Navvies 185

avvies N Volunteers restoring waterways No 185 February - March 2001

Christmas Camp Reports Canal Camps 2001 preview

waterway recovery group

Contents Contributions... ...are always welcome, whether hand-written, typed, on 3½" disk (please include hard-copy) or by e-mail. Photos also welcome: slides or colour or b/w prints. Please state whether you want your prints back; I assume that you want slides returned. Computer scanned photos also acceptable, either on disk or as e-mail attachments, preferably JPG format. Send them to the editor Martin Ludgate, 35, Silvester Road, London SE22 9PB, or e-mail to editor@navvies.demon.co.uk. Press date for No 186: March 1st.

Subscriptions A year's subscription (6 issues) is available for a minimum of ÂŁ1.50 (please add a donation if possible) to Sue Watts, 15 Eleanor Road, Chorltoncum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9FZ. Cheques to "Waterway Recovery Group" please.

In this issue:

Chairman Next year's Camps 4-5 Camp reports Christmas at Dauntsey and on 6-9 the Basingstole Camps preview what's in store for 2001 10-12 Coming soon Clean up your Pants 13 Coming soon Canalway Cavalcade 14 Coming soon training and lots more 15 Diary camps and working parties 16-18 Letters to the editor 19-20 WRGBC our own boat club 21 Dig reports London WRG, KESCRG and the 22-25 East Anglian Waterways Association WRGwear T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats... 26-27 Logistics and the kit schedule for 2001 28-29 Bits & Pieces 30 Noticeboard 31 Backfill St Martin what?

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And next time... ...report and photographs from "Pant 2" on the Mont.

Plus more on the 2001 Training weekend, latest news including all the leaders for this summer's Camps, and a Dig Deep update. And whatever else you write!

Visit our web site: http://www.wrg.org.uk/index.htm for all the latest news Cover photo: A suitably festive scene outside the accommodation on the Basingstoke Canal Christmas Camp Below: On the same camp, the added complications of scrub-bashing on a navigable canal are demonstrated.... not to mention Sod's Law determining that the first boats of the week arrive just after we've felled a tree across the cut! See report on pages 7-9. (photos by Martin Ludgate)

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Looking forward to the rest of 2001

Editorial

The last couple of issue of 'Navvies' have tended to look back over our achievements of the last few months (e.g. last summer's Canal Camps programme and the 'WRG Works!'

30th anniversary celebration) or of rather longer ago (the 30 years of canal digging that we've been celebrating).

But of course we don't believe in resting on our laurels (if anything, we probably believe in cutting down our laurels and burning them along with the rest of the trees), so this issue is more of a forward-looking on.

We have six pages (p10-p15) of information on forthcoming working parties, starting with a major scrub-bash on March 24-25 to complete the work at Pant on the Montgomery Canal that we began last year. Please support this dig: the Mont is struggling to attract the major funding necessary to open up through 'our' restored Aston Locks and on towards Welshpool; a major demonstration of our commitment to this section will improve the long-term prospects for future support from elsewhere, while at the same time carrying out the important first stage of the actual physical work of restoration.

We also have the first of a series of articles leading up to this summer's Canal Camps programme, giving the latest information to supplement what appears in the Camps Booklet that you should receive with this issue. Next time we hope to give some information on who's leading which camps: details are not yet confirmed, but it looks like Ian Williamson and myself may well be involved in a spot of canalrestoration-cum-boat-and-beer-festival-support on the Cotswold Canals at the beginning of July.

Meanwhile our friends in KESCRG are also planning their year's activities, and in particular their support of the ever-popular Canalway Cavalcade festival at Little Venice on the late spring bank holiday - Eddie Jones would very much like to hear from you if you can help.

And we've got much of the rest of the year planned out - the training weekend, the Reunion and the next Christmas Camp - before we've even recovered from the last one!

But this editorial isn't just about tempting you with what's coming in the next year - or even about being a little bit smug because we've done a bit better at planning ahead than in some recent years...

No - it's about commitment. Too many times in the past our planning has suffered from not knowing who is coming on Camps until the last minute. The work has ended up being less varied, less interesting and - more importantly for the canal societies who've asked us to support them - less productive than it might have been, simply because we did not know what skills we would have available.

You may think you're an 'old hand' who can swan along to any Camp without bothering to book first - after all, that's what being an 'old hand' is about! But it's not - especially with the increasingly complex work we're getting involved in. A few extra volunteers for a scrub-bash might be neither here nor there planning-wise (apart from little things like what they'll eat and whether they'll fit in the accommodation!) but (for example) on the Droitwich Mike's busy trying to plan out a year's programme to complete Hanbury Locks. How the hell's he expected to do this if he doesn't know if he'll have any bricklayers? (and as a bricklayer I appreciate I've been guilty of this myself on occasion!)

But we appreciate that it's unreasonable to expect you to commit ÂŁ35 and a week of your annual leave to going on a Canal Camp that you don't know anything about. So in 'Navvies' (and the WRG web site) we'll be doing our best to bring you the very latest details as soon as we have them.

Our commitment is to keeping 'Navvies' readers fully informed of all forthcoming activities. Please return the favour by booking in for a camp or two!

Martin Ludgate PS despite what I said above about 'old hands', we really do appreciate those skilled and experienced volunteers who genuinely don't know if they'll be available to provide their valuable assistance until the last minute. Please don't be put off helping us because you haven't sent in a form - just give the leaders a phone call to let them know you're coming.

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Chairman Canal Camps 2001: "your participation is essential" Camps 2001 Enclosed with this Navvies should be a brand new copy of our Canal Camps 2001 brochure.

Now you may notice it is a little bit later than usual and it is all my fault (actually it is the fault of all those solicitors and estate agents who failed to understand that I wanted to buy a house and move in - today!!). However I guess I’ll have to take the blame. And so my thanks to both Jen and Martin who managed to put the brochure together so quickly once we had sorted all the details out. Waterways World also deserve a thanks for supporting us with the production of the brochure.

I hope the Camps programme meets with your approval. As ever we have tried to get a fair spread in terms of jobs, projects and locations and this year it really has paid off. Whatever your interests we have Camps where you can really make a contribution.

The skills required for this years Camps mean that the “frequent rumour” of on-the-job training will have to occur if these Camps are to succeed.

So all you frustrated brickies, carpenters and machine operators: book now!

And make no mistake: your participation is essential. All of the projects featured really do depend on us either providing the equivalent of 'matching funding' in labour, or demonstrating that there is the interest in the project to justify funding.

So you can make a difference and we have got work for you whether you are strapping fit and keen or whether you just want to come along and help out with the background tasks. So whether you’re a first timer or you hung up your boots ages ago please do give serious thought to booking on for a week or two. Because every Camp that fails to meet its target will mean a considerable setback for a restoration project.

So if you are unable to book on a Camp then please encourage someone else to do so. Remember if you need to get rid of the kids, parents, husband, wife, mother in law... then £35 is a pretty cheap way to do it.

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Love is…

I would now like to have a little winge about 'partnerships', because they don’t seem to be learning their lessons.

It is, of course, correct to say that partnerships between the various interested bodies are the way forward for canal restoration, but please can they be genuine partnerships i.e. all members are included at all stages?

Partnerships are too easily seen as something on the shopping list you have to get in order to ensure that a Press Release or Planning Inquiry submission has credibility.

Whilst it is inevitable that there are some partners who are more equal than others it does not mean that other partners can be kept in the dark until presented with a “fait accompli” that they have to go along with - or the whole restoration bid will fold.

Yes - some partners will be difficult to get some aspects of a restoration past - that is why they are there! But too often blackmail is used rather than real negotiation. I have yet to be involved with a partnership where at least half the intellectual effort isn’t devoted to internal politics.

This is undesirable not only because the completed restoration (if there is one!) is not what all the players wanted but also because of the inevitable major “hiccups” along the way.

Alienating partners means that very valuable skills and resources (especially funding) are lost.

It also reflects badly on the whole restoration scene when the partner reports back to its parent organisation.

I know that this sounds a little naive. (“why can’t we all just talk and love each other?”)

However I don’t know of any restoration that has failed due to excessive honesty - but I know of plenty that are stumbling and moving backwards due to internal politics. Almost always the cause is a lack of understanding and respect for each other's aims.

It is also the case that, thanks to a certain wellknown 'law', these things always come to a head just as a major step forward is due.

And all too often even when the problem surfaces it is dealt with in isolation with the underlying problem not addressed. This just means that next time it surfaces it really makes a mess.

Imagine a couple of scenarios:

And finally

Canal 1

You will notice that a major site this year on the Camps scene is Droitwich.

One partner (the navigators) is dissuaded from talking to another partner (the 'greens') as the major partner says that they are handling all intergroup communications. No open partnership meetings are held. Actually the major partner is just ignoring the green group but reporting back that all is OK. Finally after months of being ignored the greens are forced to go public with their concerns and the whole project is put back many years.

Canal 2 The major partner circulates an interim report to the other major players but does not include the canal society. This is because it is a financial report for the financing partners only. However the canal society has a very high profile (indeed they are encouraged to have such a profile) and so when the papers hear about the report they go to the society who know nothing The result is a “local campaigners kept in the dark” story.

I apologise for so many words on a subject that does not directly affect most volunteers, other than suffering from the fallout. However the Canal society representatives on these partnerships are volunteers too and their predicament is often not recognised. This is another classic background job that deserves our support.

As mentioned in the last 'Navvies' the Droitwich Junction Canal has finally gained some major funding from IWA and we have all the resources available to restore the first three Junction Canal locks. Yes right now we are ordering all the materials to ensure that these locks will be completed this year!

Further details of the works scheduled will be in the next 'Navvies' but one date you should put in your diary is the event that is going to start off the main summer campaign the Droitwich Waterway Festival on the 14/15/16th June. This event has been steadily increasing in reputation for several years. Fine beer, great jazz, wet boaters games and a chance to see what lies ahead up at the Junction.

Put the date in your diary now and I’ll see you there, I might even buy you a pint.

See you there!

Mike Palmer PS I’m sure it will be reported elsewhere but the postcode given for our house was wrong (estate agents - you just can’t trust them). It should be CV35 7DH.

Due for completion this year: Mike Palmer supervises work on Droitwich Junction lock 2. (Martin Ludgate)

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Camps Dauntsey: "Jo underestimated the water in the canal..."

Wilts & Berks Canal Christmas Camp 26th December - 1st January The objective of the camp was to scrub-bash, stump-pull and clear as much of the towpath and bank sides as possible, prior to dredging a section between Foxham Top Lock and the Elephant Spillweir by the end of January, for which we have obtained landfill tax funding. The main problem was that water voles and great crested newts have been discovered in that stretch (did I bring the latter with me from Stover?), we mostly we could not use brush-cutters or strimmers, and all the clearing had to be done by hand tools.

The good thing was that - with temperatures not much above freezing - we could keep huge bonfires going, and Di turned up with plenty of hot soup lunchtimes. It snowed overnight on the second night of the camp, and didn’t thaw until the final day, but with clear blue skies and sunny days it was great weather for working outside - known in Devon as ‘Boss’s weather’, because everyone has to work hard to keep warm!

We had a slightly uneven start, owing to lack of trains and coaches on Boxing Day, but by Thursday there were eleven of us, supplemented by a few local volunteers, and we got an amazing amount cleared. Tall Dave struggled manfully with the brambles, even though he couldn’t see the thorns, owing to a sight problem. (Is that politically correct - should it be personfully?

Urgggghhh). Jo stepped backwards through the ice, and underestimated the water in the canal, which turned out to be over welly-depth, and a loud shriek woke everyone up. It’s certainly a big advantage having the accommodation only 5 minutes’ walk front the site, so easy to nip back and change! Smaller Dave worked hard in the mornings, but ran out of energy by lunchtime hope you weren’t sickening for ‘flu, Dave. Nevertheless, he kept us well entertained, including a Wiltshire limerick: There was a young man from Devizes, Had b..ls of two different sizes.

One was quite small, And no use at all, The other was HUGE, and won prizes...

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Our cinema outing was slightly disappointing, as we hoped to see 102 Dalmatians, but this was only showing in the afternoon, presumably not thought suitable for adult audiences. (Navvies?

Adult??)

We stuck out a totally over-the-top ‘Meet the parents’, with Robert de Niro playing the worst of a number of odious characters, but it had its moments.

Even the local pub is only 5 minutes’ walk away: very handy. After a special meal for New Year’s Eve, some of us trotted down to join in the pub games arranged for the evening. Jo and Paul managed to beat all the locals, Jo particularly finding it quite easy to pick up a matchbox from the floor with her teeth - in fact, she assured us that even a matchstick wouldn’t have been too much of a problem!

Of course, no camp report from me would be complete without mention of the third member of our team of leader-cook-dog. On the BITM Christmas Dig, Katy surpassed herself, acquiring the art of volleyball, leaping high and punching a large balloon with her nose back and forth over an imaginary net to a waiting navvy - the balloon never touched thc floor for 10 minutes!

On this camp, she had to be content with retrieving sticks sent hurtling through the air from various volunteers. By afternoon, her paws were so packed with snow between the pads that she had to trot back to the accommodation to thaw out.

She rapidly acquired a name as the official camp waker-upper; once she had had her early morning walk with Di, and polished off her breakfast, she saw no reason for people to still be in bed.

By the time the ‘porridge-ready’ call came, anyone still in a sleeping bag might get at least their noses, if not their faces, washed!

Of the three novice navvies, Australian Lynn really seemed to enjoy herself, once she got used to sleeping on the floor, beside a radiator, and with a hot water bottle to keep her warm.

She arrived with the biggest backpack ever seen, nearly as tall as herself!

My thanks to all, for their hard work, willingness to tackle anything, and their good company.

Come again soon.

Rachael Banyard

Canal Camp 0022-and-three-quarters-ish.

'Unofficial' Basingstoke Christmas Camp Camps Diary - day 1 Friday 22/12/00.

Our accommodation for the week is to be in a brand new village hall - so new that they haven’t even built the village to go with it yet!

This is rather worrying because (a) the last time someone trusted us with a brand-new village hall three weeks ago we managed to get jam splattered all over the ceiling and (b) those of us with long memories remember 1970s package holidays in Spain in what turned out to be half-built hotels, and wonder if our sleeping bags are up to kipping in the open-air in December....

But not to worry: various volunteers arrive to find a shiny new and very spacious village hall on the north side of Fleet, in a new housing development. So new that most of the houses aren’t finished yet.

Rather more seriously, they haven’t built the pub yet!!!

So without a pub to go to, a ‘quiet night in’ sees us all in bed asleep by midnight.

Today’s carol: “Silent Night” Day 2 Saturday 23/12/00.

We are awoken early by two unexpected events...

Firstly a postman arrives and asks if another postman has left two mailbags in our accommodation. We know that we have to make way for the local vicar and congregation to use our dining room for church services a couple of times during the week, but we hadn’t realised that there was so little of the village built yet that our home had to double-up as a Post Office as well as a church... what next? Maybe the local doctor will want to set up a surgery in the kitchen, or the Plod will install a Police Station in the Gents....

No... the second guest is the local security guard - and he doesn’t want to set up shop in our accommodation, he wants to know whose permission we’ve got to be there. Leader Clive gives him some cock-and-bull story about canal restoration volunteers, and the security bod - gullible chap that he is - goes away satisfied.

The rather small artificial Christmas Tree is erected.... and then we notice some rather decent sized conifers growing outside, in an area that we’re quite sure is in the path of the bulldozers as part on the next phase of the development... and we’ve got a chainsaw with us... hmmmm.

Camps Christmas Camp on the Basingstoke Canal Anyway, with two Transits, three trailers, and a hall that’s rapidly filling up with tat (and rumours of imminent arrival of John Palmer), it’s starting to feel like a real Canal Camp. All we need now is a few more campers, some actual on-site canal restoration work and a volunteer to drive us to the nearest pub... (Thanks, Clive!)

Today’s carol: ‘O come all ye faithful’. (please come and help our canal camp!)

Day 3 Sunday 24/12/00.

An earlyish start with no interruptions from postmen or security guards sees us departing from the accommodation at around 9am just as the vicar’s setting out chairs ready for the Sunday service.

Park the minibus at the end of a muddy lane, load everything into the dumper and head for the worksite. This is by Crookham swingbridge, and the first job is to start clearing trees from the offside bank heading east as the canal runs along a sizeable embankment. Soon the cries of “timber!” are ringing out and the bonfires are growing, although the damp weather means we have a little difficulty getting them to actually burn... never mind, we have some supplies of old engine oil to hand...

“That bonfire’s going well - is it oil-assisted perchance?”

“It’s more like an oil fire that’s wood-assisted...”

A slight spot of bother... one or two of the trees that we’re felling land in the canal... never mind, we can drag them out later once we’ve got a rope.... after all, there aren’t going to be any boats coming through...

Gosh - it looks like there’s a pair of boats coming! Hotel boats Rose and Castle just manage to squeeze through the gap between the felled trees and the opposite bank.

Back at the accommodation the inadequacies of the security guards have been further exposed - they have let John Palmer through without stopping him, as he seems to be sitting in a van waiting for us.

The Camp still hasn’t really started - today is the day for final preparations before we get stuck into the ‘slash-and-burn’ of canal conservation work tomorrow. One group sets off to pick up the Canal Camps Kit ‘B’ trailer, while the rest go shopping for last minute bargains...

In the evening Martin cooks Toad in the Hole... despite this we still manage to go out for a drink...

“The turkeys should be going cheap by now.”

“That’s funny, they usually go ‘gobble gobble’ “

“Christmas Day in the WRG-house”

...and return many hours later with a van-load of groceries including an enormous and very cheap turkey...

Martin sets up his computer and creates a spreadsheet to show that we officially have no idea how many people we’ve got for Christmas day.

Today’s carol: “I saw three ships”. (OK, actually there were only two.)

Day 4 Monday 25/12/00.

We are awoken first thing by Santa distributing stockings to the volunteers. (From the contents of them, one might almost believe that Santa’s elves have been shopping in the charity shops in Fleet) But no Christmas Day lie-in as leader Clive ‘Bah Humbug’Alderman flogs us out of bed and onto site by 9am.

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Another good day’s work is punctuated by the passing of various groups of locals. Some of them are incredulous that we’re actually working on Christmas day....

“It's OK - we’re getting triple pay for working Xmas.”

“But I thought you were unpaid volunteers.”

“We are. Three times nothing is nothing...”

We have a suitably festive bonfire: we burn some holly and some ivy on it - but we save some for later...

“What are you taking those hedge-trimmings back with you for?”

“Well, Lesley said she’s going to cook turkey with all the trimmings tonight.” (actually they were to make a traditional Xmas wreath) Eventually after a full day’s work we return to the hall (pausing briefly for a final bit of tree-felling - a Scots Pine from behind the accommodation, which looks nice once it’s planted in a bucket and decorated with tinsel and lights) for a sumptuous repast of roast turkey with all the usual accompaniments, plus stuffed peppers for Marcus the token vegetarian...

“What are the peppers stuffed with?”

“Turkey I think...”

Martin prints out some enormous letters on his computer, which read ‘MERRY CHRISTMAS’ once they’re stuck up on the wall in the right order... and then mysteriously get altered to read ‘CRY “ARSE”, MR. SMITH’ by person or persons unknown...

Today’s carol: “The Holly and the Ivy”.

Day 5 Tuesday 26/12/00.

Leader Clive very kindly allows us a lie-in, so we finally make it onto site at about 11am, for a couple of hours of work before lunch which consists of... ....guess what? Turkey sandwiches! Surprise surprise!

In the evening we eat a concoction made by Martin from the only meat that the supermarket hadn’t run out of, which was some kind of pork, we’re not sure what part of the animal it came from, but for all we know it might have been...

Today’s carol: “The Boar’s Head”.

Day 6 Wednesday 27/12/00.

More cutting down and burning of trees, ANOTHER BOAT, and we finish the first section of work and move onto another section.

‘Tenko’ arrives with his chainsaw and makes light work of logging-up all the large stuff that we’ve cut down over the last four days.

The first trip to the showers for five days! Good idea of Pete to organise showers at the sports centre unfortunately it closes on 24th-26th December, and we didn’t think to take advantage of it on the 23rd.

Spag Bol is followed by a tiramisu with so much alcohol in it that we worry about whether anyone’s sober enough to drive us to the pub.

The day ends with a ‘toast orgy’ that sets off the hall’s fire alarm, and a lot of late night drinking, and therefore....

Today’s carol: “God Rest you Merry Gentlemen”.

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Day 7 Thursday 28/12/00.

Winter has arrived: the village hall and everything around - including all the WRG vans and trailers have a festive coating of a couple of inches of snow.

Having finished work on the Crookham swingbridge length, we move to a new worksite half a mile east of there, where the canal passes through a cutting by a road bridge near to Crookham village. Our job is to clear 4 metres of dense vegetation from the offside bank, some of which is overhanging the canal, reducing the navigable width, and all of which is liable to fall into the canal at some time in the future.

Various passers-by give their opinions on our work not all of them favourable. One of them even goes as far as to suggest that we might have made a mistake, and maybe we should be clearing four feet rather than four metres of bank... What do they know about it?

Later on, a dredger comes past with some Canal Authority chaps on board. They tell use that we should have been clearing four feet of bank, not four metres.

Incidentally we’re working next to a retirement home called “Tall Pines” - there is a suggestion that we might re-name it to “Shorter Pines” or even to “The Stumps”...

Today’s carol: “See Amid the Winter Snow”.

Day 8 Friday 29/12/00.

The cold weather continues, the snow outside the hall has now been compacted into a layer of ice and we wake up to the merry sound of cars sliding sideways around the roundabout and crunching into lamp-posts.

Meanwhile back on site, a small team carry on with the 4ft / 4m wide section by the road-bridge with a modicum of success (i.e. only one bonfire falls in the canal) while the rest start a new section, to the west of the swingbridge.

Instead of going to the pub, Martin provides the evening entertainment - a quiz, with rounds on canal-related subjects, general knowledge and Christmas, which throws up a few surprises...

Q: “Which film did the song ‘I’m dreaming of a white Christmas’ first appear in?”

A: “Mary Poppins” ...and exactly who is “Bob Catshit”?

Today’s carol: “In the Bleak Mid-Winter”.

Day 9 Saturday 30/12/00.

The snow shows no sign of thawing as we carry on working on the road bridge site and start on another new site.

Once again the crew up by the road-bridge have to suffer from the ‘advice’ from passers-by on how, where and why we should be doing our work. This time it’s a local woman (charitably referred to as ‘the old witch’) who reckons our bonfires are environmentally-unfriendly... It wouldn’t have been so bad if we’d actually managed to get the blasted stuff to burn at all - but most of it is highlynon-flammable Rhododendron branches and leaves, which not only won’t burn but smother-out all but the fiercest of already-blazing bonfires. The Old Witch is followed by a bloke who also queries our environmental policy - and then turns out to have overheard what the Old Witch said and decided to try winding us up a little bit... rotten sod, we all fell for it!

On the new site we soon have a couple of fiercely blazing environmentally-unfriendly but nice and warm bonfires going, and are well into clearing scrub from the embankment slopes.

Elsewhere John Palmer and Alan have come up with a novel way of pumping the bilges of the lighter that we are hoping to use today - involving using a mattock to hack up the layer of ice that was the bilgewater into lumps small enough to heave overboard.

Meanwhile Tenko, Dave and Clive have gone to pick up a Bantam Tug from Ash Lock, which they’re going to use to propel the lighter so that we can stand on it to cut down overhanging branches.

Disaster strikes! The Bantam hits an impenetrable layer of ice after only a couple of hundred yards and has to return to base.

Disaster strikes (2)! The gas for the Burco runs out.

Never mind - Angus has the brilliant idea of boiling the tea in the teapot on top of the bonfire - it turns a very dark shade of brown by the time the water is boiling but at least we get our tea-break.

Tomorrow night is the final night of the camp, as well as being New Year’s Eve, so we’re planning a party - it’ll be Fancy Dress with a theme of ‘Stars of screen and radio’, and various people have started plotting and preparing their costumes.

With today’s episode involving ice and boats, someone suggests that the party might feature the film ‘Titanic’, and points out that we do actually have a Kate and a Leo with us now... unfortunately both of them are female, which would make for a novel twist to the plot... maybe Channel 5 would be interested?

Meanwhile Clive drives us to the Black Horse for the final evening session, during which the Camp Awards Sub-committee convenes and plots an end-of-camp presentation, also with a ‘stars of screen’ theme...

Today’s carol: “O little town of Elvetham”.

Day 10 Sunday 31/12/00.

“More Tea Vicar?”

The final day of the camp, and we’re out of bed earlier than usual so as to be clear of the hall in time for the Sunday church service - wonder what the vicar will make of the barrel of Tea (‘Traditional English Ale’) that is settling in full view of the altar...

Having abandoned attempts to get the tug onto site, we have another plan - a workboat with an outboard motor will be used to get the non-flammable rhododendrons to the big bonfires... once we’ve jump-started it with one of the vans, everything goes to plan.

Then most of the volunteers head back for an early shower and to put the finishing touches to their outfits for the party.

The evening party is up to the usual high standard, with excellent grub by Karen, Maureen and helpers and awards including the “Towering Inferno” award for bonfires (and catering disasters), the ‘Grinch’ award (consisting of some humbugs) and the “Sleepless in Seattle” award for snoring above and beyond the call of duty.

Martin breaks all records for tedious slide-shows with one that actually lasts from one century to the next (with a brief respite in the middle for the singing of 'Auld Lang Syne').

The costumes (remember: theme ‘stars of screen and radio’) include radio-related entries (Steve as ‘Mornington Crescent’), TV (Allie as the Vicar of Dibbley), films (the winners Al and Rick as the Pink Panther and Inspector Clouseau) and Rick B even thought of computer ‘screens’ and came as Bill Gates.

And Dave M came as King Henry V, giving us....

Today’s carol: “Once in Royal David’s City “ Day 11: Monday 01/01/01 We got up (eventually), we tidied up, we packed up, we went home. Somehow this managed to take us the entire day, and by the time I got home it was damn near...

Today's carol: "It came upon a midnight clear" Thanks to everyone for making it such a success, especially Clive (assisted by Garry) for leading it, Allie, Maureen, Karen, Lesley, Craig and everyone else who helped with catering, Pete for providing quality work, local support and loads of sump-oil, and to all the rest of the volunteers for turning up.

See you at the next one!

"Christmas Day in the WRG house" (Martin Ludgate)

Martin Ludgate

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Camps 2001 A preview of this year's WRG Canal Camps Canal Camps 2001 Thanks once again to sponsorship from those nice people at 'Waterways World' and a lot of hard work

by Jen Leigh and Martin Ludgate over the last few weeks, you should have received the new Canal Camps brochure with this copy of Navvies.

So, what is there to write about here, when all the details are in the camps brochure?

Over the last year, we have become very conscious that while those who have been on camps before want to know about the camps in considerable detail before booking, the camps brochure goes out to a far wider audience than just the readers of 'Navvies' and is not necessarily the most suitable place for such detail. The camps brochure also has to be published several months before the main summer camps season, and full details of the camps are not always known - and it has a limited amount of space for information about individual camps.

So by publishing an update regularly in Navvies throughout the year, we hope to be able to present the most up to date information. This will enable you to keep in touch with when camps are coming up on specific sites, where your skills will be put to most use, and where your friends are leading camps.

Then you can send in your booking form extra early, pip Ed Walker to the last place on the camp, and have a really enjoyable week in sunny Borsetshire doing your favourite work on your favourite canal with your favourite leaders, who have been able to relax in the sure knowledge that they’ve got an excellent bunch booked on their camp...

So, in order of appearance: Droitwich Junction Canal This year’s main site is on the Droitwich Junction Canal, where there will be six camps. The ambitious target is complete restoration of the three locks and water-saving sideponds at Hanbury, near the junction with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

The work, financed by a £100,000 grant from the IWA's Neil Pitts legacy, will also be assisted by a considerable amount of training in heritage and manual skills from staff at BW’s newly formed heritage skills centre. All camps will be staying at the newly refurbished Droitwich Sports Pavilion.

Camp 0101 (7-16 April) will see the chamber of Lock 3 cleared. Volunteers will be trained to install ground paddles, and will then fit all the paddles in the lock flight. The tail walls of Lock 2 will be completed, and bricklayers will also be busy refurbishing the side pond entrance culvert on Lock 3 which is distinctly unwell!

The main summer season begins with Camp 0102 (23-30 June) which has work for people of all skills: work varies from scaffolding the chamber of Lock 3 and jacking of very large coping stones, to demolition of life-expired brickwork. A start will also be made on replacing the stop-plank sills on two of the locks.

This work will be continued during the consecutive Camp 0103 (30 June–7 July), which will also make a start on the brickwork repairs, with training from BW. After a three week gap, there will be another fortnight of camps at Droitwich, starting with Camp 0114 (4-11 August). This camp requires volunteers with a huge range of skills, but there will be plenty of opportunity to gain some new skills, as BW will be providing training in brickwork, stonework, and ironwork restoration, as well as lock gate construction.

The following week, Camp 0117 (11-18 August), will continue with this work, and will see much of the restoration of An "ambitious target": Hanbury Locks on the Droitwich Canal. Thanks to the Lock 3 completed, as well Neil Pitts Legacy, work to complete restoration of the locks this year is fully as completion of the lock funded. Now it's down to us to provide the necessary labour. (Martin Ludgate) gates.

page 10

And then you can all come back a month later on Camp 0121 (8-15 September) to fit the lock gates in to Lock 1. We hope this camp will see a bit of a reunion of those from the camps over the year at Droitwich, and indeed all our other sites, as well as a huge bunch of newcomers. There will be loads of work to be finished off, and it might even be the last ever camp on the Droitwich Junction!

Cotswold Canals The first four days of Camp 0104 (30 June–7 July) will be spent restoring the brick chamber of Valley Lock on the Thames and Severn Canal, deep in the Cotswold’s deepest valley! The last two days will be working at Saul Junction on the nearby Stroudwater Navigation, setting up the Cotswold Canals Trust’s annual boat and beer festival.

Valley Lock has been adopted as a 'Dig Deep' project - which means that it is getting a commitment of regular weekend work parties from four mobile groups: London WRG, BITM, KESCRG and NWPG. NWPG's commitment to the project also extends to supporting Camp 0109 on 14-21 July.

Montgomery Canal The Montgomery Canal will have three consecutive weeks of camps, unconcescutively numbered 0105 (7-14 July), 0107 (14-21 July), and 0110 (21-28 July).

Work will be continuing on restoration of the spillway weir site near Maesbury that hosted two highly successful camps last year. The original stone faced channel that carries excess water away from the canal has collapsed, and is being rebuilt with a new concrete base and carefully restored stone sides. Work may well be available on other parts of the canal. Accommodation for all camps is at West Felton Village Hall.

Wilts and Berks Canal Several years ago some initial works including chamber clearance, scrub-bashing and stop-plank sill installation took place at lock three of the Seven Locks - a flight of (you guessed it!) seven locks about a mile east of the Dauntsey worksite. But until now, no major construction work has been done.

The locks are in typical W&B condition: after initial clearance they are recognisable as locks, but are missing much of the chamber walls.

W&BCC work parties should have progressed the work during spring and early summer, so that by the time Camp 0106 (7-14 July) happens it will be on to the rebuilding stages. There will be a lot of bricklaying in the chamber of Lock 3, plus excavation / dredging dredged nearby using a large excavator and dumpers, and there will be some instruction available in traditional stone facing of the towpath wall.

Camps 2001 Two brand new sites - plus ten old favourites...

Melton and Oakham Waterways Camp 0108 (14-21 July) will be WRG’s first ever camp on the 'Melton and Oakham Waterways'.

These consist of the Oakham Canal (probably rather a long-term restoration scheme as parts of it were used for a railway which Railtrack are still using!) and the Melton Mowbray Navigation (which is basically the River Wreake and is a much more straightforward restoration.) There is a slipway to be built in the middle of Melton Mowbray to give trailboat access to a 3-mile unobstructed length of the river: this will enable the local society to host an IWA National Trailboat Festival in 2002. Some work may also start on the restoration of the lock at Eye Kettleby.

Catering will hopefully be a bit more varied than just pork pies!

Sleaford Canal We will be returning to Sleaford for Camp 0111 (2128 July). Last year, flooding prevented the intended work from being carried out, but the Navigation Trust are keen for WRG to return to carry it out. There’ll be plenty of opportunity to get wet and muddy, with a dam to be built across the head of the picturesque Cogglesford Lock, followed by installation of stopplank sills and grooves, enabling full restoration of the lock chamber. Work on the bywash will continue from last year. The camp will be staying at Sleaford Rugby Club.

Ipswich and Stowmarket Navigation

After a two year gap, WRG are once again holding a camp, Camp 0112 (28 July–4 August) on the Ipswich and Stowmarket, back at Creeting Lock. The chamber invert and bottom gate mitres are in a very poor state: a large concrete pour should rectify this. The Trust hope we will be able to carry out some careful demolition of the adjacent bridge, and then carry out repairs to the brickwork.

Accommodation is back Due for rebuilding this year: Seven Locks (lock at Somersham Village Hall.

3) on the Wilts & Berks. (Martin Ludgate)

page 11

Camps 2001 Time to start filling in those booking forms!

Basingstoke Canal Camp 0115 (4-11 August) sees a return to the Basingstoke. Installation of the backpumping scheme at Woodham should be more or less finished by then, so work to alleviate the canal’s chronic water supply problems will be focused higher up the canal at St Johns.

The Woodham installation uses a large-capacity pump which will operate for a short period every time a boat uses the locks, returning precisely one lockful of water up the flight. This is to ensure that the Basingstoke only recycles its own water, rather than stealing any from the River Wey Navigation which the canal joins below the bottom lock. Other flights further up the canal do not have this problem as the canal has no other physical connection to any other waterway, thereby reducing the opportunities for theft of water! So the St Johns pump will be a much smaller submersible electric pump, that will be left running continuously for longer periods of time - and the engineering works required will be less heavy. The jobs for the camp will mainly be concerned with constructing the inlet weir and the housing for the submersible pump.

At Lock 11 the lock bywash culvert has suffered damage from tree roots and will be repaired - experience last year at lock 3 suggests that the best form of repair consists of 'rip it all out and rebuild it', so an opportunity for some serious machinery and concreting work.

Wendover Arm Another first visit for a camp, the Wendover Arm Trust will be hosting Camp 0118 (11-18 August). The Trust is another beneficiary of a £100,000 award from the IWA: from the Tim Wilkinson legacy. This is being used to finance major construction just beyond the current limit of navigation from the Grand Union main line, allowing boats to enter the next stretch of canal, and also - importantly - creating a windinghole (turning point); at present most boats are too long to turn in the Arm and would have to reverse two miles back to the junction, which tend to put them off visiting the Arm at all.. Volunteers will be working on the 153m long reinforced concrete retaining wall that forms the offside bank. An excavator and dumpers will prepare the foundations for new sections, as well as backfilling existing sections and laying an access road. Further manual skills required include hedge laying the towpath hedge.

National Waterways Festival Two overlapping camps, 0119 (20-28 August) and 0120 (23-31 August), will, as usual, be setting up, running, and then dismantling the National Waterways Festival, this year being held at Milton Keynes.

Lichfield Canal Camp 0122 (20-27 October) will continue installing the butyl liner at Darnford Lane, started during WRG Works! last September, which will enable rewatering of this section of canal. There will also be backfilling of the existing piling and landscaping.

Volunteers experienced in piling would be very welcome, as there is a new stretch to tackle beyond the liftbridge. The camp will be staying in the centre of Lichfield at Martin Heath Hall.

Marcus Jones

Between Christmas and New Year, Camp 0123 (26 December – 1 January) may well be finishing off some work from the summer camp at St Johns, as well as lots more of the usual Christmas slash-and-burn work clearing overhanging vegetation from the canal, carrying on from the last Christmas Camp . A unusual opportunity to scrub-bash a canal with boats on it!

Wey & Arun Canal Camp 0116 (4-11 August) will be working around Gennets Wood near the south end of the summit, and work will include towpath laying and repairs to a flood-damaged overspill.

Wendover: another 153m of this wall to build. (Martin Ludgate)

page 12

A Pant-cleaning weekend?

We are sorry to say that the Cleanup weekend planned for the Ashton Canal on 24-25 March has had to be cancelled as we have not managed to organise suitable work. We still hope to get together with the IWA to organise a Cleanup Dig in the Manchester area next year, but in the meantime we've found something else to do this year.

Coming soon The Cleanup weekend moves to the Mont....

As you will probably remember, last year's Reunion Dig at Pant on the Montgomery Canal suffered slightly from reduced numbers of volunteers due to the fuel crisis, so we didn't achieve all we had originally intended. So we're having another go at completing the clearance of the last mile of so of untouched virgin jungle that fills the dry bed of the canal around Pant, near the Welsh border.

Think of it as a Cleanup Dig without the water! Or think of it as a prelude to a major programme of work on the Mont this year (a 'Preunion Dig'). Or think of it as the second of a 'Pair of Pants'! (Or think of some new puns, rather than putting up with mine!) Best of all, stop thinking about it and fill in the booking Form!

waterway recovery group ltd

"Pant Two" weekend on the Montgomery Canal

I would like to attend the Montgomery Canal working party on 24th-25th March 2001.

Forename

Surname

Address Postcode: Tel. No:

e-mail address

Any special dietary requirements?

Do you suffer from any illness (such as epilepsy) or allergies about which we should know? YES/NO If YES, please give details Please state how you intend to travel to the weekend and if you would like / can offer a lift and where from?

In the unlikely event that you should injure yourself, whom should we contact?

Name

Phone no.

Signed (parent's signature required if aged under 18) I am attending for Saturday / Sunday / Both days * I require accommodation on Friday night / Saturday night / both nights * I enclose payment of £ for food (Cheques to "WRG Ltd") (cost of food is £8 for whole weekend, based on £1.50 for breakfast each day, £1.50 for lunch each day and £2 for evening meal on Saturday) * Delete whatever is not applicable Please return this form to: WRG Centrally Booked Weekends, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY. For further information contact: Lou Kellett on 07968 583579or e-mail loukellett@mithras.fsnet.co.uk.

page 13

Coming soon Canalway Cavalcade at Little Venice needs volunteers!

Little Venice Canalway Cavalcade May 4th-7th 2001

I have found it increasingly difficult over the years to find enough support for this level of commitment, and some key members of the group have decided not to do so this year. I will be frank in saying it is a knackering job because of the limited number of people who can be accommodated either side of the weekend, and am not surprised people don’t want to be pushed so hard.

For LV CC 2001 I have said the group will be on site from Friday morning through Monday evening.

Every year, the London region of WRG's parent body the Inland Waterways Association organises one of the most popular boat rallies / festivals in the country, at Little Venice in central London. As indicated by the name 'Canalway Cavalcade', a pageant of decorated boats (often including one or more boats decorated by WRG people) is one of the highlights of a weekend that also includes craft stalls, entertainments, boat handling competitions, and 100plus boats shoehorned into the canal basin.

Jobs will include erecting of market stalls, banners, supplying chairs and tables to the traders, laying out power. Over the weekend itself it’s usual festival stuff: litter collecting, stewarding, manning the traders car park (only a few hours, for those who have ever suffered mammoth stints at the National).

And every year, a team of volunteers from KESCRG ('Kent & East Sussex Canal Restoration Group' - although they come from all over the south of England and elsewhere) help to set up, run and take down the festival.

Our accommodation is on community boats likely to be the two Pirate Club boats and 'Tarporley' as in previous years.

Eddie Jones explains....

Writing this on a cold damp evening contemplating the coming weekend working on the Wendover with a forecast for the coldest weather for many many years, the thought of the LV Cavalcade over the first May Bank Holiday seems an unimaginable time away. Nothing like a bit of notice though!

KESCRG will be providing the site service support for London IWA's Canalway Cavalcade festival at Little Venice as it has done for some years now, Helen 'Bush Baby' Gardner doing personnel and me buggering about with everything else.

Worked quite nicely last year so may as well do the same again.

There have been a few changes for LV CC 2001 in what KESCRG is doing and the Cavalcade committee membership – neither connected, I can assure you.

For the last few years KESCRG has collected the marquees/stalls/chairs/tables etc from the hire depot in Hackney (East London), and moved them via truck and working boat to Little Venice.

We have then built the site, which takes a couple of days - and a day to dismantle after the event.

page 14

We also want to flog the KESCRG stand as hard as we can – money to run the group doesn’t grow on trees sadly.

I have been advised there is some funky entertainment booked for this year and as I was told by someone in the upper management (had to doff the hard hat when speaking to him), Little Venice Canalway Cavalcade is considered as the 2nd most important festival in the IWA calendar. It can’t be without the volunteers to make it so.

So……. Give us a hand mate! Seriously, LV CC is always a cracker and I ask for help to make 2001 the success the event deserves.

The main volunteer requirement is from Friday morning and to that end the acccom. boats will be available from Thurs eve. However the crew looking after the marquee erection need help. If you can offer any time over the previous couple of days please contact me as accommodation is available for a limited number (got a good deal on some cardboard boxes).

Even if you want to attend for only a few hours you will be most welcome. Give me shout for more info on 07850 889 249 or drop me a note at email eddie@jazzfm.com.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers Eddie Jones KESCRG

And then what.....

Just in case the prospect of a programme of 23 weeks of Canal Camps, a mega scrub-bash at Pant and an ever-popular rally at Little Venice aren't enough to get you salivating, here are a few more forthcoming events that might just drag some of you out of hibernation....

The Training Weekend: May 26-28

Coming soon ...and "Coming not-quite-sosoon"...

Once again the WRG Training Weekend takes place over the late Spring Bank Holiday weekend, and this year it's on the Droitwich Canal. As usual we'll be offering training in both machinery operation and manual skills such as bricklaying and scaffolding. And once again we hope to combine initial training for first timers with more advanced levels for more experienced volunteers.

But by way of a change, we also hope to be able to do some real work on the canal as part of the training weekend - for example the scaffolding training will involve scaffolding-out lock 3 ready for chamber restoration later in the year. And if MKP's notes are to be believed, the excavator training will include building a 'newt reserve'! (cue for some jokes about drunkenness!)

More details including booking information will be in the next issue of 'Navvies'.

And speaking of training....

As mentioned last time, we're going to make a 'training video' to be shown as part of the introductory safety talk given at the start of all Canal Camps, and we'd like some volunteers to help with making the video. If you fancy being a star of the small screen, and you're free around Easter, contact Mike Palmer on 01564 785293 or e-mail mike.palmer@bbc.co.uk.

The WRG Sponsored Anderton Lift Abseil: probably early October No - that's not a joke! We really are planning on jumping off Britain's only remaining vertical boat lift! The Anderton Lift near Northwich, Cheshire, used to raise and lower boats between the Trent & Mersey Canal and the River Weaver 50 feet below, until the effects of over a century of corrosion - made worse by the nearby salt and chemical industries - rusted its metal frame away to the point where it was unsafe to operate in the early 1980s.

Now it's being restored thanks to the Heritage Lottery Fund, but the 'match funding' required by the Lottery grant is proving hard to raise. Hence the plan for a Sponsored Abseil, as a wacky publicity stunt to get our picture in all the papers, but also to raise funds by sponsorship for the Lift restoration. More details next time.

The Basingstoke Bonfire Bash: November 3-4

Do you want to abseil down it?

In an unusual break with tradition, instead of leaving it till the last minute to find somewhere to hold our annual re-union weekend working party, we have already decided where this year's event will take place. It's on the Basingstoke Canal, and will be known as the Bonfire Bash for more than one reason - the large amount of scrub to be cleared from several miles of the offside bank should result in some huge bonfires on site, while the proximity of the date to November 5th will see the traditional Guy Fawkes Night celebrations on the Saturday evening.

New Year 2002! ...and we've even got a site for the next Christmas / New Year Camp! It's Basingstoke again, and once again we will run the camp over Christmas day if enough people are interested. Hopefully we'll get the same village hall for accommodation as last time, and hopefully they'll have finished building the rest of the village by then - including the pub!

page 15

Canal Camps cost £35 per week unless otherwise Bookings for WRG Canal Camps (those identified camp number e.g. 'Camp 0102') should go to WRG Camps, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY. Tel: 01923 711114. Email: enquiries@wrg.org.u

Diary Feb 24/25

wrgBITM

Wendover Arm: Stump pulling and scrub bashing

Feb 24/25

wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection (Sat) & Plant maintenance (Sun)

Feb 24/25

wrg

Montgomery Canal: Preparation works for summer camps and for major working

Mar 1 Thu

Navvies

Press date for issue 186

Mar 3/4

KESCRG

Basingstoke Canal: Dig Deep project. (Note change of venue)

Mar 3/4

London WRG

Thames & Severn Canal: Dig Deep project at Golden Valley. Joint dig with Ess

Mar 3/4

wrgNW

Lichfield Canal

Mar 3/4

Essex WRG

Thames & Severn Canal: Dig Deep project at Golden Valley. Joint dig with Lon

Mar 3 Sat

EAWA

North Walsham & Dilham Canal: Briggate Lock area

Mar 10/11

NWPG

Wilts & Berks Canal: Dig Deep project at Summit Lock

Mar 10/11

KESCRG

Changed to previous weekend

Mar 17/18

D&SCS

Derby & Sandiacre Canal: Borrowash Bottom Lock

Mar 18 Sun

wrg

Committee & Board Meetings at the 'Tom o' the Wood' pub, Rowington

Mar 24/25

wrg

National Clean-Up on the Ashton Canal postponed till next year. WRG will be

Mar 24/25

wrgCBW

Montgomery Canal: Pant: scrub bashing (replaces Ashton Cleanup). Please use

Mar 24/25

wrgBITM

Basingstoke Canal: Dig Deep project, towpath resurfacing at Woodham

Mar 31/Apr 1 wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection (Sat) & Plant maintenance (Sun)

Apr 7/8

NWPG

Basingstoke Canal: Dig Deep project at Woodham

Apr 7/8

KESCRG

Wilts & Berks Canal: Dig Deep project at Summit Lock

Apr 7/8

wrgNW

Cancelled - DATE CHANGED

Apr 7/8

Essex WRG

Lichfield & Hatherton Canals

Apr 7 Sat

EAWA

North Walsham & Dilham Canal: Briggate Lock area

Apr 7-16

Camp 0101

Droitwich Junction Canal Camp: Lock 3 chamber clearance, bricklaying on Loc

Apr 21/22

wrgBITM

Thames & Severn Canal: Dig Deep project at Golden Valley.

Apr 21/22

wrgNW

To be arranged (Only if Irish dig in May)

Apr 21/22

D&SCS

Derby & Sandiacre Canal: Borrowash Bottom Lock

Apr 22/23

London WRG

Basingstoke Canal: Dig Deep project at Woodham

Apr 24 Tue

Navvies

Issue 186 Assembly: Provisional date

May 1 Tue

Navvies

Press date for issue 187

May 5/6/7

NWPG

Wey & Arun Canal

May 4/5/6/7

KESCRG

Little Venice: site services for London IWA's Canalway Cavalcade rally

May 5/6/7

wrgNW

To be arranged: (Only if NO Irish dig later in May)

May 5/6/7

Essex WRG

Hereford & Gloucester Canal

May 12/13

wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper: collection (Sat) & Plant maintenance (Sun)

May 16-23

wrgNW

To be arranged: (Possible Irish Dig)

May 19/20

London WRG

Thames & Severn Canal: Dig Deep project at Golden Valley

page 16

e stated. by a G Canal

Please send updates to Diary compiler: Dave Wedd, 7 Ringwood Rd, Blackwater, Camberley, Surrey GU17 0EY. Tel 01252 874437. e-mail: Dave@BITM.freeserve.co.uk. Fax: 0870-063-3713

uk

party on 24-25 March

ex WRG

ndon WRG.

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

Lou Kellett

07968 583579

loukellett@mithras.fsnet.co.uk

Martin Ludgate

020-8693-3266

editor@navvies.demon.co.uk

KESCRG Answerphone

01622-858329

Kescrg@btinternet.com

Tim Lewis

020-8367-6227

wrgtim@netscapeonline.co.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

John Gale

01277-654683

EssexWRG@cs.com

Graham Brown

01603-872762

browgrah@bishopb.college.ac.uk

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

graham.hawkes@talk21.com

Doug Flack

01332-576037

Mike Palmer

01564 785293

mike.palmer@bbc.co.uk

holding an alternative event on the Montgomery Canal - see next line. booking form on p13

Lou Kellett

07968 583579

loukellett@mithras.fsnet.co.uk

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

graham.hawkes@talk21.com

Answerphone

01622-858329

Kescrg@btinternet.com

John Gale

01277-654683

EssexWRG@cs.com

Graham Brown

01603-872762

browgrah@bishopb.college.ac.uk

ck 2 tail and Lock 3 sidepond culvert, ground-paddle installation on all three locks Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

Doug Flack

01332-576037

Tim Lewis

020-8367-6227

wrgtim@netscapeonline.co.uk

John Hawkins

01923-448559

hawkins@jote.fsnet.co.uk

Martin Ludgate

020-8693-3266

editor@navvies.demon.co.uk

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

graham.hawkes@talk21.com

Answerphone

01622-858329

Kescrg@btinternet.com

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

John Gale

01277-654683

EssexWRG@cs.com

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

Tim Lewis

020-8367-6227

wrgtim@netscapeonline.co.uk

page 17

Diary Canal society regular working parties These working parties take place regularly on a weekly/monthly basis

Mobile groups' social evenings (please phone to confirm before turning up) London WRG: 7:30pm on Wed 10 days before each dig. Usually at the Jugged Hare, Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, but please check with Tim Lewis 020-8367 6227 or e-mail wrgtim@netscapeonline.co.uk.

NWPG: 9:00pm on 3rd Tue of month at the Hope Tap, West end of Friar St. Reading.

Graham Hawkes 0118 941 0586

1st & 3rd Sunday of month BCG Elsecar Spencer Collins 3rd Sunday of month BCNS Jeff Barley 2nd Sunday & following Wed. BCS Cosgrove Athina Beckett Anytime inc. weekdays BCT Aqueduct section Gerald Fry Every Sunday ChCT Various sites Mick Hodgetts 2nd & 4th Saturdays CCT Thames End George Smith 4th Mon of month, 6pm CMT London Canal Mus. Martin Sach Every Saturday DCT Droitwich Canal Jon Axe 1st weekend of month D&SCS Various sites Doug Flack 1st & 3rd Sundays GCRS Grantham Canal Colin Bryan 2nd Sat of month GWCT Nynehead Lift Denis Dodd Tuesdays H&GCT Oxenhall Brian Fox Wed/Thu/Fri H&GCT Over Paul Brown 2nd & 4th Sundays H&GCT Over Paul Brown Every Sunday if required IWPS Bugsworth Basin Ian Edgar 1st Saturday & 3rd Wed. IWA Ipswich Stowmarket Navigtn. Colin Turner 2nd weekend of month IWA SBC Maesbury, Mont.

Barry Tuffin 2nd weekend of month K&ACT John Rolls 1st Sunday of month LHCRT Lichfield John Horton 3rd Sunday of month LHCRT Hatherton Denis Cooper 2nd & last Sundays PCAS Paul Waddington 2nd Sunday of Month SCARS Sankey Canal Colin Greenall 1st Sunday of Month SCCS Combe Hay Locks Bob Parnell Most weekends SHCS Basingstoke Peter Redway 3rd Sunday of month TMCA David Rouse Approx 15th of month WACT Mid-Week group Colin Gibbs Every Sunday & Thursday WACT Devils Hole Lock Eric Walker Thursdays fortnightly WACT Maintenance Unit Peter Wilding or for general information on Wey & Arun contact their office on 01403-752403 1st weekend of month WAT Little Tring Roger Leishman Every weekend W&BCAG Peter Smith Every Sunday W&BCC Dauntsey / Foxham Rachael Banyard

0114-285-3044 01543-373284 01908-661217 01288-353273 01246-454163 01285-861639 020-7625-7376 0121-608 0296 01332-576037 0115-989-2248 01823-661653 01432-358628 01386-443826 01386-443826 01663-732493 01473-730586 01691-670826/49 01189-666316 01543 262466 01543-374370 01757-638027 01744-731746 01225-428055 01483-721710 01474-362861 020-82417736 023-9246-3025 01483-422519 01442-874536 01793-852883 01249-892289

Please send any amendments, additions and deletions to Dave Wedd (address on previous page)

Abbreviations used in Diary BCG BCNS BCS BCT ChCT CCT CMT DCT D&SCS GCRS GWCT H&GCT IWA SBC IWPS

page 18

Barnsley Canal Group Birmingham Canal Navigations Soc. Buckingham Canal Society Bude Canal Trust Chesterfield Canal Trust Cotswolds Canals Trust Canal Museum Trust (London) Droitwich Canals Trust Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society Grantham Canal Restoration Society Grand Western Canal Trust Hereford & Gloucester Canal Trust IWA Shrewsbury & Border Counties Inland Waterways Protection Society

K&ACT Kennet & Avon Canal Trust KESCRG Kent & E Sussex Canal Rest. Group LHCRT Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust LWRG London Waterway Recovery Group NWPG Newbury Working Party Group PCAS Pocklington Canal Amenity Society SCARS Sankey Canal Restoration Society SCCS Somersetshire Coal Canal Society SHCS Surrey & Hants Canal Society TMCA Thames & Medway Canal Association W&BCAG Wilts & Berks Canal Amenity Group W&BCC Wilts & Berks Canal Company WACT Wey & Arun Canal Trust WAT Wendover Arm Trust

Dear Martin, WRG Boat Coven As an ex-boater I am always interested to read the news from WRG BC, but I am continually puzzled by the glaring omission from these pages.

Some time back, in the days when I was cruising on my own, I tried unsuccessfully to locate this group. I was reliably informed that membership was by invitation only; and the responses from other WRG boaters ranged from a wry “don’t bother” to suggestions that I should learn some funny handshake. All a bit OTT I thought until, later, I discovered that their Lodge leader was none other than the comely Mrs. Commode, the only person we ever met on the waterways who felt unable to share locks with ordinary boaters like us. (Thames locks, at that!). I gave up, anyway, deciding the Corsican mafia might be a more friendly option.

At the recent “Bring-a-Boat” week-end, where WRG BC held their AGM, I finally managed to meet several of their members and I have to confess that I felt I should eat my own words. They all seemed perfectly normal, friendly people, there were no signs of rolled up trouser legs or pinnies (not on the men, anyway) and they all, including “Sadie the Secretary”, have real surnames.

(Though, to be fair, I’d already learnt Sadie’s surname – by joining NABO and reading their magazine!)

Then, to really rub my nose in it, one of the members even asked me why I hadn’t joined!

So why the mystery, Ed? Why do we never see a contact address, not even a phone number?

There are several WRG boaters out there who want to join “WRG’s own Boat Club”.

Or, if the club really is that exclusive, should it really expect two free pages in a magazine supported by voluntary subscriptions?

Yours sincerely, John Cheesbrough I can assure John and any other potential WRGBC recruits that any lack of contact information for the boat club in 'Navvies' is entirely down to editorial incompetence, rather than to any attempt at exclusivity.

Please phone Sadie Dean on 07748 186867 for further information about the Boat Club.

PS as far as the 'two free pages' is concerned, PLEASE can some of you lot send me some more contributions in - or else I will be reduced to reporting on the bleedin' Freemasons at this rate ...Ed

Letters Does 'WRGBC' stand for the 'WRG Boat Coven'?

Dear Martin, Further to the letter published in Navvies No.184 from Chris Hayes of the Sleaford Navigation Trust I feel I would like to have one last word regarding the accommodation for the camp at Sleaford last June/July, particularly as Chris said that he wanted to set the record straight, and unfortunately he seems to have been misinformed regarding some of the facts.

I would like to say firstly that the last thing l wanted to do was to upset the Trust, for whom I have the greatest respect. I enjoyed working with them, and found them extremely helpful, including trying to sort out the problems with the Rugby Club on our behalf.

As several navvies with well behaved dogs like to bring them on camps. Dave Carnell asked the Rugby Club in advance whether it was all right for us to bring them. It was only after four of us arrived with two dogs after a long drive that we were told by the stewardess that we would not be allowed into the building. She eventually relented, and said that they could come into the changing rooms only, and so the four of us had to sleep in the changing rooms all week. Personally, I have never yet found any accommodation that did not allow us to bring our dog, although we normally ask in advance, provided that we leave the place spotless and tidy afterwards.

We have, since the camp, been told that the ‘prior’ social booking was not taken until some time after our own booking was made, which made us feel like second class citizens and less important. Because the stewardess had said that we could not sleep upstairs in the club room, none of us moved up there until after a meeting was held on the Monday night and it was agreed that we could (except those with dogs).

There are indeed ladies’ toilets on the same floor as the changing rooms, although we were not told this at the time (they were down a different corridor), and the stewardess suggested that we would have to share the men’s toilets, including washing. It was only after two or three days that the ladies’ toilets were discovered.

page 19

Dear Martin

Letters

I didn't know your camps were 'gay'. Suddenly they have become interesting! ('Navvies 183, p37) Maybe I should try another?

Over: was it all a waste of time?

Stover: where is it?

We were not asked to choose our ‘beverages’ from the bar, although a selection was made by the Rugby Club and left for those of us who liked their particular choice, and for that we were grateful.

The problems regarding the BITM dig in November would have been more uncomfortable. I don’t think the Rugby Club appreciated that after a 3to 4-hour drive, all the volunteers want to do is to be able to sit somewhere warm and comfortable, and get themselves hot drinks and make some toast, whatever time they arrive. The thought of having to sit or immediately go to bed on a hard, cold concrete floor in November is horrendous.

We had experienced in June that the changing rooms are inhabited by a number of large beetles (cockroaches?) and silverfish, which doesn’t make for an easy night’s sleep.

This social booking on the Friday night was also made after our arrangement, and the noise could have gone on until after midnight.

Finally, when we come off site on the Saturday, tired and almost certainly cold and muddy, we need to have immediate access to washing and changing into clean dry clothes, whereas with the rugby teams occupying the changing rooms, I am sure that the Club would not have appreciated us sitting in our dirty state in the clubroom while we waited.

We would also have had to move all our belongings out of the changing rooms while the rugby teams were using them, and even with heaters I feel the floors would have remained wet from their showers for some hours at that time of year.

We found Norman, Dave Turner and Dave Carnell very helpful, and look forward to working with them again, but unless it is possible to get the Rugby Club to ourselves for the week, and we can sleep upstairs, we should be extremely grateful if alternative accommodation could be found!

Yours sincerely, Rachael Banyard

page 20

Please can you print maps with your camp reports? I have no idea whether Stover is in Scotland or the Irish Republic!

Is Over joined to the River Severn or not? If not - isn't it a waste of time? Sorry, I'm an ignorant European!

Yours, Geoff William Ostrava, Czech Republic Apologies if sometimes I make unreasonable assumptions about people's knowledge of the more obscure parts of the canal system - I will try to include more maps (as per p24) especially when we are reporting from new projects. See the map below for an idea of where Stover is: not in Ireland nor Scotland but South Devon.

In answer to Geoff's question about Over: at present it is not joined to the Severn, but the intention is that it will one day be re-connected.

The initial work carried out in 1999-2000 was aimed at complying with the S106 Planning Agreement, and the limited time available before last August's deadline meant that all resources had to be concentrated on those particular jobs that were listed in the Agreement - sometimes to the exclusion of other work that might have seemed more logical from a canal restoration point of view. The Over entrance lock has therefore had its top end rebuilt so that stop-planks could be installed and the basin re-watered, but the reconstruction of the rest of the chamber enabling boats to enter from the tidal Severn will come later, as will restoration of Maisemore Lock on the Severn to link it back to non-tidal waters and make it more easily accessible from the main canal system.

The Editor West Country waterways

Grand Western Canal Bude Canal

Exeter Canal

R Tamar Liskeard & Looe Canal

Stover Canal

WRG Boat Club Hope you are having an Oh Oh ONEderful New Year and that most of you have got over the shock caused by the confusion about payment of your annual subscriptions. I must put it down to communication problems.

The trouble with having club officers who live on boats is that they keep moving! Sometimes it's a job to pin them down, and as for getting any sense out of them... dream on! Who said "speak for yourself"? Believe me, I am speaking for myself!

I hope that all members have got the date of the 'Bring a boat' weekend entered into their new diaries. [I hope they have, too... as Sadie doesn't appear to be telling us what it is... maybe it's true what John said on P19 about WRGBC being a secret society... or maybe she just forgot... anyway Dave Wedd's dates list says 'probably 15-16 September' ...Ed] Are you thinking of entering for the BCN Challenge on June 23-24 this year? It would be good to have a working gathering somewhere nearby on the weekend before the event. Please let me know if you are interested.

WRG BC Boat Club news: does anyone know when the 'bring-a-boat' is?

By now paid-up members will have received their new cards. If you are experiencing any problems please get in touch.

Who are you? Time to show the world that you are WRGBC members by flying the club burgee, only ÂŁ10 each plus 50p postage from me. On the other hand, there are some new club stickers available at just ÂŁ1.

Have you got my new phone number so that you can phone through to reserve your orders or ask about club garments? It's 07748 186867.

XXX Sadie Dean

The Wey & Arun Loxwood Link Extension Project continues to make progress. Despite delays due to bad weather, the new Drungewick Lane bridge is now completed. This is an important project in several respects: it is the first public road crossing on the W&A to be reinstated, it is the most expensive W&A project to date and has been paid for by money raised by the Canal Trust; volunteers worked on it as well as contractors. Most importantly it brings the prospect of a 6-mile navigable length nearer the main remaining job is reinstatement of the River Lox aqueduct, hopefully in 2002. (Peter Foulger)

page 21

Dig Report A recipe from Mrs Smeaton's book....

KESCRG and London WRG Christmas party dig Wilts & Berks Canal, near Foxham Mrs. Smeaton’s recipe for classic Christmas scrub bashing fun: Main course:

Once there, a nice bloke from English nature told us how not to squash water voles, and not to burn Great Crested newts. After just witnessing us pushing a tractor, with Ralph, Rhys, etc. in the front row of his audience, he looked very relieved to be able to escape without us squashing him we didn’t mean to be that scary!!

Once thoroughly bounced, remove from trailer and spread over the section of canal. Distribute the rest of the ingredients between the WRGies, and leave to settle. After a while you will notice plumes of smoke arising from the bonfires, often accompanied by much coughing and swearing. Keep damp with a few well placed showers of rain.

A large number of scrubby bushes and a few trees needed removing from this stretch of canal so that it can be dredged, when the newts and voles allow it!

1 generous canal full of unwanted bushes 2 Doz. mixed WRGies/KESCRGies 1 large tractor and trailer 6lb bow saws 26lb of tirfors 50m tirfor cable 2 felling axes Enough water to cover thoroughly First allow the WRGies to marinade gently in alcohol overnight. The best flavour develops if a brand new village hall is used as a container. Early the next morning stuff them with breakfast Some of them may resist, and be difficult to peel out of their sleeping bags, but don’t be put off, they all give in eventually. Load into red transit vans, and then transfer to the main work area.

Rachael had a novel method for taking us the mile from the car park to the canal side - we’ve never had to push a tractor out of the mud before!!

Above and below: the WIlts & Berks Canal emerges from the undergrowth. (Martin Ludgate)

page 22 B

The usual bonfire feeding frenzy occurred, once we got them lit, and then it was a question of cutting stuff down quickly enough to feed them! Job for next year need to go and repaint the fence that got a bit close!

When the WRGies start to look tired, load back into the trailer and bring home. Rinse thoroughly in the showers, and re-marinade in the alcohol.

Afters: 2 Doz. smoked WRGies/KESCRGies, 1 Maureen and several willing helpers 2 rounded Jones brothers, Party poppers Cranberry sauce Assorted slides Some very silly games Enough beer.

Dig Report "Do not allow Simon Jones to mix with Party Poppers!"

Allow Maureen to direct her helpers in the preparation of an enormous Christmas feast, with every trimming ever imagined! (And some we hadn’t - allowing Kaye to eat a mouthful of Christmas Pud with cream cheese instead of brandy butter was very very nasty! and very funny) DoNOT allow Simon Jones to mix with the party poppers, or you will have Cranberry sauce in places that require great ingenuity to clean! When all the WRGies are so full they can only just fit the next beer in, rest in front of the Ludgate annual review of the slides. Then play silly games until the floor starts to fill with sleeping bags. The mixture of people will now have reduced to a size and consistency just right for moving to the Gents showers, for gradual slowing and slurring. You should find that the more liquid you add, the less people there will be, until everyone is once more wrapped in sleeping bags.

The following morning the work was much the same, except the peeling process took longer, and we didn’t repeat the Vole safety talk or the tractor push. The bonfires were even bigger, and a canal started to emerge from under lots of bushes. It didn’t rain! Ian hung a tree 4 times, a record as far as we know, and eventually it needed 4 men and a grappling hook.

Finally, tidy up the work area, pack everything away, and then repeat in the accommodation. When it all looks nice and tidy, stuff things into cars, trailers and transits, and go home for a nice soak in the bath!

Mrs. E Smeaton (assisted by Dr. Liz)

Above: Simon Jones cleans cranberry sauce off the ceiling.

Below: some of the costumes for the 'gipsy theme' fancy dress at the party on the Saturday night.

Photos by Martin Ludgate.

page 23

The work party was led by Graham Brown who has drawn up a site plan of the area and hopes that the whole area can be sympathetically improved over a period of time. Graham’s home address is: Beck House, Lyng Road, Weston Longville, Norwich, NR9 5LP - home telephone/ fax 01603 872762; mobile 077658 22387. Graham is currently a student at the Bishop Burton College near Beverley in East Yorkshire and is a passionate believer in the amenities of Norfolk.

Dig report First working party on a new Norfolkcanalrestorationscheme North Walsham and DIlham Canal: Briggate Lock working party On Sunday 17 December 2000 the East Anglian Waterways Association held its first voluntary working party at Briggate Lock in its bid to halt the deterioration of the lock structure and to open up a vista of the river as a public amenity. The work could be a prelude to the ultimate restoration of the heritage structure, which, together with the locks at Honing and Ebridge, is virtually unique to Norfolk.

It is planned that future work parties will be held on the first Saturday in each month starting at 10am. (i.e. 3 February, 3 March, 7 April &c.) It would be helpful if those wishing to take part could let Graham know beforehand. Parking is available in the Weavers Way car park which is well signposted and lies about 100 yards to the west of the lock.

Permission for the works was given by the North Walsham Canal Co. Ltd., as owners of the lock, by the Honing Estate as owners of the surrounding land and by Mr. Howes whose farm is within sight of the lock. North Norfolk District Council, the Norfolk Wildlife Trust and the Environment Agency were all advised of our plans and were supportive.

Starting at 10am a small trial party of six volunteers began the task of recovering the lock from the rampant tree growth that has been allowed to develop over the decades and which effectively obscured the site from the road bridge that crosses at the lock tail. ‘Dense ivy also covered part of the structure and the bridge and much of this has been stripped away but several hart’s tongue fern N Walsham & Dilham Canal (Phyllitis scolopendrium) growing in the brickwork were carefully preserved.

Alan Faulkner

North Walsham & Dilham Canal and other Norfolk and Suffolk waterways

R Bure

Many of the smaller trees were cut down, albeit leaving several feet standing so as to enable the roots to be winched out in a future session, but the larger trees will need the services of a chain saw.

All of one side of the lock coping was cleared and a start was made on clearing ivy from the bottom lock gates to reveal the unique cast-iron balance beams and paddle gear in all their glory A large bonfire consumed much of the ivy and small wood so as to leave the site tidy and the work came to an end at 3.30pm as it started to get dark.

page 24

N

Norwich R Yare

Great Yarmouth

The Broads R Waveney

Stowmarket Navigation (R Gipping) Stowmarket Sudbury

R Stour

Ipswich

Lowestoft

NORTH SEA

London WRG on the Kennet & Avon Canal: 20/21st January 2001.

Originally this dig was meant to be continuing the back pump support works on the Basingstoke Canal as part of our Dig Deep commitments, it was found that as the contractors were running behind there would be no work for us. An E-mail from Carl Whitehead, the British Waterways volunteer co-ordinator for the K&A and some swift discussion, and it was decided that we would work on the Bradford section of the K&A, removing some stone from the bed of the canal to allow a piling operation to start on the Monday.

We arrived in Devizes at 11.05pm on the Friday after having collected a camp kit trailer from Deepcut on the Basingstoke and Rick from a station nearby. A new use was found for the mobile phone collection, phoning the people already in the pub to get a round in before closing time! We were staying in the Devizes Canal Centre, the only problem with it was that it was a half hour from site.

Dig Report London WRG make an unexpected trip to the Kennet & Avon A very good dig, despite the less than technical nature of the work, and it was nice to work on a canal where all the local people seemed to be interested in the work. We certainly seemed to impress Carl, the local BW representative with the speed that we cleared the stone out of the canal and it looks like we may be able to do more work down there at some point as a lot of lock quadrants need replacement.

Ed Walker

On reaching site the next morning we found that some of the local Millennium Volunteers would be giving us a hand and so we started work at removing the stones from the canal bed and onto the bank; as the canal bed was frozen solid, this was harder than it seemed as all the stones had frozen to it! A bit of work with a wrecking bar soon loosened them up though. A small hydraulic dumper was used to move the recovered stone to the storage area where it was to be used to repair a wall around the nearby historic tithe barn.

A hard morning's work saw most of the canal cleared of stones and work was started by Lesley and Dorian to patch the retaining wall that had become undercut by water. Lunch was in the canal centre, heated with electricity…luxury!

The afternoon saw more dumper loading and a start was made on recovering more stone from a heap of clay.

Above: patching the surviving part of the canal wall.(Martin Ludgate) Below: another dumper load of stone from the collapsed canal wall goes off to restore the tithebarn walls. (Marcus Jones)

Back at the accommodation after one of Martin’s excellent spag bol’s we headed down the local hostelry for a few jugs of 'Pigswill' before an impromptu slide show at the accommodation.

The next day prove to be warmer but as the rain had thawed the canal out it was much squidgier underfoot. Martin and Marcus headed off to a WRG meeting leaving the rest of us to complete the work. The last of the stone was removed from the canal bank and the clay heap team held a small rebellion. Not wanting to work on the clay heap all afternoon we cut back a number of trees that had fallen into the canal before heading down the pub to wait for Martin’s return.

page 25

To order the latest in WRG fashions..

WRGwear Order your WRG T-shirts, sweatshirts, woolly hats....

Printed t-shirts £7

...simply tick the appropriate box(es) or write the number of items wanted if more than one, fill in your name and address and send these pages (or a photocopy if you don't want to cut up your 'Navvies') with your cheque to Helen Gardner, nb 'Sussex', The Boatyard, Rowdell Road, Northolt, Middlesex UB5 6AG. Please make your cheque payable to 'WRG Publicity Ltd'.

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Printed polo shirts £9.50

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waterway

NOTE: unless stated otherwise, items are printed with the standard recovery logo group

page 26

Printed sweatshirts £12

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Printed rugby shirts £21.50 Embroidered t-shirts £8

Embroidered polo shirts £10.50

Embroidered sweatshirts (with 'waterway recovery group' logo) £13 Embroidered sweatshirts (with Navvy logo) £13 Embroidered rugby shirts £23 Name:

Red

Red Black

Red Black Navy White

Red Black Navy Grey

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Red Address:

Any enquiries to Helen Gardner on 020 8845 7820 or e-mail helen.gardner@suk.sas.com

page 27

Logistics ...and the Worst Packed Trailer award...

What Colour is The Green Shed?

Well, it’s 2001 and there’s much to do with the all new camp schedule… “This year (it appears!) we’ll mostly be going to Droitwich!” I’ve sorted the van and kit movements out so here they are for you all to mull over (and of course these are subject to the usual complications and changes!) and see which bits are relevant to you, particularly if you are organising certain parts of it!

Regarding the Worst Packed Trailer Award, I’ve only received four entries so it’s not entirely fair to single out a particular 'camp-pack' from those.

But here’s a picture for you to peruse and see just what happens to a poor pack, post beingjigged-around-in-transit (and yes, I know the kit travels in a trailer … or is that where I’ve been going wrong for all these years?!). I’m glad the griddle had been placed on the floor considering where the other things that weren’t ended up!

There was a late entry however (unfortunately not captured on film but witnessed by two bewildered OAP’s at a bus stop somewhere between West Felton and Oswestry) – one of our.. err... (can’t use 'spy' or 'mole') … informants told some tale of Kit A trailer being adorned by a dress on its exterior. Being realistic, this cannot be considered for the above award but it amused me anyway! I can’t help thinking it wouldn’t have helped to get the creases out, or wash it but I suppose it would have at least been aired!!

Towards the beginning of January, a merry band of bods spent a productive weekend up on the Mont to try to restore the Green Shed into somewhere useful to sort or at least store Logistics ‘stuff’. It now has a shiny new roof courtesy of Harry and Rick (sorry we left you up there on your own, H!), plus a coat of paint on about two-thirds of the sides [We’re not used to painting anything in one go as we have to let one colour dry before we paint the rest!]. Huge thanks from myself and Lou to everyone who turned up to help, namely Harry, Rick, Sam & Toby, Andy B, Meths, the Logistics BoF (worked it out, Dave?), Craig, Catherine, Spence, Bex, and a brief appearance by the Harrogate Rain God. Unusually, we were without the wet stuff from above so that was a blessing and Stage 1 is done with Stage 2 to follow shortly. And extra thanks have to go to Toby, for cooking a stunning (if a little pretty!) meal on Saturday night, and to the Scottish Widows and the Penguins (possibly too cryptic for even those present!). It was fun!

Logistics – Restoring the shed that houses the stuff that restores the kit that restores canals!

The worst-packed trailer... unless you know otherwise... (Jen Leigh)

page 28

Just Jen logistics.jen@cwcom.net

And now, hot off the press from Logistics, the 2001 Canal Camps Kit and Van Schedule: Camp

Location

Dates

Kit

Van

Minibus

01

Droitwich Junction Canal

07 - 16.04.01

B

VOJ

NJF

XX

Training w/e - Droitwich (tbc)

25/26.05.01

02

Droitwich Junction Canal

23 - 30.06.01

B

VOJ

NJF

03

Droitwich Junction Canal

30.06 - 07.07.01

B

VOJ

NJF

04

Cotswold Canals

30.06 - 07.07.01

A

RFB

GCW

05

Montgomery Canal

07.07 - 14.07.01

B

VOJ

NJF

06

Wilts & Berks

07.07 - 14.07.01

A

RFB

GCW

07

Montgomery Canal

14 - 21.07.01

B

VOJ

NJF

08

Melton & Oakham

14 - 21.07.01

A

RFB

GCW

09

Cotswold Canals - NWPG

14 - 21.07.01

10

Montgomery Canal

21 - 28.07.01

B

VOJ

NJF

11

Sleaford Navigation

21 - 28.07.01

A

RFB

GCW

12

Ipswich & Stowmarket

28.07 - 04.08.01

A

RFB

GCW

13

Basingstoke Canal - KESCRG 28.07 - 04.08.01

14

Droitwich Junction Canal

04 - 11.08.01

B

VOJ

NJF

15

Basingstoke Canal

04 - 11.08.01

A

RFB

GCW

16

Wey & Arun Canal - WACT

04 - 11.08.01

17

Droitwich Junction Canal

11 - 18.08.01

B

VOJ

NJF

18

Wendover Arm

11 - 18.08.01

A

RFB

GCW

19

NWF - Milton Keynes

20 - 28.08.01

A/B

VOJ/RFB NJF/GCW

20

NWF - Milton Keynes

23 - 30.08.01

+C

VOJ/RFB NJF/GCW

21

Droitwich Junction Canal

08 - 15.09.01

A

RFB

GCW

22

Lichfield Canal

20 - 27.10.01

B

VOJ

NJF

XX

Bonfire Bash - Basingstoke

03/04.11.01

23

Basingstoke Christmas Camp 26.12.01 - 01.01.02

A/B

A/B A

VOJ/RFB NJF/GCW

VOJ/RFB NJF/GCW RFB

GCW

As usual we would like to point out that (a) the above schedules are not entirely set in stone, and may be subject to just the odd little variation as the Camps season progresses and (b) the vans, minibuses and kit trailers don't actually make their own way unaccompanied from camp to camp - although no doubt Logistics are it this very moment working on developing the radio-controlled driverless auto-Transit and the self-packing kit trailer - so Jen will be glad to hear from any volunteer van drivers who can help during the main camps season.

page 29

Bits & Pieces ...including some new sites you might like to work on...

New on the Net....

KESCRG now have an e-mail mailing list to help volunteers to keep in touch with each other about working parties etc. To join, see web site h t t p : / / l i s ts . u k w a t e r w a y s . n e t / c g i - b i n / lyris.pl?enter=kescrg and follow the instructions.

In case of any problems email George 'Bungle' Eycott on george.eycott@vf.vodafone.co.uk.

London WRG also have an e-mail mailing list - e-mail Dan Evans dan@danevans.co.uk, tell him who you are and ask him to subscribe you to the London WRG list.

A few web sites listed in the last 'Directory' have moved: BCN Society: http://www.bcn-society.org.uk/nav.html Buckingham Canal Society: http://www.olio.demon.co.uk/bcs/index.html Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Rest. Trust: http://members.aol.com/lahcrt/ Shropshire Union Canal Society: http://www.shropshireunion.co.uk Thanks to Martin Weisskopf for supplying this info.

NOTE that as of this issue, the Navvies Diary pages now list e-mail addresses for the contact for each dig. Please supply these to Dave Wedd when sending him dates for the diary. Thanks.

An apology It seems that last August/September some membership renewals went astray while being passed from Sue Watts to Edd Leetham, who maintains the Navvies subs database. The result is that some subscribers have received renewal reminders even though they had paid their subs. This should now have been sorted out, but if anyone is still getting reminders even though they know they've paid, they should get in touch with Sue (see opposite page) or e-mail Edd Edd@downstream.ltd.uk. A few people sent off a second subscription, not realising they had already paid. If they would like this to be set off against a further year's issues of Navvies, they should also contact Sue or Edd, as should any new subscribers who have not yet received a copy. Apologies to anyone affected.

page 30

Don't forget... ...the WRG Sponsored Abseil down the Anderton Boat Lift in October. For the latest info on how to volunteer and how to collect or contribute sponsorship, contact Spencer Collins on 0114 2853 044.

And speaking of sponsorship... ...Wen Robertson would like all her friends in WRG to know that she's running in the London Marathon this year, and would like them all to sponsor her. It's not actually to support the canals, but it's to raise funds for another very worthwhile cause, the Mental Health Foundation. If you'd like to sponsor her, please get in touch at 13 York Close, Morden, SM4 5HW, phone 020 8648 5786 or e-mail mrobert@nimr.mrc.ac.uk.

PS Good Luck to Wen from the editor and all in WRG!

Looking for a work-site?

If your WRG regional group is short of a site for any of your weekend working parties, please consider the following....

Kennet & Avon: new lock gate quadrants and other works which will count as equivalent 'match funding' for the Heritage Lottery Fund grant. Contact Carl Whitehead on 01380 722859 or 01380 736 124 or email carl.whitehead@britishwaterways.co.uk.

Droitwich: see the Camps Preview article elsewhere for a list of all the work we're planning to do this year - it will need weekend work as well as Camps, so if you've got a free weekend contact Mike Palmer.

'Mon & Brec': ask Mike Palmer for details of work.

Sammy WRG has taken over responsibility for 'Sammy' the generator truck. If you are running a canal festival or other event that needs a large electrical generator, contact Mike Palmer for info.

WRG Publicity Chris & Helen Davey are retiring from WRG Publicity after many years service (for which many thanks) and Jude is to take over.

Driver authorisation ...is pretty much up-to-date. If you haven't received your authorisation it's because you haven't asked for it! Enquiries to Malcolm Bridge.

Christmas Cards... ...raised ÂŁ250 for WRG, so we'll be doing them again this year - and we might manage one with a 'Last Ditch' cartoon on it too!

Speaking of which...

Sorry no cartoon and no 'Bankside' this time.

Both will return in 186. Promise!

Stamps wanted The WRG Canal Camps mobile phones: 07850 422156 (A) and 07850 422157 (B)

Send all your used postage stamps, cigarette and petrol coupons and old phone cards to IWA/ WRG Stamp Bank, 33, Hambleton Grove, Emerson Valley, Milton Keynes MK4 2JS. All proceeds to canal restoration.

And the final total is....

GOMETER

Sits. Vac.

WR

Lapal Canal Trust need a DirectorofMediaand Public Relations,aGeneralSecretary,aMembershipSecretary anda'lengthsman'(mustbealocalresident)tokeepaneye ontheeastendofthecanalatSellyOak,Birmingham.

AnyoneinterestedpleasecontactStanThomason01785713862ore-mailstanthomas@mcmail.com.

6 2 4 0 person-days work by WRG in the year 2000

WELL DONE, EVERYBODY!

MAGAZINES For back-issues of all canal magazines including 'Canal Boat', 'Canal and Riverboat', 'Waterways World', 'Navvies' and 'Waterways' (all proceeds to WRG) contact Sheelah Lockwood: phone 01908 675255.

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Navvies Production

Editor : Martin Ludgate 35 Silvester Road East Dulwich London SE22 9PB 020-8693 3266 Subscriptions / circulation Sue Watts 15 Eleanor Road Chorlton-cum-Hardy Manchester M21 9FZ Printing and assembly: John & Tess Hawkins 4 Links Way, Croxley Grn Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 3RQ Watford (01923) 448559

Noticeboard

Navvies is published by Waterway Recovery Group Ltd, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY 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 in-

Moving house...

Mike Palmer and Jude Moore have moved to: 3 Finwood Road, Rowington, Warwickshire CV35 7DH. Tel: 01564 785293.

Helen 'Bushbaby' Gardner has a new home phone number: 0208 8457820 There is a new e-mail address for WRG enquiries (i.e. IWA head office): enquiries@wrg.org.uk Issue 187 will be the next 'Navvies' to contain the full WRG and Canal Societies Directory. Updates to the Editor, please.

PS here's a web site North West WRGies might be interested in: http://www.uncle-joes.com terest. 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.

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John Baylis, Malcolm Bridge, Roger Burchett, Ray Carter, Christopher Davey, Helen Davey, Š 2000 WRG ltd Roger Day, Richard ISSN 0953-6655 Drake, Neil Edwards, Waterway Recovery Group John Hawkins, Judith Ltd is a subsidiary of the InMoore, Michael Palmer, land WaterwaysAssociation Jonathan Smith. (a registered charity).

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page 31

Backfill

What's this - a closed towpath?

Can British Waterways walk on water?

Spotted in London.....

Never mind, I'm sure there will be a diversion signposted. Let's take a closer look....

And on the Huddersfield...

Very helpful! No problems for BW Chief Executives I'm sure, but what are the rest of us mere mortals supposed to do?

And finally...

...a newly installed lock-gate. Errr, hang on, how are you going to open it with that newly-built wall there? Whoops! Let's hope they get it sorted in time for the Opening this spring. (Martin Clark)

page 32

I happened to be on a work-party repainting the Elsecar trip-boat a few months ago and noticed that the boat had the appropriate name of 'Elsie'.

This set me thinking - wasn't there a trip-boat at Standedge called 'Stan' once? And I know we had a dumper on the Mont called 'Monty'... any more? How about 'Bugs', the Bugsworth Basin boat... or 'Frank' at Frankton Locks... or 'Mona' plying for hire on the 'Monan Brec'?

Lets hope the Titford Canal in Brum and the Arsenal Canal in Woolwich don't follow the same idea...