Navvies 293

navvies volunteers restoring waterways

‘Real’ boats through here in five years?

Cotswold Christmas camp report

issue 293 february-march 2 0 1 9

Intro Christmas Camp

Pictures by Martin Ludgate

Pictures from a festive camp spent scrub bashing on the Cotswold Canals near Whitminster.

See pages 11-12

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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

© 2019 WRG

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

Contents Coming soon BCN Clean Up, Leader Training Day, WRG Training Weekend 4-5 Camps preview Weymoor Bridge 6 WRG BC will our Boat Club survive?

7 Camp reports Christmas on the Cotswold and the Wilts & Berks, plus Inglesham last summer 8-13 London WRG A year in the life 14-19 Diary WRG, IWA, CRT, canal societies 20-25 Progress roundup 26-31 Project Plans and how to make one 33-35 News 36-37 Infill including Dear Deirdre 38 WRG North West on the Montgomery 39

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 March.

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: Christmas Camp clearing vegetation on the Cotswold Canals near Whitminster. in readiness for major work on this section if and when Lottery funding is confirmed. See camp report, p11-12. Back cover: A new site on the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals, the South East end of Berwick Tunnel, before and after London WRG’s February visit. Photos by Martin Ludgate

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coming

Soon

Last call for the BCN Clean Up, 30-31 March Send your booking form (opposite) in now 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. For this year’s event, 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, and we have our usual overnight accommodation at the Stables at Tipton. Space is limited, so book now!

Easter Canal Camp, Cotswold Canals, Weymoor Bridge 19-27 April Easter camp this year is on the Cotswold Canals doing a lot of the finishing-off at Weymoor Bridge, the brick arch bridge we rebuilt a couple of years ago. The leader is Dave ‘Evvo’ Evans, the accommodation is Brimscombe, and there’s lots more about it in on page 6.

Leader Training Day, 18 May “A boss has the title, a leader has the people” - Simon Sinek George Rogers and I will be back at Rowington Green Village Hall in lovely Warwickshire to take experienced camp leaders, new-ish leaders, soon-to-be leaders and anyone who might want to try leading a canal camp through a day of subjects designed to bring everyone up to date with latest developments in restoration and its delivery; and a few other useful bits.

Cooks and Family Camp Leaders are equally important and are encouraged to attend as much as the most experienced leaders on the circuit.

“Does Anyone Know What’s Going On?” - Mike Palmer To be fair to Mike, WRG’s Chairman, this was an off-the-cuff comment during an exchange of banter just before the last WRG Committee Meeting. George and I were considering the programme for Leaders Day at the time and we had already decided that concentrating on planning and communication were to be the main themes of the day. Mike’s amusing comment resonated with us - and highlights what is needed to run successful camps.

If the leadership team hasn’t done the appropriate planning, they won’t know what needs to be going on. Even if they have been the most diligent of planners but the plan is not communicated to the rest of the team, they won’t know what is required to be going on.

When plans are in place and have been communicated well, everyone knows what is going on!

Therefore, attendees can look forward to sessions that will bring them up to date with WRG planning requirements, how to keep everyone safe, how to have the right number of volunteers and with the right skills, etc. WRG Head Office has been working hard to make the paperwork burden on leaders easier and we’ll learn about these developments.

There will also be ideas on improving / developing effective communication for the participants to consider and perhaps adopt / adapt to their style. The experience and imagination in the room will be tapped to identify how we might improve the overall WRG skill base for the benefit of its volunteers and the numerous canal trusts we help. WRG needs more leaders and cooks so we’ll spend a little time looking at how we increase this group.

Cooks are as much part of the leadership team as the leader and his / her assistant so we can have sessions for cooks to pick up tips from some of WRG’s finest chefs if there is the demand.

Another season of Family Camps will be taking place and there will be time for interested parties to learn more about these camps and how they can contribute. If you are interested, please let Alex at Head Office know – contact details below.

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

The day will have the usual format in that participants should arrive from 09:30 for a 10:30 start. There will be tea / coffee / breakfast buns to get you ready for the day. Lunch and dinner will be provided, as will be space to lay your bed if you want to stay the night after an evening’s discussing the finer points of English grammar as part of effective communication, catching up with mates, making new pals and enjoying some local lubrication – all free of charge. Apart from the beer! Jude Palmer will be leading the catering team yet again (thanks, Jude) so you know you’ll do well for sustenance.

Some leaders have not been to this day for a year or two but they are seriously encouraged to come along because they’ll have important advice and skills to pass on to others and learn how their lives are being made easier.

If you have anything you think could be included in the day, please let me know via Alex Melson at Head Office – 01494 783 453 or Alex.Melson@waterways.org.uk). George and I are not promising we’ll be able to include all suggestions but there are other ways of disseminating important messages and updates; eg: Toolbox Talks, Head Office updates, etc.

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

David (Evvo) Evans

Save the date: WRG Training Weekend 22-23 June As usual, the training on offer will depend to a certain extent on what people want to learn practical skills, plant, First Aid, you name it! See next issue for more details, but feel free to get in early with your requests to Heead Office on 01494 783453 or enquiries@wrg.org.uk.

BCN Clean Up 2019 Waterway Recovery Group in association with BCNS CRT IWA DCT CCT I would like to attend the 2019 BCN Canal Clean Up on 30 - 31 March Forename:

Surname:

Address: email: Phone:

Any special dietary requirements?

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

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

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

Name:

Phone:

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

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

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canal camps Preview Easter Canal Camp is at Weymoor Bridge, where we’ve got plenty of work building a gabion bank, repairing brickwork and earth moving. Join us!

Canal Camps 2019 preview part 2: Easter on the Cotswold Canals By the time you read this, the Easter camp will be just a few weeks away – and while we’ve got a fair number of volunteers booked on, a few more would be very welcome...

The site is Weymoor Bridge – that’s the traditional arched brick bridge carrying a farm access road over the Cotswold Canals, which had been almost entirely demolished, but which we completely rebuilt on a Canal Camp three years ago. Well, when I say we rebuilt it, we rebuilt the basic arch – and we’ve been back since then to add the parapets and wing walls. But there are still several important jobs to do before the road can be put back over the bridge, and the existing causeway across the canal can be dug out leaving the canal ready to reopen. And the Easter camp aims to complete several of those tasks. These are the main ones: Building and filling gabion boxes: gabions are those giant wire crates filled with rocks which are often used for bank protection these days. We’ve got no less fewer than 54 of them, all at least 1m cube each, to assemble and fill (via a chute) on a concrete slab base to create an 18m long, 2m high canal bank.

Brickwork Repairs: There are some cracks in the bridge brickwork and some damaged bricks, which will need to be carefully chiselled out and replaced.

Backfilling: the gap behind the filled gabions needs to be filled, compacted and profiled using excavator, dumper and powered roller.

So as you can see from the above there’s a mix of skilled and unskilled work. Plant operators will be very useful, especially if they are also instructors, but anyone will be welcome.

The dates are 19 to 27 April, the accommodation is at Brimscombe Port, the camp leader is Dave ‘Evvo’ Evans, and booking is via Head Office or the WRG website as usual.

Weymoor Bridge during the 2018 training weekend: help us finish it on the Easter Camp

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Boat club The end?

Could it be the end of the road (or even the canal) for WRG’s very own boat club? The Commodore has a plea for someone to SAVE WRG BC! WRG Boat Club News Happy New Year and good boating in 2019 to all!

A message from our Commodore: At our last AGM in August 2018, Sadie Heritage our Secretary advised she will be standing down, as our Secretary, next year. We will also be losing Ann Smart our Treasurer and one other committee member Mike Chesshire. All are continuing until our next AGM in August 2019.

This will only leave me as Commodore and AWCC representative.

Our membership is down a little as some boaters have sold their boats, and our AGM social is not well attended. Do you want the club to continue?

This is an urgent appeal for people to offer to join the committee as without filling these posts the future is in doubt and the only option would be to wind up the club.

If you would be willing to help by joining the committee or discuss what is involved please contact me on phone 0115 9653085 or 0789 9966 140, or by email to Lynne.cater@btopenworld.com.

2019 could prove to be a disaster for our boat club if we don’t get anyone to take over the jobs of Secretary, which includes Membership, and of Treasurer.

I have asked Ann, our current incumbent to tell us what being treasurer involves.

She said:

. . . .

I record on an excel spreadsheet the income and expenditure for the year.

Most members now pay directly into the bank so I check receipts as the monthly bank statements arrive. Nearly all payments arrive by September.

The Secretary and I contact each other to confirm who has paid and I advise on the non payers.

I write cheques for payments and send them to either the Secretary or the Commodore for countersigning and usually for posting.

I reconcile the bank and produce yearly accounts ready for the AGM. I also produce a list of the

.

donations the club has made to date.

I bank incoming cheques.

This usually takes up 10-12 hours per year.

Well I’m sure somebody could volunteer to take on being Treasurer.

Now as to the Secretary including Membership, there really is a chance for someone to change this job. Over to Sadie...

I keep a list of members and another of their boats along with their own name. I’m not (as you know) very technological so I can’t print out address labels. This means I get a copy of the membership list and cut it up and stick each name and address onto an envelope. Surely someone can make a better job of that!

These I use for sending out the membership cards, any relevant mail, the list of members and their boats and a home made Christmas Card - which is completely unnecessary and a foible of mine, the Christmas Card I mean!

As most people make payments directly to our bank account I don’t have to send many tactful reminders to non payers.

Every two months I write some form of an article for Navvies. Again this is an optional activity and needn’t be done as often. [...although it helps to keep your editor happy! ...Ed] A reminder that the AGM is coming up and afterwards the minutes of the AGM are really the only ‘must do’ regarding this.

I sort and deal with occasional mail, send out applications for membership and AWCC handbooks when requested. I also keep a supply of window stickers at £1.50 each this includes postage - Should you fancy one, they’re equally good on boats or cars and go inside or outside, please state which with your order. (Never miss an opportunity to advertise.)

Mike’s job was to sieve through events and suggest any that we could have a boat gathering at. Also to open (and preferably buy, we didn’t have a lot of luck with that) any bottles of wine we brought along for our social gatherings!

Please consider if you can help SAVE OUR BOAT CLUB! xxx Sadie Heritage 07748186867 sadieheritage@gmail.com

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camp report Inglesham You thought you’d seen the last of Inglesham Lock? Well, we’ll be putting the finishing touches on it this spring, but let’s look back to summer ’18...

Camp 2018-11: Inglesham Lock, Cotswold Canals 21-28 July This camp report has been compiled using daily observations from all members of the team, using leader Steven ‘Ricey’ Rice’s unique system known as the diary box.

The Bowbridge Inn summoned us in and bonding (camp, not English or Flemish) was completed in the ale garden. Comment from a first timer “excited - little worried in case I can’t manage what is expected of me”. Helga learned that the rule “lights off at 11pm” doesn’t mean “lights on”.

Saturday

Sunday

Inglesham week 3 started with the team members coming from far and wide to Brimscombe Port. The group did that icebreaking thing where you interview someone you don’t know and introduce them to the rest of the group. There were sailors, various nationalities, experienced and inexperienced volunteers among the group, led

by Ricey, assisted by Judi and fed by Kate.

House rules explained, escorted tour of the premises complete, the team were driven to Wallbridge and from there walked the towpath to Bowbridge Lock to see two locks “we did earlier”. Mick Lilliman was particularly helpful in providing a running commentary.

The previous week’s team had done a good handover and left the site ready for immediate work for which the leader and assistant were grateful. The scaffolding was raised to get above the high water mark and to allow some of the less tall folk an easier lay (there’s none of that on this camp). Site inspection and orientation complete, safety talks given, mini teams set about mixing mortar and moving bricks and blocks. Rob set about the East wing wall paddle arch. Some adjustments needed, and the rest of the wing wall was taken back a little lower to sturdier existing bricks.

The tarpaulin was providing some welcome shade, but hard hats are sweaty

fact file Cotswold Canals The Canal Camp project: Camp 11: rebuilding the second chamber wall at Inglesham Lock. Christmas Camp: vegetation clearance near Whitminster.

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

Why? The lock is being restored to open up access to the east end of the canals from the Thames.

And the Christmas camp work is in preparation for reopening of the west end from Saul to Stonehouse.

The wider picture: The Lottery-funded Phase 1a section (Stonehouse to Brimscombe) is mostly complete. A provisionally approved second Lottery grant would reopen the all-important Phase 1b (Stonehouse to Saul), linking the restored section to the national network at Saul. Initial work we do on this length improves the chances of funding being confirmed. But it’s important that the east end of the canals isn’t forgotten. The work at Inglesham helps to make the case for eventually reopening the entire 36 mile through route.

Canal Camp 11 site: Inglesham

Phase 1b: Saul to Stonehouse Christmas Canal Camp site: near Whitminster

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Phase 1a: Stonehouse to Brimscombe

Phase 3: Brimscombe to Cerney

Phase 2: Inglesham to Cerney

Steven Rice

Bricklayers and blocklayers in action on the chamber wall and tempting to take off - isn’t that so Linda?

Rob was last to leave work site at lunchtime and found that Linda had eaten his sandwiches (despite the label ROB)!

The team made good progress, virgin brickies were trained by Mick and under his tutoring were soon laying on their own.

They were so keen to lay bricks, the morning break was forgotten. Much banging of bricks early on, but gradually a softer approach came with experience. The end of the lock (nearside) was progressed by more experienced brickies as it was trickier and restoration less advanced. Judi arranged a quiz after dinner, prepared by quiz master Stuart - soon the team were dozing off...

Winning team - “Don’t mess with the cook” - won a slab of lager.

Monday Early morning incident - Luisa found a slug on her pillow at 03:30, she managed not to screech and wake everyone!

Today Rob placed his sandwiches in a locked box so Linda couldn’t get them. Henry

made six sandwiches for his lunch as he was so hungry yesterday.

Much the same progress as yesterday with lots of bricks being laid.

Sandra and Judi spent another day producing mortar for the brickies - and no complaints. They are now known as “the muck queens”.

Brian ripped his shorts right up to the waist - he did confess that he’d had them for 20 years. He also managed to drop his glasses in the mortar.

Saying of the day “I”ll rub it in for you Ricey, as long as it’s only your neck” (Linda).

On the drive home, the radio was switched on and to the delight of the van occupants Pink Floyd was playing Another Brick in the Wall - how appropriate!

After dinner, it was new, exciting entertainment that Judi had found at the local football club. Not only was it within walking distance of the accommodation, but beer was £3 and they had (a) a massive screen showing sports (b) a skittle alley. Two teams, The Flippers and The Floppers, and when Ricey turned up he had to be a Floater. A good time was had by all.

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Tuesday The southern end of the scaffold walkway was still under water at the start of the day so pumping out was essential before starting work, but that didn’t take long. Nice to spot fish in the lock. More blocks and bricks were moved and laid in the hot sunshine.

Aric and Henry managed to start the cement mixer first time after Ricey had six failed attempts. Sandra dropped a small spirit level in the lock.

Stuart built steps from blocks to get to the lockside which was dubbed “stairway to heaven” . He was not amused by them being snaffled by brickies, although they thought it hilarious.

Maria and Brian went trolley racing around the supermarket in search of beer and sweets (Maria was in the trolley until ordered out by the shop staff).

Evening entertainment of movie night turned into a “fussball” competition resulting in a very noisy, fun time. Aric is our fussball champion.

Thursday Having spent several days searching high and low for Aric’s wallet, he announced to the team that he had found it - in one of his other bags.

Furious progress on the lock wall, blocks in particular. Everyone knew what to do, what others might do, and so the accident log remained blank. Digger experience for Maria and Aric. Aric saved a frog from destruction.

Evening boat trip with Cotswold Canal Trust from Lechlade.

Certificates of best in class were presented to all after dinner.

Friday

Last day on site and as this was the last camp for three weeks the team would have to pack up the trailer. Ricey decided to record putting Inglesham to bed with a time lapse recording, until Linda picked up the phone and said “whose is this?” Nice shot of the ground though. Digger experience for rest of team who were “eager to have a go”, facilitated by a very patient David.

Wednesday Final evening for the team was spent at the Stroud Brewery drinking ale and scoffing Hard to believe the week was rushing by.

Everyone had gelled together and were being excellent pizza. Surprise, surprise, the team swapped around different jobs, learning new presented Cotswold Canal Trust caps to the “management” for a job well done and an skills. Luisa insisted on calling Ricey “Tim” enjoyable week. See Ricey and Judi blush! and couldn’t understand why he didn’t answer her.

The gas Burco had gone to Doctor Saturday Bungle so we were using an electric one. The bricks and blocks pile was diminishing and The Cotswold Canal Trust book shop at Ricey kept trying to estimate how many Brimscombe had a bumper day because the thousand have been laid. Enough to reach team kept buying treasures such as old vinyl, halfway to the moon at one point until a books and CDs. CCT do a good job raising small error in the maths was spotted. money and they are persistent in their efforts Such progress on the lock wall - well done. The accommodation was meant one thing - raise the scaffold walkcleaned and put to bed. The team hugged way, which meant raising the tarpaulin and went their separate ways, some returnproviding the shade so the brickie team ing in a couple of weeks, some vowing to could get underneath. Helga and Luisa took reunite in 12 months. the title of “muck queens” away from Will Inglesham be finished by then?

Sandra and Judi (who are obviously excel- Probably not, but the mission to tunnel under lent teachers). the M5 may be the next challenge, unless they Judi got a wet bottom squatting on the knock down Brimscombe to restore the port scaffolding retrieving a spirit level and point- watch cotswoldcanaltrust.co.uk. ing trowel. Charles saved a honey bee from drowning and revived it with a sugary drink. The Team: Aric, Thomas, David, Pete, We stopped for a “ dirty pint” on the Felicity, Henry, Maria, Brian, Luisa, Helga, way home and a stroll to the East portal of Linda, Sandra, Rob, Charles, Stuart, fed by Sapperton Tunnel at Coates.

Kate, led by Ricey and Judi.

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christmas camp Cotswold Another camp on the Cotswold Canals, but this time at the opposite end from our Inglesham site: scrub-bashing at the west end near Whitminster Christmas Camp 2018 Cotswold Canals, Whitmister

groups had tugs-of-war with trees in the canal. A good day all round.

Day 2: The group was split with the majority going to Pill box and five of us going to Whitminster Lock further west to bash the scrub. We became the Famous Five, Alan “useful” working his cotton socks off before giving the “newbies” training in the art of the strimmer. When we broke for tea

Having attended a camp in the summer and seen how well it was run I thought it would be dead easy to be the assistant to an experienced leader. How wrong I was! Well here’s some highlights of the Christmas camp 2018...

I arrived early so decided to visit an old friend, Gough’s Orchard Lock, site of my first camp - and lo and behold it’s still there looking as good as before.

When I returned to the accommodation it was open and that’s when I was reminded I had offered to assist, and I had agreed.

People began to arrive and we set up our sleeping arrangements with me initially sleeping with two women!! but that didn’t last as others joined us and we settled in.

Day 1: After much debate on were to park the buses we arrived at the Pill box site at Whitminster en masse carrying our worldly goods over stiles through glorious mud and setting up under a giant oak. Work went well, fires Tug-of-war team prepares to drag another branch out of the smelly mud were built and

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someone had forgotten to pack mugs - doh!

Day 3: Another bright day and the Famous Five became eight, moving over to the Porta Loo site were we began the now familiar scrub-bashing with tree felling added to the mix. Amazing how willow sends out roots from every possible point of contact with ground or water, and some monsters of the deep in the form of water lily stems. It was quite aromatic pulling branches out of the water and rigger gloves were in high demand becoming water logged in no time.

Two fires today with an unofficial competition for the best cared-for.

Day 4: What a day! We had a mix up with the brew kits (blame the assistant!) with all coffee, tea and sugar at the main site but all cheese sandwiches with the (now) Famous Eight. The day was saved by Sue walking down for makings! Thanks again Sue. People at the main site who wanted cheese sandwiches had to make do with biscuits and cake... the inconvenience...

Meanwhile there was much more tree felling from a boat/barge in the canal.

Day 5: Final day and we all came together at the Porta Loo site except a small excursion party to finish off at the original main site. Heavy duty felling today with the boat/barge and the Tirfor winch in action.

Much tidying up and two more huge fires. As a final treat we were treated to marshmallows, cooked over the fire on the tines of a pitchfork, and chocolate biscuits.

This year’s attendees came from all corners of the country, as far away as Scotland and to add a cosmopolitan touch a chap from Polska and another from Australia.

The camp activities included jigsaws, reading, watching DVDs and capacious amounts of alcohol for those so inclined, topped off with a marvellous New Year’s Eve quiz from Martin L and Emma.

A big thanks to all who worked in the kitchen making sure we were all well fed and well done everyone: we achieved what we set out to achieve - and got a mention in the local paper for good measure, promoting the restoration.

Paul Harrowsmith

The workboat is useful for tackling overhanging branches

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Christmas camp Dauntsey While WRG’s centrally booked Christmas camp was taking place on the Cotswold, our regional group BITM were at work on the Wilts & Berks... ladder and with a sharp bowsaw cut off the offending branches... Is there no end to this man’s talents?

In the weeks leading up to the camp, I had Dauntsey Lock had become a bit overbeen planning what jobs we needed to grown, and now that the Peterborough include, but on Christmas morning we Arms had at last re-opened it seemed a found that Santa had delivered us an extra good idea to clean up the lock and remove present – a large ivy-encrusted tree had the scaffolding that had been there for fallen across the canal! Thus our first job some years. This also involved replacing was decided for us. Definitely a job for the chestnut picket fencing alongside the Alan, a lifeboat man (with a little help from lock. his friends).

It now looks very smart, but sadly Our regular Christmas campers like to removing the scaffolding proved nonhave a variety of jobs to tackle – no time practical, as the water in the lock was to get bored – so long as each day inabout two feet above the top of our wadcluded a bonfire, which Anthony liked to ers, so it is going to have to wait until we tackle, our master arsonist! can pump it out.

A few weeks ago we had acquired We also spent a day scrub bashing three flat-pack metal sheds to keep our round Hignett’s hole (our spillweir at the tools and equipment in, and as anyone western end of my section of canal). There knows, flat-pack anything is never straight- were also some willow saplings that had forward. The brains of Luke and Rob were grown up along the bank in that area, both brought to bear on this task. Just to make on and off side, and we managed to Tirfor this more complicated, we had decided that some of these out. Alan had repaired the we were going to leave off the back of one engine of our work boat, so we were able shed and the front of another shed, so they to cruise up to that end! could be joined together in one large shed.

As usual, our Christmas campers By the end of the camp, between other settled happily in the evenings to start the jobs, this had been erected and the roof first jigsaw. This proved so absorbing that put on. we never actually made it to the pub. We Another job, inspired by the tree that completed two 1,000 piece ones and one had fallen, was to tackle a very large horse 500 piece. The Reading Rooms (our acchestnut on the offside with large branches commodation) have installed a screen, so reaching over the canal. For a few years we were able to watch one of Alan’s Star we had noticed that it didn’t look as Trek films, to Anthony’s delight. Accomhealthy as one would wish. Although modation with its own cinema! producing plenty of conkers, the leaves Di was our usual cook, and as we have turned brown much earlier than they were working at Dauntsey every day she should, and that might indicate that it had came up with the rest of us to the cottage succumbed to the current horse chestnut to prepare lunch there in the warm. Havdisease. ing said that, we were incredibly lucky with With the height of the tree, if it fell it the weather – it was dry and not too cold. could damage the cottages, so we decided Four of us actually worked on New Year’s we should at least dismember the branches Day up to lunchtime, apparently reluctant of the tree which were pointing that way. to tear themselves away.

Fortunately, Alan, an experienced mounMany thanks to everyone for their taineer, had a qualification for working at hard work. height, so he was able to shin up a long Rachael Banyard

WRG BITM Christmas Camp Wilts & Berks Canal

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London WRG A year in the life They don’t work in London (much), most of them don’t even live there. So what exactly DO London WRG get up to? We follow them through 2018...

Where’s one place that London WRG volunteers don’t restore canals?

That’s right: London. Because basically there aren’t really any derelict canals there to restore.

OK, somebody will mention various obscure dead ditches such as the Croydon Canal, subject of a series of spoof articles in Navvies in the 1980s but in fact largely buried under a railway in the 1830s. But mostly London’s canals are either still alive and kicking, or very dead.

So every third weekend sees us heading out into the surrounding countryside to work on restoring canals up to 150 miles away. And of you don’t have to live in London at all to join us on any of our working parties. Indeed, we have regulars and occasional supporters from the West and East Midlands, Devon, East Anglia, South Wales, the South Coast…

So why do we call ourselves London WRG at all? Sheer force of habit, plus it’s home to several of our regulars, who share transport for ourselves and kit in a minibus from London to our weekend digs, and we have the odd social gathering in the capital – of which more later…

Anyway here’s a round-up of what we got up to in 2018. A lot of it’s been culled from the six-monthly LWRG News, which is available online – to read more, see wrg.org.uk, select ‘London WRG’ on the ‘regional groups’ tab, and click the link for the latest issue.

January “I am starting to feel like a Jonah”, said leader Paul, describing our first planned outing of 2018, to the Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation. No, he didn’t get swallowed by a whale (although I guess that’s slightly more likely on the C&B where our accommodation is on a barge in the Blackwater estuary). No, he was referring to his ability to jinx any working party (in this case the barge turned out to be under renovation and nowhere else was available). But never mind, the Cotswold Canals had enough scrubbashing work available to soak up any spare labour…

“The job was to continue the clearance of the vegetation behind the industrial estate west of Bonds Mill Bridge after both the Christmas party dig as well as the Christmas Canal Camp. Therefore for several of the people this was the third time on this site within a month. The next time Clive Field asks where we all come from, we could all say we’re local!”

The evening entertainment wasn’t just the usual trip to the pub:

page 14

“An additional visitor Mike Palmer had arrived and over the meal an open brainstorm was held for a title of an article dealing with benefits of restoration both full and partial, as well as examples that could be included. The discussion continued in the pub with much flowing of alcohol…”

So now you know where the inspiration came from.

February The Grand Union Canal’s Buckingham Arm has become a very happening project , with work getting under way on rebuilding the first bridge near the junction with the canal’s main line at Cosgrove and re-watering the dry lengths beyond. It’s becoming a regular LWRG site, and February saw our first visit for 2018. It was very

March The annual BCN Cleanup isn’t just a London WRG event – in fact it isn’t just a WRG event at all, with IWA, BCN Society and others getting together to throw their hooks in and pull junk out of the more out-of-the-way bits of the Black Country canal system. But we’ve been involved in supporting and helping to organise it for many years. As Fran reports, there was the usual assortment of junk hauled out: “Someone found an old safe with a packet of passports inside it which were deposited at the police station. Someone hooked an engine block. There were a few bicycles, trolleys, tyres and usual detritus.

There was even a boater who braved the line of grappling hooks to go boating. We tried to act normal. I think we carried it off.”

“Some people worked harder than others. Nick was caught sitting down on the job, but he found numerous chairs in the canal so it is unsurprising.”

The catering deserved a mention too: “Dinner was deliciously cooked by Maria and George and was a deconstructed

early days at the bridge, as leader Fran explains…

“We received a task sheet each. Inside was an impression of what the finished bridge should look like. It looks very nice. We just need to build it now!”

There was a bit of a recurrent theme regarding the weather…

“Our job was to extend the excavation for the sleeper raft to support the centring for the arch. Of course, Adrian Sturgess was the first in the excavator to make a start on that but before we could do this we needed to remove some safety fencing to access the site. Moose and Maria started with gusto. Mainly as it was so cold and the canal had frozen…

“The towpath has temporarily been diverted so some steps needed to be cut to make this safe. We started excavating using hand tools as this seemed a good idea to keep everyone warm…”

“Tea consumption may have been higher than expected due to the cold so I went to the shop in Cosgrove’s caravan park. It was due to re-open in March so we decided to knock off early, which was sensible as we had completed our tasks. This turned out to be even more sensible as the snow storms started as we drove away…”

Our late February dig was snowed off.

shepherd’s pie followed by what was meant to be a choice of strudel and custard or cheesecake, but some people found enough room to not make a choice... It was then time to try and finish the beer and engage in a late night cheese and port party which seems to be becoming a BCN tradition. Long may it continue.”

page 15

April Back to Buckinghsm, and by contrast it was a beautifully warm weekend. The job had changed too…

“Since our last visit the plans had changed to try and save as much of the old bridge that has been uncovered as possible. The plan for a brick arch will now be replaced by a flat deck so the foundations of the old stone bridge need to be restored. Marion had done this before and Penny agreed to help with essentially a three dimensional jigsaw project. There was a huge pile of spoil just off the canal and so volunteers had to start by trying to make a stone pile, a scrap brick pile and then the soil would be shifted about by Adrian who promptly took the 13 tonne excavator keys in hand…”

“By the afternoon the stone team were ready to make their first lime mortar mix to begin building essentially a wall that curves inwards in both directions. No mean feat. By the end of the day the site looked much tidier and we felt very satisfied that the restoration had begun!”

We also held our AGM and awards ceremony, in which the Whip (leadership award) went to Pete for leading a dig where we got sleeping in the bar, the Wooden Spoon (catering award) to Penny for getting up early to cook breakfast on her very first LWRG weekend, and the Doughnut Award (for being a complete doughnut) to Tim for losing the notes for a dig report for LWRG News that we’d spent all evening in the bar writing.

page 16

May

May started with us actually doing something in London: the Canalway Cavalcade festival at Little Venice. OK, so it’s not a restoration, nor a WRG event (it’s run by our parent body the Inland Waterways Association), but several regulars are involved as volunteers in the event team, and this year we decorated a boat and entered it in the Pageant of Boats. Despite aq vote-rigging attempt which Vladimir Putin would have been proud of, we still didn’t win the prize.

We also had a dig on the Shrewsbury & Newport Canals, another project that’s been making big steps forward recently. Our worksite was at the portal of Berwick Tunnel, clearing fallen branches, shifting muck, and other jobs in connection with opening up the towpath and creating a circular walk as a first step towards opening the canal.

There’s an interesting feature: “The building by the tunnel portal despite being considered to be a lengthsman’s hut has now been considered to be stabling for donkeys but we don’t know how well these asses inspected the canal. However, this hut was a residence for a man in the 1960s and whoever is telling these stories must be a skilful raconteur. We are unsure if it was shared use…”

Sophie’s report also included the first hints of a traumatic time to come: “Disaster hit on Sunday when Ian couldn’t get the Burco to light. The provisional diagnosis was the thermocouple. I nearly cried.”

June We joined our friends in KESCRG for a combined weekend at Inglesham on the Cotswold Canals, a curtain-raiser for the final summer of canal camps on this total lock rebuild. I wasn’t there, but it sounds like a hive of activity: “The main jobs were exposing and cleaning some stone paving behind the brickwork which blocks will be keyed into. Vee was in her element brick cleaning in the horizontal plane, and Inka, Kirsty and others joined her to do this. Rick marked the damaged masonry to be removed. David S started to demolish the brickwork for the paddle recess. Pete removed the spoil and we essentially carried this cycle on all day with breaks for tea and cake.

Alan was banksman. Paul R was haunching. Gary and Stephen were adding in to some broken stones using shuttering and filling in the gaps…”

Perhaps ‘hive of activity’ was apropriate…

“Bobby removed a nest of bees in the way of our workers on a folding shovel – luckily they weren’t

feeling as aggravated as the horseflies. Perhaps they were attracted by the squashed fly biscuits…”

Meanwhile the Burco issues continued: “Bungle fitted a thermocouple. He made some rather acid comments about how rusty it was, which we ignored.”

July

combined resistive and inductive loads which reminded me of Physics A-level 40 In July we found ourselves hosted by the years ago, a brew was produced. The genny Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, returning to and cables didn’t seem to get significantly Steppingstones Bridge which we’d worked hotter than the tea, so we deemed it successful.” on rebuilding many years earlier…

But work was progressing well: “This was a bridleway bridge in the “The coping stone team had got a countryside which had been rebuilt from good system going and managed to put on two surviving lumps of abutments (rather another four stones by tea break, and a like the bridge on the Buckingham Arm, further six by lunchtime. The last five went but not in such good condition). But one of on in time for a tea break, end of dig photo, the parapet walls had never had its coping tidy up and back to the accommodation”. stones added, and that was our main task .

To add to the interest, the stones supplied weren’t the originals, they were much too long to cope (sorry!) with the curves in the parapet wall, and we didn’t really know if there were enough of them.”

Yet more trouble with the Burco: it wouldn’t light. Luckily we had a generator…

“An electric kettle was fetched, and after an animated discussion concerning the difference between pure resistive and a Tuesday night 10 days before each dig – or before when the dig would have been if we’d We took a break in summer. So many of us were been having one… And we held a social gatheraway on week-long WRG canal camps that we ing on the Epping-Ongar steam railway when couldn’t get enough for any LWRG weekend they were running an evening real ale train. digs. But we kept up our regular social gatherAnd a few of us were helping with the IWA’s ings, a pub evening every three weeks or so, on not-the-national Festival of Water at St Neots.

August

page 17

September Back to work after the break, and south to the Wey & Arun where the Canal Trust were busy getting ready for the grand opening of their new slipway at Dunsfold.

So we needed to help with all the finishing-off jobs to be done before this could happen. As leader Paul explains…

“When we arrived at site, Adrian was there setting up the telehandler for the tasks today. Martin’s task was to finish off a curving wall on the edge of the slipway, while Penny, Emma and Tim were detailed to do some landscaping of the slope. I was tasked to help Dave put in the four fence posts which lead down from the top of the slope to the gates. When this was completed we then hung the gates on the posts and they fitted first time.”

The launching of the first boat on the slipway was not without its excitement: “Martin took this opportunity to get some photos from the pontoon. We lowered the boat on to the rollers and the boat rolled into the canal…”

Emma then takes up the story…

“A big shove and Martin, capturing the moment on film, nearly went swimming.”

Back to Buckingham later in September. Fran’s report includes the familiar…

“Adrian immediately jumped into the large excavator…” …and the less commonplace…

“What we were building will not be

October The autumn saw our first visit for 18 months to the Lichfield Canal, continuing the Canal Trust’s project to build a channel wall at Fosseway Heath.

“While some folks started bricklaying, Emma took copious levels all the way along the completed and part-built lengths of the wall to make sure it wasn’t drifting upwards / downwards, and correct any places where it was. Meanwhile a large stock of clean bricks was rapidly produced by the St Helen’s Brick Cleaning Team (Janet and Carol) while the locals were prevailed upon to fetch a couple of pallets of the concrete blocks which form the bottom section of the towpath wall, the bit that won’t be seen when the canal’s got water in it.

“Oh, and Tim arrived just in time for lunch.”

page 18

seen by anyone walking the towpath or boating through but can affect how level the final bridge will be as we were to construct two brick walls on some concrete pads constructed by a previous weekend group, upon which metal supports will be placed, with concrete posts lengthways and all filled in with some brick facing to be added later. Martin had to forgo the WRG meeting to be in charge of the core bricklaying team of Darren, Emma N, Rachel, Sam and Ian S. This may sound like a lot of people around a wall but just about everyone laid a brick, poked mortar into brickholes, moved some bricks or did some brick related activity. Even Adrian laid some bricks! We estimated that around 1260 bricks were laid over the weekend to construct one support and the first course of the second.”

the washout on the Sunday of the last dig.

But she’d bought a new one, and we soon had the level set up and were checking levels ready to start bricklaying. And while the Lichfield locals had laid a fair number of bricks since we’d been there last, they’d also put down some more foundations, laid the first course of concrete blocks on a long length of existing foundation, and generally left us in a good position to do lots of the blockwork that forms the bottom half of the wall. Meanwhile a quick walk up to the far end of site confirmed that not only was there scrub clearance and brushcutting going on around Fosseway Lane Lock, there were indeed some actual bonfires burning!

“Oh, and Tim arrived just in time for lunch.”

Later in November we returned to the The October Lichfield dig had been a bit of Cotswold Canals, with the start of the a preparation for the Bonfire Bash in Noscrub-bashing season getting under way. vember, when London WRG joined a rather As Fran puts it succinctly: larger contingent carrying on with the “Luckily Jon Pontefract had a plan. same wall – as well as various other jobs.

Essentially we needed to cut things down “Emma’s notebook hadn’t survived and burn them. So we did that.”

November

December Our final outing of 2018 was our usual get-together with KESCRG for a Christmas party dig in early December, and this time it was on the Cotswold Canals – in fact on the same site as the previous dig, and the same site we were due to have the Christmas Canal Camp on. As Fran puts it just as succinctly: “Luckily Jon Pontefract had a plan. Essentially we needed to cut things down and burn them. So we did that.”

She did, however, add that: “There were a few differences between this dig and the one of two weeks For one thing, Helen was mainly wearing other peoples’ clothes. We also found a lot of mistletoe which seemed rather apt. Some people may have been more pleased with the find than others.”

Actually, mercenary lot that we are, we didn’t take advantage of the mistletoe ourselves, we let the Canal Trust flog it off to raise some dosh for canal restoration.

And so 2018 ended as it began, with us scrub-bashing on the Cotswold. So far in 2019 we’ve laid towpaths and fixed railings on the Chelmer & Blackwater, returned to Berwick Tunnel on the Shrewsbury & Newport, and we’re planning trips to the Wey & Arun, Cromford and Buckingham, as well as our usual support for the BCN Cleanup. Feel free to join us: new volunteers are welcome on all our digs (did I mention that you don’t have to come from anywhere near London?), details are in the Navvies diary, on the WRG website and our Facebook group. And for the full story see LWRG News on the website.

Martin Ludgate

page 19

navvies

diary

Canal Camps cost £70 per week or as stated. Bookings for WRG Camps with Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA. Tel: 01494 783453, enquiries@wrg.org.uk. Di Mar 1-7 WAT Mar 2/3 NWPG Mar 2-10 wrgNW Mar 9/10 London WRG Mar 16 Sat WRG Mar 16/17 KESCRG Mar 16/17 wrgBITM Mar 16/17 wrgFT Mar 17 Sun WRG Mar 20 Wed wrgNW Mar 30/31 London WRG Mar 30/31 WRG/IWA/BCNS Mar 30 Sat IWA/CRT Apr 3-9 wrgNW Apr 5-12 WAT Apr 6/7 KESCRG Apr 13/14 wrgBITM Apr 19-27 CC201902 May 3-10 WAT May 4/5/6 NWPG May 11/12 London WRG May 17/18/19 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 21-23 TW2019 Jun 22/23 London WRG Jul 5-12 WAT

Wendover Arm: Stage 4 excavation Fri-Thu Cotswold Canals: Stroudwater - Whitminster?

Montgomery Canal mini-camp: POSTPONED (until autumn?)

Wey & Arun Canal PAT Testing: Rowington Village Hall Cotswold Canals: Stroudwater - joint dig with WRG Forestry Buckingham Arm: Cosgrove Cotswold Canals: Joint dig with KESCRG Committee & Board Meetings: Rowington Village Hall Ad Hoc Meeting Supporting BCN Clean Up on the Dudley No 2 Canal BCN Clean Up: Dudley No 2 Canal Restoration Workshop 2019: “Fundraising” 10am-4pm at Bilston, W.Mid Cromford Canal: Rolling mini-camp at Sawmills Wendover Arm Cotswold Canals: Inglesham Cotswold Canals: Weymoor Bridge Cotswold Canals: Easter Camp (Weymoor) 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 Committee & Board Meetings: Rowington Village Hall Cotswold Canals: Long weekend at Inglesham Fri-Mon Wendover Arm Cromford Canal: To be confirmed Cotswold Canals: To be arranged Logistics weekend Uttoxeter Canal: Family Camp Buckingham Arm To be arranged Logistics weekend WRG Training Weekend: Lichfield Canal To be arranged Wendover Arm

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

page 20

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

dlands

19)

Roger Leishman Bill Nicholson Ju Davenport Tim Lewis Bungle Bobby Silverwood Dave Wedd Nigel Lee Mike Palmer Mike & Liz Chase Tim Lewis Chris Morgan Alex Melson Ju Davenport Roger Leishman Bobby Silverwood Dave Wedd

01442-874536 01844-343369 07808-182004 07802-518094

rwleishman@gmail.com bill@nwpg.org.uk nw@wrg.org.uk london@wrg.org.uk

07971-814986 07816-175454 07802-854694 01564-785293

bobby@kescrg.org.uk bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk nigel.lee@wrg.org.uk mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk

07802-518094 01494-783453

Bobby Silverwood Dave Wedd Mike Palmer

07808-182004 01442-874536 07971-814986 07816-175454 01494-783453 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

london@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk alex.melson@waterways.org.uk nw@wrg.org.uk rwleishman@gmail.com bobby@kescrg.org.uk bookings@wrgbitm.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk 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

Tim Lewis Roger Leishman

07802-518094 01442-874536

london@wrg.org.uk rwleishman@gmail.com

Roger Leishman Bill Nicholson Tim Lewis Dave Wedd

Mike Palmer Bobby Silverwood Roger Leishman Tim Lewis Bill Nicholson Mike Palmer

ease contact diary compiler Dave Wedd: see top of page

page 21

navvies

diary

Canal societies’ regular working parties 3rd Sunday of month ACA Every Sunday if required BBHT Every Tuesday BCA Once per month: pls check BCNS 2nd & 4th w/e of month BCS Thursdays Sep-Apr BCT 2nd Sun & alternate Thu BuCS Every Mon and Wed CCT Every Mon am Thu pm CCT Various dates CCT Every Sunday ChCT Every Tue and Thu CSCT Every Tue & Wed C&BN Every Friday ECPDA Most Wed and Sun DSCT Second Sun of month FIPT 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 22

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

page 23

navvies

diary

Inland Waterways Association and other one-day working parties Feb 26 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm Feb 26 Tue IWA NSSC/BPT Burslem Arm: Luke St, Middleport, Stoke on Trent. 10am-3pm Feb 27 Wed IWA PeterboroughHorseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 10am-3pm Every Tue/SatIWA West Country Bridgwater & Taunton Canal: Bridgwater area 10am-1:30pm Every Tue/SatIWA West Country Bridgwater & Taunton Canal: Taunton area 10am-1:30pm Every Fri IWA Lichfield Trent & Mersey Canal: Offside Veg clearance with CRT 9:30-3:30 Mar 3 Sun IWA Northants Northampton Arm: 10am-2pm. Painting, vegetation & litter Mar 10 Sun IWA Lincs/SNT Sleaford Navigation: Various work on navigable section Mar 13 Wed IWA PeterboroughHorseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 10am-3pm Mar 14 Thu IWA NSSC/CUCT Uttoxeter Canal: Work party at Bridge 70, Crumpwood. 10am-3pm Mar 16 Sat IWA Chester Shropshire Union Canal: Chester area, painting & veg clearance. 10amMar 16 Sat IWA Manchester Venue T.B.C.: Greater Manchester area. Veg clearance, etc. 10amMar 19 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm Mar 19 Tue IWA Northants Northampton Arm: 10am-2pm. Painting, vegetation & litter Mar 21 Thu IWA NSSC/TMCS Trent & Mersey Canal: Cheshire Locks. 10am-3pm. Meet at locks 47 Mar 24 Sun IWA Warks Grand Union Canal: Canal cleanup. 10am - 2pm.

Mar 26 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm Mar 26 Tue IWA NSSC/BPT Burslem Arm: Luke St, Middleport, Stoke on Trent. 10am-3pm Mar 27 Wed IWA PeterboroughHorseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 10am-3pm Every Tue/SatIWA West Country Bridgwater & Taunton Canal: Bridgwater area 10am-1:30pm Every Tue/SatIWA West Country Bridgwater & Taunton Canal: Taunton area 10am-1:30pm Every Fri IWA Lichfield Trent & Mersey Canal: Offside Veg clearance with CRT 9:30-3:30 Apr 7 Sun IWA Northants Northampton Arm: 10am-2pm. Painting, vegetation & litter Apr 10 Wed IWA PeterboroughHorseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 10am-3pm Apr 11 Thu IWA NSSC/CUCT Uttoxeter Canal: Work party at Bridge 70, Crumpwood. 10am-3pm Apr 14 Sun IWA Lincs/SNT Sleaford Navigation: Various work on navigable section Apr 16 Tue BCP/IWA Oxford Oxford Canal: Banbury Canal Partnership, 9am-1pm Apr 16 Tue IWA Northants Northampton Arm: 10am-2pm. Painting, vegetation & litter Apr 18 Thu IWA NSSC/TMCS Trent & Mersey Canal: Cheshire Locks. 10am-3pm. Meet at locks 47 Apr 20 Sat IWA Chester Shropshire Union Canal: Chester area, painting & veg clearance. 10amApr 20 Sat IWA Manchester Venue T.B.C.: Greater Manchester area. Veg clearance, etc. 10amApr 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 PeterboroughHorseways Channel: Horseways Lock and Channel. 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.

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

4pm 4pm

& 48

& 48 4pm 4pm

Colin Garnham-Edge Steve Wood Roger Mungham Mike Slade Steve Bulgin Neil Barnett Geoff Wood Mel Sowerby Roger Mungham Steve Wood Jason Watts

07976-805858 01945-773002 07977-263840 07855-794256

01522-856810 01945-773002 07976-805858 07710-554602

Colin Garnham-Edge Geoff Wood John Lawson Colin Garnham-Edge Steve Wood Roger Mungham Mike Slade Steve Bulgin Neil Barnett Geoff Wood Roger Mungham Steve Wood Mel Sowerby Colin Garnham-Edge Geoff Wood John Lawson Jason Watts

07940-878923

07976-805858 01945-773002 07977-263840 07855-794256

01945-773002 07976-805858 01522-856810

07940-878923 07710-554602

Colin Garnham-Edge Steve Wood Roger Mungham

07976-805858 01945-773002

bcpontheoxford@gmail.com steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk roger.mungham@waterways.org.uk mike.slade@waterways.org.uk stevebulgin@icloud.com neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk workparty@sleafordnavigation.co.uk roger.mungham@waterways.org.uk steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk jason.watts@canalrivertrust.org.uk secretary@manchester-iwa.co.uk bcpontheoxford@gmail.com geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk john.lawson@waterways.org.uk info.warwickshire@waterways.org.uk bcpontheoxford@gmail.com steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk roger.mungham@waterways.org.uk mike.slade@waterways.org.uk stevebulgin@icloud.com neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk roger.mungham@waterways.org.uk steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk workparty@sleafordnavigation.co.uk bcpontheoxford@gmail.com geoff.wood@waterways.org.uk john.lawson@waterways.org.uk jason.watts@canalrivertrust.org.uk secretary@manchester-iwa.co.uk bcpontheoxford@gmail.com steve.wood@team.waterways.org.uk roger.mungham@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

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Progress Wendover Arm Our round-up of progress begins this time with the Wendover Arm Trust beginning re-lining a new length of channel, and laying a car park...

Grand Union Wendover Arm

Pictures by WAT

November and December Working Parties: Apart from a reinforced concrete apron and new wing walls at the old wharf wall at Whitehouses, lining of the Stage 3 section of canal was completed.

Lining of Stage 4 has commenced and, as you can see from the photograph, a start has been made on both banks.

After making an early start to the December working party, Bob Barry project managed a remodelling of the car park area at Little Tring. The general area at Little Tring had become somewhat muddy. To avoid heavy plant using the same roadway as volunteers’ cars, the car park has Lining work has begun on the Stage 4 section of canal been moved to the Little Tring Road side. This allows heavy plant to move to and from the working site through a new gate on the opposite side.

As you can see from the second photograph there is now a clean area dressed with MOT quality road stone for car parking, accessible from Little Tring Road, clear of the route now to be used by heavy plant.

Whitehouses: It would seem likely that the bid for funds from the European LEADER Fund will not be forthcoming so a decision may soon have to be made as to whether our volunteers carry out the work at Whitehouses at a cost in the order of £25,000, or fund a CRT contractor to carry out the work at nearer three times this cost.

We are very fortunate in having the services of Mikk Bradley, who is a civil engineer who has formerly worked for CRT. He is currently revising the Rolling the surface of the new car parking area plans for the concrete apron and wing walls and seeking the approval of CRT for these plans. Once this is done we can consider whether or not to do the work with the Trust’s volunteers if LEADER funds are not forthcoming.

Roger Leishman, Restoration Director rwleishman@gmail.com

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Progress Stover Canal Next we go down to Devon and the Stover Canal, where after a few disappointments there’s been some progress... but also some floods...

Stover Canal

Pictures by Stover Canal Trust

Stover Canal Trust’s work is progressing at the restored northern terminus of the canal at Ventiford Basin. The clay cored dam which will retain the water is in place and clad with small paving slabs (which became surplus when the pedestrian precinct in Newton Abbot was remodelled with tarmac).

Unfortunately, recent floods washed the cladding from the crest of the dam, such was the force of the water. This will now be replaced with concrete. On the plus side, the floodwater gave us a good idea how quickly the basin filled and we are now reviewing the size of the inlet structure required to keep the basin topped up during dryer periods.

The floodwater did cause damage to the wooden walkway over the Fishwick Feeder which is situated further downstream.

Major works have been required here as the structure has suffered Above: bringing in clay for the dam at Ventiford three failures in the last 18 Below: the restored basin filling up with water months.

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Progress Sussex Ouse The Sussex Ouse has received a generous donation from an anonymous supporter - but needs help to use the money to set up a trip-boat operation Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust A most generous benefactor has given the Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust ÂŁ10,000 with the direction that it must only be used to help fund future resoration work or the running of a trip boat. The money is in a restricted fund and can only be spent by agreement with the donor.

The present plan is to run a small boat from White Bridge, Isfield for just over a mile to the newly restored Sutton Hall Lock at Isfield. The form of the boat has still to be decided, along with its means of power, though it would probably carry less than twelve passengers and must be trailable.

Do any readers know of (or own) a potential craft? If you might like to volunteer for the trip-boat then SORT would be very grateful to hear from you. In particular, SORT seeks:

Filling any one of these key roles would be a tremendous help to SORT as a trip-boat would vastly increase public awareness and would demonstrate the benefit of the restoration.

Meanwhile, towards the end of the summer and as the dry weather slipped away, work continued at Isfield lock with the digging out of the downstream cut, which edges closer towards rejoining the River Ouse. This proved a far from easy task as it involved removing the many railway sleepers that were laid down over ten years ago to help build the ramp that led down into the lock chamber, and tons of hardcore that was also brought in to help stabilise the ramp. Build-

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SORT

(i) a manager to oversee the purchase and operation of the boat (ii) a bookings manager and (iii) an engineering manager

ing the ramp was essential in allowing access into the chamber by the plant used to clear the tons of silt and rubbish. A heavy duty digger was hired to remove the ramp but eventually the mud and wet conditions, coupled with excavator breakdown caused work to be stopped.

What is to become of the sleepers and hardcore brought out of the mud? Well SORT is hoping to sell the sleepers, which (washed down and cleaned) are as good as new. And the local estate at Sutton Hall has gladly accepted the hardcore which will be used to help maintain the estate roads and tracks. Good recycling, I think that’s called?

Now with Winter well and truly upon us the mud and lying water at any potential work site prevents our working parties from continuing with any of the work required, which means that the task of repairing and maintaining equipment can be concentrated on. Currently the digger is undergoing some repairs on its track and the dumper awaits repairs on its brakes. They will both be ready to get back into action by next Spring.

Terry Owen

White Bridge, Isfield, future trip-boat base

Progress Buckingham On the Buckingham Canal, the culmination of many months’ preparation work sees the deck installed at Bridge No 1, the first from Cosgrove Buckingham Canal

nowhere is this more important than at Bourton Meadow, at the Buckingham end.

We have to keep the footpath clear and ensure that the canal itself looks good and showcases what the Society can achieve. A local lady called Ruth and her husband have volunteered to do some regular pruning and tidying, but sometimes we need to put in additional effort to tackle the bigger issues.

In August we had a small group of National Trust employees from Stowe come along and join us for a day. During the course of the day, the National Trust team cleared part of the most overgrown section around the spill weir. There’s still plenty more to do, so more work parties are required.

The missing first bridge at Cosgrove has been quite literally the blocker to the restoration and navigation of the Buckingham Canal. The journey has been “long, with many a winding turn” as the song goes but on the weekend of 10th November 2018 (and after a great deal of initial work – our thanks to WRG’s Bit In The Middle (BITM), London WRG and the Kent and East Sussex Canal Restoration Group (KESCRG) for their help) we achieved a milestone when the steel beams for the structure were put in place now the design had been finalised and approved.

Originally, the thought was a brick arch built on the remains.

However, heritage advice was to the contrary, and so a modern flat deck bridge has been designed. The steel beams form a core element of this and will have concrete beams and blocks laid upon them. Then a concrete and steel mesh road surface will go on top with containment kerbs. We will then add the parapet walls and fencing as well as balustrades. All of that over the coming months, subject to the unpredictable British weather.

Once the bridge is operational, The bridge beams craned into place in October, and we have tasks to repair the canal (below) in December with concrete deck blocks added bank & towpath beyond, remove the farm crossings and remediate the handful of leaks. We can then complete the necessary stilling test (for water-tightness) and get ready to remove the dam.

But whilst most of our restoration efforts are currently directed at Cosgrove and Bridge No.1, it’s important that we do not forget our other sites along the full route of the Buckingham Canal. There is still regular maintenance to perform so that we ensure our efforts of the previous years are not lost, and

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Progress NW roundup

Diane Richardson

Progress in pictures at a selection of restoration projects in the north west of England: Sankey, Lancaster, Stockport and Hollinwood

Diane Richardson

Above: On the Sankey Canal, WRG North West, Sankey Canal Restoration Society, IWA and others got together on a chilly February day to clear saplings and vegetation at Bewsey Lock Below: At Gorton Tank (railway aqueduct) on the Stockport Arm of the Ashton, WRG NW are seen supporting the Stockport Canal Society on a vegetation clearance working party

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LCT

LCT Frank Shenton

Above and right: On the Lancaster Canal it isn’t just about the First Furlong project covered by our picture spread on Page 39: Lancaster Canal Trust volunteers also found time to work at Hincaster Tunnel, as the before and after shots of the access steps show.

Below: weed boats in operation on the Bury to Radcliffe section of the Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal

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Progress Wey & Arun

Pictures by WACT

By Wey (sorry) of a change from the usual pics of lengths of canal being restored, here’s a new fleet of work boats arriving in the deep south...

The Wey & Arun Canal Trust recently took delivery of a new fleet of workboats - one tug, one dredger and two hopper barges bought from contractors Land & Water. Here they are seen arriving at Compass Bridge, being unloaded with a 250 tonne crane, and heading off to start dredging the length from there to the new slipway.

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tech tips Project plans What is a project plan? Why do we need them on canal sites? Why do WRG volunteers even need to know of their existence? Mikk explains all...

Canal Restoration Project Plans If you’ve read Mike Palmer’s Chairman’s Comment page in recent issues, you’ll have seen several references to the importance of project planning. The following is a guidance note put together by WRG’s parent body the Inland Waterways Association on the subject, but we thought it deserved a wider audience via Navvies magazine. In general the ‘restoration group’ mentioned in the introduction will be a canal society or trust rather than a WRG group, but it’s as well for us in WRG to know about it too...

Introduction The legal bit: The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) cover the management of health, safety and welfare when carrying out construction projects. Restoration projects are construction work and are included under these regulations.

Under CDM 2015, before setting up a construction site the restoration group (Principal Contractor) must draw up a construction phase plan, which we call the Project Plan. The plan must set out the arrangements for securing health and safety during the period construction work takes place and includes site rules and any specific measures.

For large projects the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) needs to be notified using the F10 notification, see below. The criteria for notifying the HSE is; where construction work on a construction site is likely to last more than 30 days and have more than 20 workers working at the same time at any point on the project or exceed 500 person days of construction work.

Restoration sector: Waterway restoration is the undertaking of highly ambitious projects using volunteers and the right planning ensures health, safety and welfare management is taken into account, allows the work to be properly scheduled using the right tools, plant materials and equipment. The project plan aligns the vision of the restoration group and provides a clear focus and objective for the restoration.

The project plan allows the restoration group to demonstrate their expertise to stakeholders and take on a leadership role in addition to managing the health and safety of their volunteers.

What is a project plan?

A Project plan is the written record of what you have talked about regarding what you want to do, who you want to do it and how you want to do it safely. It defines the project deliverables and the milestones in achieving these. It identifies hazards on the site and how these will be controlled.

The project plan consists of three parts The site specific project plan Method statements Risk assessments.

The project plan includes an emergency plan and details of local hospitals.

Project plans allow restoration groups to realistically attribute budgets and timescales and to oversee the overall quality of each phase. Most importantly they help manage the risk to those involved in working on the site or overseeing the project and allow the inevitable changes on site to be managed.

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How to put a project plan together Preparing a project plan can be daunting, but it need not be a large document. The size of the document should reflect to size and complexity of the project. A large project may need a number of contributors so it is important to define and delegate the roles and responsibilities. It is important to nominate one person to oversee the project plan and ensure consistency across the whole.

It is essential to carry out a site visit with other stakeholders and contributors. Following on from this some form of desk study may be required and any other pre-works surveys identified. Permissions from landowners, local authorities or national bodies may be required.

Start by defining the scope of the works; the site location and description, the set-up of the site including where the welfare facilities are located, how the site is accessed, any traffic management on the site, the tasks that are to be undertaken and the outcome of the project.

Include with this timescales for the project.

Identify roles and responsibilities of key personnel on the site. This is where the roles in CDM 2015 are detailed and identifies if the HSE need to be notified about the project using a F10 notification. The F10 notification is an on-line form that is completed and submitted to the HSE. Establish an emergency plan and provide details of the nearest hospitals and other medical facilities. Detail how accidents and incidents are reported and acted upon.

Next consider the site and any hazards that you can identify. Include in this Utilities apparatus (Electric, gas, water for example), ground conditions, environmental factors. The risk assessment that will be prepared will detail how the hazards will be controlled.

Consider the plant, materials and tools that will be required for the work and consider how these will be sourced, stored and used throughout the project. Include with this any assessments for hazardous materials under Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH).

Site rules need to be established. These will include what personal protective equipment (PPE) is required, any parking restrictions, driver authorisations and competency of volunteers.

Finally carry out a peer review of the document and arrange for the document to be signed off.

Remember the project plan is a live document and needs to be communicated to your volunteers. It should be kept on site and any changes on site should be considered and the relevant part of the document updated. Part of the CDM 2015 is the need to consult volunteers on matters of health and safety. These discussion can form part of the project plan review and be included in later versions of the document.

Preparing a Risk Assessment A risk assessment is about identifying sensible measures to control the risks in your work place and is a required by law to be carried out. There are five stages to a risk assessment; 1. Identify the hazards. Think about the activities, processes or substances that could injure your volunteers or harm their health.

2.

Decide who might be harmed and how. For each hazard you need to be clear who might be harmed, volunteers and others not carrying out the task.

3. Evaluate the risks and decide on controls to reduce the risk. How likely is the hazard to cause harm and what would the severity be. What can be done to reduce the risk, you do not need to eliminate the hazard.

4.

Record your significant findings. Make a record of the hazards, how people may be harmed and what you have in place to control the risks. Any record should be simple and focused and communicated to everyone involved in the task.

5.

Review your assessment and update if necessary. If there have been any significant changes or improvements need to be made. Consult your volunteers. Learn from any accidents or near misses.

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Definitions: Hazard: Anything that may cause harm, such as chemicals, electricity, working at height or near water, uneven ground, plant and tools.

Risk: The chance, high or low, that somebody could be harmed by these and other hazards, together with an indication of how serious the harm could be.

Preparing a Method Statement (Task Plan) A method statement is an in depth look at the tasks involved, breaking them down into individual elements. It is a detailed step-by-step methodology and details the plant, tools and materials to be used for the job. It includes the specification for the materials and how they should be used.

The method statement should be produced and read in conjunction with the risk assessment and will make reference to any COSHH assessments.

If specialist plant, tools or equipment is required the method statement may include other specialist documentation, such as a lift plan when using a crane.

If the task is high risk, such as working at height on a scaffold, it will include a permit to work system to be followed.

The method statement will detail what PPE is required to carry out the task.

Common problems and difficulties about project plans – Q & A It’s just a small project, surely it doesn’t need a big plan? The project plan should be ·commensurate with the size of the project. However even a small project needs a project plan to demonstrate that planning has been undertaken.

There are still too many unknowns with my project, surely there’s no point in starting to write the project plan yet? The project plan should be started and all the current information included. The project plan is a live document and can be developed as the project grows and more information becomes available.

It’s all going to change anyway, so what’s the point? The project plan is the starting point and will develop with the project. Change is inevitable but having a plan in place to start allows the changes to be recorded.

What if someone challenges my project plan and I have got something wrong? Construction projects are complex and there can be more than one way to carry something out.

Discuss any queries and explain your thinking, it may be that someone else has seen something that you have missed or seen a different way to carry it out. It can be a good thing and shows that somebody has read what you have written!

Is it really worth doing? No-one will ever read it! The project plan needs to be communicated to those carrying out the work because it is in their interest to carry out the work safely.

I don’t have time to do a project plan, I just want to get on and do the job! You have a responsibility of care to your volunteers. A written plan will demonstrate that you have considered the hazards with the work and identified measures to control these to allow the work to be carried out safely.

I have a lot of volunteers who just want to work. They are not interested in a project plan, how can I convince them to use it? Not everyone will want to read the whole project plan, but incorporate the appropriate task plans into your daily briefing and toolbox talks.

This way the project plan can be delivered in easily digestible chunks. It is everyone’s responsibility to ensure the project plan is completed. We all have a vested interest in running a successful restoration project.

What’s out there to help me write a project plan? The IWA Restoration Hub has a number of templates and examples of project plans, risk assessments and method statements, COSHH assessments etc.

Project plan resources and the IWA ‘How to write a Project Plan’ video are available at waterways.org.uk, or contact Head Office.

Mikk Bradley

· · · · · · ·

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News

navvies

Has your canal trust got a licence for that bonfire? If not, you face a fine.

And on the subject of money, the Restoration Conference has some ideas... gagement focus is more attractive to funders.

Relining your Pockets What are HLF and funders looking Annual Restoration Conference 2019

·for? Lois Francis will share case studies of

WRG’s parent body the Inland Waterways Association and the Canal & River Trust run the Annual Restoration Conference to provide support for waterway restoration projects. This year it’s on Saturday 30 March at Ormiston SWB Academy in Wolverhampton. The aim is to ensure local waterways societies and trusts have more support and information to assist in the development of their schemes. It’s open to anyone involved in canal restoration, including WRG volunteers.

The 2019 Conference focuses on funding and making sure your project is relevant to funders. We have lots of presentations and seminars planned including a presentation from Liz Shaw of the Heritage Lottery Fund updating you on HLF’s new funding framework and grant programmes. The Keynote speakers are: Mike Palmer, WRG Chairman will launch IWA’s new report Waterways in Progress which uses case studies to spell out to key stakeholders, such as local government and funders, how well thought-out, partial restoration initiatives can start to deliver right from day one.

Steve Higham from CRT will talk about the health & wellbeing benefits of volunteering and restoration and how societies can pitch these benefits to funders.

Liz Shaw from the Heritage Lottery Fund will talk about its new funding framework and grant application programmes.

There will be a Q&A session with our panel, as well as breakout sessions on: More bang for your Bucks: Terry Cavender, Buckingham Canal Society on BCS’s experiences applying for LEADER funding.

Adding value to your HLF grant. David Thackray, Cotswold Canals Trust on CCT’s archive project and how this relates to the wider HLF bid and adds value.

Importance of community engagement. David Marshall, Stroud District Council will focus on a community en-

· · ·

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Cotswold projects she has been involved in.

Using the media to engage communities and funders. Jo Henderson, IWA’s Campaigns & Media Officer, on how to showcase community involvement to funders.

Building relationships with funders. Ellen Hawes, IWA’s Fundraising Officer. Ellen will look at how relationship building is essential to long term sustainability.

The event is free. To book on, see waterways.org.uk and select ‘workshops and courses’ from the ‘events’ tab.

Jenny Morris IWA Restoration Hub Coordinator

· ·

Permission for bonfires?

It’s bonfire & scrub bashing season… important Information for groups! You may not be aware but a waste exemption is required for any organisation or person burning waste in the open. So if you are clearing vegetation from your restoration project and plan to burn it on site you need to read on…

A Waste exemption: D7 burning waste in the open, permits groups to burn the following without having to apply for other permits: Plant tissue Sawdust, shavings and cuttings from untreated wood only Waste bark and wood If a site is reported to the fire authority and they attend, they may ask to see a permit or exemption - or else you risk facing a fine.

These exemptions need to be registered with the Environment Agency, whilst the application is free, it can take a while, so it’s best to get a head start before undertaking any work. The exemption is valid for 3 years.

To apply see www.gov.uk/guidance/wasteexemption-d7-burning-waste-in-the-open For more details or advice, please contact IWA’s Restoration Hub by email to restoration@waterways.org.uk or phone 01494 783 453 ext 604.

· · ·

Reunion site found?

No, you didn’t misread that. But do note the question mark. We do, believe it or not, already have a site earmarked for our annual Reunion working party (also known as the Bonfire Bash because we tend to spend it cutting down vegetation and burning it on big bonfires) on 2-3 November.

We can’t tell you where yet because we haven’t actually quite confirmed it, but (fingers crossed, touch wood) we hope to be able to bring you more details next time. In the meantime put the date in your diaries.

French leave?

WRG is offering six volunteers aged 18–30 the chance to volunteer on an all expenses paid trip to France, to work alongside EU heritage groups on practical restoration work.

Selected volunteers will spend Monday 5th to Sunday 18th of August 2019 working alongside our EU counterparts, restoring Villognon Mill, a disused watermill in Nanteuil-en-Vallée in New Aquitania.

WRG is one of the many voluntary heritage groups across Europe taking part in the REMPART Erasmus+ volunteer program.

The aim of the programme is to generate European participation within the heritage network and to develop and share ideas across similar groups, taking this as an opportunity to develop future partnerships between each organsiation and train our future leaders.

Who can apply? Anyone aged 18 - 30 can apply, however preference will be given to existing Waterway Recovery Group volunteers, who have demonstrated eagerness to get involved with future restoration work.

How do I apply? Complete the application form available from Head Office or via the WRG website and write a covering letter to say why they would benefit from taking part in our ERASMUS+ Volunteers Programme. Please send all application to alex.melson@waterways.org.uk.

How much will it cost me? Absolutely nothing. Our host group, REMPART, has received an EU funded grant covering 85% of the projects activities, with the final 15% funded by REMPART themselves.

Funding includes food for three meals per day, accommodation and everything you will need for the 14 days. Even travel is included. You will only need to bring spend-

ing money for shopping or trips out.

What is ERASMUS+? The ERASMUS+ Heritage Volunteers programme is an EU funded European youth exchange, bringing heritage volunteer groups across Europe to work together on projects across France. The programme involves groups sent

by EU partners to undertake both practical activities related to each site and cultural heritage/European heritage related activities.

By also being part of the European Solidarity Corps, you join the community of likeminded young people who are contributing to create a more inclusive and united society.

For more information contact Alex Melson at alex.melson@waterways.org.uk or call 01494 783 453 ext 607

Planning some dredging?

This is aimed at canal societies and trusts rather than WRG volunteers, but could be useful for any camp or weekend leaders working on projects involving channel dredging.

The Inland Waterways Association’s Restoration Hub has put together a set of Dredging Briefing Notes covering the various matters (and there are a lot of them) that you need to be aware of if you’re getting involved in a running a dredging scheme.

Subjects covered include: Pre-planning: stakeholders, permissions needed, any special status eg conservation areas, SSSIs Permissions: for dredging and disposal Landfill directive: assessment of whether or not the dredgings are classed as hazardous Licensing: local authority, Environment Agency, drainage boards Non-hazardous waste: getting an exemption from waste legislation Hazardous waste: processing, sorting, sampling recording, disposing Methods: from the bank, from the water, from pontoons Dimensions: how deep to dredge to Environmental considerations: nutrient-rich or polluted materials, impact of disturbance, spread of invasive species Download it as a PDF from the IWA Restoration Hub.

. . . . . . . . .

Congratulations... ...to Sophie Smith and Stephen on getting married.

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infill The Trump Navigation?

Dear Deirdre We’re having terrific trouble then hit CTRL+P to whizz it across to the with dogs on digs. Hector and Noodles are best mates, but if Honey Boo Boo comes on the dig the 3 of them tend to get too boisterous. Noodles and Wendigo will always fight each other. Princess Tim Tam loves The Prince of Barkness but he prefers Honey Boo Boo. So if Honey Boo Boo is there, Princess Tim Tam will try to kill her. Muttley Crue will share his toys with any of the other dogs unless Honey Boo Boo is in the room. Oh and Captain Fantastic bites people but he’s absolutely fine with other dogs. Can you help me work out the right combination of dogs to keep things peaceful on a dig?

- JD, Woolscombe-on-Avon Deirdre writes Get Honey Boo Boo spayed!

Hewlett Packard in the corner of the office?

No, not exactly. But even so... perhaps in 50 years’ time we (*) will be looking back nostalgically at the days of brick-cleaning, mortar mixing, and moaning about the mix, as a new generation of entirely automated restoration projects rebuild the waterways for us.

Spot the difference?

“I have a different approach to settle the disagreement presently existing in Congress over money for Department of Homeland Security border security. Instead of a wall, which seems to be the main stumbling block for both congressional parties, why not build a moat? Make it wide enough and deep enough and call it a canal.

“That way we can use it commercially, and it would be too wide and deep for people to swim across or tunnel under...”

(*) Not me. I’ll be long gone, along with all the contributors, replaced by Robo-Editor, Cyber-Campreporter and Auto-Whingewriter.

Finally seeing sense in the USA? We spotted this interesting slant on President Trump’s ‘great wall of Mexico’ idea in a letter to an American newspaper recently...

This was followed by another letter with some helpful ideas as to how to fund and build it...

Two canal bridges, two official openings. But while the first one is a flat deck road bridge over the Wey & Arun Canal, the basic structure built by contractors but all the rest done over 18 months by volunteers, the second one is a hump-backed footbridge over a Shanghai canal, built by... a 3D printer.

So did they just design it on the screen

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“The cost will be paid by fees charged to shipping companies in Europe, Asia and the American East and West coasts. Mexico should be happy to help finance the cost because they could also share the canal access fees.

“We already have an abundance of excavation devices. Many nuclear weapons can be easily modified to safely perform the excavation. Nuclear devices used for excavation are completely legal or should be made legal. Those who object should be handed a pick and shovel and told to dig until they can prove that their way is the best way...”

Brilliant idea. Coming soon: Offa’s Canal, Hadrian’s Canal, and the ultimate solution to the vexed question regarding whether the post-Brexit Irish border is to be a hard / soft / open / closed one. It’ll be a wet one.

outro NW on the Lancaster Installing geotextile to protect the lining Preparing the bed

Pictures by Diane RIchardson

Delivering the rubber liner

WRG North West spent a weekend helping the Lancaster Canal Trust to continue re-lining an initial length of dry canal between bridges 172 and 173 known as the ‘First Furlong’ section

Unrolling the waterproof rubber liner Stretching out the rubber liner

Ready for blocks to be laid on top

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