. So this is a call for anyone who would like to assist. Note that we would be more than happy if they had never assisted or led before, and they would like to give it a try: between Maria and myself we will try and give that person a insight into the leadership team, not just the working on site but hopefully how the accounts are done etc.

WRG BITM Christmas camp on the Wilts & Berks 26 Dec - 1 Jan As usual WRG BITM will be holding their own Christmas camp on the Wilts & Berks Canal working in the Dauntsey area, also running from 26 December to 1 January, with leader Rachael Banyard. Contact Dave Wedd on 07816 175454 or bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk for more information or to book in.

BCN Clean Up 30-31 March 2019 First call to mark the date in your diary for our annual weekend spent throwing our grappling hooks into the murky depths of the less charted reaches of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, helping to keep this fascinating (but sometimes unkempt) network of industrial navigations open and usable.

We have some information on the 2019 event, but first, leader Chris Morgan has a little bit of BCN Clean Up history for us...

“With 2019 being my 14th year of attendance at the BCN Clean up and my 6th year as Leader I began to wonder about the history of the event. I knew Brenda Ward had a hand in starting it all off so I asked her about it. Here is Brenda’s reply, but I am sure there are many IWA / WRG volunteers with their own stories, and Martin will welcome them for future issues...”

“The BCN Clean Ups as we know them started in 1997. Brian & I (Lichfield IWA) attended the first meeting with Vaughan Welch, (Birmingham IWA) Mike Palmer (WRG), Martin O’Keeffe (BCNS) in a pub in the Black Country (I can’t remember which one, maybe one of the others will remember). The decision was made to start on the Walsall Canal and it was definitely the worst then - it’s better now but still not the best! A demolished factory site opposite the bascule bridge [near Darlaston, and now long gone] was chosen & factories helped with a variety of things. One made grappling hooks & another one supplied us with refreshments. They were all very keen to see something happening on the canal outside their place. There were over a hundred helpers from all the organisations at the meeting.

Nobody knew how much rubbish to expect so British Waterways sent about 6 skips but after they were filled the rest was just piled up along the wall of the demolished factory and waited for BW to deal with in the coming week.”

On to this year’s event, and we’re heading for an area we haven’t worked on for 15-20 years, the Dudley No 2 Canal from Gosty Hill Tunnel via Windmill End to Blowers Green, and possibly on to Merry Hill. The date is 30-31 March: more details and Flashback to 1997: the pile of junk left for BW after the first Clean Up booking form next time.

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camp report Shrewsbury Our selection of Canal Camp reports begins by going right back to February and a week at Berwick Tunnel on the Shrewsbury & Newport canals Shrewsbury: Berwick Tunnel 10-17 February

fires along the near side.

Alongside Sophie and her friends we had James & Marion (SNCT) helping to uncover the wall, and continuing on Day 2.

It is believed that some wall was found however excavating in front of it was abandoned as it was thought that the removal of material could destabilise the bank.

Day 3 Tuesday saw an attempt to excavate the area between the Portal and Lengthsman’s Hut and whilst sandstone blocks were found the tracked dumper was unable to move either the blocks or the soil.

At that point it was agreed with SNCT that this task be put off to a later date.

Paul Brown had started to step up as my deputy and I was very grateful for his help.

Throughout the week we had local members attending which we incorporated into our teams but special mention must be made to James & Marion Weir, Alistair Price and Peter Cann. Cake was provided by many people in addition to Sophie and Bev

Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust (SNCT) invited us to work on the Northern Portal of Berwick Tunnel over 10th to 17th February 2018. The tasks were to secure the site by putting in a 14ft five-bar gate and a 5ft pedestrian access gate, building two sides of a compound including a five-bar galvanised gate, completing some investigative work to find a retaining wall and any sandstone, bricks or slate from the lengthsman’s hut and lastly cleaning up a length of canal.

We took over the site on Sunday morning and by Friday afternoon had completed the fencing, gates and returned a recognisable length of canal.

A tracked wheelbarrow dumper was supplied for our use and proved for a very useful tool when moving sawn logs from around the site to the compound.

The site was wet, the ground soft and potentially slippery. Despite the weather being kind to us the site access slope became almost impassable.

The team was boosted by Sophie and her two friends Sarah & Hillary who took on the investigative work on the retaining wall.

Day 1 Sunday saw the team (WRG & SNCT) commencing both the site security and the compound these two tasks were to keep us busy until Day 3. Day 1 was also the forming stage of the team and with the excellent food provided by Bev we quickly formed a routine which supported us throughout the week. Days 2, 3 & 5 gave us hot vegetable soups at mid-day and locals at Canal Cottage provided a feast on day 5.

Two bonfires were lit to clear away rotten timber by the compound and on the tow path, the tow path fire was relit every day, The tracked barrow copes with the muddy site becoming two and finally three

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(I don’t know who told them WRGies like cake) and these were greatly appreciated.

Pancakes were on the menu with a variety of toppings...

Day 4 Wednesday. Our progress along the nearside was so good that we were informed by SNCT that whilst no felling was allowed on the nearside of the canal that was not the case for offside and we moved to the offside to clear away overhanging branches/ trees and brush.

Alistair provided the team with a small dinghy and Sean Mckeown showed us how not to get into it, by taking on enough water to sink it although fortunately the lack of water depth in the canal made it a simple rescue. The boat, once entered sensibily, proved to be an asset as many of the trees could then be roped and winched out of the canal.

The site was spilt into two teams with the larger group focused on nearside root pulling (Paul, Mark and Pete leading the larger team activities) including tending the bonfires whilst on the offside and clearing rotten wood, brush and small trees away from the edge of the canal. The tracked dumper continued to be used transporting tools, Tirfor, cable etc to the work site and logs back to the compound.

Day 5 Thursday. The day started with

a team walk down the canal away from the tunnel. The purpose was to assess the feasibility of where we (the team) believed we could clear the banks back to by Friday 14:00. A point was agreed upon and the day commenced.

With bonfires lit the team worked with a renewed vigour.

The Tirfor team were now working really well using the pulley when a straight pull could not be achieved. Trees continued to be removed from the canal bed with aid of the dinghy.

Each evening whilst eating dessert we discussed the events of the day, what went well and looked at our plan for the following day.

Day 6 Friday. A last big push and the team left the site in good order.

On Friday evening SNCT treated us to dinner and a sponge cake alongside entertainment by the Shropshire Boatmen.

The team enjoyed the site and work they had achieved so much that a request was made to SNCT to return for a February 2019 camp to move the bank clearance down to the end of the canal away from the tunnel entrance, at time of going to press no request has been received from SNCT to make this happen.

Ian Gaston

fact file Shrewsbury & Newport Length proposed for restoration: 25 miles

Locks: 25

Date closed: 1944

The Canal Camp project: Various works around the west portal of Berwick Tunnel including vegetation clearance, creating a site compound and trial excavations.

Why? The Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust aims to open up the site as a local local attraction, restoring the tunnel portal and adjacent lengthsman’s hut and creating an accessible Shropshire Union path along both sides of the canal to make a circular walk for local people.

to Ellesmere Port

The wider picture: Much effort has been concentrated on the eastern sections around Newport, but the Trust wants to increase local awareness and support for the canal along the length of the route, with the eventual aim of reopening the entire 25 miles to full navigation, and putting Shrewsbury back on the waterways Eyton Canal Camp site: network.

Shrewsbury

A5

Berwick Tunnel

1 A4

Berwick Tunnel

Norbury Junction

Locks 1-17

To Autherley

Newport

Wappenshall Trench Locks (not proposed for restoration) Trench

Former Shropshire tub-boat canals (not proposed for restoration)

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camp report Swansea Ynysmeudwy: it might not be obvious how to pronounce it, but this lock was the scene of a week of bywash restoration in August of experience, some with less and some ‘newbies’. Welcome to Bev, Colin, Dan, “To (Fris)bee or not to (Fris)bee?” This David, Evelyne (from France), Kyle (DofE), was one of the talking points throughout the Martin, Michelle (a member of the local duration of the camp – but more will become Society who had joined up as a camp memclearer later! ber for the week), Rowan (DofE), Sue, Will, Ian and me. We were joined by Sam from As we all know, accommodation and facilities can vary considerably but Swansea Australia on the Monday. We also had the Canal Society (SCS) had found us good pleasure of the company of Mikk Bradley from IWA/WRG Restoration Hub for three accommodation in the Scout hut at Ystradgynlais. (I never did learn how to days. Unfortunately, Yolande had had to pronounce it! As we were soon to learn, cancel at the last minute. This meant that pronunciation of many of these Welsh names for most of the week there were 14 of us.

We were fortunate to have the services seems to vary depending on who is speaking.) This was about 5 miles from the main of Bev Williams as our cook. She continued to provide mouth-watering meals all week site at Ynysmeudwy (try saying ‘Innis-maybut perhaps one of the highlights was her doo’) where we were expecting to clear and repair the bywash preparatory to clearing pea velouté, which she was modest enough vegetation from the lock chamber and sides. to call ‘soup’. (velouté is French for ‘velvety’, The intention was then to move downstream which again, hardly does justice to Bev’s (there is a considerable flow of water on the creation.) A number of people asked her for canal) a further 3 miles to Trebanos Upper the recipe and I hope that you will find it Lock where we would revisit last year’s site elsewhere in the magazine. [See p38] (see Navvies 284) with a view to clearing Saturday: We enjoyed a site visit to debris from the lock chamber while the lime both Ynysmeudwy and Trebanos where we mortar set in the bywash at Ynysmeudwy. It received the site-specific health and safety is good that we make plans but, as Robbie talk then, after dinner, we had the general Burns said, “The best laid plans…”

H&S talk including the CRT ‘Working in So, most of us arrived at Ystradgynlais confined spaces’ video. This was followed by on the Saturday afternoon. We were a varied an interesting talk by Clive, a SCS member, bunch, as you would expect, some with lots on the history of the canal and its raison

Swansea Canal 4 - 11 August

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d’être (carrying ‘steam coal’, and subsequently iron ore, copper and nickel, for export from Swansea docks).

Sunday: When we arrived at Ynysmeudwy Gordon from the SCS had erected a Youngman Board across the canal between the lock cill and the entrance to the bywash and was putting the finishing touches to the handrails on each side. This bridge was Martin’s (from SCS) own design and went far beyond the ‘Youngman board and handrail’ which we had expected.

Martin also removed a couple of the stop planks from the cill so that the water would all flow through the lock chamber and there was no likelihood of any water flowing down the bywash. The day was very hot from start to finish but we managed good work: towpath trimming, removing vegetation from the bywash, cleaning stones (a familiar activity to all WRGies) and starting to replace some of them using a 3:1 lime mortar mix which had been prepared slightly away from the site. Over the week everyone had the opportunity to spend a session with the mixer, either as a tutor or a trainee.

Monday: As we were to be mixing lime mortar in large quantities we brought the mixer down to the site and this was to be a regular feature for the rest of the week when we were at Ynysmeudwy. We were then able to start rebuilding the bywash walls where they had been washed away and pointing where necessary at the top of the bywash. The Assistant Leader (who shall

remain nameless!) was dealing with the Burco when the lid floated gently down, like a Frisbee, into the lock chamber where it settled. You might have seen pictures of this on Facebook, courtesy of our revered Leader (Ian). A temporary covering had to be found for the Burco, therefore. Other than this mishap, the day was a success. A visit was made to Tesco and ice lollies were supplied to the team to combat dehydration.

Tuesday: In the morning we went down to Trebanos Upper Lock, the site of last year’s work party, to clear debris from the lock chamber. Ian was disappointed that the vegetation which had been cleared last year had not been maintained so our first task was to do that again. We then set about clearing debris from the lock chamber. Although there was an absence of supermarket trolleys, there were several bits of bicycle and other metalwork, together with underpants, knickers and other assorted detritus, including a genuine Frisbee, which was duly presented in a formal ceremony to yours truly.

The local Society were very excited that we had recovered lots of Blue Pennant Sandstone, which they describe as being like “gold dust”, as it is the local stone from which the canal was originally built and will be used in subsequent repairs.

We were then treated handsomely to lunch by the SCS, before returning to Ynysmeudwy and the bywash for the afternoon. Our plans had changed by this time and the rest of the week was to be spent at

fact file Swansea Canal

Length: 16 miles originally Locks: 36 originally Date closed: 1928-1960

The Canal Camp project: Rebuilding Ynysmeudwy Upper Lock bywash Abercraf Upper lengths lost under new road Glyn-Neath Godre’r-Graig The wider picture: With the top five miles from al an C Godre’r-Graig to Abercraf largely lost to 1970s Canal Camp site: th Pontardawe road improvements, and the bottom five miles ea N Ynysmeudwy Trebanos from Swansea Docks to Clydach mostly buried Resolven Clydach under urban development, Swansea Canal Original route Society is concentrating on the middle six miles from obstructed Aberdulais Clydach to Godre’r-Graig - including Ynysmeudwy Proposed and Trebanos locks plus the buried lock at diversion Neath Sw an se a

Ca na l

Why? Once the bywash has been restored, it will be possible to divert water past the lock to allow restoration of the lock chamber. Ynysmeudwy Locks are at the top of a length of canal which is in water to Pontardawe.

Pontardawe. But in the longer term a diversionary route could be created, avoiding the missing lower length, and ultimately reinstating Swansea the link to the Tennant and Neath canals.

t nan Ten al Can

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Ynysmeudwy working on the bywash rather than clearing vegetation from the lock chamber. We were very grateful to the local CRT Banksman, Rhodri Bowen, as he donned a full-body dry-suit and waded into the lock chamber to rescue the Burco lid. The Burco was therefore complete for the rest of the camp.

After dinner most of the party travelled in the vans down to the seaside at Mumbles, on the Gower Peninsula, for an evening out.

Wednesday: Again we were at Ynysmeudwy all day and were honoured by a visit from Kevin Phillips, the local CRT Supervisor and other members of his team.

We had pleasure in telling him that what he saw was the usual standard of work by WRG and that he was not seeing anything that had been put on specially for his benefit.

In the evening we had a talk and display of scale models made by Michelle as part of her work in connection with the local heritage. This included models of the local day-boats, which were like the ‘starvationer’ boats seen in the North West, with a stem (the pointed bit) at each end and a rudder that transferred from one end to the other, depending on which way the boat was travelling, as the canal had no ‘winding holes’ to allow the boats to be turned round. She had also made amazing models of two of the locks on the canal, one of which is known as ‘Hidden Lock’ as, at the moment, it is under a yard owned until recently by the local authority. (If you want to know more, you can see an article on Michelle and her models on page 38 in the September 2018 issue of Waterways World.)

Thursday: Another day on the bywash at Ynysmeudwy, where we completed about half of the full length of the bywash, both rebuilding and pointing where necessary.

This will leave the remaining length to be repaired on another occasion.

We enjoyed an early finish just after lunch, as the SCS had arranged for us to spend some time as their guests at Clydach, towards the southern end of the canal, where they run a canoe hire fundraising activity. A good time was had by all who took part.

The day and evening were rounded off by dinner at the pub at Ynysmeudwy as guests of the SCS again.

Friday: The day was spoilt by persistent rain, so it was decided that most of us would have a trip to the Big Pit National Coal Museum, near Blaenavon, while a handful of

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stalwarts stayed on site to finish off, tidy up, stipple the pointing, etc.

In the afternoon we had to say goodbye to Kyle as he had to leave early.

Summary: An excellent week’s work, mainly on the bywash at Ynysmeudwy, where we rebuilt or pointed the walls and the invert of the bywash for about 25 yards, or half of its length, although we also did an excellent job in clearing a large amount of debris from Trebanos Lock.

Our two DofE members fitted in well and were both energetic and enthusiastic in all jobs allocated and justly deserved the reports provided by Ian. Our thanks go to the members of the Swansea Canal Society (SCS) who made us most welcome and provided us with lunch, canoeing and dinner on various occasions.

We also waved goodbye to Evelyne and Sam who were going straight from Swansea to the Camp on the Mon and Brec. They are gluttons for punishment!

Malcolm Parker and Ian Gaston

Rebuilding bywash walls at Ynysmeudwy

camp report Inglesham The project to reopen the ‘gateway’ lock linking the Thames to the east end of the Cotswold Canals gets another week closer to completion Inglesham Lock, Cotswold Canals Friday night as we burnt off all the oil and protective coating from the elements.

11 - 18 August The leadership team: Darren, David and Anne. Back to Inglesham following a two week break in the summer camps circuit (during which some “technical stuff” happened), the leadership team assembled at Brimscombe Port on the Friday evening to ensure everything was in place for the volunteers’ arrival on Saturday. As this was the circuit without WRG vans it was a relief to see that two hired vans were ready and waiting. These were different to the vans the earlier camps had and it was a good to not have to remove the access ramps in order to create some useable carrying space. (Thanks though David S for the detailed instruction on how to). Also different for this camp were the cookers, the KESCRG oven having been replaced with two brand new domestic electric units. These worked fine throughout the week and Anne the cook was very pleased with them; it did however result in us filling the accommodation with an acrid smell on

The camp consisted of a good mix of seasoned WRGies and newbies all of whom settled in on the Saturday evening in preparation for the first task briefing of the week, the Health & Safety video, and more importantly the first of many excellent meals.

Meatballs in tomato sauce with salad (pasta for the 2 veggies) and meringue with fruit and cream for dessert.

Sunday morning on site consisted of pumping the lock chamber dry in order to carry out a scaffold check, PPE was issued and everybody got involved in the familiar task of moving bricks and blocks. (A great warm up exercise!) After lunch there was some preparation of work areas required (Rick having been round with his red paint and pointed out what he felt to be the most important tasks). A visit from Bungle necessitated another volunteer chain as 50 bags of lime mortar required offloading from van FLN. He also had a replacement Burco; however this wasn’t operational yet, and as he didn’t appear

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.

Canal Camp site: Inglesham

Phase 1b: Saul to Stonehouse Phase 1a: Stonehouse to Brimscombe

Phase 3: Brimscombe to Cerney

Phase 2: Inglesham to Cerney

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Progress with brickwork and blockwork

until the last brew on the final day of camp it meant we made do with the smaller electric Burco all week run off the 11kVA generator.

(Talk about sledgehammer to crack a nut).

By the end of day one everybody was clear with the objective for the week and already working teams and roles were forming. The evening meal consisted of roast pork, roast potatoes and veg followed by apple and rhubarb crumble. For the veggies , chickpea tagine, which prompted from Fran “the best non-roast alternative she’s ever had that complements the meat dish”.

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The work on site progressed well throughout the week with everybody finding areas and roles that they were happy to do, having all tried out a bit of something:On mixing there was Darren R and Jude (who also laid some bricks and blocks) with brief stints from Fran, Julien and Anna. Karl kept everybody supplied with mortar delivering fresh buckets as required to all the work areas across the site. Rob concentrated on the repairs to the paddle arch and continued reconstructing the area of chamber wall that had to be dismantled and straightened out (by mid-week he was ready for the scaffold stage to be brought up to the same level as the rest of the platform).

Alan worked on the lower courses of the curved wall. As he was only with us for a few days at the start of camp this task was continued by Mick and Michael.

Jacqui, Sarah and Rachel started the week with a little brick cleaning of the existing structure at each end of the lock wall in order to provide a solid base to “key in” the new build, once completed they each had a go at laying bricks and blocks in the wall.

Anna, being our DofE volunteer, wanted to learn as many new skills as she could and as a result had a go at everything. Bricks, blocks, mortar, and manual handling.

Julien filled a hole in front of the paddle arch before he too had a go at laying bricks and blocks. Sue was enjoying laying blocks and continued doing this throughout the week. Chris W spent his time on site building the brick wall at the back of the paddle arch, a task that fortunately he finished prior to himself and Jacqui having to finish camp a little earlier than planned. (They came back to enjoy a final meal on the Friday and join everybody for end of camp drinks). Chris P put his recent Ty Mawr lime mortar training to good use by continuing the brickwork of the ladder recess. Fran had her own little area to concentrate on, and after some help from Rachel revealing more of the crazy paving at the end of the paddle arch, set about laying concrete blocks to provide a solid base on which to build more wall. Martin built the bricks up to height at the end of the gate recess and constructed the shuttering for the cast stone, which was then filled by myself, David and Rachel before being revealed and distressed on the Friday as the last task to be completed. Kit cleaned and checked we clocked off and

headed back to Brismcombe for the last time.

It’s fair to say everybody did a fantastic job on site and excelled in the progress made towards completing Inglesham lock.

On behalf of the leadership team I convey my thanks to you all.

Other stuff that happened:Monday evening, those that wanted to went playing skittles. Consistent scoring by Darren S (64) won overall, however the WRG T-shirt went to Julien as the next highest scorer (61) so he can spread the message back home in France.

Tuesday we called into the Tunnel House Inn on the way back from site and had a look into the Sapperton Tunnel from the Coates portal.

Wednesday CCT provided a boat trip for the volunteers on Inglesham from

Lechlade-on-Thames.

Thursday we toasted Anna on obtaining A*,A*,A in her A levels and securing a place at Southampton University.

Friday we congratulated one another on a successful week, popped into Stroud brewery and had celebratory end of camp drinks in The Ship.

Anne’s cooking and food choices were excellent (as ever) throughout the week but I’ll just tease you by listing her dessert offerings:Meringue with mixed fruit and cream, Apple and Rhubarb crumble with custard, American cheesecake, Magic chocolate pudding with cream, Pineapple upside down cake with custard, Baked Alaska (omelette à la norvégienne for Julien), Lemon, lime and orange left over cake with cream.

Darren Shepherd

And finally a word each from Anna and Julien on their experience: Anna: “Camp this year for me has been an absolutely amazing experience. I decided to complete the last section of my Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award by volunteering with Waterway Recovery Group; helping to rebuild canals. From the moment I arrived at the accommodation alone, I was very nervous, but was soon greeted by several other volunteers and the leaders. During this camp I have learnt a lot of new skills, like brick laying and block laying, which I have been able to practise throughout the week.

All the volunteers are given the opportunity to take part in evening activities too, for example, a skittles night and even a boat trip around the local area! Sometimes I have found working on site quite difficult as my muscles aren’t used to lifting heavy materials, however I am passionate about restoring the canal as best as I can, and so the physical pain is definitely worth it for the cause. The best part about this camp specifically, is the way in which everyone has become good friends; we are all comfortable and even happy to make fools of ourselves in front of one another! I’m so proud of everything we’ve achieved on this camp and I hope to come back again another year!”

Julien:

page 13

camp report Grantham After three summers of working on Lock 15 at Woolsthorpe Locks, it’s time to move on to Lock 14 - and the first job is to build a bywash woodland irrigation scheme than a lock bypass, so another solution was needed.

The task: So the first lock of four is done – Pressing the pipe together with a digger Number 15 is complete with gates and full of was offered by YouTube – again it might water – only three more locks to do to conwork if one end of the pipe is buried, but a nect two long stretches of Grantham canal tug of war between two diggers was not part of the risk assessment so we needed an together and start tapping on the door for access to Nottingham and the national canal alternative. Luckily we had Dave Smith with network... his vanload of useful stuff on our camp and a morning of woodwork with the jig saw reWell that is the big plan. The immediate task for us was enable the water to bysulted in two collars that fitted the pipes pass Lock 14 to allow work to start in earnest snugly and a method of drawing them together with ratchet straps and scaffold polls. on removing the one remaining chamber After a bit of practice we got the pipe conwall. Lots of big plastic pipe, a team of 15 willing volunteers, some yellow plant, some necting game down to around 15 minutes a time and after two days we had all 15 secred vans and lots of tea – what fun. tions connected. A discreet bit of filling and The problem: The first problem to fix was levelling, aided by Dan jumping on various putting the pipes together. The 600mm pipe sections in turn, resulted in a smooth diameter pipe in question comes with rubber set of downhill pipework. seals. “Oh we left all those out on the last lock” was the response of the locals. PerWater feature: To feed the water from the haps this is fine when buried in the earth, canal above the lock into the pipe we needed but having to snake the pipe around trees on a water feature. The combination of a prothe surface was more likely to end up with a longed dry spell and a hole in the upper

Grantham Canal: 18-25 August

Length: 33 miles Locks: 18 Date closed: 1936 The Canal Camp project: Creating a bywash (water overflow/bypass) around Woolsthorpe Lock 14 and then beginning demolition work ready for rebuilding the lock chamber walls.

fact file Grantham Canal

Why? Having completed the first stage of a Heritage Lottery Fund backed project by Grantham Canal Society by restoring 15, volunteers have moved on to Lock 14. Before demolition and rebuilding could start, the water had to be diverted around the lock. Hence the bywash was the first job.

The wider picture: As well as being an important restoration task in itself, the work is being used as a heritage skills training exercise for the Society and CRT to help provide a pool of volunteers for the next stage, locks 12-13. With locks 16-18 and the canal from there to the edge of Grantham already restored, it’s also a step To Newark Proposed diversion Nottingham towards creating a 10-mile Trent to Woolsthorpe Restored restored length from Locks 12-18 Shardlow length Redmile Grantham to Redmile, and Grantham Cropwell in the medium term, completing the Long Pound to Cropwell Bishop. Get Original route Bishop The Long that open, and someone might just find Canal Camp Restored obstructed Pound the cash to create the diversion needed to site: Lock 14 length connect the canal back to the Trent.

page 14

Pictures by Sam Kennion

Lock chamber wall demolition under way wing wall had meant that the upper pound was abnormally low enabling us to dig thorough the tow path and start building the inlet. A bit of formwork, a concrete apron and some low brick walls were duly commissioned and good progress was being made when two things happened. Someone successfully blocked the hole up, and the rains came!

Introducing some jeopardy into any project can act as a motivator, but blocking the hole up prematurely was probably one of my more stupid ideas. “Lay faster” was my only recourse as the waters slowly rose to the lip of the bypass. Mick Lilliman, Pete Bowers and Martin Ingham were duly pressed into rapid bricklaying service, with Peyo our WRG committed Spaniard on the mixer. When the heaven opened on Friday night, just in time for the evening BBQ, the walls were just complete enough to retain the incoming tide.

To connect the snaking pipes together we needed some neat little brick chambers in the corners. Chris Finn created these whilst practicing his French with our two students Shannon and Clement. The sound of Gallic

tongue down the plastic pipe woodland telephone system brought a certain je ne sais quoi to the whole proceedings...

Just hit it! Meanwhile, with the opportunity was not lost to start taking things apart. A combination of diggers, breakers and hand tools were deployed against the remaining lock wall, nibbling a good metre off the top after a few days. The remaining wall is surprisingly tough – there being a high amount of iron in the local brick according to Sam, our locally connected WRGie. These bricks were, of course, no match for Steve, our newbie WRGie used to extracting difficult objects – he being a retired dentist. He enjoyed it so much he even brought the local society sweatshirt so that he can infiltrate their work parties without being noticed over the next 11 months before next year’s canal camp.

Just dig it! With Adrian and lots of yellow plant for the week we were entertained by some expert machine work as the bank behind the wall rapidly disappeared. A sharing of skills with training sessions saw

page 15

Laurence becoming an expert dumper driver, and digger experiences with suitable instruction for those new to operating plant.

Just eat it! To be clear, I have nothing against dogs – they can be a man’s best friend apparently – but not when they hunt in a 15strong pack. When the woman who is “nothing to do with my family” according to Ernie the local farmer (just don’t go there with that line of conversation) walks her dogs of various sizes across the compound, it is best to eat one’s lunch quickly, hide in one of the four site toilets or go to sleep in a van. Andy “he ate my lunch” found that out to his cost.

Another animal risk was wasps, oh and cows, and the horse was a bit frisky as well – so it turns out that Ernie runs Animal Farm, but without any pigs, well as far as we know….

Joining sections of bywash pipe together And finally, talking of feeding things, a word about our un-flappable cook.

Fantastic. Amanda produced a fine array of good dinners, cakes, puddings and even managed to fit some study into her week with us.

A great all-round performance.

Thanks also to Mark Owen, the CRT site supervisor for all his support and to the “locals” of Grantham Canal Society for letting us share in their vision. Looking forward to next year.

Bywash pipe and weir chamber under construction Nick Swift

page 16

Grantham Camp week 3 25 August - 1 September Given the discussions about making these camp reports more interesting, I honestly debated about writing this in Latin, because hey, I’ve got to use my degree some way!

But that seems like too much effort, so luckily you get to read it in English instead.

We were the third camp of three at Grantham this summer, and had as part of our team a couple of volunteers who’d spent the entire three weeks on site.

Our camp mostly consisted of demolition, demolition, brick laying, and more demolition. Whilst this was great fun (destroying things with diggers is always great fun), it’s not very interesting to write a whole report about diggers destroying brick walls.

We were rained off site on the first day, which sent us all back to the accommodation, where we did some thinking about our camp. We’re officially declaring our camp as setting two WRG records: highest average age of volunteers and the highest number of average camps per person (where a camp counts as a full week or festival). So we

challenge you, with an average age of 52 and an average number of camps at 50. Beat that!

Honourable mentions for the rest of the week go to:

. . . . .

Chris for providing puzzles and jigsaws galore, which intrigued and amused us for the entire week.

Paul, Teacher Chris and myself for having a panic about not having enough work for everyone, and then proceeding to have too much work to do...

Teacher Chris again, for winning the Lantern Rouge of the Tour de Cropwell Bishop, by attempting to cycle back from site to accommodation and missing dinner in the process.

Bev, for creating the best puddings, cakes and dinners ever, honestly there were debates about us kidnapping her to take to university to cook for us.

The Grantham Canal Society for taking us on a boat trip and hosting us for a thank you barbecue to celebrate the work done on the completed lock 15.

Thank you to everyone who worked on the camp; the WRG volunteers (Teacher Chris, Paul, Hawk, Chris, Pete, Martin, Laurence, (Fr)Isby, Peyo, Bev, Howard), the GCS volunteers and CRT. Rhiannon Smith

“Diggers destroying brick walls”

The editor would like to add his own ‘honourable mention’ to Rhiannon for getting the camp report written and sent in by 7.36pm on the day the camp ended. Well done!

page 17

camp report Chelmer As a change from canal restoration, our volunteers spent a week refurbishing bridges on a working waterway, the Chelmer & Blackwater Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation were advised there was nothing we could do while this went on. Sadly it didn’t go on, and 28 July - 4 August Like some other camps numbers were down – no DofE’ers. On the bright side we all had our own cabin at our accommodation the Haybay barge so can’t complain.

The first evening included the traditional site visit - up to a point. A faulty satnav, so the story goes, and a fallen tree in the road when they did find the right one meant that site was not visited. But Sainsbury’s was, and our cook, Claire, made friends with Jensen the cashier. His photos of ‘fish I have caught’ certainly slowed up the conveyor belt.

Our work for the week was to wire brush The Bridge over the River Chelmer (Kwai feels right in the heat – and the odd comment about slave drivers) near Sandford Lock. It then needed an undercoat and two topcoats – top and bottom of the bridge.

Obviously then, after weeks of dry weather, rain dampened the first two days.

During the prep stage we cut back trees and uncovered the concrete bases the bridge was fixed to. On one side this revealed a whole step no one had imagined was under the level the mud had got to. Sue and Helen managed to get into some uncomfortable places to clean the underside of these lower steps. Well done.

Some repair work was needed from Essex Waterways Ltd. This involved cutting out a whole panel of the bridge and welding in a new one. Even Gavin and I haven’t finished a day at Sandford Bridge two thirty before but we

page 18

was tackled the next morning. This meant that to work safely we were limited to one side of the bridge. Nonetheless the team responded well, and with head office providing Nicola and Mikk over the first few days, work progressed well.

On the Monday we were introduced to Julie. Colin fell in love instantly and wanted a ride. Luckily with his helmsman licence he was able to drive her and EWL decided after his first spin that he was safe without them.

We used his skills each day to transport the kit to and from site.

Julie needed to be tied in the middle of the river to access the underside of the bridge. Extra ropes meant we were able to manoeuvre and fix her in place from the bank.

Essex Waterways decided that they should cut back a lot more overhanging trees, and brought a wood chipper. Apart

looking a bit rusty at the start of the camp...

from the noise pollution, wind direction, wood dust and fresh paint seemed to go well together.

We were lucky enough during the week to be visited by a representative of the council, inspecting the bridge because it was part of a public footpath. “Have you agreed with the council that you should be doing this?” he asked. Clearly referred him on to EWL – and tipped them off. “Cheeky buggers” was the response. Been asking them for financial support as it is their public footpath – with no reply. I have to say his rather fetching tight fitting orange fleece-like onesie was the highlight of the day. Pushing luck further he requested better directions to return to the road, granting us the wish to tell him where to go.

After more days of really hard work from the team, on Thursday morning we no longer needed Julie but Colin could not just abandon her. He and Tony took her back to Hoe Mill Lock whilst the rest of us finished the painting. Apparently the four hours cruising down the river was really hard work.

By the time they got there we were well under way with our second project. A bridge was becoming unsafe because the boards covering the walkway were rotting and breaking up creating trip hazards. We ripped them up, cleaned the bridge up and laid a new composite surfacing in place. It was

heavy enough that it would take one night without being fixed.

The next day Colin brought a different workboat and we were able to fix her under the bridge and drill holes though the surface to put the fixings in place. Whilst manoeuvring the boat into the edge we noticed what looked like a lost fisherman’s keep net. On hooking it out it turned out to be a baited eel trap – strictly illegal. It had trapped a small pike, but with appropriate PPE Tony was able to release it back in to the river. EWL were very pleased with that result – one less trap.

Paul looked along the river bank but we didn’t find more.

We only had two drivers, but we only needed one vehicle so thanks to Ian and Gavin for transporting us all week, including a search for a decent pub. We ended up in Maldon, at Hythe Quay, where many East Coast sailing Barges were moored - an impressive sight and photo opportunity. An evening 10 pin bowling went down well. Ian did well as an absolute beginner and there were a few decent scores.

For those who have not worked this stretch of river it is worth commenting on the fact that it is a superb environment. The water was crystal clear, enabling you to see the huge amount of small fish and the bigger ones that call it home. The variety and numbers of damsel- and dragonfly was wonderful, occupying a few of us in trying to get photos - in our breaks obviously.

Not many ducks though.

Apparently there is a mink problem. Every time permission is gained for trapping, the mink vandalise all the traps without getting caught.

Big thank you to those who joined the camp during the week.

As promised Martin and Gavin worked you harder than you thought possible, and you produced results that exceeding the hopes of our hosts. An extra thank you to Claire, our first time cook, who kept us fully fed all week, and hopefully we didn’t scare her away. ...and resplendent in its shiny new paintwork at the end Martin Foster

page 19

family camp Chelmer Following the success of last year’s Family Camp, we held three more family camps this year - including one on the Chelmer & Blackwater Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation and our work schedule was set out. Clear the car park of weeds, prune back the severely Family Camp The idea of the Family Camps is to encourage the youngsters to enjoy and get satisfaction from conserving our heritage waterways.

Led by an inspirational team of Sarah Lewis and supporters this was certainly attained.

Our weekend accommodation was on the Barge Haybay at Haybridge Basin, very like a youth hostel on water (well not much water – we only lifted off the silt at high tide). Five adults, with five youngsters in tow arrived on Friday evening as directed. The youngsters did not know what the weekend entailed, but neither did the adults...

Introductions took place around the table, and it appeared that all the adults were involved in volunteering of some kind. As the adults found enjoyment from this, they felt the youngsters would too. Outside work in the fresh air, NO electrical gadgets stopping conversation, it must be good.

Breakfast time agreed, it was off to bed in our bunks. Next morning, the sun shone

overgrown footpath and make some bird boxes. The tasks were swapped every hour to keep the youngsters’ interest, with water breaks and lunch provided by Maria back at the barge. Suitably refreshed, we were back working for a few more hours in the afternoon.

A highlight of the day was the sea lock opening on the high tide, this was scheduled for 4.15pm, so we were ready with our tools cleared away in the shed. Grant the lock keeper was very appreciative of our work, and involved the youngsters and adults with an informative explanation of the workings of a sea lock. They also involved helping with opening the lock. During this the lock keeper was in constant touch with the yachts outside in the estuary by radio.

Five yachts filled the lock, four were modern white yachts, but one was wooden with two masts, this was the last to enter, causing fenders to be hastily thrust between all yacht sides. The lock keeper raised the paddles at the river end, so the yachts slowly

Young and older volunteers with the ‘bug hotel’ they built

page 20

gained height within the lock. The barge beams were opened again with the help of the volunteers and the yachts gracefully made their way to their allocated moorings for the night.

After a hearty meal of spaghetti bolognaise it was suggested by the locals that we visit Maldon Wharf by car. We hitched a ride with Sarah and all met up in Maldon to walk to the wharf. What an interesting town this was, clapper board houses everywhere (many new build), with winding streets through to the wharf area. Moored alongside were four Thames Barges with their distinctive red sails, all used as trip boats when the tide is in.

As we had the youngsters with us, we continued along to the large play area, where they went wild. Where do they get all this energy from? It was now dusk, so we made our way back to the HayBay Barge.

Next morning, we were all fed a full English Breakfast and we were then ready for another day of work. It was decided that the bird boxes would be decorated, this resulted in a range of colours and materials used. The car park clean-up was completed, and as this was alongside the tow path, we had many enquiries as to what we were involved in.

This gave us a chance to talk about the IWA and WRG aims for all waterways.

Our last tasks were putting the bird boxes up, luckily, we found a few trees which were easily accessible. The youngsters proudly

had their photos taken beside each bird box.

The tools and boxes of related material were then stored in the shed for future pick up.

We had lunch and then cleared our belongings from the barge. It was then a combined effort for cleaning all areas ready for its future use by other youth groups.

Jenny Brice

Making bird boxes

fact file Chelmer & Blackwater Length: 14 miles

Locks: 13

Date closed: never - but it came close! (see below)

The Canal Camp project: Refurbishing footbridges on Camp 14 in July; towpath clearance, nature conservation and car park clearanceon the family camp in August.

Why? This is not a derelict waterway under restoration, it is a navigable waterway undergoing a long process of gradual improvement by its owners Essex Waterways Ltd (a subsidiary of WRG’s parent body The Inland Waterways Association) who took over to save it from closing down when the original company went bankrupt 15 years ago, having let it get badly run down. But as a body with no regular public funding, EWL needs to rely on volunteer support otherwise it would struggle to keep the navigation open - let alone to improve it.

The wider picture: EWL needs to not only keep the navigation in Beeleigh Heybridge good condition for boaters, it Basin Hoe Mill R C has to encourage he Blackwater lm Camp 14 site: use and super estuary Sandford Bridge Chelmsford Maldon port of the The Haybay waterway to attract barge funding grants from external bodies. Keeping the towpath Family Camp site: open and in good condition, maintaining footbridges, Heybridge Basin carrying out nature conservation work, and keeping the public car park clear are all part of this.

page 21

Boat club

News

Reporting back from the WRG Boat Club AGM at the IWA St Neots Festival, and looking forward to visiting next year’s event on the River Lee...

WRG BC news and AGM 2018 This year we were at the Festival of Water at St Neots for our AGM. We held it on the Saturday starting at 3 o’clock. The meeting was announced over the loud speaker, not too clearly at first so we got it repeated!

Annie and Colin kindly let us hold the meeting on their boat Eli. There weren’t too many of us to fit in, which was handy, this was explained by the Apologies as most members were busy around the site!

The Minutes of the last AGM were read and proposed as correct by Lynne, seconded by Ann. Matters Arising were that there was no mention of the 20 year celebrations. The secretary said that she thought that had been after the business of the AGM was concluded – we put that down to the consumption of Prosecco!

The Commode Door read her report, this is available from Lynne. She mentioned all the boats that have made it to St Neots, and those that were camping and those that

Some of the boats at this year’s IWA Festival

page 22

had come for the day (what a variety!), the very variable weather we have had this year and hoped we had all managed some terrific boating. Another topic we were keen to hear of was the breach that happened earlier this year on the Middlewich Arm, as both Lynne’s boat Grains in the Water and John, Roger and Margaret’s boat The Lady Margaret moor on the arm, only about 200 yards from where the breach occurred! Lynne had moved her boat to Aqueduct Marina, for bottom blacking, only a few days before. She thought she’d had a lucky escape but realized she’d nowhere to moor until the breach was fixed! She returned the very long way round to Middlewich (about 100 miles and locks!) and also had the problem and expense of finding a Marina mooring. The Lady Margaret was rescued by CRT. (they’ve changed their boat and now have The Lady Beth, I wonder if this was related to the incident?)

Lynne then said some very kind words about the Secretary (Me) and gave me a Bear made from Straw, she’d discovered it in an Antique Shop. Very suitable as my boat is Straw Bear, It was very kind and thoughtful and very well received!

There was some mention of Christmas Cards but I tried to forget that! She said that we NEED other members to join our committee especially someone with computer skills so we can circulate news by email, keep members in touch with activities or offers of help and requests.

As AWCC rep Lynne usually attends their Midland Meetings and National AGM but due to circumstances at St Neots... she hasn’t been able to

get to one meeting this year. Luckily we have an amazing regional secretary who keeps us in touch with the latest issues. One such issue concerns Boat Safety and the introduction of compulsory Carbon Monoxide alarms.

Please let the Secretary know if you need an AWCC handbook as we have to order them in advance.

It was generally considered that CRT is more concerned with the Health and Wellbeing of the general public than of Boaters and Canal maintenance. We all have many other concerns regarding CRT but think it more tactful to leave them unrecorded!

The Secretary reported that membership numbers had fallen slightly as some had sold their boats and given up the waterways, others had sold their boat but wished to continue supporting WRG BC. SUBS ARE NOW DUE and membership cards will be issued to those that have paid. Please consider a direct debit method of paying, it takes away the worry of remembering and is easy to set up. Lynne has club Burgees for sale for £10, or £12 including postage. I have burgee stickers at £1 plus 50 pence for postage, these can be either for inside a window or outside, please state which you require. It is so useful to be able to recognise other members by these flags, as we pass them on the canals.

Our Treasurer reported that the current bank balance for the club (as of 5th August) was £185.77. With subs for 2018/19 due we can expect a balance of approximately £575.00 by November when all subs are received.

Income for last year was £456.00. We had expenses and made two donations, one to Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust and one to the Erewash Canal Preservation and Development Association. We have now made donations of £5,450 to various canal projects.

A list is available on request as are copies of the accounts. When all the subs are in and ...and the last one at the expenses sorted

we plan to make further donation(s).

It was agreed that subs would remain at £10 p.a.

There now followed the Election of Officers, As these weren’t contested all officers were re-elected but the Secretary, Treasurer and Mike Chessher all stated that this would be their final, last, year as club officers! WE NEED NEW OFFICERS. Please consider standing as a club officer. I can assure you that not much work’s involved and we only meet once a year, for the AGM and to socialise. It would be such a shame to see the club fold after 21 years.

Future Plans were discussed and it was agreed that next year’s AGM would be at the IWA Festival of Water at Waltham Abbey on the Lee Valley Park Site.

There followed discussion on The Allocation of Funds/Donation(s) and it was agreed that we would donate to the Welches Dam restoration if they required the money this year and/or School House Bridge on the Montgomery.

AOB Ann suggested that we ask WRG groups to promote the boat club.

We then thought of friends no longer with us, Lynne proposed the toast and we all drank to Absent Friends.

The official meeting closed at 3.50.

Then we ‘socialised’.

Remember – SUBS ARE DUE NOW! xxx Sadie Heritage sadieheritage@gmail.com 07748186867

Waltham Abbey in 2000. See you there in ’19?

page 23

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. Di Oct 19-27

WRGFT2018

Wey & Arun Canal: WRG Forestry Camp, Kirdford

Oct 20/21

wrgBITM

Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation: Wave Bridge towpath steps. BITM A

Oct 20-27

CC201825

Grantham Canal: Lock 14

Oct 20-27

CC201826

Wey & Arun Canal: Birtley and Shalford (NWPG camp)

Nov 2-8

WAT

Wendover Arm: Profiling & lining Fri-Thu

Nov 3/4

BB2018

Lichfield Canal: Bonfire Bash, WRG Reunion. See p5

Nov 3/4

wrgFT

WRG Reunion

Nov 3 Sat

WRG

Committee & Board Meetings: at Bonfire Bash

Nov 10/11

NWPG

Cotswold Canals: Stroud Phase 1A or Phase 1B

Nov 17/18

London WRG

Cotswold Canals

Nov 17/18

wrgBITM

Thames & Medway Canal: Slipway gabions removal

Nov 28 Wed wrgNW

Ad Hoc Meeting

Nov 30-Dec 6 WAT

Wendover Arm: Profiling & lining Fri-Thu

Dec 1/2

KESCRG

Cotswold Canals: Xmas Party - Brimscombe, working at Stroud end

Dec 1/2

London WRG

Cotswold Canals: Christmas Party joint dig with KESCRG

Dec 8/9

wrgBITM

Cotswold Canals: Christmas Work Party - Weymoor Bridge TBC

Dec 8/9

wrgFT

Cotswold Canals

Dec 8/9

wrgNW

Uttoxeter Canal: Dig including Christmas Meal

Dec 26-Jan 1 wrgBITM

Wilts & Berks Canal: Christmas Camp at Dauntsey. Leader: Rachael Ban

Dec 26-Jan 1 CC201827

Christmas Camp: Cotswold Canals. Leader: Dave ‘Moose’ Hearnden

Jan 12/13

London WRG

Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation: Joint dig with WRG Forestry (but dif

Jan 12/13

wrgFT

Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation: Joint dig with London WRG

Jan 19/20

wrgBITM

Wessex Waterways: Hedge planting at Foxham

Feb 9/10

London WRG

To be confirmed: possibly Shrewsbury & Newport Canals

Feb 15-17

wrgFT

Uttoxeter Canal: Friday to Sunday

Feb 16/17

wrgBITM

Grantham Canal: Cropwell Bishop

Feb 16-23

CC201901

Canal camp: venue to be confirmed

Mar 9/10

London WRG

Wey & Arun Canal

Mar 16/17

wrgFT

To be arranged

Mar 30/31

London WRG

BCN Clean Up: Dudley No 2 Canal - see p5

May 11/12

London WRG

Buckingham Arm

Jun 1/2

London WRG

Cromford Canal: to be confirmed

Jun 22/23

London WRG

To be arranged

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

page 24

WRG and mobile groups

h number e.g. 'Camp 201823' should go to WRG Canal Camps, Island House, iary compiled by Dave Wedd. Tel: 07816-175454, dave.wedd@wrgbitm.org.uk

GM

nyard

fferent sites)

01494-783453

enquiries@wrg.org.uk

07816-175454

bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk

01494-783453

enquiries@wrg.org.uk

01494-783453

enquiries@wrg.org.uk

01442-874536

rwleishman@gmail.com

01494-783453

enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Nigel Lee

07802-854694

nigel.lee@wrg.org.uk

Mike Palmer

01564-785293

mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk

Bill Nicholson

01844-343369

bill@nwpg.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Dave Wedd

07816-175454

bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk

Roger Leishman

01442-874536

rwleishman@gmail.com

Bobby Silverwood

07971-814986

bobby@kescrg.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Dave Wedd

07816-175454

bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk

Nigel Lee

07802-854694

nigel.lee@wrg.org.uk

Ju Davenport

07808-182004

nw@wrg.org.uk

Dave Wedd

07816-175454

bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk

01494-783453

enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Nigel Lee

07802-854694

nigel.lee@wrg.org.uk

Dave Wedd

07816-175454

bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Nigel Lee

07802-854694

nigel.lee@wrg.org.uk

Dave Wedd

07816-175454

bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk

01494-783453

enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Nigel Lee

07802-854694

nigel.lee@wrg.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Dave Wedd

Roger Leishman

Mike & Liz Chase

ease contact diary compiler Dave Wedd: see top of page

page 25

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 Every Mon to Fri GCS Every Fri and Sat GCS Tuesdays H&GCT Weekends H&GCT Wednesdays H&GCT Thursdays H&GCT 3rd Wed and last Sat K&ACT 2nd Sunday of month LCT Every Wed/Thu/Sat/Sun LHCRT 3rd Sunday of month LHCRT 2nd full 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 Lock 14 Ian Wakefield Woolsthorpe depot Ian Wakefield Oxenhall Brian Fox Over Wharf House Maggie Jones Over / Vineyard Hill Ted Beagles Herefordshire Wilf Jones East Kennet & Avon Mike Bennett Lancaster N. Reaches Robin Yates Lichfield Hugh Millington Hatherton Denis Cooper Nob End Ian Astbury 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 0115-989-2128 01432-358628 01452-618010 01452-522648 01452-413888 0118-969-9861 01539-733252 01543-251747 01543-374370 07855-471117 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 26

Canal societies and CRT Canal & River Trust ‘Towpath Taskforce’ regular working parties 2nd Saturday of month Audlem 2nd Saturday of month Aylesbury Every Thursday Bath 1st Wednesday of month Birmingham Alternate Thursdays Blackburn 1st Thursday of month B&T 1st Sunday of month Burnley Alternate Tuesdays Caldon Last Saturday of month Chester 1st Saturday of month Colne/Nelson Alternate Thursdays Coventry 3rd Thursday of month Devizes 1st Saturday & next Tue Fradley 4th Thursday of month Gailey Every Wednesday Gloucester 1st Wed & Fri of month Hatton Last Sunday of month Hawkesbury 1st Saturday of month Hemel Hemp.

2nd Friday of month Huddersfield 1st Thursday of month Knottingley Alternate Thursdays Lancaster 3rd Thu & Sat of month Lapworth 3rd Friday of month Leeds Alternate Tuesdays Leicester 1st Tuesday of month Littleborough 2nd Sat of month London Cent.

1st Wed & 3rd Sat of month London East 1st Sat 3rd & 4th Wed London West Last Tuesday of month Mirfield Every Tuesday Mon & Brec 2nd Thursday of month Newbury Alternate Thursdays North Warks 4th Saturday of month Oxford 3rd Wed of month Perry Barr 2nd Wednesday of month Preston Every Friday Sefton 3rd Saturday of month Selby 2nd Wednesday of month Skipton Alternate Fridays South Derbys 2nd Thursday of month Stratford Alternate Wednesdays Tamworth Every Tuesday Turnerwood Alternate Thursdays Walsall Every Tuesday Wigan Every Thursday Worcester

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

Shropshire Union Aylesbury Arm Kennet & Avon Bimingham & Fazeley Leeds & Liverpool Bridgwater & Taunton Leeds & Liverpool Caldon/T&M Shropshire Union Leeds & Liverpool Coventry Kennet & Avon Coventry/ T&M Staffs & Worcs Glos & Sharpness Grand Union Coventry/Oxford Grand Union Huddersfield Broad Aire & Calder Lancaster Canal Stratford Canal Leeds & Liverpool Soar/Grand Union Rochdale Regents/Docklands Lee & Stort Paddington/ GU Calder & Hebble Monmouth & Brecon Kennet & Avon Coventry/Ashby Oxford BCN Lancaster Canal Leeds & Liverpool Selby Canal Leeds & Liverpool Trent & Mersey Stratford Canal Coventry/ Fazeley Chesterfield BCN Leeds & Liverpool Worcester & B’ham LHCRT MBBCS NWPG NWDCT PCAS RGT SCARS SCCS SCS SNT SRL SORT SUCS TMCA WACT WAT WBCT

Jason Watts Sonny King Steve Manzi Sue Blocksidge Alice Kay Steve Manzi Alice Kay Andy Whitehouse Jason Watts Alice Kay Sue Blocksidge Steve Manzi Sue Blocksidge Sue Blocksidge Caroline Kendall Sue Blocksidge Sue Blocksidge Sonny King Becca Dent Becca Dent Alice Kay Sue Blocksidge Becca Dent Wayne Ball Andy Whitehouse Debbie Vidler Debbie Vidler Debbie Vidler Becca Dent Caroline Kendall Steve Manzi Sue Blocksidge Sonny King Sue Blocksidge Alice Kay Alice Kay Becca Dent Alice Kay Wayne Ball Sue Blocksidge Sue Blocksidge Wayne Ball Sue Blocksidge Alice Kay Caroline Kendall

07824 356556 07876 217059 07710175278 07917 585838 07825 196 365 07710175278 07825 196 365 07789 982392 07824 356556 07825 196 365 07917 585838 07710175278 07917 585838 07917 585838 01452 318028 07917 585838 07917 585838 07876 217059 0113 2816811 0113 2816811 07825 196 365 07917 585838 0113 2816811 01636 675704 07789 982392 07825 099167 07825 099167 07825 099167 0113 2816811 01452 318028 07710175278 07917 585838 07876 217059 07917 585838 07825 196 365 07825 196 365 0113 2816811 07825 196 365 01636 675704 07917 585838 07917 585838 01636 675704 07917 585838 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

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navvies

diary

Inland Waterways Association and other one-day working parties

Every Tue/Sat IWA West Country Bridgwater & Taunton Canal: Bridgwater area 10am-1:30pm Nov 8 Thu

IWA NSSC/CUCT

Uttoxeter Canal: Work party at Bridge 70, Crumpwood. 10am-3pm

Nov 11 Sun IWA Lincs/SNT Sleaford Navigation: Various work on navigable section Nov 13 Tue IWA BBCW

Staffs & Worcs Canal: Kidderminster. Plastics clearance, Br 17

Nov 15 Thu IWA NSSC/TMCS Trent & Mersey Canal: Cheshire Locks. 10am-3pm. Meet at locks 47 Nov 16 Fri

IWA Lichfield

Lichfield Canal: Monthly work party in Lichfield 10am-1pm

Nov 17 Sat

IWA Chester

Shropshire Union Canal: Chester area, painting & veg clearance. 10am-

Nov 17 Sat

IWA Manchester

Venue T.B.C.: Greater Manchester area. Veg clearance, etc. 10am-

Nov 20 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm Nov 20 Tue IWA Northants Northampton Arm: 10am-2pm. Painting, vegetation & litter Nov 27 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm Nov 27 Tue IWA NSSC/BPT Burslem Arm: Luke St, Middleport, Stoke on Trent. 10am-3pm Every Sat

IWA West Country Bridgwater & Taunton Canal: Taunton area 10am-1:30pm

Dec 2 Sun

IWA Northants Northampton Arm: 10am-2pm. Painting, vegetation & litter

Dec 9 Sun

IWA Lincs/SNT Sleaford Navigation: Various work on navigable section

Dec 11 Tue IWA BBCW

Staffs & Worcs Canal: Kidderminster. Plastics clearance, Br 17

Dec 13 Thu IWA NSSC/CUCT

Uttoxeter Canal: Work party at Bridge 70, Crumpwood. 10am-3pm

Dec 14 Fri

IWA Lichfield

Lichfield Canal: Monthly work party in Lichfield 10am-1pm

Dec 15 Sat

IWA Chester

Shropshire Union Canal: Chester area, painting & veg clearance. 10am-

Dec 15 Sat

IWA Manchester

Venue T.B.C.: Greater Manchester area. Veg clearance, etc. 10am-

Dec 18 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm Dec 18 Tue IWA Northants Northampton Arm: 10am-2pm. Painting, vegetation & litter Dec 20 Thu IWA NSSC/TMCS Trent & Mersey Canal: Cheshire Locks. 10am-3pm. Meet at locks 47

IWA branch abbreviations BBCW = Birmingham, Black Country & Worcestershire; Other abbreviations: BCN = Banbury Canal Partnership BPT = Burslem Port trust; CUCT = Caldon TMCS = 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 28

IWA and partners For WRG, canal societies and CRT working parties see previous pages

Mike Slade

07977-263840

mike.slade@waterways.org.uk

Steve Wood

07976-805858

steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk

Chris or Steve Hayes

01522-689460

workparties@sleafordnavigation.co.uk

David Struckett & 48 4pm

david.struckett@waterways.org.uk

John Lawson

07940-878923

Neil Barnett

neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk

Jason Watts

jason.watts@canalrivertrust.org.uk

4pm

07710-554602

bcpontheoxford@gmail.com

Geoff Wood

geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk

Colin Garnham-Edge

bcpontheoxford@gmail.com

Steve Wood

07976-805858

steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk

Steve Bulgin

07855-794256

stevebulgin@icloud.com geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk

Chris or Steve Hayes

01522-689460

David Struckett

workparties@sleafordnavigation.co.uk david.struckett@waterways.org.uk

Steve Wood

07976-805858

steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk

Neil Barnett

neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk

Jason Watts

jason.watts@canalrivertrust.org.uk

4pm

& 48

secretary@manchester-iwa.co.uk

Colin Garnham-Edge

Geoff Wood

4pm

john.lawson@waterways.org.uk

07710-554602

secretary@manchester-iwa.co.uk

Colin Garnham-Edge

bcpontheoxford@gmail.com

Geoff Wood

geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk

John Lawson

07940-878923

john.lawson@waterways.org.uk

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

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

in pubs.

Please phone to confirm dates and times

SE1 8DP.

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

page 29

focuson Wey & Arun Three years ago the Wey & Arun Canal Trust was just starting work at Gennets The Wey and Arun: moving ahead

Running the canal

The last detailed restoration report on the Wey & Arun Canal was in June 2015. The Wey & Arun Canal Trust’s (WACT) “Three sites strategy” had just been launched. Building work at Compasses Bridge had just started and at Gennets Bridge Lock it was about to start. Since then, Compasses Bridge was opened to boats and cars in October 2016 and the completion of the Gennets Bridge lock structure and tail bridge was celebrated this spring – though the gates won’t be fitted until such time as the canal to the south has been linked to the existing navigable length up from Loxwood.

The second area is the day to day operation of the canal. Progress with re-opening the canal to navigation has meant that WACT has had to take on the challenge of maintaining the waterway to a high standard and also the less exciting but no less essential task of complying with all the rules and legislation that go with running and building a canal.

Not least of these, and familiar to WRG groups, are those required by our insurers before volunteers can work on the canal.

To this end WACT now has two full time staff and there is rarely a day when someone is not working out on the canal or in the office doing vital work. It also means that the Trust can engage the help of corporate groups during the week time. It could be said that WACT has “come of age” and is now a fully professional restoration and navigation organisation.

Funding the restoration

However, before looking in detail at what has and will be been happening on the canal, a brief look at some of the changes in how the Trust is now resourced and run is appropriate. The first area is funding. Thanks to some seriously large and generous legacies (as well as a sound regular income from the membership and boat operations – not to mention the raffle tickets enclosed with this issue of Navvies), WACT is able to plan and take on major projects. The most recently completed of these, Compasses Bridge and Gennets Bridge Lock cost upwards of £750K and £400K respectively – with no public or lottery money.

The Trust is delighted that the generosity of donors has since continued such that further large and medium scale projects (described below) can be contemplated. There is no doubt that success breeds Compasses Bridge in 2016: official opening and first (small) boats success.

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Restoration Feature Bridge Lock and Compasses Bridge. They’re finished - so where’s it going next?

The right tools...

cially) and it is often near or in the flood plain. This all requires specialist inputs, survey work at specific times of the year such that it is reckoned that for a construction project, however large, 80% of the time will be taken in getting the permissions and 20% in the actual building. WACT is continually reviewing how it can make sure that projects are ‘oven ready’ such that when the funds and construction resources are available they can go ahead without delay.

The final aspect of change, closely connected to physical restoration, is equipment. Since 2015, the Trust has added to its portfolio a range of kit that means most tasks can be carried out without delay in response to operational requirements. An example of this is a tracked chipper, needed primarily because of the restrictions now in place on lighting bonfires in many areas and which (using the Trust’s newly acquired plant trailer) can be The Wey & Arun Canal loaded up and transported to It was conceived as part of an inland route from London to any site along the canal at Portsmouth which would avoid the twin dangers to coastal short notice. As well as a range shipping of Napoleon’s forces and the tricky journey around of excavators and dumpers, the the Kent coast, but by the time the Wey & Arun was actually Trust is currently in the process open, better ships and the defeat of Napoleon meant the of buying a floating dredger, coastal journey was much safer. So the canal was never going dumb barges and tug from to be a great success, although for over 50 years it provided Land & Water Services (at a the only inland link from the main waterways network to the generous low price). L & W are south coast - as it will do once again. the principal national waterWhat we call the Wey & Arun was historically two ways dredging firm whose waterways: the Arun Navigation, opened in 1787 which head office happens to be extended north from the tidal River Arun to Newbridge, then conveniently locally based at the Wey & Arun Junction Canal which completed the Albury. It is expected that the through route to Shalford on the Wey in 1816 - totalling 23 fleet will arrive in December miles with 26 locks. ready to start work on the Never very busy or prosperous, the route survived until summit after Christmas. the arrival of railways, after LONDON Grand Union which trade soon declined.

Planning Canal The Wey & Arun River Thames Thames to Junction Canal shut No work can take place on the Oxford in 1871, the Arun Weybridge canal until the necessary land River Navigation in 1892.

Basingstoke owner and planning permisWey Canal sions have been secured. On Guildford The Wey & Arun land ownership, the approach Canal Society (now is to either buy the canal (an Godalming Wey & Arun Trust) was formed increasing trend) or to secure Canal in 1970 and since long leases. Both take much then has worked negotiation and therefore time.

River Rother at many sites all On planning, not being a navialong the route, River Arun (tidal) gation authority for the purrestoring poses of the planning acts, Chichester Arundel locks and nearly all new structures rePortsmouth bridges, quire planning permission.

Portsmouth & creating new Being an old canal there are Arundel Canal structures and often protected species nearby See over for a detailed map reinstating lengths of canal.

(Great Crested Newts espe-

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page 32

fencing off the canal and establishing a proper towpath will have started this year on So to the work on the canal itself. Working the WRG/NWPG October Camp. [We hope to this time from north to south we start in publish a camp report in the next issue] Bramley on the section that links into the Further south, the Trust has designs River Wey. As has been mentioned before, and permissions well advanced at Rushetts this is the most difficult section of the whole Farm Bridge ready to submit for planning canal to rebuild (there is no canal!) and also permission in the near future. This is a site the most important as it is the only link to that BITM have carried out clearance on in the national network. In 2015 it was rethe past. Who is to build it has yet to be ported in this very same magazine that it was decided as current volunteer resources are intended to have the planning application for fully committed.

Phase 1 submitted in 2016. The complexities Space prevents detailed comment on of flood modelling, land ownership and the the Whipley Manor skew rail bridge crossing requirements of statutory agencies such as where the Trust now has an interest and we the Environment Agency and Natural Engmove on to Elmbridge. Here a B class road land have all contributed to delays such that crosses the canal on the level and crosses the intention now is for the application to be what was the canal at a pinch point on the submitted to Guildford Borough Council road network. A solution has to be found (GBC) by the end of this year. A planning and funded which deals with the traffic issues consultant has been appointed who is now and gives us a canal. The road funding will pulling together all the various documents come from Section 106 planning agreement needed for the application which includes a funds from developments in nearby full Environmental Statement. The applicaCranleigh – WACT will have to fund the tion will cover the construction of about 1km remainder. It is all very complex but suffice of new waterway, part canal, part in the river to say that the Trust is working hard with all (Cranleigh Waters) as far as Gosden Aqueparties to ensure that the opportunity to duct – a heritage structure that still exists. provide for a road crossing of the canal is The work will involve new lengths of canal; not missed. a lock; a small turning basin and a substantial weir with fish pass to deal with rapid flooding that has occurred after major storms (as in 2013). Two separate planning applications - one for a small visitor centre and board walk; the other to widen a channel from the River Wey to the A281 - are currently with GBC and are delayed pending further ecological and flood work. WACT’s hope is that all three applications will be approved in 2019 so that fund raising and detailed work planning can commence. Apart from the visitor centre, volunteer input here will be limited in the short term.

South of Bramley things are beginning to come alive. At Birtley, the canal reappears and the Trust is in the process of negotiation with the landowners. Initially the plan is to create an amenity footpath network along the ‘to be improved’ towpath and back onto the Downslink Footpath/Cycleway which runs close to the canal here. As part of this, and to provide for navigation, two lift bridges are required. Designs are being worked up to be submitted for planning permission with the desire that work on the southernmost bridge can be carried out by NWPG and WRG Trying out the new slipway on a London WRG dig Camps in 2019. All being well, work on

On the ground: north to south

page 33

On to the summit which has been the area of much recent Trust activity. The first obstacle to navigation after Elmbridge is the A281 crossing at Fast Bridge. The Waverley Local Plan and a recently approved planning application propose up to 2400 houses on the Dunsfold Airfield (home to BBC Top Gear etc). The application is currently pending a hearing in the High Court but if eventually approved will provide for a small boat basin, a towpath along the north bank through to Tickners Heath and a cleared canal channel, the latter as a critical part of the surface water drainage scheme for the development.

It will also facilitate the medium term provision of a new bridge over the canal on the A281 but will not actually provide one as access into the development will be over a new bridge further south. It is however good news for the Trust, though WACT have maintained a neutral stance given the strong local opposition to the scheme.

The new dredging fleet has been mentioned. Its first task will be to cut a channel south from Compasses Bridge (the only place it can be launched) to the new slipway and wharf where the barges will be unloaded. It will then return north, widening the channel enough for the Trust to be able to host the IWA Trailboat Festival in the near future! The slipway and wharf was an entirely volunteer project generously funded by the Thriscutt Family and took 13 months to build from scratch (excluding Adam ‘Digger’ Morris’s

Support the Wey & Arun... ...by working on it. We’ll be holding more canal camps on the Wey & Arun in coming years, plus the London WRG and NWPG regional groups are regular weekend visitors. See our Navvies Diary for details. ...by buying and selling raffle tickets.

Enclosed with this issue are tickets for the Wey & Arun Canal Trust’s annual raffle. Please give generously!

access road built in 2016). It now provides access to the canal for boats large and small and will come fully into its own when and if the airfield is opened up with housing.

At the southern end of the summit level is the Tickners Heath crossing. Here a C class road crosses the canal at just above water level, on the skew and close to dwellings.

Putting an overbridge here would be very difficult, if not impossible. WACT Engineer Tony Ford has come up with an ingenious solution. The proposal is to divert the canal about 100m further back from the current crossing and to take the canal under the road at a point where the road level needs to be raised by no more than 1 metre. In a second phase the canal will be excavated along a new line under a second bridge that gives access to dwellings and the Forestry Enterprise Car Park before returning back onto the original canal line south of the old road crossing. The project is designed and the planning application is about to be submitted. More details of the project will be provided in future editions of Navvies but like at Compasses, there will be a mix of contractor and volunteer input – with the latter likely to be very Tickners: a canal diversion with new bridges will bypass this road blockage significant –

page 34

please note visiting groups/ canal camp after the flooding season as this is a section planners! The really good news is that of the River Arun valley that is regularly through the aforementioned legacies, the under water in the winter months. project is fully funded (c £750,000!).

The very southern end of the W & A Heading south the canal passes though has not been forgotten either. At Pallingham, Sidney Wood (a Site of Special Scientific close to where the canal locks down into the Interest) after which there are 8 locks still to Arun, the Midweek Group have been mainbuild before reaching Gennets Bridge Lock taining a section north (cleared two years where the Trust’s Eric Walker Group (EWG) ago) as well as starting to clear the interestcompleted an entirely new lock and tail ing small basin known as Pallingham Dock. bridge in April this year. It also marked the Most of the accommodation bridges in this retirement of Eric Walker (MBE) having spent area were re-built in the 1970s & 1980s so 35 years masterminding the restoration of that once land owner permission is obtained the whole section of now operational canal (and the Trust programmes a move here) from Drungewick through to Southlands – a there is only one bridge to build at Lee Farm total of six locks (seven with Gennets between the Orfold Aqueduct and Bridge), four bridges and an aqueduct – Pallingham. quite a CV! South of Gennets Bridge, clearTo sum up, whilst there remain many ance is currently taking place but even with significant obstacles to overcome, WACT can this there will still be short section where demonstrate that it now has the skills and landowner permission yet has to be negotifunding to progress major restoration ated before the two parts can be linked. projects on the canal. It would be nice to At the restored Drungewick Lock, think that the project is reaching the point movement in the offside chamber wall durwhere it is not “if” but “when” the canal will ing the summer has necessitated its closure be completed. Experience on the Kennet & on safety grounds pending a solution to Avon and elsewhere is that once restoration secure its structure. Being very inaccessible, becomes inevitable the pace of work inthe works are likely to be expensive and the creases significantly. One thing is certain, Trust is currently looking to solutions that and that is that the need for volunteers to keep the costs as low as possible. The prob- assist in all aspects of the work is already lems here do however show that restoration increasing. There are likely to be projects, of a canal is only the start and to keep it such as Rushetts Bridge, that have the permaintained is another matter. Maintenance is missions; are funded but can’t progress also high on the agenda on the navigable without the volunteer teams to lead and Loxwood section. NWPG held its summer execute them. WRG teams have been and camp here (reported last Navvies) and WRG can continue to play their part in this develForestry will be spending a week cutting oping success story! down trees (mainly ash with “dieback”) in Bill Nicholson their October Camp. Many other works using the Trust’s volunteers and rangers are and have been carried out that is bringing this vital showpiece length of canal fully up to scratch.

Jumping on to the Arun Valley, the next proposed and significant project is the re-building of Harsfold Bridge on the Arun Canal. Some WRGies will recall that the next bridge down, Haybarn Swing Bridge, was the subject of a Dig Deep project in the early noughties. Harsfold is to be a fixed overbridge and has been designed to take modern farm machinery as well as horses, being a bridleway.

Planning permission has been given and it is hoped that the EWG can start work on site in early 2019 – perhaps Opening of Haybarn Swingbridge in 2005

page 35

safety Working at height Falls are one of the most common causes nationally of serious workplace accidents. But there are ways we can reduce the risk on our worksites...

Working at height 1 Falls from height are one of the biggest causes of workplace fatalities and major injuries. Common causes are falls from ladders and through fragile roofs. But in WRG we don’t generally work from ladders or on fragile roofs - so is it an issue for us?

The answer is ‘yes it is’. Work at height means in any place where, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. It doesn’t have to mean that you are working above ground, a fall could take place into a hole or opening in the ground.

The partially restored lock chamber (picture 1) has the obvious drop from the coping into the lock chamber and from the It’s not just the obvious drop into the chamber top cill into the chamber, but the lockside area, which is partially rebuilt, also has many changes in level and openings that are potential ‘work at height’ areas.

During the rebuilding of the towpath wall (picture 2), the work takes place from the bed of the canal, but the bricks are stored on the towpath. When the wall is rebuilt and the towpath is reinstated, there is a potential drop into the dry bed of the canal.

Archaeological work (picture 3) to uncover canal buildings may have areas where working at height is an issue due to the nature of the open excavations.

Before working at height you need to work through this simple hierarchy:

.

Avoid work at height where it is practicable to do so.

Where work at height cannot be avoided, prevent falls using either an existing place of work that is already safe or the right type of equipment, such as scaffolding in a lock chamber (picture 4).

Minimise the distance and consequences of a fall, by using the right type of equipment where the risk cannot be eliminated, this may be the use of fall arrest bags (picture 5), but be aware of their limitations.

2

.

.

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Once the towpath is rebuilt, there is a potential drop into the bed

Take a sensible approach when considering precautions for work at height. There may be some low-risk situations where common sense tells you no particular precautions are necessary. You should:

3

.

Do as much work as possible from the ground, which may involve using extendable tools Ensure volunteers can get safely to and from where they work at height, protect opening with edge protection or cover up Ensure equipment is suitable, stable and strong enough Archaeological work involves open excavations for the job, maintained and checked regularly, 4 ensure scaffolding is correctly installed and checked Make sure you don’t overload or overreach when working at height, don’t lean out over protective edge protection Take precautions when working on or near fragile surfaces, use duck boards to spread the load Provide protection from falling objects, keep loose tools away from an exposed edge or use toe Use the right equipment, such as scaffolding in a lock chamber boards Consider your 5 emergency evacuation and rescue procedures, how will a rescue be effected if necessary.

. .

. . . .

Volunteers have a general duty to take care of themselves and others who may be affected by their actions and to co-operate and use equipment provided for their safety.

Volunteers should:

. .

Report any safety hazard they identify Use the equipment and safety devices supplied them properly, in accordance with any training and instructions.

Mikk Bradley

Consider fall arrest bags where risk cannot be eliminated

page 37

safety Hand-arm vibration Hand-Arm Vibration

Examples of Vibration Magnitudes

Hand-Arm Vibration is vibration transmitted into hands and arms when using handheld power work equipment (for example breakers) or work pieces which vibrate, such as pedestal grinders and bench saws.

It can cause Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), which affects nerves, blood vessels, muscles and joints of the hand, wrist and arm. It can become severely disabling if ignored and includes vibration white finger. The symptoms are: tingling and numbness in fingers, which can result in an inability to do fine work (assembling small components) or everyday tasks (fastening buttons), loss of strength in the hands, fingers going white and becoming red and painful on recovery reducing ability to work in cold or damp conditions. Once contracted there is no cure.

It can also cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), which is a nerve disorder and may involve pain, tingling, numbness and weakness of the hand and can interfere with work and everyday tasks and might affect the ability to do work safely.

Control of Vibration at Work regulation 2005 (the Vibration Regulations) is the regulation which makes sure that risks from vibration are controlled. It requires that employers provide information, instruction and training to employees.

The regulations include an Exposure Action Limit (EAL) of 2.5m/s²A(8) at which control measures are required. The meaning of ‘2.5m/s² A(8)’ is a measure of the vibration over an eight hour period. It is the equivalent of using a tool with a vibration emission magnitude of 2.5m/s² for eight hours in a day. If the EAL is exceeded the employer is required to provide health surveillance.

The regulations also set an Exposure Limit Value (ELV) of 5.0m/s² A(8), which must not be exceeded.

Manufacturers and suppliers are required by the regulations to provide information in equipment guide books and to list the vibration emissions of their equipment.

The intention of the regulations is to prevent disability by reducing the risk to the lowest level reasonable.

The table below gives vibration emissions measured by the HSE on equipment in use at work:

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Road breakers (Typical) 12m/s² Road breakers (Modern tool designs, good operating conditions, trained users) 5m/s² Road breakers (Worst tools and operating conditions) 20m/s² Demolition hammers (Modern tools) 8m/s² Demolition hammers (Typical) 15m/s² Demolition hammers (Worst tools) 25m/s² Hammer drills (Typical) 9 m/s² Hammer drills (Worst tools and operating conditions) 25m/s² Needle scalers (Modern designs) 5-7m/s² Needle scalers (Older designs) 10-25m/s² Scabblers (hammer type) 20-40 m/s² Angle grinders (large, modern vibration reduced designs 4m/s² Angle grinders (large, other types) 8m/s² Angle grinders (small) 2-6m/s² Clay spades / jigger picks 16m/s² Chipping hammers (Typical) 18m/s² Chipping hammers (Modern designs) 10m/s² Pneumatic stone working hammers (Vibration reduced, shrouded chisels) 8-12m/s² Pneumatic stone working hammers (Older tools, contaminated chisels) 30m/s² Chainsaws (Typical) 6m/s² Brushcutters (Typical) 4m/s² Brushcutters (Best) 2m/s² Sanders (random orbital, typical) 7-10m/s²

Daily vibration exposure level A(8) A person’s daily vibration exposure is the average vibration spread over the working day of eight hours.

Now you might expect that if you use a tool with double the vibration magnitude, then you will halve the length of time that you can be exposed to it before you hit the limit. But in fact, as you’ll see from the next table, it’s actually much worse than that.

Doubling the magnitude quarters the time you can use it for.

The table gives a range of vibration magnitudes, together with the corresponding exposure times, which would result in exposures at the EAL (2.5 m/s² A(8)) and the ELV (5 m/s² A(8)).

Vibration magnitude 2.5 3.5 5 7 10 14 20

Time to reach EAL 8 hours 4 hours 2 hours 1 hour 1/2 hour 1/4 hour 8 minutes

Time to reach ELV >24 hours 16 hours 8 hours 4 hours 2 hours 1 hour 1/2 hour

The ready reckoner below expresses the combination of vibration magnitude and exposure time in exposure points instead of values in m/s² A(8). To use the ready reckoner, find the level of the vibration magnitude on the left, find the exposure time across the bottom of the table find the value in the table that corresponds with the magnitude and time.

Exposure points can be added together, for example when a worker is exposed to two or more tools. The EAL (2.5m/s² A(8)) is equal to 100 points. The ELV (5.0m/s² A(8)) is equal to 400 points.

For further information see www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg175.htm

Managing risk The basic methods for reducing vibration exposure and risk are:

.

Eliminate the use of vibrating tools or equipment by introducing mechanisation or alternative, vibration-free processes Reduce vibration exposures by modifying the existing process Replace power tools with suitable modern, efficient, ergonomic, vibration-reduced types through an effective purchasing policy Select appropriate consumables (eg better-balanced and fitted grinding wheels) and replace them when required Provide employees with training, information and instruction on safe use of tools and equipment and ensure adequate supervision Carry out maintenance of tools and equipment and replace consumables, as recommended by the manufacturers Minimise the forces needed to operate and control the tools (eg with tensioners, balancers, jigs, fixtures) Reduce the exposure time, eg through job rotation.

. . . . . . .

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letters to the editor Dear Martin Ebridge Spillway - North Walsham & Dilham Canal It’s now a year since we had the pleasure of two Canal Camps on the NW&DC, removing the original rendering, placed there by the War Department in 1941 as part of Norfolk’s Defence Line Number 1. This was followed by levelling, then replacing the rendering with a few thousand bricks. By the end of the fortnight, a good start had been made, and over the next few weeks the Trust’s own workforce completed the job [see picture].

A year on the spillway has been tested on several occasions - especially when we had an inch of rain in an hour, and it has ‘done the job’ on every occasion. The water level is now more consistent, and this enables the Trust to run their trip boats along the reach. Nature has also covered all the new brickwork in various shades of green, so it now blends into the landscape. We are very grateful to all the WRGies, who came to our Canal, including the French lady, who came to Norfolk to improve her English! We look forward to further Canal Camps as our work on the Lock progresses. Meanwhile, volun-

teers are always welcome to our North Norfolk Canal.

Ivan Cane Chair, North Walsham & Dilham Canal Trust Martin In reply to Mr. Mac’s letter about the trip to the Aba Daba Music Hall event: I Remember going to this event, and I think I was given a lift down south by John Palmer Junior. We stayed with a WRGie in Bedford but I am at a loss as to his name. I remember Dave Evans being there and I think Ian Mac as well.

There was a large WRG contingent, in fact I’m not sure if we didn’t book the event out as a private function.

Cosmotheca were a duo who specialised in comedy music hall and folk type performances. The venue was a large back room in the pub that was used for music etc.

Much beer was consumed and I think I was taken back to Bedford for the night in somebody’s MG BGT. This was back in the days of WRG parties like the much vaunted Cold Hole parties in Manchester when the October get

The restored Ebridge spillway doing its job during the Trust’s open days: see Ivan Cane’s letter

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together was a night of beer and food, not to forget the odd police visit.

Chris Kelly Martin Re Mr Mac’s letter in the last issue of Navvies.

This bought back memories for me, I could recall Tess and me going to the event, but also thought that there may have been a second occasion.

And so I went trawling through some very early back issues of Navvies and found mentions of two dates; one for July 1982 (as per Mr Mac’s invite) and a second that was detailed in the September/October 1985 issue of Navvies. As far as I can recall they were just a ‘Social’ evening for all navvies and weren’t used as a fund raiser – although I may be wrong in that!

The Pindar of Wakefield is now called The Water Rats. During its time as the Pindar of Wakefield several well-known groups played there (Mr Mac, you’ll be familiar with them all!). The likes of Bob Dylan, The Pogues and Oasis.

And, apparently ‘Pindar’ was a Greek poet who lived around 500BC – why that connects with Wakefield or the pub I’ve no idea.

Lots of thanks to Mr Google etc!!

John Hawkins Hi Martin Re: Mr Mac’s letter in Navvies 290 In the middle ages, a Pindar [or Pinder] was someone who rounded up stray animals until their owners collected them. A sort-of medieval law enforcer. The Pindar kept the strays in a pinderfield, and fined the owners when they came to collect. The Pindar of Wakefield appears in the Robin Hood stories, but other places had them too.

Best wishes Christine Johnstone [of Wakefield, where local hospital is Pinderfields Hospital]

started Apr / Jun 1985 but Navvies 82, Mar 1982 notes John as WRG Print!

Sue Watts Navvies Subs Dear Martin So this summer’s canal camps have now finished. We all enjoyed doing lots of useful work and gaining new skills, and the ‘banter’ with our fellow WRGies. However I found that some of the banter became a bit too personal, and I didn’t find it either amusing or friendly and it appeared to criticise without being specific.

I don’t think I am over-sensitive, nor have I lost my sense of humour; I did however find being the butt of someone else’s humour detracted from my enjoyment of the week. If a person isn’t laughing at ‘banter’ directed towards them then it clearly isn’t funny. Time to stop that particular bit of ‘banter’.

Regards Name and address supplied Dear Martin May I, through the columns of your ‘Navvies’ magazine, express the thanks of the Wendover Arm Trust to all the Navvies that have supported the Grand Draw this year. It is very noticeable, that from the addresses that appeared on the counterfoils, how wide spread the members of the Waterway Recovery Group are. Power to their shovels ! and all their other pieces of equipment. A big thank you...

There must be some navvies that have won this year, as every year. All the winners are given on the prize list of the WAT website www.wendoverarmtrust.co.uk. If anyone knows of T. Smith with an 01923 telephone number the tell him/her they have won the second prize. No bouncy cheques this year. Hope their subs are the same!

Yours sincerely Michael Wright Grand Draw Promoter 2018

PS Amazing how many correspondents are armchair supporters [like me!]. Personally I strongly support a diverse range of camp reports because you’ve got a diverse range of Dear Martin, active and armchair supporters, plus it makes The ‘Magnificent Seven’ camp report on page 12 of issue 290 of Navvies sums up my letter you stand out from the crowd. in the same issue completely. Brilliant! Worth the annual subscription and donation comHi Martin pletely. Thank you David Evans, one to Re Mr Mac’s article in issue 290 on p42. The frame on the wall. accolade of ‘longest serving member of the Sincerely dedicated Navvies team’ should be awarded Derek Horsnell to John Hawkins. Mr Mac is right that I

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Progress... or lack of it...

Our ‘progress’ begins with the Wendover Arm Trust carrying on re-lining but waiting for CRT, while the Stover have suffered a major setback...

Grand Union Wendover Arm

Pictures by WAT

July and August Working Parties: Wendover Arm Trust continued work on bank lining with Bentomat waterproof bentonite material and the hollow concrete blocking at the base of the bank, and progress as at the end of the August working party can be seen in the picture (right). At the August working party the foundations of the former Bridge 4 swing bridge were exposed and recorded and the excavations backfilled for safety as pictured (below right). What it confirmed to us is that there is no possibility of retaining these crumbling walls in a watertight canal. It had been hoped that WRG BITM could have removed these walls during their visit but CRT seem to have the unrealistic impression that they can be retained and have not yet given WAT the all clear to remove them.

Progress on the channel lining All being well this will mean that the October working party onwards will concentrate on back filling both banks with spoil and completing lining of the bed; at which point, Stage 3 will be nearly complete before winter (apart from the long awaited works

by CRT at Whitehouses, after which WAT will complete the towpath side lining).

Reed clearance: We have now heard that CRT plan to clear the aquatic vegetation in the canal between the sump at Drayton Beauchamp and the old A41 Bridge this Autumn.

Let us hope it does not fall The original Bridge 4 abutments are just visible behind schedule as it did last year. I was very interested to read in a waterway magazine that CRT were being chided over lack of clearing a vital feeder stream elsewhere in the country so we are not the only neglected ones!

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

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Stover Canal The Trustees of the Stover Canal are having to re-schedule work to restore the Ventiford Basin following an unsuccessful bid for Heritage Lottery Funding.

Chairman John Pike said, “Unfortunately, our application for Heritage Lottery funding for the Ventiford Basin project was unsuccessful. Despite the support shown by users of the towpath and on Facebook, our efforts to engage with the community by way of the guided tours this summer were deemed insufficient in comparison with other causes. This is disappointing, especially as Roger Harding and John Ellis are still receiving many requests for talks on the canal and its origins to local groups. We are also attending more one-day shows and summer fairs this year. However, our attempts to engage younger people in schools and colleges have proved difficult and perhaps this aspect of our engagement worked against us.”

The Management Committee is now preparing a revised workplan for the Ventiford works to see that the project does not falter and is also pursuing other sources of funding to see our vision of a restored and rewatered terminal basin and interchange with the Hay Tor Granite Tramway come to fruition.

Buckingham Canal

Martin Ludgate

Work continues apace on Buckingham Canal Society’s project to rebuild Bridge 1 at Cosgrove (the first obstruction on the canal, at the far end of the short length used for moorings off the Grand Union Main Line). Following a change of plan from the original idea of rebuilding it as an arched bridge, it is now to involve a modern deck made of steel beams supported by brick and concrete plinths built on top of the surviving stone abutments.

Following a WRG BITM weekend working on the concrete bases for these plinths, London WRG completed the brickwork for one of them and began work on the other, laying 1260 bricks in a single weekend. BCS’s volunteers then completed the second plinth, and the steel deck beams which will be supported on these plinths have now arrived and are being painted.

One Bridge 1 is reinstated it will be possible to restore and reopen the canal as far as the A5, the first major obstruction on the route just before Old Stratford. For the longer term, BCS is already working-up plans for a lengthy diversion around Old Stratford, involving building new locks to lower the canal so that it can run alongside the Great Ouse, passing under the existing viaduct which carries the A5 over the river, before returning to the original route to the west of Laying the brick plinth that will support the Cosgrove Bridge deck beams Old Stratford.

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navvies

News

Navvies 290: an issue of two firsts and so spent the time sticking the address and possibly a missing page 12! labels onto the envelopes. Second email sent

out confirming the date.

Trials and tribulations at Navvies production.

I arrived at the Canal Museum as usual John Hawkins of WRG Print takes up the tale... about 7pm and let myself in and got on with the stuffing.

As Mike eluded to in his Chairman’s piece in Now for the ‘second’ of the Firsts: I issue 290, time was pressing and I was still was the only person in attendance for about waiting for the files to be received. the hour or so when Martin L arrived!

Bear in mind that ‘press date’ is alleged If anybody has received a copy without to be the beginning of the ‘odd month’ to page 12 etc then please contact me or Alex give a publication date around the middle of for another copy. If you contact me then the ‘even month’. please also give your address because I don’t I had already purchased the paper (with hold that database. some spare, just in case!).

Also if anybody feels that they would Editor Martin then received Mike’s ‘50 like to help with Navvies stuffing then please minute’ article which was electronically sent contact me. The complete operation is much to Jenni at platemakers DPD who transferred easier and quicker these days, but just as all the copy onto the master plates in her boring when you’re on your own! usual efficient way.

Many thanks Now I could start the Navvies producJohn Hawkins tion. Ink the rollers, adjust water and ink controls, adjust the air and vacuum and all Blast from the past should be ready to go. Put in a stack of paper and press ‘go’. Check the copy as it Remember the 1990s? What about the comes through the press, and all looked to 1960s? Well Laurie Gibney remembers both be OK. having been a volunteer in the early days (he But I then realised that all was not well. was at two of the digs mentioned in Navvies I tried all of my usual ‘tricks’, including trying Notebook issue 1!), and having shot a video at a River Avon Clean Up in 1992 that some to contact my man who does the machine repairs – but he was unavailable. readers may remember.

Because of time constraints (amongst Laurie will be showing this 58 minute other things I was due to go on a Canal video of the IWA Avon & Wilts / WRG BITM Camp soon after) I decided to continue. event starring the then leader of BITM, George Stephenson being interviewed by Having used four of the ten plates (two double page spreads to each plate) I then HTV’s Frances Donovan, plus Mitch Gozna in established the ‘first’ of the Firsts – a proban inflatable boat and numerous other lem that I had never come across before with WRGies in rowing boats, nb Petal dispensing all my years of WRG Print. By now I had refreshments, BW dredger Chew Valley loaded used nearly all of my spare paper and so from the small boats and unloaded into skips at Weston Lock by a chain gang. It will be carried on with the printing.

Printing and guillotining completed, shown on Thursday December 13th 2018 at now for the collating. I was then aware that 7.30pm, in The Community Room, Wickhouse sometimes one sheet wasn’t feeding correctly Close, Saltford BS31 3BZ. All welcome.

– not a ‘first’ this time. Sometimes I can feel if a sheet is missing as I put the collated sets Health & Safety Workshop through the other machinery – but not always.

As usual I had arranged for a possible The Canal & River Trust and The Inland ‘stuffing’ date at the London Canal Museum Waterways Association are holding a joint and sent the necessary emails. Several folks canal restoration Health & Safety workshop replied to say that they couldn’t make that at CRT’s Hatton offices on Friday 16th Nodate. Luckily, as things turned out, I had to vember 2018.

The aim of the day is to highlight the cancel something that I had planned to do

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importance of good project planning and site management to ensure the highest standard of good health and safety on canal restoration sites.

It will consist of two workshop sessions: the morning one facilitated by Mike Palmer and Mikk Bradley will deal wth Project Planning: the importance of being well prepared and getting plans down in writing for Health and Safety and efficient working. The afternoon session with Martin Teague of CRT will cover Site set up / site management: making sure sites are safe, efficient, productive and considerate of neighbours.

Places are limited. For details contact alex.melson@waterways.org.uk.

Congratulations... ...to Melanie and George ‘Bungle’ Eycott on the arrival of Ben Richard Eycott on 10 September, weighing 9lb 5oz. ...and to Jo and Bobby Silverwood on the arrival of Cerys Elizabeth Silverwood on 23 August, weighing 2lb 6oz.

Motorising a flea?

The Cotswold Canals Trust Western Depot Volunteer workforce includes a team of people who have recently been exercising their combined skills of acquiring, restoring and operating a range of workboats to very good effect. The results of their expertise can already be seen afloat and at work on the Stroudwater Navigation and Thames and Severn Canal.

One such small workboat carries the name Flea. Long ago this name was written on its hull in welded letters by previous owner British Waterways. The welded word means that the name shall remain!

One slight problem: The little boat was discovered by the Western Depot boat team under the water in a canal arm at Etruria, near Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire.

Undaunted, the Boat Acquisition Team applied some positive thinking — and a crane! Having lifted the boat out of the water and ascertained the repairability of impact damage to the vessel’s stern end that had long ago led to Flea’s sinking in Staffordshire; the workboat was delivered to RW Davis Ship and Boatyard at Saul Junction.

Once over-plating, painting and the

refit is completed Flea will be used by the SDC Tuesday & Thursday Volunteers as a bank maintenance craft above Wallbridge and beyond. Flea’s shallow draft, wide workspace and steel cabin make it an ideal vessel for bankside maintenance and the movement of restoration tools, equipment and volunteers along the canal.

There is just one more thing though; Flea will need an outboard motor to push her along! CCT would welcome any 9hp long reach outboard that might be cluttering up anyone’s outhouse, garage or shed. If you have one, please contact Ian Moody on ian.moody@stroud.gov.uk or leave a message on 01453 754646. Thanks!

Ian will arrange collection and suggests there may be a place for the motor donor on board Flea’s inaugural cruise!

Lonely soles column Three pairs of Steel toecap boots are after some love. Size 11, 10 and 8 are looking for similar sized feet for long lasting relationships. All ages and genders considered.

Prostheses welcomed, but those with two left feet need not reply.

Good at keeping feet firm and holding legs up. Would love to be involved in canal restoration; and any other similar hobbies.

Asking for some occasional TLC to increase life and quality of relationship. Regular clean socks would be appreciated.

Size 11 has had one previous owner, but has been dumped for newer model.

Scrubs up well and has a lot of life to give.

Size 10 and 8 have both been sat on the shelf, never been worn, now searching for their first loves. All three are currently residing with Bristol Emma who has the wrong sized feet. Will be able to attend Reunion (and potentially travel by WRG post) but may also be able to arrange earlier or direct rendezvous if right (and left) feet found.

Please respond to Emma on 07739038688 with name, location and last canal worked or boated on. Eagerly waiting to hear from some lonely soles.

“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”

Lost property...

Nokia phone found in WRG van during summer camps: contact bungle@wrg.org.uk if you think it might be yours.

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infill including Dear Deirdre Dear Deirdre I made the mistake of admitting to chilblains on a recent dig, and I’ve since been inundated with alarming folk remedies from well-meaning WRGies. One person recommended rubbing your feet with surgical spirit “to harden them up”, two of them swear by applying a poultice of raw onions overnight, and one guy recommended doing something with a dead shrew in the moonlight that I think might actually be witchcraft. Have you any ideas for how I can politely decline their terrible advice? Also - do you know any sensible ways to deal with chilblains?

- ML, St Anton-on-Erewash

Deirdre writes Chilblains are a terrible curse. There’s only one way to effectively deal with them and that’s to move to a much warmer climate. If that’s not an option for you, wear plenty of dry layers on site and don’t reheat too quickly after getting in from the cold. And don’t worry about tiptoeing around the feelings of your fellow volunteers. Anyone that recommends onion poultices to another human being doesn’t deserve to have their feelings respected.

Dear Deirdre There’s a canal restoration worksite I’m very passionate about but it’s in some kind of weird local microclimate that’s always freezing cold and exposed to howling winds. We’ve got a dig planned there for February and I’m already dreading it. Have you any advice on how I can survive?

- CT, Clinton Spa

Deirdre writes By some odd quirk, many of the most interesting sites we work on tend to be particularly cursed with their own evil microclimate. Luckily you’ll be there right after Christmas, so my advice is to ask for some top-of-the-range thermals from your nearest and dearest. Serious arctic explorers swear by a merino/polyester mix. They’re bastard expensive but worth every penny when the wind’s biting on site.

Do you have a question for Deirdre? Just email it to the editor and we’ll get her reply

A souper recipe...

As you’ll see from the camp report on page 8, Swansea canal camp cook Bev Williams cooked a soup that was so popular that several people asked for the recipe. So here it is...

Pea and Mascarpone Soup This is a very easy soup, made from frozen peas and makes a gorgeous starter. Serve with crusty bread and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

400ml chicken or vegetable stock 275g frozen peas 4 tablespoons of mascarpone cheese 2 tablespoons chopped basil Sea salt and freshly ground pepper Method 1.

Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes until it’s softened but not coloured. Add the stock and as soon as it is boiling, add the peas. Return to the boil and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in the mascarpone, basil and season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients 1 tablespoon Olive Oil 1 small onion, chopped

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2.

Blitz the soup through a food processor or blender or using a hand blender until smooth.

Serve with chunky bread.

outro Inglesham

Following another successful camps season on the lock that forms the eastern gateway to the Cotswold Canals, mobile group KESCRG held a final weekend there. Now there’s just a little finishing-off for 2019 and it’s all done!

Pictures by Stephen Davis

Last four courses on the final section of chamber wall

finale

Top cill concrete pour: reinforcing ready...

Concrete being vibrated in... All done!

Nigel contemplates the Site all packed up twisty wall challenge ready for winter

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