Navvies 294

navvies volunteers restoring waterways

East Midands focus: Derby & Sandiacre Chesterfield Cromford This summer’s plans for the

Wey & Arun

...and how to use a mixer safely issue 294 april-may 2 0 1 9

Intro W&A prep This rather attractive length of the Wey & Arun Canal and towpath is the subject of three weeks of camps this summer - see page 6.

In preparation, London WRG visited for a weekend in March...

Creating a site access track and materials unloading area...

...with a little gentle persuasion needed at times...

Pictures by Martin Ludgate

Putting in a ...and planting trees towpath to make up for the access gate... ones they cut down

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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, Nigel Lee, Jude Palmer, Mike Palmer, George Rogers, Jonathan Smith, Harry Watts.

ISSN: 0953-6655

Š 2019 WRG

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

Contents Chairman Mike Palmer on Waterways in Progress and what it means 4-5 Camps preview Three weeks construction for a swingbridge on the Wey & Arun 6-9 East Midlands restoration focus looking at Cromford, Derby and Chesterfield 10-13 Camp report WRG NorthWest mini-camp on the Lancaster 14-16 WRG NorthWest on the MB&B 17 Diary WRG, IWA, CRT, canal societies 18-23 Progress roundup 24-28 Mixers how to use them safely 39-31 News what shall we do for our 50th?

32 Infill health & safe-tea!

38

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 294: 1 May.

Subscriptions A year's subscription (6 issues) is available for a minimum of ÂŁ3.00 (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: One of several motorbikes hauled out of the Dudley No 2 Canal during the BCN Clean Up - report in the next issue (photo: Martin Ludgate). Back cover: Kescrg volunteers preparing the upper stop plank cill area and casting the concrete cill as part of finishing touches at Inglesham Lock. They will be back to finish it off on 24-27 May (Stephen Davis)

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chairman’s Comment “The key message is that although waterway restoration is a fairly long-term game, it delivers benefits from day one” Chairman’s Comment It is true that ‘tradition’ in WRG has always been a fairly flexible concept: we use it to our advantage most of the time, but sometimes we tend to go a bit pragmatic and realise that some other imperative might have to override such things.

So traditionally the Chairman’s ramblings at this time of the year would focus on just how swimmingly things are going: just how super all the Camps are looking for the summer, how the trowels have been polished and how the ashtrays in the vans will be super clean. All that sort of practical stuff.

But this time there needs to be a slightly different subject, simply because if I don’t tell the readers of Navvies about some of the stuff going on in the wider restorosphere then you might not hear about them at all. And while I know that the very finest evening village hall discussions are always based around whether Rockages’ ‘Old Stuffer’ is a finer pint than Bingles’ ‘Wild Rover’ I have noticed that occasionally such discussions get onto politics and the like.

However first to just clear up any cynical thoughts – this is not an attempt to distract or hide from the practical bits. Things ARE all looking good for the summer, preparations are ongoing and there is nothing to suggest that it won’t be the usual year of camps, vans, mud, trailers and, most importantly, laughter.

But what is this ‘off-site’ activity that I am alluding to? Well it’s been a bit of a slow gestation, but the new Inland Waterways Association report Waterways in Progress has finally been launched. Now I’m not going to go through the whole of this report here as (a) you can do that on IWA’s website and (b) I’m pretty sure that you are all on board with its key message anyway.

Which is that although waterway restoration is a fairly long-term game, it delivers benefits from day one.

This is nothing new to all of you who have rebuilt our networks infrastructure and had it adopted by people straight away. All those walkers enjoying a towpath, or businesses setting up cafés and creating jobs. All those volunteers gaining skills and a purpose in life.

All those people who gain a reinvigorated sense of space and place, who can use a waterway to come together.

So the words of this report are very simple – just a page or so of text. The real power of this report is the dozen case studies that show really powerfully just how waterway restoration can provide benefits to all from day one.

These messages will be familiar to you but now it’s our job to spread the lessons wider.

Because the simple fact is that every one of these case studies could be occurring on every waterway scheme.

And that’s the challenge we are now issuing: we know that waterways deliver benefits.

So why are they not actually happening everywhere?

The answer is, of course, that it’s a complicated situation – so IWA is determined to address all the complications.

At the IWA / CRT Restoration Conference in April we launched the report and suggested to all the restoration societies that they should use the report and its compelling cases studies as a tool kit to challenge their funders, MPs, supporters, local authorities, etc. to get more of this stuff happening on their waterways.

In May we will be hosting a Reception at the House of Commons where we will bring together the societies and the MPs to allow them to promote their potential projects but also

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to see if there are any key bits of legislation or process that we can campaign for that will help all projects anywhere. Additionally we will be campaigning with the significant funders to give a national view of why they should look favourably on waterways restoration.

And in between those two key events we will work with the societies to do some ‘politicking’ to make sure that their schemes are as credible as they could possibly be.

I’m pleased to say that, as a complement to the paper report, we have created a video (because this is the 21st century after all) fronted by David Suchet. We hope that this will be an excellent addition to the tool kit that will enable the restoration societies to tell a compelling story. You can, as you would expect, find the video on the IWA website waterways.org.uk.

If it all goes to plan this should create a big kick-start to restoration schemes all over the country. There was certainly a lot of excitement at the Restoration Conference.

So how did this inspiring stuff all come about? Well one of the things IWA did early on in the formation of the Restoration Hub was to create a High Level Panel. The Panel is made up of some fairly well-known people in the Restoration arena and each year they get together to discuss the needs of the restoration sector. The need for clear and well-presented case studies as part of a national restoration vision was last year’s primary request. And backed by IWA, that is what the Restoration Hub as spent its year doing. The Waterways in Progress report is the outcome of that and it will result in a far greater understanding among stakeholders of the huge opportunities that waterway restoration has to offer everyone.

The Panel met again in February to discuss what to do next. It was a hugely inspiring and positive discussion with quite a few more actions out of it than Jenny Morris or I were expecting. However all of them were correctly identified as true national gaps in the sector, stuff that only IWA can address. That’s only the start of course. We now have to identify how we can address these gaps, but the next Navvies should see a report from the Hub detailing its work for the year.

So my apologies that this was not the usual page from me about how everything will be super or even that “just one more Camp will do it”. But I think it’s important that everybody gets to hear about the wider picture and understands that, for every shovel they swing or brick they lay, there are others promoting their efforts to show just how wonderful these waterways are and why they should always be in the minds of legislators, governors, funders and administrators.

Hugs and kisses Mike Palmer

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canal camps Preview Birtley on the Wey & Arun is an expanding project for us, with three camps there this year. Bill Nicholson explains what’s planned for 2019 Canal Camps 2019 preview part 3: Wey & Arun Canal For the third part of our preview of the summer 2019 Canal Camps programme, we’re concentrating on the Wey and Arun Canal, where we’ve been increasing our commitment in recent years as the Wey & Arun Canal Trust moves on to new sites and new projects. We’re holding three weeks of camps there this year: Camps CC201903 (6-13 July), CC201906 (1320 July) and CC201909 (20-27 July). Over to Bill Nicholson to tell us about it...

The Birtley Project The Wey and Arun Canal Trust (WACT) is delighted that WRG will be kicking off the summer season with no fewer than three canal camps on the canal. We think that we have a great project for everyone to get stuck into and one which, by the end of the summer, will have brought active restoration to the northern end of the canal.

Navvies readers may be already aware that WACT has recently acquired an attractive length of approximately 1km of the canal at Birtley, towards the north end of the canal between the existing worksites at Shalford and Dunsfold. The plan is to transform it into a circular walking route for local residents and a showpiece section of navigable waterway on a part of the canal where there has been little restoration activity since the late 1970s. Hopefully it will also kick start further restoration work in the area.

We started work with the WRG autumn camp last year and over the winter have been busy erecting boundary fences and gates. The Trust and visiting groups will continue this work with the aim to complete the access track and towpath this spring - ready for the start of this year’s camps on 6th July.

“This time next year, there will be a swing bridge there!” (or at least a set of support walls forone)

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The plan for this summer: the new lift bridge

Week One: Digging out the base for the new bridge. This will comprise a concrete raft on which the bridge support structure and access ramps will be erected. The first week will focus on this and if you sign up you would have the opportunity to learn to drive diggers and dumpers; to fix the large quantity of steel re-inforcing to go into the base; to erect timber shuttering and to lay ready mix concrete. The latter will have to be brought up the towpath in 3 ton dumpers – no small job in itself.

Pictures by Martin Ludgate

The summer camps, for which we need your support, will start the construction of an entirely new lift bridge at the far southern end of the section. The work will include:

London WRG lay the access tracking (above)... and load-test it (below)

Week Two: If we are successful in pouring the slab in week 1, then week 2 will set out and start to build the bridge support walls. This will be done using a series of concrete block walls infilled with concrete to create a sandwich (you can tell that I’m not an engineer!). Scaffolding will need to be erected as the wall rises out of the ground so that the block layers can work at higher levels. Once above the projected water line the walls will have a brick face.

Week Three: The third week will continue this work, hopefully reaching the more complex section where the bearings will ultimately be fixed and on the other side where the bridge deck will land when closed. Weeks two and three will also provide opportunities for plant driving as all the materials will have to be delivered along a 1km run from the temporary delivery area at Birtley Courtyard off the A 281.

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But that’s not all... the rest of the summer’s work...

There will be other work that will run over all three camps. As part of creating a circular footpath route we have to link the canal towpath (across our new bridge) and then along a new surfaced path to join up with the regional Downslink path (based on an old railway) to the west. More dumper, digger and excavator work. In addition there is a currently untouched section to the north where new boundary fences are required. There will be no shortage of work, for both skilled and less skilled volunteers, with plenty of opportunities to learn new skills. Anyone and everyone is welcome.

The camps schedule The camps start on 6th July and run for three weeks to 27 July. The first and last camps are being led by NWPG and KESCRG respectively with the middle week being a normal WRG camp. However, there are no difference in what you can expect of any of the weeks and it is recommended that you book in according to what suits your diary best. All the camps are run to WRG rules and format.

Accommodation, including showers, for all three camps will be at Kirdford Village Hall in West Sussex. Kirdford is a very pleasant village that has two pubs and a good shop. We have stayed there on many occasions in past summer camps.

If you want to build things and see great results, these are the camps for you. Booking for the camps is via Head Office or the WRG website. Please join us!

Bill Nicholson

London WRG also planted lots of saplings on the offside of the canal. Step (1): dig hole;

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fact file Wey & Arun Canal Length: 23 miles

Locks: 26

Date closed: 1871

The Canal Camp project: Construction of the base, walls etc which will form the fixed structure for a new swingbridge at Birtley.

River Wey to the Thames Shalford

Bramley

Birtley

Dunsfold

Why? This is an attractive length of canal with potential for Site for 2019 Canal opening up the towpath as a walk, and as part of a network of Camps: Birtley footpaths which will also include the Downs Link old railway path. Swingbridge Installing the swing bridge is a vital link in this footpath system.

Summit 9 length Loxwood

The wider picture: Having spent some years concentrating on the Restored Loxwood Loxwood Link length, a few years ago the Canal Trust adopted a ‘three Link section sites strategy’ to spread activity onto the northern sections too, as part Newbridge of the long-term aim to open the whole route. One of the new sections is the Summit, where Compasses Bridge and a slipway have been built; the other is at the north end where the canal leaves the River Wey near Shalford. The Birtley length is a new site between these two sections, and Tidal River Arun Pallingham a first step towards eventually closing the gap between them. to the coast

(2): put sapling in; (3): put protective tube round it; (4): fix to a stake. Repeat 200 times.

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RESTORATION FOCUS There’s plenty happening on the restoration projects in the East Midlands, as Focus on the East Midlands

Martin Ludgate

Cromford Canal: The Friends of the Cromford Canal have recently submitted a planning application for the next 1km section of canal heading north from the current head of navigation at Langley Mill. This will be the first major restoration work carried out by the Friends, and therefore marks a significant step forward.

The extension will include a new double staircase lock on the original line of the canal, before the line deviates through an existing bridge under the A610 bypass. The bypass was built after the canal was abandoned, but the road had to cross a railway line. The line is now disused, leaving a suitable unused bridge – a case of railways coming to the rescue of canals!

Elsewhere, further work is being carried out on the Gauging Narrows Cromford gauging narrows on a 2013 camp. We will return soon.

fact file Cromford Canal Cromford High Peak What’s happening? Currently: Junction completion of restoration of the Sawmills toll narrows near Ambergate; also repair to a weir at Pinxton. In the future: reconstruction of the length north from Langley Mill.

Whatstandwell Sawmills

Ambergate

Why? At Sawmills, to complete a heritage structure partly restored some years ago. At Pinxton, to keep a watered section from running dry. North from Langley Mill: to open up a length connected to the navigable network by the Erewash Canal.

Work site: Sawmills

Length: 14½ miles Locks: 14 Date closed: 1900-1944

Work site: Pinxton Butterley Tunnel

Pinxton

Ironville

Future work site: north from Langley Mill Langley Mill

The wider picture: The Friends hope eventually to reopen the entire canal through Erewash to Cromford. There are difficulties including the missing Bull Bridge Aqueduct (over the Canal to main road and railway), the collapsed Butterley Tunnel and the need to work sensitively the Trent in partnership with wildlife groups. However there is a restored length with trip-boat from Cromford to High Peak Junction, and the opening up of the southern length extending north from Langley Mill will be a major step forward in putting the Cromford back on the national waterways map.

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The

East

Midlands

George Rogers reports from the Cromford, Derby and Chesterfield canals at Sawmills, which has seen previous work by WRG camps and regional WRG weekends.

Using grant funding from a local construction site, a temporary path is being installed alongside the (almost) completed offside wall to allow a footpath diversion to be put into place when the nearside wall is rebuilt. London WRG will be visiting in June to work on a weir at Pinxton that needs repairing to ensure the section of canal in water at this point stays so.

Chesterfield Canal: Works have seen a bit of a hiatus recently whilst attempts have been going on behind the scenes to get agreements from HS2 as to what will happen with the spur line from the new high speed railway to the depot at Staveley, which will follow the route of a former freight line which crosses the canal at the end of the newly watered section. The work party has exposed the old bridge underneath the railway, which is in very good condition, and done various repair works to the approaches, but all of this is under licence from Network Rail, and until the HS2 situation is confirmed they have no guarantees as to what the final situation will be. They have started work to clear the Puddle Bank (embankment) heading from Staveley towards Renishaw, but the HS2 impact is still felt here as the plans for this section are still uncertain.

Whilst all this has been going on, the Chesterfield Canal Trust has been undergoing

Chesterfield Canal and HS2 As originally announced around 2012, the north eastern branch of the HS2 high speed railway would have run along the Rother Valley from just east of Staveley to Killamarsh, obliterating the canal for most of the way, undoing a lot of good work by the canal restorers and making future reopening much harder.

However following a re-think of plans for serving Sheffield (plus lots of objections from canal supportes) the route has been diverted further east, greatly reducing its impact on the canal restoration. (continued right)

However the canal still isn’t entirely free of HS2 blight.

Firstly there new railway will still need to cross the canal once, near the west end of Norwood Tunnel.

Here, the Chesterfield Canal Trust already faces the challenge of finding a way around the western and central parts of the tunnel which have been destroyed by coal mining, so the railway adds another unwelcome dimension to the problem. And secondly, there still needs to be access to an HS2 maintenance depot being built at Staveley. So far the railway’s builders have shown no great haste in giving the canal restorers plans for the access line (which will follow an old freight line whose former bridge CCT has excavated) - not even to the point of actually specifying the level that the railway tracks will run at.

To London

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Martin Ludgate

The old railway bridge at Staveley: we just need HS2 to decide what height they want to cross it at some restructuring, and have now employed a new Development Manager to oversee restoration work going forward. This is a big step for the Trust as they start to take a greater lead in the restoration, which up until this point has largely been coordinated by Derbyshire County Council.

Derby & Sandiacre Canal Trust

Derby & Sandiacre Canal: Works are proceeding apace on the conversion of the Draycott cottages. Having held a suitable topping out ceremony to celebrate the repair (and in large part replacement) of the roof, the works are now focussed internal to the building. At the end of the project, this will provide a cafĂŠ, meeting/office space and three cottages that will be sold or rented. This all links to almost a mile of canal at Draycott that the Derby & Sandiacre Canal Trust is looking to restore.

WRG will be back at Borrowash Lock in the summer, completing the works started last year to install all of the coping stones and then tidying the lock surrounds and preparing the bases for the quadrants.

Sandiacre Lock, where the canal joins to the Erewash Canal, has been largely excavated.

An un-recorded sewer through the lock caused some excitement, but this has now been made good by Severn Trent Water until it can evenWork at Borrowash in 2018: finished on this year’s camps?

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Martin Ludgate

tually be diverted Current WRG work on East Midlands canals: around the lock.

The lock strucDerby & Sandiacre: Camp CC201910, 20-27 July ture is somewhat Cromford: London WRG weekend, 1-2 June unusual, in that it Chesterfield: Sorry, waiting for HS2 to get their arse into gear... is brick on one And then there’s the Grantham: we’ll tell you about it next time... wall and stone on the other.

Unfortunately, it appears that a large section of the brick facing has become delaminated from the wall behind, so this will need to be dismantled and rebuilt.

Elsewhere, plans are advancing for a new trip boat to run on the River Derwent in Derby itself and initial planning is taking place for some interesting technical projects for the next couple of years.

George Rogers Sandiacre: since this was taken, the lock beyond the bridge has been cleared

fact file Derby & Sandiacre Canal Length: 14 miles Locks: 9 (on main line Swarkestone-Sandiacre) DERBY

Proposed new route into Derby using River Derwent

Original route obliterated

Canal Camp site: Borrowash

Date closed: 1964

Canal Camp site: Sandiacre

Erewash Canal to Langley Mill Sandiacre

Erewash Canal to the Trent

What’s happening? Lock chamber work at Borrowash and at Sandiacre.

Proposed new aqueduct and boat lift

Swarkestone Trent & Mersey Canal to Burton

Why? At Borrowash the lock was part-restored years ago, and there’s hope of possible rewatering in that area so it makes sense to finish it. And Sandiacre is a gateway from the navigable network where it’s proved possible to fund the work with a Section 106 grant in connection with a housing scheme.

The wider picture: The Friends hope to eventually reopen the through route from Sandiacre to Swarkestone plus a link to Derby on a new route via a boat lift and the River Derwent. And as an indication of what might one day happen, they plan to run a trip-boat on the river soon.

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camp report Lancaster Reporting from a hastily-planned WRG NorthWest ‘mini-camp’ which aimed to keep the Lancaster’s re-lining and re-watering project on track WRG NorthWest on the Lancaster the dry northern reaches of the canal. And

they hope to have it done in time for their forthcoming IWA trailboat festival.

Through the week we would be working alongside some members of the LancasA few months back in 2018 WRG NorthWest ter Canal Trust. The work planned was to be set aside a few days to work on the Montyet more block-laying and also to dig out the gomery Canal in order to cure a leak that large heap of spoil under the bridge and in had developed. front of the wing walls. This was the mateTwo sets of dates came and went and a rial that had been removed by the machine third set were put to one side for March 2019 that had been contracted to complete the for the same job. profiling of the last section.

However, after a lot of email exchanges The weekend: once some of the these dates also met with the same fate. excess water had been pumped away the Meanwhile, unfortunately, the WRG weekend started on the Saturday with Mike, Easter Canal Camp that had been arranged John F, Steve and Malcolm, and joined by for the Lancaster Canal had had to be canJohn H on the Sunday. This continued onto celled. As a result of this, WRG NW offered Monday with a slight change of crew. their cancelled days ex the Mont to the LanTuesday: Steve and John H started to caster Canal Trust to make up for this. dig out the spoil from under the bridge; this But in the meantime, some folks in was being dumped on the car parking area WRG NW had already made other plans, so that it could ‘dry out’ slightly in readiness which left a motley crew who could manage for its future removal. And, oh blocks were certain days - a few more, particularly in the still being laid, or floated into place because middle of the week, would have been ideal. of the continuing problem of too much water Accommodation was booked in a Hostel in Kendal

by LCT. The worksite was the ‘First Furlong’ section, a length of dry (OK, that’s a slight exaggeration at certain times of year) canal at Stainton which the Trust is aiming to waterproof and rewater to prove the re-lining method (involving a waterproof rubber membrane overlaid with concrete blocks to protect it) and form an initial step toClearing spoil from under the bridge wards re-watering John Hawkins

...or “It’s another day – so it must be another crew!”

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‘block fairy’. Soon after Paul and John H had started with the spoil moving another truck load of blocks arrived, all hastily off-loaded.

JH had to leave mid- afternoon. Paul carried on digging out the ramp and by the end of the day had got it to a fit state for the telehandler.

Thursday: Paul was the only WRGie

Darren Shepherd

in the wrong place, in that the water was under the rubber liner and on top the water bed! Steve left us after work to face the drive home down the M6. Paul arrived in the evening.

Wednesday: when we arrived at site we were greeted by the sight of yet more blocks which had been delivered by the

Plenty of blocks laid by the end of the camp

fact file Lancaster Canal Length to be restored: 14 miles

Locks: 8

Kendal

Date closed: 1950s

Canal Camp site: Stainton

The Canal Camp project: re-lining the canal near Stainton.

Stainton Crooklands

A6

07

0

The wider picture: The Trust’s long-term aim is complete reopening of the abandoned ‘northern reaches’ from the limit of navigation below Tewitfield Locks to Kendal. However the southern part of this section is beset by main road blockages (particularly the M6); while proposals to reinstate the Kendal terminus have struggled with planning issues. The First Furlong aims to ensure that there is visible physical progress, and to Tewitfield Locks extend the current trip-boat operation once the nearby Stainton Aqueduct (damaged in the winter 2015-16 floods) is repaired.

M6

90

A5

Why? The Lancaster Canal Trust’s ‘First Furlong’ project aims to re-water one furlong (220 yards, about 200 metres) of the dry Hincaster section of the canal which extends for five miles from Stainton Tunnel to the original terminus in Kendal. It has proved difficult to make the channel watertight, so a decision has been made to line it using an EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber membrane, protected by a geotextile layer underneath and concrete blocks on top.

Canal blocked by roads at various points

Navigable to Preston 41 miles

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Darren Shepherd

on site and continued in the digger, profiling the ramp from the bridge down to the towpath, whilst the locals carried on with the blocklaying. The digger and dumper were extensively cleaned in readiness to go off hire.

Friday: Darren arrived Thursday evening, followed

by Susan on Friday morning.

Block-laying continued, and a smaller digger arrived so that a start could be made on the infilling at the top of the bank on the towpath side. Having finished laying all the blocks that were available in the canal bed, a start was made on the preparation that was needed to allow the liner to be extended up to the planned water level.

Saturday: with David being an extra person on Saturday the infilling and liner extension was worked on.

Sunday: the promised snow came early on Sunday, meaning that the dig had to be abandoned a day early.

But thanks to all for the work put in.

John Hawkins

Darren Shepherd

Above: infilling at the top of the bank.

Below: by the end of the camp the liner was completely hidden and about 40m of the edge had been done.

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WRG NW on the MB&B Not content with spending a week on the Lancaster Canal, WRG North West have also been active on the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal...

Pictures by Sam Kennion

WRG NorthWest spent a productive weekend with the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal Society winching out small self-seeded trees and saplings which would otherwise damage the channel on the Bury branch near the junction at Nob End, Prestolee.

They cleared 125ft on the Saturday and another 75ft on the Sunday. Here are ‘before’, ‘during’ and ‘after one day’ pictures showing their progress.

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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 May 3-10 WAT May 4/5/6 NWPG May 11/12 London WRG May 17-19 wrgBITM May 18 Sat LTD2019 May 19-25 RW2019 May 19 Sun WRG May 24-27 KESCRG May 31-Jun 7 WAT Jun 1/2 London WRG Jun 8/9 NWPG Jun 8 /9 WRG Jun 14-16 FCW201901 Jun 15/16 KESCRG Jun 15/16 wrgBITM Jun 15/16 WRG Jun 19 Wed wrgNW Jun 21-23 TW2019 Jun 29/30 London WRG Jul 5-12 WAT Jul 6-13 CC201903 Jul 6-13 CC201904 Jul 6-13 CC201905 Jul 13/14 wrgBITM Jul 13-20 CC201906 Jul 13-20 CC201907 Jul 13-20 CC201908 Jul 20-27 CC201909 Jul 20-27 CC201910 Jul 20-27 CC201911 Aug 2-9 WAT Aug 3-10 CC201912 Aug 3-10 CC201913 Aug 10-17 CC201914 Aug 10-17 CC201915 Aug 16-18 FCW201902 Aug 17-24 CC201916 Aug 24-31 CC201917

Wendover Arm Wey & Arun Canal: Birtley fencing Buckingham Arm: Brickwork at Bridge 1 Rickmansworth Festival: Site Services (open to public on Sat 18 & Sun Leaders & Cooks Training Day River Waveney Canal Camp Committee & Board Meetings: Rowington Village Hall Cotswold Canals: Long weekend at Inglesham Fri-Mon Wendover Arm Cromford Canal Cotswold Canals: to be arranged Logistics weekend Uttoxeter Canal: Family Camp Buckingham Arm Wey & Arun Canal: To be confirmed Logistics weekend Ad Hoc Meeting WRG Training Weekend: Lichfield Canal Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Wendover Arm Wey & Arun Canal: NWPG Camp, Birtley bridge concrete base Lichfield Canal Camp Grantham Canal Camp: Woolsthorpe Locks To be arranged Wey & Arun Canal Camp: Birtley bridge concrete base Lichfield Canal Camp Grantham Canal Camp: Woolsthorpe Locks Wey & Arun Canal: Camp run by KESCRG. Bridge works.

Derby Canal Camp Grantham Canal Camp: Woolsthorpe Locks Wendover Arm Cotswold Canals Camp: Weymoor Bridge - machine camp Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Cotswold Canals Camp: Weymoor Bridge - machine camp Grantham Canal Camp: Woolsthorpe Locks Grantham Canal Camp: Family Camp Grantham Canal Camp: Woolsthorpe Locks Swansea Canal Camp

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

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WRG and mobile groups

h number e.g. 'Camp 201901' should go to WRG Canal Camps, Island House, iary compiled by Dave Wedd. Tel: 07816-175454, dave.wedd@wrgbitm.org.uk

19)

Roger Leishman Bill Nicholson Tim Lewis Dave Wedd

Mike Palmer Bobby Silverwood Roger Leishman Tim Lewis Bill Nicholson Mike Palmer Bobby Silverwood Dave Wedd Mike Palmer Roger Evans Tim Lewis Roger Leishman

Dave Wedd

Roger Leishman

01442-874536 01844-343369 07802-518094 07816-175454 01494-783453 01494-783453 01564-785293 07971-814986 01442-874536 07802-518094 01844-343369 01564-785293 01494-783453 07971-814986 07816-175454 01564-785293

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

07802-518094 01442-874536 01494-783453 01494-783453 01494-783453 07816-175454 01494-783453 01494-783453 01494-783453 01494-783453 01494-783453 01494-783453 01442-874536 01494-783453 01494-783453 01494-783453 01494-783453 01494-783453 01494-783453 01494-783453

london@wrg.org.uk rwleishman@gmail.com enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk rwleishman@gmail.com enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk

ease contact diary compiler Dave Wedd: see top of page

page 19

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 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 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 Mark Sherrey 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 0118-969-9861 01539-733252 01543-251747 01543-374370 07855-471117 07581-092001 01603-738648 07702-741211 01394-380765 01744-600656 07973-918467 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 20

Canal societies and CRT Canal & River Trust ‘Towpath Taskforce’ regular working parties 2nd Saturday of month Audlem Shropshire Union Jason Watts Every Thursday Bath Kennet & Avon Steve Manzi 1st Wednesday of month Birmingham B’ham & Fazeley/BCN Sue Blocksidge Alternate Thursdays Blackburn Leeds & Liverpool Alice Kay Burnley Leeds & Liverpool Alice Kay 1st Sunday of month 2nd Wednesday of month Chadderton Rochdale Jason Watts Last Saturday of month Chester Shropshire Union Jason Watts Colne/Nelson Leeds & Liverpool Alice Kay 1st Saturday of month Alternate Thursdays Coventry Coventry Sue Blocksidge Devizes Kennet & Avon Steve Manzi 3rd Thursday of month Drakeholes Chesterfield Becca Dent 2nd Friday of month 1st Saturday & next Tue Fradley Coventry/ T&M Sue Blocksidge Gailey Staffs & Worcs Sue Blocksidge 4th Thursday of month Every Wednesday Gloucester Glos & Sharpness Caroline Kendall Last Sunday of month Hawkesbury Coventry/Oxford Sue Blocksidge Huddersfield Huddersfield Broad Becca Dent 2nd Friday of month Knottingley Aire & Calder Becca Dent 1st Thursday of month Alternate Thursdays Lancaster Lancaster Canal Alice Kay Alternate Tuesdays Leicester Soar/Grand Union Wayne Ball Jason Watts 1st Wednesday of month Littleborough Rochdale Llangollen Andy Whitehouse 2nd and 4th Wednesdays Llangollen 2nd Saturday of month London Cent. Regents/Docklands Debbie Vidler Debbie Vidler 1st Wed & 3rd Sat of month London East Lee & Stort 1st Sat 3rd & 4th Wed London West Paddington/ GU Debbie Vidler Alternate Wednesdays LoughboroughSoar Wayne Ball Mexborough Sheffield & S Yorks Becca Dent 3rd Thursday of month Last Tuesday of month Mirfield Calder & Hebble Becca Dent Every Tuesday Mon & Brec Monmouth & Brecon Caroline Kendall Newbury Kennet & Avon Steve Manzi 2nd Thursday of month Alternate Thursdays North Warks Coventry/Ashby Sue Blocksidge Oxford Oxford Sonny King 1st Friday of month 2nd Wednesday of month Preston Lancaster Canal Alice Kay Retford Chesterfield Becca Dent 2nd Sunday of month 4th Friday of month Rotherham Sheffield & S Yorks Becca Dent Every Friday Sefton Leeds & Liverpool Alice Kay Selby Selby Canal Becca Dent 3rd Saturday of month Sheffield & S Yorks Becca Dent 2nd Friday & 4th Tuesday Sheffield Alternate Wednesdays Tamworth Coventry/ Fazeley Sue Blocksidge Last Thursfay of month Tees Barrage Tees Becca Dent Every Tuesday Wigan Leeds & Liverpool Alice Kay Every Thursday Worcester Worcester & B’ham Caroline Kendall Alternate Wednesdays Worksop Chesterfield Wayne Ball

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

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

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

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

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

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

page 21

navvies

diary

Inland Waterways Association and other one-day working parties Apr 23 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm Apr 23 Tue IWA NSSC/BPT Burslem Arm: Luke St, Middleport, Stoke on Trent. 10am-3pm Apr 24 Wed IWA Peterborough Horseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 10am-3pm Every Sat

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

May 5 Sun

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

Every Tue/SatIWA West Country Bridgwater & Taunton Canal: Bridgwater area 10am-1:30pm May 9 Thu

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

May 12 Sun IWA Lincs/SNT Sleaford Navigation: Various work on navigable section May 16 Thu IWA NSSC/TMCS Trent & Mersey Canal: Cheshire Locks. 10am-3pm. Meet at locks 47 May 18 Sat

IWA Chester

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

May 18 Sat

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

May 21 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm May 21 Tue IWA Northants Northampton Arm: 10am-2pm. Painting, vegetation & litter May 28 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm May 28 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

Jun 2 Sun

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

Every Tue/Sat IWA West Country Bridgwater & Taunton Canal: Bridgwater area 10am-1:30pm Jun 9 Sun

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

Jun 13 Thu IWA NSSC/CUCT Uttoxeter Canal: Work party at Bridge 70, Crumpwood. 10am-3pm Jun 15 Sat

IWA Chester

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

Jun 15 Sat

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

Jun 18 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm Jun 18 Tue IWA Northants Northampton Arm: 10am-2pm. Painting, vegetation & litter Jun 20 Thu IWA NSSC/TMCS Trent & Mersey Canal: Cheshire Locks. 10am-3pm. Meet at locks 47 Jun 25 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm Jun 25 Tue IWA NSSC/BPT Burslem Arm: Luke St, Middleport, Stoke on Trent. 10am-3pm 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 22

IWA and partners For WRG, canal societies and CRT working parties see previous pages Colin Garnham-Edge

bcpontheoxford@gmail.com

Steve Wood

07976-805858

steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk

Roger Mungham

01945-773002

roger.mungham@waterways.org.uk

Steve Bulgin

07855-794256

stevebulgin@icloud.com

Geoff Wood

geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk

Mike Slade

07977-263840

mike.slade@waterways.org.uk

Steve Wood

07976-805858

steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk

Mel Sowerby

01522-856810

workparty@sleafordnavigation.co.uk

& 48

John Lawson

07940-878923

john.lawson@waterways.org.uk

4pm

Jason Watts

jason.watts@canalrivertrust.org.uk

4pm

07710-554602 Colin Garnham-Edge

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

4pm

geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk

Mike Slade

07977-263840

mike.slade@waterways.org.uk

Mel Sowerby

01522-856810

workparty@sleafordnavigation.co.uk

Steve Wood

07976-805858

steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk

Jason Watts

jason.watts@canalrivertrust.org.uk

4pm

& 48

secretary@manchester-iwa.co.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

Colin Garnham-Edge Steve Wood

john.lawson@waterways.org.uk bcpontheoxford@gmail.com

07976-805858

steve.wood@team.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 23

Progress Wendover Arm Our round-up of progress begins with the Wendover Arm Trust continuing work on re-lining the channel, and uncovering historic bridge abutments Grand Union Wendover Arm Re-lining work: During the Wendover Arm Trust’s January six-day working party, work on lining the dry section of canal progressed with 10m of towpath bank and 15m offside bank fully lined.

The abutment walls of the former swing bridge 4 were exposed to examine their condition, because the Canal & River Trust’s Heritage team are keen to preserve them as the bridge was part of an old road of historical interest. What is clear is that in no way could the existing abutments be stable or watertight, so complete rebuilding will be necessary. Hopefully an outside volunteer group will be able to take this on.

In February, a further 15m of both banks were completed so bank lining is now about 80m from the mooring wall at the new Bridge 4. Cut lengths of Bentomat waterproof bentonite lining material were running low, so a further supply was cut.

Wendover Arm Trust

Whitehouses: The outcome for the bid for funds for the work at the historic former pumping station at Whitehouses from the European LEADER Fund is still not forthcoming. We are very grateful to Mikk Bradley of the Inland Waterways Association for his help in progressing the design of the work at Whitehouses, and hope that it will soon be completed. We must also thank Mikk for his assistance in finalising the design of the bed concrete at the new Bridge 4 for the stop planks and also help with the reconstruction of the old Bridge 4 swing bridge abutments.

Roger Leishman Restoration Director rwleishman@gmail.com

page 24

Above: the state of the old bridge abutments Below: progress on channel re-lining

Progress Cotswold Canals At the west end, restorers are gearing up for a (fingers crossed) major Lottery funded package; at the east end they’re finishing off Inglesham near Whitminster as well as on the M5 crossing and the two new locks (needed to put the Following the provision (‘Stage 1’) agreement canal at exactly the right height to get the of the £12m Heritage Lottery Fund grant canal under the motorway but over a gas which will (if confirmed) form the bulk of the main). funding package, development work is accelElsewhere on the canal, Cotswold Caerating on the crucial Saul to Stonehouse nals Trust has made progress with dredging length of canal which will link the already above the restored Bowbridge Lock (a focus largely restored Stonehouse-Stroudfor visiting volunteer groups a couple of Brimscombe section to the national wateryears back); a problem has also been identiways network. fied here with a blocked overflow culvert – A planning application was due to be but at least the use of a drain rod mounted submitted (and the plans have gone on camera has brought down the cost of investishow) for the ‘missing mile’ part of this gating this. length, where the original route was deOn the central part of the canal, good stroyed by the M5 motorway construction, progress was made last year at Weymoor and anyway a new route will be needed in Bridge and further progress (helped by a order to cross the motorway via an existing WRG camp) is expected this year. river bridge. With two new locks needed and And finally, at the far end, Inglesham a partly demolished one to be restored near Lock is nearing completion, with a couple of where the ‘missing mile’ meets the surviving KESCRG weekends (see back cover photos) length through Eastington, there looks likely aiming to finish the job this spring. to be a major volunteer contribution in this area.

(From information in CCT’s magazine The Trow) Meanwhile there is a schedule for rebuilding the missing Ocean Railway Bridge (the culverted railway crossing close to WRG’s 2017-18 Christmas camp site) with the main work expected on the 2012 May Bank Holiday (subject to the HLF grant).

Work is also starting on designing the new A38 crossing (two bridges, taking the canal under the A38 / A419 roundabout The canal will be squeezed under this motorway bridge alongside the river Martin Ludgate

Cotswold Canals

page 25

Progress Buckingham There’s plenty happening on the Grand Union Buckingham Arm, including a bridge rebuild, re-watering, towpath laying and vegetation control Buckingham Canal

Pictures by BCS

The big story in 2018 for the Buckingham Canal Society was the start of major work on reconstructing the demolished Bridge No 1 at Cosgrove (at the far end of the short section of canal still used for moorings off the Grand Union Main Line). As reported in previous issues of Navvies, this has involved repairing the surviving stone abutments then building brick bases on them to support a steel beam and concrete deck which can carry modern farm traffic. This work has continued into 2019 with all of the concrete block deck now laid by BCS’s hard working team of volunteers, but during the winter months work has tended to be concentrated on other areas...

On the formerly dry length of canal beyond Bridge No 1, over the middle of January 2019 the water level in the already re-watered Section One reached the monk’s drain, and rewatering for Section Two began.

It would be the first water in here for over 75 years! The clay bed will now rehydrate SLOWLY as the water is effectively being siphoned from the Grand Union Canal (with CRT’s consent). We will monitor for leaks as Above: path laying at Cosgrove the level rises and initiate remedial action Below: rebuilding towpath under Bridge No 1 where necessary. The leaks from the first section are certainly slowing, and therefore it looks like the clay on the sides is rehydrating.

Hence we expect the same behaviour in the second section.

For those pondering what a monk’s drain is, it was a drain solution invented to keep fish from swimming out of lakes in the Middle Ages.

It’s typically an upright pipe and the height of the pipe sets the level. We have a clever contraption involving a plastic garden sieve and a concertina toilet waste fitting that enables us to adjust the level.

page 26

Meanwhile towpath work has continued to progress at a steady and productive pace and will soon reach up to Cosgrove Lock. A new picnic table is to be installed soon. Hopefully this will see an increase in the number of people walking the arm, enjoying the canal and all the benefits it will have to offer.

Although most of the practical tasks have taken place at Cosgrove over the past year, we have also been working to keep our Bourton Meadow site and Hyde Lane’s Buckingham Canal Nature Reserve looking good. December saw us at the nature reserve, as it had been Above: Bridge No 1’s new deck takes shape reported that a large tree had fallen down Below: Section 2 at Cosgrove fills with water close to the lock. This report turned out to be true, and upon inspection the tree turned out to be very large indeed. Fortunately it came down just missing the lock gates! Most of the work party was spent cutting up and clearing the debris from the fallen tree using hand bow saws. The patch around the seating area was strimmed, as was two thirds of the canal bed.

We have also been very busy at the rewatered length at Bourton Meadow, near Buckingham, with our Thursday work party working on site on 29th November, 13th December and 10th January. Currently, the main task here is to remove the reeds in the canal bed which have started to spread across the whole of the canal. The reeds were planted by our volunteers a few years ago and now they have to remove them.

This proved to be hard physical work for the volunteers, but over ten metres of reed have now been cleared. Plans are in place to continue this work when volunteers can be spared from Cosgrove. The hedgerow at Bourton Meadow has also been trimmed back, and all the grass has been cut. On another positive note, the local farmer reported that three otters had been seen in or near our site!

(From BCS magazine The Buckingham Navigator)

page 27

Roundup

Progress

page 28

CRT

Land & Water

Martin Ludgate

On the Wilts & Berks Canal (top right) in Swindon, a length of canal restored as part of the Wichelstowe major expansion of the south side of the town has gained a new bridge recently. It’s also gained a new canalside pub, the Hall & Woodhouse, with a real narrowboat as part of the drinking area in the bar.

On the Grantham Canal (middle right), while we’re gearing up for another great summer of canal camps at Woolsthorpe Locks, the Canal & River Trust’s dredging contractors have been clearing out the channel between the locks so that boats from the isolated navigable length above the locks will be able to use them once they’re restored. The picture is taken from Lock 14 (this year’s main work site) looking towards the completed lock 15.

On the Montgomery Canal (bottom right) the winding hole which will enable boats to turn (and the lengths that volunteers have restored in recent years to be opened) is seen taking shape.

And on the Swansea Canal (bottom left) grants from the Welsh Government and Europe mean that the length from Clydach to Trebanos Locks (scene of several canal camps in recent years) can be dredged to full navigable standard and historic structures restored by volunteers to enable a full size trip boat to operate rather than just these canoeists (who are volunteers from the 2017 canal camp, as it happens).

WBCT

Progress: picture roundup

toolbox talk Mixers Most Navvies readers will have already used a mixer to make concrete or mortar. But are you doing it the best and safest way? Read our guide...

Mixing with a Cement Mixer Cement mixers (or to use the right construction terminology, simply ‘mixers’) have been used in construction projects for many years and take a lot of the hard work out of mixing mortar or concrete.

Before you start:

. . . .

Make sure the mixer has been set up correctly and sufficient materials are stored nearby to minimize lifting and twisting.

Make sure the operators are familiar with the mixer and know how to stop it in case of an emergency.

Make sure the operators know the concrete or mortar mix quantities.

Make sure everyone has the correct PPE.

Health and Safety Hazards from mixer:

. . . . .

Pinch points between mixer and drum.

Potential for trapped or broken limbs if placed inside rotating drum.

Risk of splash from drum. Do not look into drum, always wash off any splashes immediately with plenty of clean water.

Put towbar away to prevent runaway and trip hazard.

Make sure cables are not damaged and are routed safely.

COSHH

. .

Lime and cement can give rise to burns and dermatitis and can lead to respiratory problems if dust is inhaled.

Fuel and lubricating oil are irritants and flammable.

Manual handling

. . . .

Position materials to minimize lifting and twisting and having to walk to and from mixer.

Rotating drum will snatch a shovel if it enters the drum.

Don’t overdo: take frequent breaks to avoid fatigue.

Moving the mixer may require more than one person.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

. .

Additional PPE: dust mask, safety eyewear, gloves, long sleeves, ear defenders.

No loose clothing.

page 29

Using the mixer

. . . . . .

The first mix may require some measuring out of ingredients, so use a dry bucket or a dry shovel to measure out the ingredients. For consistent mortar gauge the quantities for each mix. Make a note of how many shovelfuls are required. Put water in a bucket and keep a note of water use for next time.

With the mixer drum rotating, shovel in the ingredients. For lime mortar dry mix the ingredients and allow to mix thoroughly for 5 minutes. Do not allow the shovel to enter the drum. For concrete and cement mortar a small amount of water may be added before adding the dry ingredients.

Allow to mix, add water in small amounts until correct consistency is achieved. Proper mixing takes time (allow 20 minutes), do not be impatient!

When mortar is properly mixed, position a wheelbarrow under the arc of the drum.

Operate the tilt mechanism slowly to discharge the mixing drum. Do not overfill the barrow (manual handling of the barrow). Keep thumbs out the way.

With an electric mixer pivot the drum using the handles.

When drum is empty, start the next mix. If the deflectors inside the drum appear to be clogged then switch the machine off and clear them with an old trowel (or similar) or the next load will not mix properly.

Cleaning after use

. . . .

.

.

The mixer will need cleaning at the end of each working day, so allow enough time for this.

Empty out as much mortar as possible, then put an assortment of brickbats, stones and water in the drum and allow mixer to run for 10 minutes or so.

Pivot the mixer drum so that the deflectors are hit by the brickbats and all the old mortar is knocked off.

Empty out into a barrow and flush out the drum with clean water. Dispose of the debris safely, not into a watercourse.

There should be no residual sediment left in the drum as this will stick and prevent the next load mixing correctly. If there is, repeat cleaning process until it is completely clean.

Stop the mixer, switch off the fuel.

With an electric mixer, turn off the power and neatly coil the power cable and extension lead. Leave the drum facing down so it drains out and does not fill with rainwater.

Never bang the drum with a shovel, you will damage the drum and possibly damage the drive mechanism. Hire companies will charge for damage.

Top Tip When using a mixer, always familiarise yourself with the exact piece of equipment to identify key components.

Make sure you know how to stop it in a emergency

page 30

Typical mortar and concrete mixes Note: These are “typical” mixes; always follow any site specific instructions for mixes.

Lime Mortar Mix Hydraulic Lime (NHL5)

Sharp Sand

Building Sand (smooth)

Water

Notes

1 part

1½ parts

1 part

Enough to give correct runniness, add slowly, bit at a time whilst mixer is rotating

Cover up at end of day, finish joints whilst “green” with flat trowel for traditional flat joints

Cement Mortar Mix Note: Plasticiser can be added, follow manufacturer’s instructions Portland Cement Sharp Sand

Building Sand (smooth)

Water

Notes

1 part

3 or 4 parts

Enough to give correct runniness add slowly, bit at a time whilst mixer is rotating.

Cover up at end of day, finish jointswhilst ”green” with a flat trowel or a radius tool (“frenchman”) for radiused joints.

Nil

Concrete Mix Note (1): The strength of a concrete can be adjusted by increasing/decreasing the amount of cement that is added.

Note (2): Generally sand and stone will be supplied together as ballast, so the ratios below will be combined.

Portland Cement Sharp Sand

Coarse aggregate

Water

1 part

3 parts

Enough to make it workable, max of 15%

2 parts

Notes Mix the dry ingredients first. Cover up at end of day.

General Points

. .

With concrete, the more water that is added the weaker the concrete, however the concrete workability increases with water content. So there may have to be a compromise.

Proper additives (plasticisers) added to cement mortar make it more workable. Washing-up liquid must not be added.

Further reading Additional specialist toolbox talk articles covering diesel and electric mixers appear together with this piece on wrg.org.uk: from the ‘resources’ tab select ‘health & safety’ then ‘toolbox talks’. The toolbox talks were created by Mikk Bradley from an article by Mick Lilliman.

page 31

navvies

News

Book now for the WRG Training Weekend and Leader Training Day, don’t drive our vans too fast, and any bright ideas for our 50th anniversary?

Get trained!

Happy 50th birthday...

The WRG Training Weekend will be hosted by the Lichfield Canal and takes place on 2223 June - just in time for you to learn some skills to put to good use on summer camps.

As usual we will be offering training on plant including dumpers and excavators, we hope to once again run an all-weekend professionally-led bricklaying course, we hope to feature telehandler training this year, and we’re planning a training session on safe working at heights. But as ever, it depends on what you the volunteers want to learn. So get in touch with head office on enquiries@wrg.org.uk - and the sooner you do so, the more likely it is that we’ll be able to comply with your requests for training.

Overnight accommodation and catering will be available - details from head office.

...to WRG. In 2020, Waterway Recovery Group will celebrate its Golden Jubilee, having been launched at the IWA Festival at Guildford in summer 1970.

So what are we going to do to mark it?

We don’t know yet, but we’ve had a few thoughts...

Our 40th birthday was celebrated with an evening entertainment The History of WRG in 40 objects; our 30th featured a whole fortnight of events including a special anniversary canal camp, a reunion dig, and the official opening of the project which had been keeping us busy for the previous 18 months at Over Basin on the Hereford & Gloucester; our 21st saw us on the Wilts & Berks for the biggest ever Big Dig. Have you got any ideas?

...and while we’re on training...

Congratulations...

...don’t forget it’s the Leader Training Day on 18 May. See the last issue of Navvies for a full description, but basically it’s aimed at experienced camp leaders, newish leaders, and anyone who might want to have a go at leading a camp - not to mention cooks and leaders on the new family camps too. The organisers will take everyone through a day of topics covering improving communication, safety, matching the volunteers and skills to the work, planning, paperwork and more.

Book on via wrg.org.uk, or email alex.melson@waterways.org.uk for details.

Van emissions and speed limits A couple of notes to van/minibus drivers: firstly a reminder that national speed limits are lower than for cars. Single carriageway: 50mph; dual carriageway (non-motorway): 60mph; motorway: 70mph (60mph with trailers).

And secondly, the older two vans (EHP and BOB) DO NOT comply with the limits for the new London Ultra Low Emission Zone and will have to pay the charge.

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...to Liz and Colin Baker on the arrival of Madeleine Joy Baker on 3 March.

Project plans, who needs ’em?

In response to the piece we ran in the last issue about the importance of project plans, we received the following...

I am 90 this year and bought my first boat on the canals in 1956. I was present with David Hutchings on his first working party that was held on the Stratford Canal, and finally sold ‘Guppy’ in 2017.

As usual I read Navvies from cover to cover including Mikk’s article on Project Plans, and there is one thing of which I am absolutely certain. If this sort of thing had been about in the days of David Hutchings and the other pioneers of canal restoration the opening of the Stratford Canal, the first major project which led to all the rest, would never have taken place.

Wish I was able to assist now.

Pat Johnson

infill including Dear Deirdre Dealing with a ‘relationship breakdown’ on a camp, mutant-infested waterways, a very oddly-named lock and a ‘health and safe-tea’ guide Dear Deirdre I recently ran a camp with my wife of ten years as cook and my best friend as assistant leader. I left them both behind at the accommodation getting on with paperwork while I took the van to site. The van stalled about half a mile down the road and I walked back to the accommodation to get help. Imagine my horror to find them both rolling around in a sleeping bag together! I’m an absolute wreck – what on earth should I do?

- J V, Cholmondesworth

Deirdre replies A van stalling after being driven only a short distance is usually caused by an engine fault.

You should check that the fuel line is clear. If there’s no debris in the fuel line then you may have an issue with low pressure in the fuel pump, which may need replacing. Hope that solves your concern.

There, but for the grace of God...

We really shouldn’t take the mick out of other people’s misprints, just in case... but... we really couldn’t ignore this message WRG received from a canal society recently: “The pimping system is in place and we’ve finally got to the point where the bed is dry enough to work in…”

If you thought the BCN sounded bad... ...well, you ain’t heard nothing, it would appear. The editor recently received an email which, on first reading, appeared to be promising a whole new level of challenges facing volunteer teams working to clear out inland waterways...

“Team up with your friends and clean up mutant-infested rivers” ...it promised, encouragingly. It then went on to ask...

“When a toxic outbreak has befallen your rural backyard, what is a humble swamp-dwelling pest control specialist to do? Grab some buddies...” ...which all sounds really rather like the Wyrley & Essington, the Walsall or perhaps the notso-Tame Valley Canal. And how do you deal with this pestilence afflicting the waterways?

Read on, as you are encouraged to put yourself... “...back into the boots of the titular pirhana-shooting alligator-exploding rascal as you use your arsenal of wacky weapons to rid your home waters of dangerous mutant creatures...”

Beats the hell out dragging shitty old tyres out of the aptly-named Dudley Number Two Canal, doesn’t it? But sadly, it turns out that the whole thing isn’t a call for volunteers on a cleanup-to-end-all-cleanups; it’s actually an ad for a computer game called Dick Wilde 2.

Still sounds like it might be fun though...

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And finally...

You may remember a few years ago on the Infill page we were compiling a list of the most uninspiring place names on the canals – Gas Street Basin, Sewer Lock, the Chemical Arm; going further afield there was America’s Dismal Swamp Canal, and we even found a street in India called Boring Canal Road.

But recently the editor came across another, when reading up on the little-known, isolated and long abandoned Canal de la Sauldre in central France, where there was once a working boat called Terrible, and a lock called Cul d’Enfer.

Translating the boat’s name into English is obvious, but the lock? Well, picture the scene: boatman returns home after his first day on a new boat…

“Did you get a nice boat?”

“It was Terrible. And I’ve been to the Arse of Hell and back…”

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