the bar had a singer – best glossed over! On Sunday following the tool kit check we loaded the required tools into the vans. There is little room to turn and park at the bridge so we did not take the trailer to site. The initial tasks of removing weatherdamaged bricks from the parapet walls and recovery of useable stone were allocated and the teams set to work. In the absence of Camp 2013-07 Wilts & Berks Canal coping stones the brickwork had suffered frost damage during the last couple of harsh Saturday 6th July dawned hot and winters. Fortunately less damage than anticisunny, a trend which was to last all week – a pated was discovered and only the top camp with no rain – what joy! By early after- course required removal. Some volunteers noon we had arrived at the accommodation were then instructed on mixing lime mortar with the vans and kit trailer. The accommoand during the afternoon the new bricks dation was a new venue for WRG: Bourton were laid and other areas repointed. Club in Bourton, near Swindon. A good sized Meanwhile the stone picking team had hall, large car park, reasonably sized kitchen established various heaps of useable stone with dishwasher and an on site bar – what and rubble for backfill. Richard and Nick more could we ask for? volunteered to commence the task of digging Our French volunteer Romain and one out the mud under the bridge to establish of the Katherines were collected from the the state and level of the invert. Blue, the coach and rail stations and by the time we WRG excavator, was used to remove some of returned the hall was filling up with the other the infill but lack of firm base material meant volunteers. Following the normal introductions that only a limited amount was excavated – and brief chat about the running of the camp oh for a long reach machine! Harri, our cook for the week, presented the A good day’s work was rounded off by new food hygiene talk. We then went off to a visit to the cold, character-building showers site prior to viewing the safety DVD. at Watchfield Sports Pavilion. One advantage of the dry weather was On Monday whilst the brickwork was that materials and the portaloo had been delivhardening off some more pointing was carered right down to the bridge. (Steppingstone ried out. The stone work on the North East Lane is notorious for resemwingwall, which had a sigbling the Somme when it nificant collapse at lower rains.) A tour of the site level, was removed down to was given and the potential a firm base. Some of this hazards pointed out. In work was carried out by particular as work was to be hand but the larger stones carried out both on the were removed using the bridge parapets and below excavator. As there was the bridge exclusion zones insufficient stone to rebuild were to be enforced to the wall entirely in stone it obviate the risk of materials had been decided to use lean or tools falling onto a work mix concrete bags at low area below. level below the water line On returning to the and stone above. hall the safety DVD was Meanwhile the shown and had more imunderbridge stalwarts, pact as the volunteers could Richard and Nick continued relate to the specific site with clearance of the mateconditions. Following the rial on top of the invert. evening meal, as it was Another team headed such a warm evening everyby John were measuring body sat outside with a little the available coping stones light refreshment from the which had been rescued bar. Being Saturday evening A sandbag chain laying the base from a railway bridge being
Camp Report
John Hawkins
Steppingstone again!
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