Navvies 196

avvies N Volunteers restoring waterways No196 December2002-January2003

waterway recovery group

Contents Contributions... ...are always welcome, whether hand-written, typed, on 3½" floppy disk, CR-ROM or by email. 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. Digital / computer scanned photos also welcome, either on floppy / CD-ROM 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 martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk. Press date for No 197: January 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:

Editorial Chairman Training more courses in the spring Camp Reports from the Grand Western,

3 4 5

6-11 Huddersfield festival and Grantham Bonfire Bash report from South Wales 12-13 BITM a year in the life of a WRG group 14-16 Appeal we need to raise 75 grand!

17 Directory WRG and canal society contacts18-19 Diary camps and working parties 20-22 Letters and WRG Boat Club News 23-24 Logistics a song about toasters 25 Progress work on the Wilts & Berks, 26-29 Wey & Arun and Basingstoke Bookshop another auction of canal books 30-32 Plant Bungle moves a KL15 crane 33 Tunnel Vision a story by Jon Sims 34-35 Cleanup book now for the BCN cleanup 36 WRGBC Boat Club news 37 Bits & Pieces wot no KESCRG camp?

38 Noticeboard 39 Backfill what happened to Alan's phone? 40

And next time... ...October, Christmas and New Year camp reports. Plus an article about the Aberdare Canal.

Visit our web site www.wrg.org.uk for all the latest news of WRG's activities Cover photo: October camp on the Mon & Brec: restoration work nearing completion on the chamber of Lock 21, top lock of the 14 Locks flight at Rogerstone. (Martin Ludgate) Below left: October camp on the Cotswolds: the weir crest stones at Ham Mill Lock bywash are reinstated. (Martin Ludgate) Below right: the same weir at the end of the week, with rebuilding work complete. (Ed Walker) We hope to have full reports from both of these Canal Camps in the next issue. Please somebody write them!

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The editor apologises (1) ...for the non-appearance yet again of the serial 'Bankside'. I'm afraid this is because with all the contributions submitted for this issue, there simply wasn't any space for 'Bankside', despite us having increased the size of the magazine to an envelopebusting 40 pages-plus-camps-booklet. Rest assured, Oz Collingwood, Gordon-I-broke-my-nosethree-times Drake and the rest of the crowd are still hard at work on the Thames Berks and Andover, and their exploits will return to these pages soon.

A couple of other items have also had to be held over, so if you submitted something for publication don't assume I'm not going to print it just because it doesn't appear in this issue.

And don't let it put you off sending contributions in: the forthcoming winter issues tend to have fewer Canal Camp reports in them, so there is more room for other items such as progress updates and the 'restoration feature' articles.

The editor apologises (2) ...for the lack of Camp Reports from the October Camps. That's not because of lack of space but because nobody's sent me any reports yet. Please do - there will be plenty of room in issue 197.

Thank you ...to everyone who has contributed to Navvies this year, whether by sending articles, photographs, letters, snippets for the back page or whatever.

Also thank you to the 'behind the scenes' team: John & Tess at WRGPrint and their assembly volunteers in London, Sue Watts for looking after subscription renewals, and in particular Edd Leetham who has just handed over to head office the job of maintaining the subs database and printing address labels, after doing it for more years than I can remember.

Coming soon: the Last Ever Mont Camp!

What do you mean, you don't believe me? We're opening Aston Locks on April 4th - the February 15-22 Camp really will be the last ever camp on this section of the Montgomery Canal. Book now!

Brian Moult We are sorry to have to tell you that Brian Moult of Herefordshire & Gloucestershire Canal Trust died just as this issue was going to the printers.

Brian was in charge of the H&GCT Sales, but many WRGies will have known him as one of the team of local volunteers who worked alongside us throughout the Over Basin project.

Our sympathies go to his wife Janet and to the rest of his family and friends.

Editorial

Coming soon: the BCN Cleanup There is an article elsewhere in this issue about the Cleanup, but I'd like to mention it here because I think it's an important event and I hope we'll get a good turnout of volunteers.

Why is it important? Because without events like this, the less well-used parts of Birmingham Canal Navigations would have been in serious danger of becoming impassable and falling into dereliction.

Which would be a shame, when restoration projects like the Lichfield & Hatherton are doing their best to make these canals more accessible to boaters.

The Cleanup is also rather good fun, and it makes a change to be working on a canal that's actually got boats on it. So put the 22-23 March in your diary, and send off the form on page 37.

Tranche three and four...

You may have heard of 'Tranche Two', the nine restoration projects that BW / The Waterways Trust have identified as the next group to follow on now that the Rochdale, Huddersfield etc. are open. They are: Droitwich, Cotswolds, Foxton Inclined Plane, Bedford-Milton Keynes new canal, Mont phase 1 (to connect to the Welshpool length), East London rivers, Liverpool Docks new canal, Manchester Bolton & Bury, Lancaster northern reaches.

At a recent IWA conference, a provisional list by Dave Fletcher of 'Tranche 3' and 'Tranche 4' gave an indication of what we might see restored in the next couple of decades...

Tranche 3: Ashby northern reaches, Chesterfield, Grantham, River Leven (new navigation to link the Clyde to Loch Lomond), River Carron (new barrage to make the east end of the Forth & Clyde more accessible, Pocklington, Mont phase 2 (to Newtown), Derby, Higher Avon / Grand Union link, Lichfield & Hatherton, Mon & Brec, Wendover, Wey & Arun, Wilts & Berks.

Tranche 4: Bude, Cromford, Grand Western, Hereford & Gloucester, new Slough-Thames link, Sankey, Swansea / Neath / Tennant, WithamNene new link, Watford new broad-beam boat lift.

That should keep TWT (and us) busy for a while.

And finally...

It's that time of year again... so I'll finish by wishing you all the compliments of the season, and I look forward to seeing lots of you on the Basingstoke Canal New Year Camp.

Martin Ludgate

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Chairman Why are we paying so much attention to training?

Chairman's Comment This edition of 'Navvies' will come to you in the same envelope as our shiny new Canal Camps brochure for 2003. I’m really rather pleased with the choice of sites and work this year. We have spent quite a time tracking down sites that we think offer really enjoyable work that represents a chance to really make a noticeable contribution.

Andy Millward

The range of work is as varied as the locations so whether you want a nice straightforward camp or a really challenging one we have something to offer you. Of course if you aren’t interested in going on a Canal Camp then please pass on the brochure to someone who may be, and perhaps contact one of our regional groups instead! Similarly if you know of an organisation or individual who might be interested please contact Head Office and we will send them a info pack.

Also included in this 'Navvies' [See opposite] are full details of the various Training courses we are offering this spring.

Just to clear up one point: please don’t think these are compulsory or that if you don’t attend you won’t be able to contribute to WRG events - nothing could be further from the truth. The explanation for why we are paying particular attention to training at the moment comes down to two simple reasons: (1) Many of our volunteers have asked for training to enhance their enjoyment of the work they do (2) So much of our work these days is in partnership and it is the case that the more we bring to a partnership the more the other partners will give.

This is particularly the case with funders, they are much more willing to fund projects where we can say training is an integral part of the volunteers contribution. This is only natural as the funders are under pressure to ensure their funds are spent well and they are wary of giving their money away to just anyone.

So we are not saying that we are all going to have to wave certificates in order to go on a site, but every bit of training that we can achieve makes it easier for both WRGbrass and the local societies to prove competence (which means more help and less hindrance from funders, project officers, safety officers, etc). Having led one of the seminars recently I can seriously recommend them - we have kept the costs down so everyone can attend and I have yet to have anyone say they didn’t learn anything from one.

We are sorry to report the death of Andy Millward.

He was very much involved in setting-up the Boat Museum at Ellesmere Port in the 1970s; he also owned the working narrow boat 'Monarch'; however formanywhojoined WRG in the 1970s and 80s he is to be remembered for the photograph of him taken

by Chris Griffiths at the Basingstoke Big Dig (above) which for many years adorned theWRG display, and which captured the 'spirit of the age'. Our sympathies to his family and to anyone who knew him.

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I also need to make a small explanation about the article in this issue regarding our 'soon to be launched' appeal for the equipment that all these skilled navvies will use. Although it will not be official until February we thought that you would all want to have a little advance notice as diaries tend to get rather full this time of year and we feel sure some of you will want to sign up for some of the wacky fundraising events (thinks: "just what are we going to abseil off this time?")

See you dangling off something in the near future?

Mike Palmer

TWT Training Courses - Spring 2003 Following on from the autumn programme of courses mentioned by Mike in the last 'Navvies', here are details of further courses being offered

by The Waterways Trust in the winter and early spring. The instructors are all experienced people from organisations such as WRG, BTCV and BW. All courses will be held at British Waterways’ Heritage Skills Training Centre, Hatton, Warwick, unless noted otherwise.

Anyone is welcome to attend, provided they are supported by a relevent organisation (such as WRG or a canal society) and commit to doing at least 10 days volunteer work during the following year.

Although the training is free, there is a charge of ÂŁ15 to cover materials, refreshments etc.

For more details contact Mike Palmer (see p39) or see the WRG web site www.wrg.org.uk.

The following practical courses are being jointly run by WRG, British Waterways and The Waterways Trust. Upon satisfactory completion of a course volunteers will receive a recognised qualification.

Masonry Repairs Sat & Sun 1st-2nd February, Sat & Sun 1st-2nd March, Sat & Sun 5th-6th April

Training More training courses from British Waterways Brick Repairs & Re-Pointing Sat & Sun 1st-2nd February, Sat & Sun 1st-2nd March, Sat & Sun 5th-6th April Brushcutters & Strimmers Sat 1st February, Sun 2nd February, Sat 1st March, Sun 2nd March Historic Metalwork Sat & Sun 5th-6th April Slinger / Banksman training and assessment (to CITB standard) Sat 1st March There are also CITB dumper and excavator assessment-only sessions available for experienced operators, who will need to have already passed the HSE 'basic level assessment for plant operators' - see the web site for more details.

The following courses are aimed more at people involved in the management of canal restoration projects, but are open to anyone subject to the above conditions.

Effective Fundraising: fundraising techniques and methods to help an organisation achieve its objectives.

Saturday 22nd February, Wednesday 5th March , Saturday 15th March More Volunteers Please! leadership, organisation, recruitment and motivation of volunteers.

Saturday 15th February

George 'Bungle' Eycott receives his IWA Training Award cheque for a course in electrical installations to help him maintain the generator truck 'Sammy'.

Dave 'Tenko' Johnson has also received a Training Award, for a course in tree climbing and rescue in connection with his work with the WRG Forestry Team. For details of how to apply for a TrainingAward, contact head office on 01923 711114, email wrg@waterways.org.uk or see the WRG web site.

Photo by Jude Moore

Conserve The Waterways? the conservation and enhancement of heritage and environment. The course will include the statutory framework, the policies of funders, practical management issues.

Saturday 8th March Be Safe! - Health & Safety for Voluntary Groups The course will cover both practical and legal issues. The development of the course, and input from candidates, is also aimed at fostering a common approach to health and safety.

Saturday 8th February, Monday 24th February, Saturday 22nd March

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Camp reports Droitwich... or Grand Western... or Mon & Brec...

Droitwich Canal Camp 0205 "Good Morning, this is Orchard Radio 101.0 FM broadcasting to Devon and Somerset. The time is six o’clock and the weather is warm with a risk of showers on this lovely Saturday. We have received reports that a landscape-altering organisation going by the name of Waterway Recovery Group are not moving out of the area today as was expected. It would appear that the organisation has been able to locate a new set of volunteers who are available to complete restoration work that previous camps have started. Our roving Ree Porter has the latest for us...."

“Yes indeed, here I am in Burlescombe, near Taunton, at the accommodation of previous camps and there is an unusual level of activity occurring. It seems that volunteers who had been planning a week working on the Barge Canal in Droitwich have been relocated to work on the Grand Western Canal right here in Somerset. Rumours are that they had a run-in with hundreds of bikers at their accommodation in Droitwich, and decided to relocate.

Everyone here seems to be in good spirits and the locals are very pleased at the prospect of having the canal project finished. When I say 'canal project', we are talking about a 250-yard stretch of canal that has been dredged, and seems like a canal but appears to be missing ends – it is just the middle. The entire site also is very muddy and will require both machinery and manual labour.

Which leaves the camp leader, Mike Palmer, wondering how he could keep his confident promise to the volunteers that they would be back in Droitwich very soon. Back to you in the studio.”

"It seems like our volunteers are getting set up for a busy few days. We’ll keep you up to date on their progress. Now a little tune for you all, S Club 7’s 'Don’t Stop Movin' ." “…and that's it for traffic news this lovely Monday.”

"Thank you Q. So it’s all clear on the roads then except for that combine harvester, but it would appear that maybe we need to rethink our road signs here in Devon, as WRG volunteer travelling from Scotland, John, managed to end up in Exeter some twenty miles further down the road than the intended Burlescombe.

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All the volunteers now appear to have arrived, from destinations as far away as Japan, Newcastle, Scotland, and Gloucester, to continue the good work on the canal. So we’ll hand over to Ree Porter for the latest..."

“The work so far appears to involve the volunteers working in teams. One group are busy sawing points off fence-post verticals so that they can be used as horizontals – which is somewhat missing the point of being a vertical! Another group are busy backfilling behind the fencing to hold the posts in place, and the fencing is looking great as a result. There are a digger and dumper being used on site that are profiling the bank of the canal to make it look nice for the visitors to the stretch of canal, and are also removing a dam at the far end that has been used as an access route by the plant (that’s of the mechanical sort rather than Mrs. Smith’s dahlias). Meanwhile a JCB is busy digging a big hole to find the end of a land-drain that had been laid down and has unfortunately been covered in a very large pile of very sloppy clay mud. Shouldn’t take them too long to find I’m sure. Though it does appear as though the whole 250 yards of canal has been dug out and deposited in only 50 yards of land, on top of the pipe.

But I have confidence in this group. ” "Fantastic news, so if any of you would like to go and see the work in progress you just need to nip down to A. Farmer’s fields and you’ll hear the noise! But here’s a song in dedication of their efforts, 'It’s been a hard days night' by The Beatles." "……and I hope things get better between you and your husband. Bye bye now."

"And our next story is something of a surprise.

There has been a tip off of some rather strange goings on with the WRG volunteers. Don’t say we don’t give you juicy gossip, here’s Ree with the details..."

“Well rumour has it that the has been more than a little 'group bonding' going on, on site. Here I have volunteer Mike with me. So Mike, what exactly have you been up to?”

“Well Gary, Catherine and myself have been bonking……”

“So you are not denying these rumours?”

“Rumours? No not at all. I’ll let you know it’s hard work” “Do your camp leaders know about the three of you?”

“Well we were told to do it. Given specific instructions by Mike. But it did need doing. Don’t think I’ll be doing it all week though; the leaders will probably change round who gets a go.

But the fence should look good at the end of it all.”

“So there you have it, straight from the horses mouth.

I’m sorry... 'the fence'?”

“Yes we have to bash the verticals in for the fencing, it’s called bonking.”

“Ah, yes, I see. Well that cleared up that little matter! Well now I’m down here I’ll fill you in on what’s been going on here for the past few days. One of the new volunteers, Catherine, has become very much at home in the dumpers and seems to be working very well in the battle against the very sloppy mountain of dredged clay, that the rain is not helping to dry out. The fencing is coming along nicely, with Gary, Stuart, Mike, John, Ai, Vix and Nina putting in a lot of that Olde Elbow Grease. The JCB has left site now, and has been pressure washed by the volunteers in the chicken shed. The volunteers also managed to find the drainage pipe. Unfortunately the pipe soon became three pipes, or bits of pipe. But I’m sure the volunteers know how to fix the problem.”

"Well that only leaves me a few minutes in which to play a very topical tune: Bob The Builder, 'Can We Fix It?' " "Today sees the end of the stay of the WRG volunteers with us here in Devon, as they moved onto work on another canal in Wales. They have left behind a great showpiece of a canal, showing the many hours of hard work that has gone into getting it to that standard. The fencing is finished both along the towpath and as a temporary measure to hold back the mountain of dredged clay that was infringing on the towpath, pipes have been laid to maintain the water level, the towpath has been resurfaced at the near end, and rubbish has been cleared from the site.

But all has not been work. Once the volunteers have finished for the day they lock up the lovely cabin on site and head back to accommodation for food, as long as there is not a kid’s party, or game of bingo happening there. Obviously with the sort of muddy conditions on site the team have needed showers, which have been at the local pool, both before and after swimming. They were even kind enough to remove their wellingtons at the door. The volunteers have commented on the top-notch food, made by a whole range of the volunteers, which has fuelled them for their stay.

The entertainment seems to have been based around, chip shops, scenes between the camp leader and the bouncers at Taunton’s Ballroom Dancing School and on the same occasion a near-kidnapping of two ladies by the same camp leader, and the local pub where music was provided by a jukebox which seemed to edit the songs as and when it pleased, and a pool tournament was played. And for those more energetic members of the group there was music being played back at the accommodation.

Camp reports "...Mike’s shorts sewn-up to create almost respectable shorts..."

There also appears to have been a feminine touch to this camp with cakes being baked, Mike’s indecent shorts being sewn up to create a pair of almost respectable shorts, and earlier in the week Mrs. A. Local felt so bad about the state of the volunteers muddy socks that she offered to wash them. Two loads later and the volunteers are very grateful, despite the initial confusion that appeared to have occurred over lack of understanding of the local dialect, loud rain on the windows and slight alcohol intake by the camp leader. Volunteers were also puzzled by the number of conversations revolving around a “ruddy brown git” or “gate” (they weren’t sure). I tell you what, we’ll just 'Blame it on the weatherman' by B*witched." “...and the blistering hot weather we’ve had over the past day or so is likely to continue well into next week.”

"We’ve just had a report in on our WRG volunteers who left us on Thursday, saying that they have been having a cracking time in South Wales. They had been under the impression that the work awaiting them was about a days work for four people.

The demolition of two lock walls however was not completed despite there being at least eleven volunteers working full tilt all day in the hot weather. I think the informer Mr. Collins needs to check up on his calculations for demolition speeds.

They also appear to have come across a problem with their lovely accommodation. Being as though they are staying in a Methodist Church Hall, they have to abide by the 'no alcohol' rule of the building. The local pub was investigated upon arrival, and found to contain grateful locals who showed their appreciation to WRG by buying them a couple of rounds (which we have been told were very much appreciated) and as for the deco, well, it was, erm, interesting. We have a dedication to the pub, 'Dedicated Follower Of Fashion' by The Kinks..."

"A great song. On the final night of the WRG camp a second pub was visited, and then Club Minibus opened its doors to the rowdier members of WRG. Here’s a final song to those fantastic, hard working WRG volunteers, 'Stay another Day' by East 17." ('Maybe not' thought the volunteers, they did need to get to Droitwich at some point...)

Judith Gordon

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Camp reports From the IWA's National Waterways Festival at Huddersfield Camp 0218: Huddersfield Festival Camp As usual a team of WRGies spent a couple of weeks at the end of August helping the IWA to set up and run the National Waterways Festival, the world's biggest Inland Waterways event. But rather than bore you with a conventional canal camp report, here is an alternative version in song form. It was written by Ali 'Womble' Bottomley and is sung to the tune of 'My favourite things' from 'The Sound of Music'. If you don't remember 'The Sound of Music' (a) you're lucky (b) if you really want to know, ask your (grand) parents!

"Our Festival Things" Bungle and Baylis on a bright coloured tractor Banners by David (a once famous actor) Signs made by Harry, a Bungle that sings These are a few of our Festival Things Tracking and fencing in all kinds of weather Beautiful medics all dressed up in leather Days out on car parks with ‘big pointy fings’ These are a few of our Festival Things Top: it wouldn't be the 'National' without lots of security fencing to put up and take down. (D Bradford) Above: installing the 'poo pipe' (Martin Ludgate) Below: helping with 'WoW' - 'Wild Over Waterways', the new children's activities scheme being run jointly with British Waterways, The WaWOWing the children with bricks, glue and dredgers, terways Trust and the IWA. (Martin Ludgate) Youths breaking in through the holes in our hedges, Wheelie Bins emptied (so that they don’t ming) These are a few of our Festival Things When the dogs keep us from our sleep When we’re feeling sad we simply remember our Festival Things and then we don’t feel so bad.

Food for the masses, it really is tasty Off to the beer tent - well don’t be too hasty: There’s lots of washing up for us to do Bex - check the poo pipe ain’t broken in two!

Someone get Toby - the pier is now sinking, Bex check the cess pit - the toilets are stinking, Red shirts and blue shirts who give it their all, Life here in Huddersfield, it’s such a ball.

When the tools break and your feet ache when traders get mad We simply remember our Festival Things and then we don’t feel so bad.

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Above: as usual there were lots of signs to be made...

(Martin Ludgate) Below: ...and banners to be distributed around the site and put up (D Bradford). Right: once again there was a mockup 'quayside' where many of the boats being exhibited were 'moored'. (Martin Ludgate) Bottom left: 'how many WRGies does it take to change a light-bulb?" (Martin Ludgate) Bottom right: "I think you've missed a bit just there." (D Bradford)

We’re now nearly a month on from the event and still sorting out paperwork! Hopefully most of you have now recovered, especially those die-hard volunteers who stayed to the bitter end – well almost, Bungle, Dave and Malcolm could still be there. All that’s left to say is an almighty THANK YOU to everyone who came to Huddersfield, ventured through the dereliction – we still don’t know what you mean Bungle – and helped make the Festival camp a success. The NWF team really appreciated the hard work and team spirit, which was evident in every task completed, (and they were all completed – except the one regarding the dog poo!). Many thanks to those of you who also helped Al out when you weren’t on site and special thanks to the star cook herself – you were fab!

Thanks again Mick Beattie & Ali Bottomley

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Camp reports Roobarb and Custard on the Grantham Canal...

Camp 0219 Grantham Canal September 7th - 14th This was our first camp on the Grantham Canal for a number of years, and the first camp at a new site at Cropwell Bishop locks.

As somebody had kindly provided us with two 'Camp Mascots' in the shape of 'Roobarb' and 'Custard', a green dog and a pink cat which played the (very irritating) theme tune from the TV series of that name, we thought it would be appropriate if the camp report was done in appropriate style.

Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately) our cartoonist failed to realise that the combination of using lined stationery and a soft grey pencil produced something that even after a lot of computerised tweaking wasn't really clear enough that we could rely on it coming through the 'Navvies' printing process in legible form.

But here's a sample, just to give you an idea of what you've missed...

Top: Clearing vegetation from the lower wing walls... Above: ...and the chamber walls. Below: The main purpose of the clearance work was to expose the chambers to assess their condition for future repair work: it looks like this one will need a fair bit of attention. Photos by Martin Ludgate.

Yes, the first day really did 'go with a bang' - the cooker in the accommodation exploded! But apart from that, it was a successful week.

The camp's objective was to clear vegetation and earth from the bottom of locks 11, 10 and 9; lock 11 had already been almost finished by previous weekend work parties but the other two hadn't really been started. British Waterways would then be able to send in structural engineers to do a detailed inspection of the condition of the locks prior to restoration.

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Everyone worked so hard that there was a real chance of running out of work before the end of the week. However rain, the odd early finish and a laid-back atmosphere meant the work lasted until early afternoon on Friday.

On the social side... we dived into the local pool and had fun with the floats and flume, our local pub laid-on a fabulous Chinese meal, the local canal societies put on an entertaining evening with 'Pop goes the Century' and one of our volunteers used his contacts to provide a very tasty Indian meal.

Thanks to everyone for their efforts: it made my job as leader so easy that it really was a laid-back 'chill out and relax' camp.

Brian 'Ernie' Hearne (with a few additional bits by the editor)

Above: Roobarb and Custard enter into the social life of the camp. (I bet you're really sorry the rest of the cartoons didn't make it into 'Navvies'...)

What locks 9 and 10 looked like at the beginning of the camp...

...and what they looked like just a couple of days later. Photos by the editor.

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Bonfire Bash Reporting from the Mon & Brec in wettest Wales...

Why do we do these things? Because it’s fun? The little motto that appeared on the reunion clothing a couple recently probably says it all – ‘Happy but Crazy’. I don’t actually know who thought up that one but it does seem to sum it up well.

What did we get then? Well, the M4. Hands up all those who slow down to look at the accident on the other carriageway (if you are not already in the jam). What, none of you? Well, there is a heck of a lot of people who do!

And then going to Wales for the weekend? Even with a load of Welsh blood coursing through my veins I have to admit that it is very likely to rain a bit as soon as you cross the bridge!

However, the accommodation was very impressive and absorbed the huge number of inmates, and travel and weather were soon forgotten amid conversation and lubrication.

Saturday dawned and after a splendid breakfast from Jude and her cohorts it was off to site. This was a revelation. The site is impressive with the flight of locks dropping down steeply to the M4 far below. The car park at the top houses the Trust’s compound and a huge assembly of navvies and equipment ready for the fray.

The work was mostly scrub bashing around the locks and in the chambers and pounds and soon the bonfires were burning. The chambers were also cleared of waterlogged wood that had clearly been there for some time. The bonfire crew were somewhat hampered by Jonathan who had a diesel powered wood chipper and was shredding saplings faster than they could be cut down.

At the other end of the flight the chainsaw gang were felling trees and Bungle and his tractor were winching away merrily. This proved a convenient place to be as motorway bridges provide plenty of shelter from the rain.

Work progressed well although as the day progressed and the weather continued in its wet Welsh way, the work was further hampered when the canal unexpectedly started reverting to its navigable state.

Finally we all returned, thoroughly wet, to warmish showers and more beer. Harry and Ralph gave us the benefit of their pyrotechnic skill and we all enjoyed our evening meal and then slaked our thirst (for companionship).

Despite the weather, the 'Bonfire Bash' managed to live up to its name.

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And so to bed – eventually and for some people, for a considerable length of time.

Day dawned and MKP confused us all by informing us that it wasn’t raining. The confusing part was that further investigation confirmed that he was telling the truth. However, by the time breakfast was finished it had started again and continued sporadically throughout the day. The in between bits were much better and people spent the day alternately drying out and getting wet. The rain also did interesting things to the consistency of The work involved cutting down trees and Tirforing out stumps... the towpath and I discovered that dumpers don’t go where the tractor can (not if you want them to come out again). Bungle got to demonstrate his snatch-block and managed to rescue the dumper so all was eventually well. Martin was mercifully at the other end of site so no documentary evidence exists.

The drift away began but the site clearly showed what 180 determined navvies can achieve, even in the rain.

Thanks to Spencer and Adrian for the leading (and letting me spend the weekend sitting down), for Jude and her crew for scrummy food. To Alan for the accommodation, to the Mon & Brec Trust for marshalling and to anyone I’ve forgotten. Oh, and to Alan Lines for reminding everyone of the virtue of hands-free phones. Well, you wouldn’t want to touch it after that would you? ...removing creepers from the locksides...

...and clearing undergrowth from around the locks.

Dave Worthington

Harry celebrated his birthday over the weekend, and was duly presented with his very own dumper and a book about 'Heavy Plant'. All photos by Martin Ludgate

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WRG BITM A year in the lift of WRG's 'Bit in the Middle' group...

2002: A Year in the Life of a wrg Regional Group January. Seven Locks, Wilts & Berks. A fourday weekend, for those able to go down on Thursday. Rachael leading, with around 20 on site Saturday morning & Sunday. The main job was mixing & shovelling concrete to back-fill the towpath wall at Lock 3. Ballast was loaded onto the dumper by tractor-shovel at a nearby farm, driven to site, shovelled direct from the dumper to a large mixer, whence the mixed concrete was slid down a chute into place and vibrated. Other volunteers cleared scrub from Lock 4 so its condition could be assessed before a planned WRG Camp in the Summer. Very wet – lunch indoors at Brinkworth Village Hall was agreed unanimously. Had to push the cars one by one off the now-extremely-squelchy verge, beginning with a Volvo belonging to a local Trust volunteer, after which the rest were easy! For the first time in living memory the only work done in the afternoon was by the Cook (thank you, Di!) and her part-time helpers. This decision was taken as much in deference to the state of the track, as to the diminishing store of dry clothing available. Work resumed on Sunday, until shortly after lunch by which time everyone was again thoroughly wet! A memorable start to the year.

February. Scrub clearance on the Drayton Beauchamp section of the Wendover Arm, with Graham Hotham leading and once again 20 people on site. The jungle put up a good fight, but stood no real chance against a small army of Tirfor winches, slashers, bowsaws and the BITM brush-cutter. Bonfires were reluctant to burn as wind, hail & snow whistled down from the Chilterns, and we were glad to shelter under a bridge for lunch.

BITM in winter: backfilling at Seven Locks.

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Sunday began well but had degenerated into a cold, steady drizzle by the time the WAT Restoration Director arrived to see how we had done. Some masochist asked him whether WAT was planning another Work Week in the Summer. He seemed a little surprised at this enthusiasm, but two weeks later, we heard that enough local volunteers had agreed to the idea for dates to be set. Time to book leave from the day job.

March. Working with the Lapal Canal Trust to clear scrub, derelict cars (remains of) and other debris from a half-mile rubbish tip which the local Council have designated a linear park and the LCT would like to see restored as urban waterway. Accommodation courtesy of the Stonehouse Gang was conveniently sited (walk out of the back door and you were on site), spacious, and complete with pool tables and television. Bonfires were banned in this smoke-free zone of Birmingham so an industrial chipper (with operator) and a shredder were provided. The latter was less powerful than Mike & Roger would have liked but even so, on Sunday afternoon a young local stared around in disbelief and asked “Hey, Mister, where’s all them trees gone?”

Returning two dumpers to the security of the compound on Saturday with only 7 fully-functional tyres between them took a certain amount of ingenuity.

Both machines were back in action by Sunday morning however, even if they did have a tendency to lie down on the job from time to time. By the end of the weekend, 103 volunteers (only 25 of whom were from BITM!) had moved 350 cubic metres of rubbish and cleared vast amounts of scrub to transform the whole line of the erstwhile/ future canal from an overgrown tip to quite a pleasant area.

April. Half-adozen BITMites joined Northampton IWA for their clean-up day on the Westbridge Arm of the Nene.

There was less debris in the river than anticipated, because someone had been through with a dredger a few weeks beforehand. I seem to remember something similar happening a year or so back – maybe we only need to publicise a clean-up next time …

BITM in spring: Wendover festival

A week later, the usual 20 or so suspects descended on an hitherto peaceful location in darkest Sussex. A wonderfully warm and sunny weekend, memorable for the dozen or more species of wild flower in bloom along the towpath and the shimmering carpets of bluebells in the adjacent woods.

Also for the rare butterfly orchids, a protected species not to be squashed by heavy boots! This was our first visit to the Dig Deep site at Bonfire Hanger on the Wey & Arun. The main task for this weekend was to continue work on the footbridges which will enable ramblers to continue to cross this section of the canal dry-shod when it is re-watered to form a reservoir for the navigable Loxwood section. There was also plenty of work for the Tirfor and mattock brigade, removing and burning stumps and brushwood from the canal bed. A really good weekend, with a variety of work, fine weather, beautiful surroundings and a vast array of flora and fauna to enjoy. Several frogs hopped out of our way in the wetter bits of the canal and Barbara saw a slowworm. We also spotted several butterflies, including a Peacock, Brimstones and Orange-Tips (this last species feed on a plant called Garlic Mustard, which explained the garlic smell on the towpath) a sign that spring had well and truly arrived!

BITM in summer: flood relief channels at Chalford July. Saul Junction Canal Festival (small publicity stand and Canal Restoration Game only). Music, beer, food stalls, water-based activities & range of entertainment all first class – if you missed it, do go next year!

May. The usual Festivals – Little Venice (Sales Stand only), Rickmansworth & Wendover (aka Tring). The Wendover Car Park Fairy’s wings were larger, his wand longer and costume a deeper pink than ever before, and his assistants were provided with large red “lollipops” to wave so that they could be seen when standing in the hollow at the far side of the car park. “Nell Gwynn” exchanged her oranges for a basket of home-made muffins which found a ready sale. The Canal Restoration Game, updated for 2002, was run from the small publicity stand, strategically sited between the beer tent and the main marquee and opposite the main BITM sales stand equally strategically located by the entrance gate. Happily, the weekend was a financial success as well as an enjoyable one. It was quite satisfying to note that some of the tickets which were on top prizes when we first put the Restoration Game together are now well among the “alsorans” because so much has happened in restoration terms over the last 4 years!

Then “Farthest North” expedition for 2002, to Cropwell Locks, and BITM’s first visit to the Grantham Canal for 7 years. Our task: to clear the lock chambers of silt (by hand) to allow BW to make a survey of the locks. Work method statements & risk assessments had been submitted, a tipping licence applied for, and BW had insisted that we have a loo on site – what luxury! Weeds had grown thickly since WRG scrub-bashed the top two locks in February but these were soon removed.

The same cannot be said for the thick layer of puddle-clay in the top lock, evidently an attempt to seal a leak, which took most of the weekend. The inverts were quite steep and the wet clay (yet again it rained!) made for a very slippery barrow-run. The spoil-heap grew apace, until we needed two teams of barrowers, one to take the barrows to and from the lock chamber and the second to go mountaineering up the spoil-heap. By the end of the weekend however we (15 from BITM and several members of the local Trust) had cleared most of the top lock (to reveal some very wavy brickwork!) and the tail-bay of the middle lock. A satisfying and enjoyable weekend.

June. The muddiest work-weekend for some time!

We were to be the last Dig Deep group to work on Valley Lock on the Thames & Severn and so spent Saturday morning tidying up there before going to Chalford to create flood-relief channels through the reeded Roundhouse Pound. We were asked for at least 2 extra channels, so we dug 4. The work invoked distant memories of sandcastles, moats and dams – and was just as much fun. It was important to be careful of one’s footing however – a H&S demonstration using a keb handle showed that the silt was over 5’ deep in places, so it was advisable not to step off the reed bed! We also reopened an impassable section of towpath, much to the disgust of local residents who said they kept it overgrown deliberately to discourage cyclists!

Noah’s Ark Cycle Shop is just across the road …

August. 5 BITMites joined in a very successful Work Week on the Wendover Arm. The public footpath was restored to its original side of the canal between the stop lock and Little Tring Bridge so that work could begin on the towpath side wall. A roadway was built to provide plant access, and modified during the week until it was the right height (and width) for the readymix lorries. A trench was dug either side of the old wall, which was then demolished and used as hard-core for the roadway or carted off to the tip site. Once the full width of the trench was clear, the levels were set ready for the blinding layer beneath the first three base sections of the new towpath-side wall. Work elsewhere included excavating the winding hole and building up the roadway which will provide access to the tip site once the winding hole is re-watered.

page 15

Priory Construction had hired us 2 excavators & 2 dumpers in excellent condition so there were no unplanned delays while waiting for a fitter (unlike last year when A-Plant’s fitter had visited almost every day!). The 2002-model 6-tonne swivelbucket dumper with automatic gears (4 forward, 4 reverse) was particularly fun to drive! Since August, WAT members have continued with their regular work-parties and readymix deliveries so by the time you read this article the towpath-side wall may well be complete.

The following weekend, Rachael’s team of 17 BITMites and several WBCT members continued work on the Dig Deep site at Chaddington (or Summit) Lock on the Wilts & Berks. They laid the by-wash pipe, mixed about 2.5 cubic metres concrete to pour behind the chamber walls, and continued bricklaying on the lower wing walls, which needed to be raised high enough to be clear of the winter water levels.

September. St John’s (or Goldsworth) Flight, on the Basingstoke. 22 volunteers scattered in groups along the flight. Laying pipes at Lock 9 (continuing Dig Deep’s contribution to the backpumping scheme), jungle-bashing at Lock 7 and re-laying a section of towpath at Kiln Bridge on the Saturday. On the Sunday, work continued at Locks 7 & 9, while the last two dumper-loads of scalpins were driven along the towpath in the opposite direction, to a particularly muddy section near Redway Cottages. We expect to be remembered all winter in the prayers of the cross-country runners from the nearby school. The towpath was quite wide enough for the dumpers but lacked sufficient height for the roll-cage in places. H&S measures were frustrated when the magnetic flashing light atop the roll-cage of Dumper No 2 collided first with an overhead branch and then with the driver’s hardhat. The lamp was not replaced! Back at Lock 9, the barrow-drivers were taking an interesting route from the gravel-heap to the trench via gangplanks and the work-boat, despite which all loads were deposited safely in the pipe trench.

October. Once again, a good turnout (25) for work on the Wendover Arm. A range of work was available, on two sites half-a-mile apart. Unfortunately no-one thought sufficiently far ahead to take a subsidiary brew-kit to the distant site, thus upsetting our Chairman – not good! Some people worked with WAT volunteers constructing the towpath-side wall. Others levelled the rough footpath on the opposite side (diverted to the towpath side while the wall was built and reinstated in August) and surfaced it with scalpings on Terram. Some elderly hawthorn trees near the bridge were removed and others coppiced. Everyone else continued with scrub-bashing and stump-pulling at Whitehouses.

November. Various BITM volunteers, including Mike with his Viking axe, joined in the Bonfire Bash at the spectacular Fourteen Locks on the Monmouthshire (Crumlin Arm). True to Welsh tradition, it rained, but even so, a good time was had by all, as I’m sure you will have read elsewhere in “Navvies”.

page 16

BITM in autumn: the St Johns backpump scheme.

All photos by Stella Wentworth Two weeks later, BITM paid an additional visit to the Wendover Arm, as accommodation arrangements for the planned visit to the Sleaford Navigation had fallen through at short notice. Scrub-bashing and stump-pulling on the Whitehouses section.

Progress was slow, due to various logistical issues (e.g. the only suitable anchor-point for certain stumps being in direct line with the only practicable site for the bonfire) and to the discovery of more stumps than were first apparent, thanks to previous clearance work. It was, however, quite thorough, since WAT’s Restoration Director insists that scrub-bashing and stumping should be done in tandem from now on. The site was well away from any houses so no-one could complain about the bonfire this time (unlike the Basingstoke), and work proceeded against a background chorus of approval from the ducks and geese on Wilstone Reservoir.

Walking back to the van for more tools, one volunteer saw a charm of goldfinches – a beautiful sight.

December. At the time of writing, about 24 people plan to work up an appetite for the December dig’s now-traditional Festive Dinner (and working off the consequences on the following morning?), by spending a weekend hedge-thinning, hedge-laying and stump-pulling at Dauntsey on the Wilts & Berks.

No report of the year’s activity would be complete without mention of the Friday evening rituals around the Toaster, of the tasty and generously-portioned meals prepared by dedicated and hard-working cooks while most of us are out on site, or of the many hours spent putting the world to rights over a glass or two, whether at the hall or in a local hostelry. Aprovisional programme for next year has already been agreed, with venues from the Wey &Arun in the South to Lichfield, Grantham and Sleaford in the (North?) Midlands. Our digs are listed in the Dates List, so if we are working in your area or on your favourite canal and you would like to join us for a weekend (or just a half-day) e-mail bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk or phone Dave Wedd on 01252 874437.

Stella Wentworth

WRG is appealing!

As you all know, you are involved in THE most energetic and active part of the waterway restoration movement. Since the set up of WRG in the 70’s we have become 'professional' volunteers, with a huge amount of skills, expertise and enthusiasm. This is in no small part due to our emphasis on the “right tool for the right job”, i.e., on equipping our volunteer teams correctly and safely, with training, plant, and tools. In the last year we have been expanding our training programme, in partnership with BW and The Waterways Trust.

The trouble with plant and tools is that they wear out, even with the massive efforts of our plant and logistics teams. Two of the lovely Transits bought with the last appeal are ageing rapidly, and there are various pieces of small plant and kit, which will be neededinthenext few years’ restoration programme.

And training costs money, especially if we are going to be able to offer it to all our volunteers.

So… WRG and IWA have agreed that a £75,000 capital investment in WRG is urgently needed.

Don’t panic – we’re not demanding you give up all your hard earned cash just yet… (although if you want to I’m sure it wouldn’t be turned down…).

This is a WRG appeal, and so will involve lots of fun, some hard work, and probably some alcohol (but this is not compulsory). We are going to be asking the IWA branches for their help running various events, there will be a leaflet appeal, (see next Navvies) and, of course, WRG will be doing Silly Things in various locations over the next few months.

Appeal WRG needs to raise £75,000.

Dr Liz explains why and how...

We plan to end the appeal at the “National” in August, with events including a “Slave Auction” and the long awaited (dreaded?) return of the WRG SHOW!!

What can you do right now? Firstly, keep an eye out for news of events as they are announced. If any of you want to help with running something PLEASE call me (pretty please…)! If your company is looking to donate some money to a worthy cause then find out details of any matching funding schemes (One volunteer is worth £5000 at the moment, for example. Who would have thought it?!). Watch the WRG website for updates as and when they happen.

Finally, have a Happy Christmas.

Love and Hugs 'Dr Liz' Williamson drliz@doctors.org.uk (Now also known as the “mad doctor” since taking on the co-ordination of the appea!)

We are launching the appeal in February, in Birmingham, during the NEC boat show. Details will appear in the next issue, but we will certainly want a lot of red shirts around the w/ e of 21-22 Feb next year, so put that in your diaries now. We will also be having another race night, this time at the Aston Locks reopening, (see separate article for details), organised once again by Brian Bayston. Other events include a sponsored walk from Saul Junction to Beale Park, a murder mystery evening, and a Flashback to the last big WRG appeal in 1996: London WRG built a minibus “curryathon” at the BCN out of hardboard and took it for a ride in the Pageant of boats at Little Venice to cleanup weekend. publicise the Appeal. What will we think of this time? (Martin Ludgate)

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Directory WRG and canal society working party contact details BARNSLEY,DEARNE&DOVE CANALTRUST JuneBackhouse 39HIllSt,Elsecar BarnsleyS748EN 01226743383 Website:www. barnsleydearnedovecanals.org.uk BIRMINGHAMCANAL NAVIGATIONSSOCIETY JeffBarley 17Sunniside WalsallWood,WMidlands 01543373284 Website: www.bcn-society.org.uk/ BUCKINGHAMCANALSOC SteveMorley 33HambletonGrove Emersonvalley MiltonKeynesMK42JS 01908520090 email:mail@morleytowers.org.uk Website: www.mkheritage.co.uk/bcs/ BUGSWORTHBASIN(IWPS) IanEdgar BrowsideFarm, MudhurstLane LymeHandley, WhaleyBridge HighPeakSK237BT 01663732493 email:ian@browside.co.uk Website:www.brocross. com/iwps/index.htm CALDONCANALSOCIETY AlisonSmedley HazelhurstCottage Denford,Leek StaffsST137JT email: alison@hazelhurst3.fsnet.co.uk CHESTERFIELDCANALTRUST MickHodgetts 31PotteryLane ChesterfieldS419BH 01246620695 Website:www.chesterfield-canaltrust.org.uk CHICHESTERCANALSOCIETY JohnCooper Jaspers,ConeyRoad EastWittering, Chichester WestSussexPO218DA 01243671051

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COTSWOLDCANALSTRUST NeilRitchie TheChapelHouse SandfordRd,Churchdown GloucestershireGL32HD 01452854057 email:NeilSigns@aol.com Website: www.cotswoldcanals.com/ DERBY&SANDIACRECANAL SOCIETY DougFlack 23ThoresbyCrescent,Draycott DerbyDE723PH 01332874239 Website:www.derbycanal.org.uk DIGDEEPINITIATIVE AlanCavender 10VicarageRoad Maidenhead,Berkshire email:alan.cavender@lineone.net SL67DS 01628629033 DORSET&SOMERSETCANAL STUDYGROUP DerrickHunt 43GreenlandMills BradfordonAvon WiltsBA151BL 01225863066 email:derrick@carlingcott7. freeserve.co.uk DROITWICHCANALSTRUST VaughanWelch 29DicePleck Northfield,BirminghamB313XW 01214779782 email:kvwelch@supanet.com Website: www.worcs.com/dct/home.htm

GRANDWESTERNCANAL TRUST DenisDodd, WharfCottage Nynehead,Wellington SomersetTA210BU 01823661653 GRANTHAMCANAL RESTORATIONSOCIETY ColinBryan 113HoeViewRoad CropwellBishop NottinghamNG123DJ 01159892248 Website:www.granthamcanal.com HEREFS&GLOUCSCT c/oTheLockCottage,Over GloucesterGL28DB 01452332900 Website:www.h-g-canal.org.uk KENT&EASTSUSSEXCANAL RESTORATIONGROUP KenParish EastwoodFarmhouse UlcombeRoad Ulcombe,Maidstone Kent. ME171ET 01622858329 email:Kescrg@btinternet.com Website:www.kescrg.co.uk LAPALCANALTRUST 26LoynellsRoad, Rednal BirminghamB459NP 01785713862/02082939744 Website:www.lapal.org.uk LICHFIELD&HATHERTON CANALSREST'NTRUST JohnHorton, 32LondonRoad, Lichfield StaffsWS149EJ. 01543262466 email: janette@horton100.freeserve.co.uk orDenisCooper GorseyLaneFarm GorseyLane LittleWyrley,Pelsall WalsallWS35AJ 01543374370 Website:www.lhcrt.org.uk/

EREWASHCANALP&DA MickGolds 73SudburyAvenue Larklands,Ilkeston Derbys DE75EA Notts(0115)9328042

NEATH&TENNANTCANAL SOCIETY IanMilne 16GowerRoad, Sketty, SwanseaSA29BY 01792547902

FOXTONINCLINEDPLANETRUST c/oMikeBeech FoxtonCanalMuseum MiddleLock,GumleyRoad Foxton,MarketHarborough LeicestershireLE167RA 01162792657 email mike@foxcm.freeserve.co.uk Website: www.foxcanal.fsnet.co.uk

NWPG GrahamHawkes 27LawrenceRd, Tilehurst,Reading BerksRG306BH 01189410586 email: graham.hawkes@talk21.com Website: www.geocities. com/nwpg2001/nwpg.html

POCKLINGTONC.A.S. PaulWaddington ChurchHouse,MainSt. Hemingborough,Selby N.YorksYO87QE 01757638027(eves) 01405763985(days) Website: www.pocklington.gov.uk/PCAS SCARS(SANKEYCANAL) ColinGreenall 16BleakHillRoad Eccleston St.Helens MerseysideWA104RW 01744731746 Website: www.scars.org.uk SHREWSBURY&NEWPORT CANALSTRUST SteveBean 4Arscott,Pontesbury ShrewsburySY50XP 01743860488 email:sn.canal@lineone.net website:www.sncanal.org.uk SHROPSHIREUNIONCS GeoffMunro 198,OldburyRoad RowleyRegis,Warley WestMidlandsB650NW 0121-5615747 Website: www.shropshireunion.co.uk SLEAFORDNAVIGATIONTRUST SteveHayes 10ChelmerClo, NHykehamLincsLN88TH 01522-689460 email:steve.hayeskyme@ntlworld.com Website: www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk/ SOMERSETCOALCANALSOC BobParnell 34WedgewoodRoad Twerton,BathBA21NX 01225-428055 Website:rtjhomepages.users. btopenworld.com/SCC2.html SURREY&HANTSCANALSOC PeterRedway 1RedwayCottages St.John'sLye,Woking GU211SL 01483721710 Website:www.basingstokecanal1. freeserve.co.uk/ SWANSEACANALSOC CliveReed 17SmithfieldRoad,Pontardawe, Swansea,WestGlam.SA84LA 01792830782 THAMES&MEDWAYCANAL ASSOCIATION JenniferWatts 108OldRoadEast GravesendDA121PF Website:homepage.ntlworld. com/john.epton/tmca

WENDOVERARMTRUST RogerLeishman 7HallPark,Berkhamsted HertsHP42NU 01442874536 Website: www.wendoverarmtrust.org.uk WEY&ARUNCT JohnWard 32BadgersHollow PeperharrowRd, Godalming SurreyGU72PX 01483-527124 07971336535(mobile) Website: www.weyandarun.co.uk WILTS&BERKSC.A.G. GeorgeEycott 36GrangeCourt BoundaryRoad NewburyRG147PH 01635569449 email:bungle@wrg.org.uk Website: www.wilts-berkscanal.org.uk/ WOODENCANALBOATS SOCIETY 5OakenCloughTerrace Limehurst AshtonunderLyneOL79NY 0161-330-2315 IWAIPSWICH ColinTurner Cornerways,ElmLane Copdock, IpswichIP83ET 01473-730586 email: colint@copdock.freeserve.co.uk Website: www. purbrook.demon.co.uk/iwa/ WRG:GENERALENQUIRIES POBox114, Rickmansworth HertsWD31ZY 01923711114 email:enquiries@wrg.org.uk Website: www.wrg.org.uk WRGNORTHWEST MalcolmBridge 3HeatherBank Littleborough, Lancashire OL150JQ 01706378582 email:nw@wrg.org.uk Website:www.wrgnw.org.uk

WRGNA(2) IanNelson 6LahnDriveDroitwichSpaWorcs WR98TQ. 01905798676 0973640611(mobile) email:ian.nelson@wrgna.co.uk Website:www.wrgna.co.uk WRGBITM&'NAVVIES'DIARY DavidWedd 7RingwoodRoad,Blackwater Camberley,SurreyGU170EY 01252874437 email:dave.wedd@wrg.org.uk Website:www.wrgbitm.org.uk LONDONWRG TimLewis 6DownsRoad,Enfield MiddlesexEN1IPA 02083676227 email:tim@timlewis.org.uk Website:www.london.wrg.org.uk/ LONDONWRG:ENQUIRIES LesleyMcFadyen (asperMartinLudgatebelow) WRGEASTMIDLANDS JohnBaylis(seebelow) ESSEXWRG JohnGale,12WakefieldAve, Billericay,EssexCM129DN 01277654683 emailessex@wrg.org.uk website:www.essex.wrg.org.uk WRGMONTGOMERY AlanJervis DacreHouseFarm Dacre,HarrogateHG34ES 07968-586326 email:aj@jervis.org.uk WRGBOATCLUB SueBurchett 152GreatKnollysSt ReadingRG17HB 01189503268 Fax.07970099052 email: Sue@navvy.freeserve.co.uk IWA/WRGSTAMPBANK Steve&MandyMorley 33HambletonGrove Emersonvalley MiltonKeynesMK42JS 01908520090 email:mail@morleytowers.org.uk CANALCAMPSMOBILES (A)07850422156 (B)07850422157

WRGNW-ENQUIRIES/ PAPERCHASES DavidMcCarthy Woodstock 14CrumpsallLa. Manchester.M85FB 0161-7402179 Website:www.wrgnw.org.uk

'NAVVIES'EDITOR MartinLudgate 35SilvesterRd,EastDulwich LondonSE229PB 02086933266 07779478629(mobile) email:martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk

WRGNA(1) SpencerCollins(seebelow)

WRGLOGISTICS(1) JenLeigh(seebelow)

WRGLOGISTICS(2) LouKellett Pen-y-BrynBungalow LloranUchaf,Moelfre OswestrySY107QT 01691791463 email:lou.kellett@wrg.org.uk CANALCAMPBOOKINGS c/oIanWingfield POBox114,Rickmansworth HertsWD31ZY 01923711114 email:enquiries@wrg.org.uk Website:www.wrg.org.uk 'WRGWEAR'CLOTHING HelenGardner NB'Sussex' TheBoatyard,RowdellRd NortholtUB56AG 02088457820 email:wrgwear@wrg.org.uk WRGFORESTRYTEAM GrahamRobinson Springwell,SparkBridge UlverstonCumbriaLA127ST 01229861317 orDaveJohnson 01612787663 WRGBOATCLUB SadieDean 236StationRdWhittlesey, PeterboroughPE72HA 01733204505 07748186867(mobile) emailsadiedean@vizzavi.net orDaveJohnson 01612787663 WRGDIRECTORS CHAIRMAN MikePalmer 3FinwoodRoad,Rowington WarwickshireCV357DH 01564785293 email:mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk

WRGPRINT John&TessHawkins 4LinksWay,CroxleyGrn, RickmansworthWD33RQ 01923448559 emailjohn.hawkins@wrg.org.uk TRANSPORT MANAGER RogerBurchett (SeeSueBurchettabove) IWACHAIRMAN RichardDrake c/oIWA,POBox114 RickmansworthWD31ZY email: richard.drake@waterways.org.uk 01516084562 OTHERDIRECTORS JenLeigh 45GlebeRoad SheffieldS101FB e-mail:logistics@wrg.org.uk MickBeattie 22BridgewaterAveAnchorsholme, BlackpoolLancsFY53NA 01253864034 email:mick.beattie@wrg.org.uk AdrianFry,31GriffonClose ElmoreLock,Quedgeley GloucesterGL24NQ 07976640962 Spencer Collins N.B.'Sunset',c/oSatfordPO, 493BathRdSaltford BristolBR313HQ 07976084055 e-mail:spencer.collins@wrg.org.uk ChrisDavey/HelenDavey 6PartridgeCt,RoundCloseRd Adderbury,BanburyOX173EP 01295812002 e-mailchris.davey@wrg.org.uk RayCarter 56OakdeneDrive,Tolworth Surbiton,SurreyKT59NH

TREASURER RogerDay,5MertonRoadSlough JonathanSmith,23Hardings BerksSL11QW Chalgrove,OxfordOX447TJ SECRETARY 01865891370 NeilEdwards, JohnBaylis,215ClipstoneRdWest, 16TynehamClose ForestTown,Mansfield,Notts AylesburyHP219XA NG190HJ emailneil@wrg.org.uk 01623633895 WRGPLANT UpdatingthisDirectory: &DRIVERAUTHORISATION MalcolmBridge pleasehelp!

3HeatherBank,Littleborough Wedoourbesttokeepthe LancashireOL150JQ email:malcolm.bridge@wrg.org.uk Directoryuptodate. However,werelyonpeopletotell 01706378582 SITESGROUP&PUBLICITY JudithMoore 3FinwoodRoad,Rowington WarwickshireCV357DH 01564785293 email:jude.moore@wrg.org.uk

uswhenitneedschanging.

Please send updates to the editor: theywillappear inthe 'Noticeboard'inissue197,and beincludedinthenextfullDirectoryinissue199.

page 19

Canal Camps cost £35 per week unless otherwise Bookings for WRG Canal Camps (those identified camp number e.g. 'Camp 0301') should go to WRG Camps, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY. Tel: 01923 711114. Email: enquiries@wrg.org.u

Diary Dec 26-Jan 1 Camp 0221

Basingstoke Canal: New Year Canal Camp: Leader: Dave Worthington. Cutting

Dec 26-Jan 1 WBCT Camp

Wilts & Berks Canal: Christmas Canal Camp: Leader: Rachael Banyard, Accom Scrub clearance & hedgelaying near Dauntsey.

Jan 1 Wed

Navvies

Press date for issue 197

Jan 4/5

wrgNW

To be arranged: (or Jan 11/12 ?)

Jan 4/5

Essex WRG

Wilts & Berks Canal: Hedge Laying at Seven Locks

Jan 11/12

London WRG

Wey & Arun Canal: Scrub bashing near Toat, joint dig with KESCRG

Jan 11/12

KESCRG

Wey & Arun Canal: Scrub bashing near Toat,joint dig with London WRG

Jan 11/12

NWPG

Basingstoke Canal: Backpumping project at St Johns.

Jan 18/19

wrgBITM

Basingstoke Canal (provisional)

Jan 18 Sat

wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection

Feb 1/2

Essex WRG

To be arranged

Feb 1/2

FotCC

Operation Ironville: Organised by Friends of the Cromford Canal.

Clearance between Ironville Top Lock down to Lock 4. No overnight accommod

Feb 8/9

London WRG

Basingstoke Canal

Feb 8/9

NWPG

To Be Arranged

Feb 8/9

wrgNW

Caldon Canal: Froghall

Feb 8/9

Chelmsford IWAGernon Bushes: Forestry work for Essex Wildlife Trust

Feb 15/16

wrgBITM

To be arranged

Feb 15-22

Camp 0301

Montgomery Canal Camp: completion of Maesbury spillweir outfall channel, re

Feb 22 Sat

wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection

Mar 1/2

London WRG

Wey & Arun Canal

Mar 1/2

Essex WRG

To be arranged

Mar 1 Sat

Navvies

Press date for issue 198

Mar 8/9

NWPG

Ipswich & Stowmarket Navigation: Creeting Lock

Mar 8/9

wrgNW

Ironbridge

Mar 15/16

wrgBITM

To be arranged

Mar 22/23

WRG/IWA/BCNSBCN Clean-up weekend: Salford Junction, under Spaghetti Junction, Birmingha Organised by London WRG & IWA, but all groups and volunteers welcome.

Mar 22/23

London WRG

Clean-up weekend: see above

Mar 29 Sat

wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection

Apr 4-6

WRG/IWA

Montgomery Canal Aston Locks Reopening. Official opening on Friday, celebra

Apr 5/6

wrgNW

St Helens Canal: to be confirmed

Apr 5/6

Essex WRG

To be arranged

Apr 12/13

wrgBITM

Wey & Arun Canal: Dig Deep project

Apr 12/13

London WRG

To be arranged

Apr 12/13

NWPG

To Be Arranged

Apr 12-21

Camp 0302

Halifax Branch Canal Camp: towpath reinstatement on Halifax Branch of Calde

page 20

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.wedd@wrg.org.uk.

uk

g back overhanging vegetation (and burning it on big bonfires!)

mmodation at Foxham. Rachael Banyard

enquiries@wrg.org.uk

01249-892289

Martin Ludgate

020-8693-3266

martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

John Gale

01277-654683

essex@wrg.org.uk

Tim Lewis

020-8367-6227

london@wrg.org.uk

Answerphone

01622-858329

Kescrg@btinternet.com

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

John Gale

01277-654683

Brian L Dominic

essex@wrg.org.uk nbrumpus@lineone.net

dation.

Tim Lewis

020-8367-6227

london@wrg.org.uk

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

Doug Beard

01702-554492

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

th

eady for re-opening of this length of canal on 4 April.

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

Tim Lewis

020-8367-6227

london@wrg.org.uk

John Gale

01277-654683

essex@wrg.org.uk

Martin Ludgate

020-8693-3266

martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

am. Please book using the booking form in this 'Navvies' or the next issue. enquiries@wrg.org.uk Tim Lewis

020-8367-6227

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

london@wrg.org.uk

ations all weekend including 'Race Night' fundraising entertainment on Saturday evening. More next time.

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

John Gale

01277-654683

essex@wrg.org.uk

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

Tim Lewis

020-8367-6227

london@wrg.org.uk

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

er & Hebble Navigation. Cost: ÂŁ45 for 9-day camp.

page 21

Diary Canal society regular working parties

Mobile groups' social evenings (please phone to confirm before turning up) London WRG: 7:30pm on Tues 11 days before each dig. 'Jugged Hare', Vauxhall Bridge Rd, London, Tim Lewis 020-8367 6227 or e-mail tim@timlewis.org.uk.

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

Graham Hawkes 0118 941 0586

Regular monthly or weekly working parties: 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 Mon & Wed mornings CCT Cotswolds Dudley Greenslade Every weekend (Sat OR Sun)CCT Cotswolds Neil Ritchie 1st Sunday of month CCT Cotswolds: summit Mark Welton Wednesday evenings CCT Cotswolds: East end Keith Harding Every Saturday DCT Droitwich Canal Jon Axe Second Sun of month FIPT Foxton Inclined Plane Mike Beech 1st & 3rd Sundays GCRS Grantham Canal Colin Bryan 2nd Sat of month GWCT Nynehead Lift Denis Dodd Tuesdays H&GCT Oxenhall Brian Fox Wednesdays H&GCT Over Ted Beagles Saturdays H&GCT Over Maggie Jones Occasional Sundays H&GCT Over wharf house fitoutNigel Bailey 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 Last Sunday of month SNT Haverholme Lock Dave Pullen 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 WBCT Wilts & Berks Canal Peter Smith Every Sunday W&BCC Dauntsey / Foxham Rachael Banyard

01543-373284 01908-661217 01288-353273 01246-620695 01453 825515 01452-854057 01453-872405 01451-860181 0121-608 0296 0116-279-2657 0115-989-2248 01823-661653 01432-358628 01452-522648 01452-618010 01452-533835 01663-732493 01473-730586 01691-670826/49 01189-666316 01543 262466 01543-374370 01757-638027 01744-731746 01225-428055 01483-721710 01673-862278 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 DCT FIPT D&SCS GCRS GWCT H&GCT IWA SBC IWPS

page 22

Barnsley Canal Group Birmingham Canal Navigations Soc. Buckingham Canal Society Bude Canal Trust Chesterfield Canal Trust Cotswolds Canals Trust Droitwich Canals Trust Foxton Inclined Plane 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 KESCRG LHCRT LWRG NWPG PCAS SCARS SCCS SHCS SNT TMCA WBCT W&BCC WACT WAT

Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Kent & E Sussex Canal Rest. Group Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Rest'n Trust London Waterway Recovery Group Newbury Working Party Group Pocklington Canal Amenity Society Sankey Canal Restoration Society Somersetshire Coal Canal Society Surrey & Hants Canal Society Sleaford Navigation Trust Thames & Medway Canal Association Wilts & Berks Canal Trust Wilts & Berks Canal Company Wey & Arun Canal Trust Wendover Arm Trust

Dear Martin Many many thanks from us here at Grantham Canal Restoration Society to all the team who put in the sterling work clearing out locks 9 10 & 11 on the Grantham Canal Camp. Your results and efforts are now on our website www.granthamcanal.com.

It was good to see MKP has not lost his barrowing technique. Cheers( till next time) Colin Bryan Dear Martin,

Letters Is anyone going to restore the BCN Bradley Locks Branch?

In response to the letter in ‘Navvies’ 195 by Brian Andrews: I have today (28th October 2002), spoken to Simon Turner at BW’s Office at Ocker Hill with regards to the reinstating of the Bradley Locks Branch of the Wednesbury Oak Loop.

There are no immediate plans to re-open the branch. However Locks 1 & 2 are to have a ‘Profile’ done which apparently means to us lesser mortals, that scrub bashing will be done and the brickwork will be repaired as well as the coping stones replaced - prior to the infilling of the locks with a “Granular Filling”. (To give a “Footprint” of the lock being there). This will be totally reversible, and Mr Turner has stated that any input from voluntary organisations would be very welcome on the restoration of the branch (Co-ordinated with BW of course).

Is this the first sign of burying their heads in the sand, or do they mean to restore it? Anyone’s guess!

Should anyone have the impetus to get the restoration off the ground, they should contact Chris Bailey at the BW Office, Ocker Hill. The phone Number is 0121 506 1300. I’d be keen myself to join a “Bradley Canal Restoration Group” or whatever name was chosen. Sadly I don’t have the knowledge or skill to set up such an undertaking myself.

Some of the locks have apparently had new houses built over the line of the original canal. So the route would have to diverted around these. Mr Turner (I’m beginning to sound like Seth out of “Emmerdale” -oops!), said that he wasn’t sure of the condition of the locks that have already been infilled and grassed over as part of the park.

That is about as good as you are likely to get I’m afraid.

So Mr Andrews there have it. Sorry that I couldn’t be more positive on the issue.

Regards, Ken Whapples If anyone is planning to start a Bradley Locks restoration society, or knows of any such group being formed, or of any proposals by any other group to restore the branch, please tell 'Navvies'. ...Ed Dear Martin I have just arrived home from a two and a half week “holiday” on the Huddersfield Festival site. I must place on record our thanks to all the senior WRGies and the new crew on site with a big special thanks to Mick & Ali who ran the camp with precision.

In all my time on Festival sites I have never experienced anything like it at all. The NWF Chairman and other Managers kept coming into my office to see if we were within our building-up programme, they were all feeling there might be a panic setting in towards opening day. We were in front all the time and there wasn’t a need for “overtime” by the troops. When it came to striking the Festival the footballers were able to play on a cleared site by Thursday evening - this is a record! Things like the this do not just happen, it requires careful finite planning and we had the best people to do just that - thanks to everyone involved.

Regards, ‘Ironside’ Ian Gall

page 23

Letters

Dear Martin RIVER GREAT OUSE (UPPER REACHES) I would be intrigued to know where the delightful fairy story recounted at the bottom of page 13 of the current issue of ‘Navvies’ emanated from.

I was actively involved with the Great Ouse Restoration Society from 1958 until it was wound up, with its objectives achieved, in January 1979. I can say that during that time there was never any serious suggestion that the navigation should be extended upstream from Bedford to the Grand Union Canal. And if there had been it would have been unlikely that the route would have followed the natural course of the river.

The Editor falls for a fairy story!

The head of the navigation is Bedford Town Bridge and from this point to Newport Pagnell bridge it is 41 miles by river but a mere 11½ miles as the crow flies. From the same starting point it is 49¼ miles by river to the Grand Union Canal aqueduct but only 16½ miles in a direct line. Upstream from Bedford the course of the river is extremely circuitous and there would have been major environmental handicaps to overcome. As the upper reaches of the Ouse were never under any kind of ‘threat’ there was no opposition from the ‘other’ interests and no need for any agreement with them.

If there had been any such suggestions for what would in any case have been a new navigation it would almost certainly have concentrated on a more direct route to the Grand Union such as was proposed in the 1810s, in the 1890s and of course with the current B&MK Link. I think BW did look at the possibility of following the river but the problems today would be even more horrendous than in the 1970s and the option of a more direct cut was the only feasible one. There was certainly no legacy of this fictitious agreement to have to worry about.

It may be relevant to mention that the 2¾-mile stretch of the river from Bedford Town Bridge upstream to Kempston Mill has always been navigable and I can remember being taken by my parents from Bedford up to the mill in a punt in the late 1940s. One of the options now being considered involves the new canal joining just above the mill and using the river down to Bedford. There could be headroom problems for some types of craft under the Midland main line railway bridges and the possibility of some kind of ‘drop lock’ is being considered.

With all good wishes, Yours sincerely, Alan Faulkner My apologies for perpetuating what turns out to be a complete myth (and - thinking about it - a fairly unlikely-sounding one at that!) I'm afraid I don't recall where I heard the story about a deal between pro- and anti-restoration interests regarding the river above and below Bedford, but I doubt if I would have believed it if I hadn't heard it from what I thought to be a reliable source. (Could it have been a true story about another waterway?) Anyway my thanks to Alan for putting the record straight. ...The Editor Letter to WRG chairman Mike Palmer from Tony Davy, chairman of Wilts & Berks Canal Trust: Dear Mike, I am writing to thank you for the exceptional level of support, which WRG have provided to the Trust this year.

Not only have you helped with ‘normal’ restoration projects such as the Summit Lock near Wootton Bassett, but without your assistance at the Wiltshire Waterway Festival the project could well have foundered. WRG made available a vast range of equipment from a truck and a generator to fence posts and shovels, and I do not see how we could have coped without the personal assistance of dedicated helpers such as Jen, who gave up a fortnight of her holiday time to help at the Festival.

As if that was not enough, WRG then provided a minibus at our recent AGM, to ferry people from the AGM to various sites of interest on the North Wilts. It is very heartening to be on the receiving end of so much help willingly given. Once again, on behalf of all involved in the restoration of the Wilts & Berks, I thank you for your efforts on our behalf I would be grateful if you would pass on our thanks to all who have helped us. With support like theirs, we cannot fail to see the job finished.

Yours sincerely Tony Davy

page 24

A Toast...

‘Tis the end of the camp season with but one camp of the year remaining so, no huge surprise, the kits are looking somewhat dishevelled.

It has come to my attention however that, alongside the ‘normal’ wear and tear on the kits, certain items have been mistreated more than others ... a particular such item is the toaster in each of the kits. There seem to be fewer and fewer people who understand the “complexities” of operating a toaster of the six-slice (variable) variety and I feel the increasing need for a slot in the training weekend programme to be set aside for toaster operation!

In a vague attempt to entertain The Masses (and possibly some readers of Navvies!), I have rewritten the lyrics to a certain Level 42 song...

Lessons in Toast I’m not proud, I was wrong, And fresh bread is hard to bake.

I felt sure they knew enough, But, alas, it was not so.

Nowt but bread in the slots I’ll find out if you’ve used more, No six course meals Crockett please!

All the things that you were thinking, With butties that are filled in!

Toasted sarnies, I’ll go barmy!

Lessons in Toast.

Four toast slices you will burn, And the crumbs will still remain, Now you’ve pushed them in too deep, ‘Cos the toast was overdone.

Heavy knives, forks and things, All the tools I ever had, Prodded elements that twang.

All the toasters we’re rebuilding, You shouldn’t have killed them.

Could be better, should know better! (Uh-oh!)

Lessons in Toast.

If your toast is done with time spare, Please can you not force it there, Back to zero You’re no hero!

Lessons in Toast.

Lost without Toast!

[Bridge section follows] Lessons in Toast, When will you ever learn?

Slices of Toast, When no food’s left on pub’s return.

Logistics "...the complexities of operating a toaster of the six-slot variety..."

Lessons in Toast, Don’t let your slices burn.

Lessons in Toast, Don’t give Bill Crockett his turn!

[Instrumental, played on broken elements ... or maybe a more traditional guitar?!]

All the bread that was just piled in, You never ate them.

You abuse it, You will lose it.

Lessons in Toast.

If you want a slice before us, (yeah, yeah, yeah) Then please just don’t ignore us.

You should use ‘six’, If you choose six Slices of Toast.

All the toasters Bungle tested, They should have lasted.

If you use ‘em, Don’t abuse ‘em! (Oh god!)

Lessons in Toast!

If you don’t get the picture (that’s the metaphorical one!), detailed information on toaster operation can be obtained from the e-mail address below or by post if you send a stamped addressed envelope to wrg logistics, 45, Glebe Road, Sheffield. S10 1FB. All that remains is to wish everyone much happiness and good cheer (with a glass of a certain tawny port naturally!) over The Festivities from me here at Logistics. I’d best put the turkey on now... well, have you any idea how long it takes to cook one on a griddle?!

Just Jen logistics@wrg.org.uk For the benefit of other old-timers like me I'd just like to explain that 'Level 42' is a popular music group from the 1980s-90s, not a piece of surveying equipment, nor an obscure part of the BCN somewhere between the Wolverhampton 21 and the Walsall Level (in my day, groups had sensible names like '3 Dog Night', '10cc' and '53rd and 3rd'), and that the above lyrics are based on their 1986 hit 'Lessons in love'. ...Ed

page 25

Progress Dam-building and lock-building with the Dig Deep teams...

Dig Deep report: November 2002 The Dig Deep Initiative involves five mobile working party groups (London WRG, KESCRG, Essex WRG, NWPG and WRG BITM) committing themselves to carrying out a certain amount of volunteer work (whether in the form of Canal Camps or weekend working parties) on certain restoration projects in southern England that have been adopted as 'Dig Deep Projects'.

Writing this, I realise that it is six months since I last reported - having failed miserably to respond to the Editor's pleas to produce! [actually it's eight months! ...Ed] I also note that I was predicting the possibility of completing two of the three current projects this year - normally false optimism on my part particularly as it is rare for us ever to finish a job completely! Yet we have done just that – by the time you read this Summit Lock on the Wilts and Berks will have been handed over to the local team to finish the lock tail bridge and the pounds between Locks 8 and 12 on the Wey & Arun should be filling with water.

Looking at both projects from my pc monitor I recognise again that Dig Deep still has the potential to make a real and valuable contribution to canal restoration, even in an age of multi-million pound BW promoted projects. Summit Lock didn’t really get going until last autumn, following foot and mouth. Since then the lock structure has been entirely rebuilt from lower waterline including the structural foundations for the lock tail bridge. We’ve done it in such a short time for the reasons I’ve mentioned before – the two key ones being plenty of money and co-ordinated working between the local group and the Dig Deep teams.

For example, a four day Easter Camp completed the concrete bases for the 3 dams as well as installing the legs of the two footbridges. Volunteers from WACT, WRG and NWPG working together with the close support of Graham Baird, WACT’s project manager. The same was true for the WACT summer camp with teams from different groups working on the bridges, towpath laying and the brickwork for the dams.

So where to next year? One project has been confirmed and dates arranged. This will be the construction of a weir, removal of causeways and towpath improvements on the mile of canal leased to the Wey & Arun CT in Sidney Wood. If you haven’t visited this off beat section of the canal, I can thoroughly recommend it. Commitments have been received from all the regular DD groups and NWPG will be holding their summer camp there.

Again this is a one - year project and we’ve already started looking at options for 2004/5 on the canal – more later.

We’re sure there will also be a major site on the Wilts and Berks and the Dig Deep groups are currently considering the options with the W & B Trust. Watch the Navvies Diary for dates and new venue.

What about the Basingstoke? I know that most of the visiting groups will continue to support Pete Redway and his team on the pipe laying and other works to improve water supply. However, it was felt that a degree of fatigue was setting in with this work and that it was often difficult to find work for large numbers of volunteers on site. So this will not be an official Dig Deep project next year.

So does Dig Deep still have a future after 10 years of generally successful work? I think the answer is 'yes but only if we work more closely with the local societies/trusts'.

The Bonfire Hanger project on the Wey and Arun started at Easter this year. As with Summit Lock, the fact Dig Deep has worked closely with the local trust has enabled us to finish the job within the projected timescale.

Dig Deep success: WIlts & Berks Summit Lock in 2001... (Martin Ludgate)

page 26

The Summit Lock and Bonfire Hanger projects are examples of good practise. Associated with this are the efforts of WRG, IWA, BW and TWT in providing training for volunteers so that Dig Deep can improve the quality of the work it does as well as working more safely on its sites.

But …. we need to hear of more potential projects.

So if anyone out there feels that what we’ve achieved this year could work on their canal, then contact us now. The Dig Deep Co-ordinator is Alan Cavender. Tel. 01628 629033 (e-mail alancavender@lineone.net) Bill Nicholson High-powered Navvies?

A few weeks ago, I received a call from David Whitty of Community Service Volunteers, saying that he had a company in Swindon who wanted to do a team-building exercise for some of their senior managers and he asked if I could provide any work on the canal - what a daft question!

It seems that the company involved was Innogy, the new name for National Power, and as they are based in Swindon, the Wilts & Berks Canal seemed a suitable venue. A girl (Rose) from the Community Relations Department, and David Witty from London, duly arrived to meet Di and I and have a look at what work I could offer them and to decide on a suitable programme. While I picked up David from the station, Di met Rose, who - to her horror - was dressed in sequinned top, long tight skirt to the ankles, and high heels....

Nevertheless, she bravely tottered across a rough field or two and scrambled through the barbed wire fence onto the towpath at the eastern end of the Dauntsey section. The towpath at that time was un-strimmed and quite long, but they could see what needed doing.

Progress ...and team-building as the boss wades in on the Wilts & Berks...

The day finally dawned (Friday 30th August), and nineteen volunteers were shipped in by minibus. (can you call them volunteers when it is part of their job?) We were quite surprised that there were more females than males, but they all set to with a will, clearing out the hedge, sawing off branches and dragging out brambles, and three teams were set up with Tirfor winches to remove stumps from the towpath. Phill Cardy, David James and Ray Alldridge all came to help, so we were able to have an experienced Tirfor operator with each team. lnnogy have seven directors, four of whom turned up including the Managing Director. None of them had ever done anything like it before, nor knew what to expect - in fact, we weren’t sure how much we could expect of them - but I think we were all surprised. They worked really hard throughout quite a long day, had some huge bonfires and a lot got burnt. 135yds of towpath were cleared of stumps, and 100yds of hedge were thinned for laying.

The Community Relations Department had not only brought a present of a small leatherbound hip flask for everyone present, but had prepared prizes along the lines of who had the cleanest trainers at the end of the day, who had worked hardest, who had got wettest - which turned out to be the Managing Director who had donned waders and gone into the cut to attach a Tirfor to a stump. The appropriate prize turned out to be an Aquaman.

One or two others got a little damp from Katy-the-dog retrieving sticks from the canal and coming out and shaking herself all over everyone, but it was a warm day. They had also prepared a prize for the person considered the laziest at the end of the day, but couldn’t award it as even those expected to be lazy weren’t!

It was a brilliant day, and everyone enjoyed themselves, so let’s hope that other companies in the locality get the same idea!

...and in 2002 (Bill Nicholson). Could we do this on your canal?

Rachael Banyard

page 27

Progress More pipe-laying on the Basingstoke Canal...

Eddie’s Basingstoke Special On the 'Coming soon' page of 'Navvies' 194, mention was made of a few days work on the Basingstoke Canal to carry on with some bywash work at Deepcut that had been left over after the summer camp, having proved to be a bigger job than anticipated.

Eddie Jones takes up the story...

Despite a slight flap on my behalf about numbers, I ended up with a great team consisting (in no particular order) of me and Jen, Ralph B, Brian and Maureen A, Martin L, Ernie, Ed W, Steve D, Dr Liz, Roger B, Dorian M, Mark and Annette S, Roy S and Matt T (and if I have missed anyone please accept my apologies) Jen and I got to Deepcut via Dorian’s yard early Wednesday afternoon and set up the towpath diversion (don’t know why we bothered, the amount of notice the locals took of it - ask Ralph or Matt about Saturday morning!). I left Jen as banksman for Kevin Redway while he lifted a temporary bridge we had placed over an excavation in the towpath at the end of the summer camp, and headed off for Chinnor to collect the cooker.

Accommodation had proved a complete arse to find: every hall Pete Redway had tried had something going on which would have meant clearing out every day and no access for Maureen to prepare the evening meals etc. In the end Pete got us the Barn at the Canal Centre in Mychett. It was somewhat more basic than the standards we've become used to over recent years, but was dry and had running water (courtesy of Pete laying-in a sink fed via a hosepipe from the tap outside).

There were loos and a shower in the centre itself and a couple of serious off-road quads to sit on while eating dinner. It also had a coffin in one of the cupboards which intrigued us to put it mildly.

By the time I got back from Chinnor Jen had been joined in the pub by Ernie, Ralph, Brian and Maureen. I dropped the cooker off, drove back to Dorian’s yard where I swapped the little trailer Dorian had kindly lent me for the tool trailer and raced back to Mychett. Well I say 'raced' with a pinch of salt seeing I was in my diesel Discovery van with a couple of ton on the hitch (I miss that V8!!!). Did make it back in time for a pint or two before closing though.

page 28

Unpacked the catering kit and then stupidly sat up yakking ‘till far too late - as I realised when crawling out of my sleeping bag the next morning.

The aim in the summer had been to install a new inlet control weir box and 600mm bywash pipe in the towpath alongside lock 28. There is an original bywash which runs from beside the entrance of the dry dock above the lock on the offside, and right round the back of the lock cottage. The snag is if there is any appreciable flow, the bywash backs up and floods the dry-dock. Obviously not much fun for anyone using it. To get round this problem an extra board is placed in the bywash weir, which results in any excess water being lost over a storm weir under the towpath and off into a stream. In view of how short the Basingstoke is of water this is not at all good.

The new weir box is an extension at 90 degrees to the present storm weir along the towpath between the piling and every present (and in the way!) fibreway duct. To construct the new structure anywhere near the dimensions on the plan and avoid the fibre we had to dig right up to the piling. In the summer while breaking the last of the concrete out my feet got very wet as I discovered the piling finished short of the brick wall of the old weir box by some 50mm or so. A good chunk of the camp was spent stopping the canal getting into the hole by puddling in a shedload of clay, but we did managed to cast the reinforced base for the new weir box.

My aim for the September week was to get the weir box completed and at least two sections of pipe in place. This would take us to the top of the lock, past the last of the tie back rods and away from any further potential leakage problems.

Thursday was spent building the brick walls of the new weir box, cutting the end of the pipe to expose the re-inforcing ribs so we would get a really good bond with the concrete, constructing the fairly intricate formwork for the shuttering and fetching the various materials, Acrow-props etc from the yard.

When Martin and I left in the dark Thursday eve the walls were up and we were ready to dig the trench first thing in the morning to lay the pipes.

Preparing for one of several unssuccessful attempts to join the pipes together.

At this point I must pass on the very sad news the Tirfor is no longer with us (although I do have a twisted piece of aluminium in the trailer which is all that is left of its mortal form). Suffice to say never winch anything up against the nose of a Tirfor as they most certainly do not like it up them.

Saturday evening: the manhole cover goes on.

By lunchtime Friday the pipes were in the hole andu the shuttering trimmed up to be fitted. I thought we were well ahead and was confident by the time we left it would be ready for the big mix by Saturday morning. I even thought we would manage an early finish. Of course best made plans rarely go to plan....

When the camp in 2001constructed the bywash on the St Johns flight, they joined the pipes on the level using a Tirfor and then dropped the whole length of pipe into the trench. Because of the danger of leakage, I really didn’t want to open the trench too far until well past the top of the lock and away from narrow section and piling. This meant laying the first two pipes, casting the top end into the new weir box and then reinstating the towpath before carrying on.

Despite a valiant battle in the trench we could not get the pipe to pull up and ended up hauling it back onto the towpath beside the lock. Revived after a cup of tea, we had another go using the Tirfor. Despite everything in sight getting coated in the special lubricant - coupled with some healthy swearing - we could not get the joint to pull up more than half way. Left late again feeling very very disappointed.

Back at base we found the bike rally taking place over the weekend in the field beside our Barn was actually a "sofa on 2 wheels" convention. It was a Wings do (Goldwing owners club) and some seriously over-the-top bikes ambled in over the evening.

If Maureen had had a quid for each time someone stuck their head round the door and asked where the tap was she would be a very wealthy lady.

Spent the rest of the morning constructing the shuttering, backfilling the trench and vibrating it down ready for reinstating the tow-path. By lunchtime we were ready to start concreting at long last! After a bloody hard graft all afternoon helped by having Roger and Sue's floating tea-brewing facility alongside, we got the concrete in, the cover in place, bashed the tie back piles in and cleared a large amount of gear off the site. I left feeling a much happier bunny than the night before.

Back at the Barn Maureen had excelled herself and we were treated to a fantastic roast fit for a king and most definitely fit for a bunch of knackered navvies (where have I heard that name before?).

Supped a few bottles, popped into the bikers' beer tent, found they didn’t sell real ale so ended the evening over the road in the pub listening to stories of old from the trip boat steerer who was involved in the very early days of the restoration.

I had planned an easy start Sunday morning which was a good job as one or two were a little slow off the mark. Well done to the good Dr for cooking breakfast despite reporting she felt like someone had buried a meat cleaver into her head overnight.

Back on site we removed the shuttering, bolted up the tie back rods, mortared round the cover to the weir box and reinstated the towpath back to the top of the lock.

Roger had an interesting time moving the bridge back up to the yard on the excavator, I am sure he will tell you all about it if you ask him, packed everything away and were back to base by late afternoon.

All in all a very satisfying 5 days and I want to thank everyone who helped.

Cheers Eddie Jones

After dinner Roger and Sue turned up with a carry out and we had a very pleasant evening sat in our barn drinking Old Speckled Hen. Slept well despite the racket coming from the bikers beer tent.

Ralph and I set off early Saturday morning to have another go at the pipes with the Tirfor. I was hoping to get the bugger pulled up so when the rest of the gang arrived we could get stuck straight into concreting. We did manage some more, but were still struggling at 9 o’clock when the bus appeared. With the aid of the machine, Tirfor, brute force and more swearing we did eventually get the joint fully pulled up.

The store-room in the interesting' accommodation camecompletewithacoffin,a'grimreaper'stylescythe, several witches' broomsticks, a severed leg and a teddy bear tied to a spit. All photos by Martin Ludgate.

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Bookshop

The 15th WRG Auction of Old Canal Books

Over the past few months we collected more waterway books for fund-raising. As usual, we have decided that the best way to sell them is to auction them through the pages of 'Navvies' - with the proceeds going to help fund WRG’s Canal Camps. All the books (except where stated) are in good condition. The reserves suggested are the minimum that we would accept and are approximately half the price you might see from a specialised book dealer. You are invited to make your bids (in multiples of 50p please). Simply list down the Lot number (the number on the left hand side) and the price you are prepared to pay for each book or other item being auctioned. The bidder offering the highest price for each lot gets the goods at the price bid.

In the event of two equal bids, the first one received wins. All proceeds go to WRG, so you can afford to be generous. All bids should be sent to Ian Wingfield (WRG Auction), WRG/IWA, P O Box 114, RICKMANSWORTH, WD3 1ZY or by e-mail to ian.Wingfield@waterways.org.uk to be received no later than January 25, 2003. Successful bidders will be notified shortly afterwards. Delivery / Postage and packing is extra, at cost.

Another fund-raising auction of canal books

Lot Title / Author (or other description)

Pages Date Reserve

1a. Narrow Boat – L.T.C. Rolt. A personal and informative account of canal 212 1972 £3.00 life and tradition in this classic book that helped start the revival of the waterways. (Hardback) 1b. Narrow Boat – L.T.C. Rolt. Paperback copy of this classic book. (Softback) 212 1978 £3.00 2. Landscape with Machines – L.T.C. Rolt. An autobiography covering the 230 1971 £3.00 author’s life up until the outbreak of the war in 1939. Good condition (Hardback) 3. Landscape with Canals – L.T.C. Rolt. Continuing his autobiography, 188 1977 £3.00 Rolt tells of voyages through the “green water-lanes”. (Hardback) 4. The Flower of Gloster- E. Temple Thurston. The author’s voyage along 244 1968 £3.00 the Thames & Severn Canal in this classic, long out of print book. (Hardback).

5. Slow Boat Through England – Frederic Doerflinger. A comprehensive 253 1970 £2.00 and practical guide to getting the most out of a boating holiday. (Hardback) 6. Slow Boat Through Pennine Waters – Frederic Doerflinger. A practical 254 1972 £2.00 guide exploring the vast network of the northern waterways. (Hardback) 7. Voyage into England – John Seymour. An entertaining and informative 158 1966 £4.00 book describing the author’s travels along the waterways. (Hardback) 8. Small Boat on the Meuse – Roger Pilkington. A personal account of a 214 1967 £4.00 voyage along the River Meuse. Good condition. (Hardback) 9. Small Boat Through Sweden – Roger Pilkington. In this account, the 227 1961 £5.00 author’s boat Commodore travels the waterways of Sweden. (Hardback) 10. Waterways Heritage – Peter Smith. A comprehensive account of waterway 82 1971 £5.00 history with large drawings. Large horizontal format (275mm x 425mm).

11. The Romantic Challenge – Francis Chichester. The author’s race to 194 1971 £1.00 sail 4,000 miles in 20 days in his yacht Gipsy Moth V. (Hardback) 12. Save the Stratford Canal! – Guy Johnson. The controversial story of the 168 1983 £10.00 canal’s restoration. Good condition, signed copy. (Hardback) 13. Waterways to Stratford – C. Hadfield & J. Norris. The history of three 173 1968 £15.00 early transport lines to Stratford. Good condition. (Hardback) 14. Britain’s Lost Waterways – Michael E. Ware. Photographs and commentary 90 1979 £3.00 featuring canals before their dereliction. Good condition. (Hardback) 15. Lost Canals of England & Wales – Ronald Russell. Introduction to lost 272 1971 £8.00 canals including their history and important features. (Hardback) 16. Journeys of the Swan – John Liley. A punchy account of voyages made 192 1971 £15.00 by the author in the 60’s on his boat ‘Swan’. (Hardback).

17. Fenland River – Rodney Tibbs. A comprehensive look at the Great Ouse 128 1969 £8.00 and its tributaries. Includes many photographs. (Hardback) 18. Shell Book of Inland Waterways – Hugh McKnight. A comprehensive 496 1975 £4.00 guide to all aspects of the waterways. (Hardback) 19. The Guinness Guide to Waterways of Western Europe – Hugh McKnight.

240 1978 £5.00 A guide to the waterway networks of several countries. Signed copy.

20. Canoeing Down the Rhone – John Wilson. A personal account and guide 164 1957 £3.00 to continental canoeing. (Hardback)

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21. The Hereford & Gloucester Canal and the Gloucester – Ledbury Railway.

80 1979 £4.00 - David E. Bick. The story of the canal and the effect of the railway. (Hardback) 22. Inland Cruising – Norman Alborough. A comprehensive beginners guide 126 1995 £1.00 to boating on canals and rivers. Fair condition. (Hardback) 23. Practical Boat Handling – C.L. Colborne. Instruction on the art of handling 134 1977 £2.00 powered craft on rivers (inc tidal) and canals. (Hardback, with diagrams) 24. Narrow Boats Care & Maintenance – Nick Billingham. A comprehensive 142 1995 £2.00 manual to keep your boat in good working order. Good Condition. (Hardback) 25. Launching on Inland Waterways – Diana Van Der Klugt. Lists over 270 90 1993 £2.00 sites with details of access, availability and facilities. Good condition.

26. Inland Boat Owner’s Book – Andy Burnett. A comprehensive manual for 96 £3.00 anyone contemplating buying a boat. (Softback) 27. Discovery the Countryside with David Bellamy. A guide to the flora and 124 1983 £1.00 fauna of six typical waterside walks. Many colour photographs. (Hardback) 28. A Canal People – Sonia Rolt. The author provides commentary on a 150 1997 £4.00 selection of 1940’s & 50’s photographs by Robert Longden. (Hardback) 29. Canal and River Craft in Pictures – Hugh McKnight. A pictorial record of 111 1969 £2.00 the commercial craft that once worked the canal network. (Hardback) 30. Narrow Boat Painting – A.J. Lewery. The history of the English Narrow 144 1974 £5.00 Boat’s traditional paintwork over two centuries of development. (Hardback) 31. Around Rickmansworth – Dennis Edwards. A selection of archive photos 128 1996 £4.00 including some of the Grand Union Canal, rivers and railway. (Softback) 32. Canal Walks South – Ray Quinlan. Twelve walks, each on a different 182 1994 £2.00 canal in southern England and Wales, varying from 3 – 14 miles.

33. Walks Along the Thames Path – Leigh Hatts. Twenty walks following the 192 1990 £2.00 Thames from its source to sea. Good condition. (Softback) 34. The Kennet & Avon Walk – Ray Quinlan. Nine walks which take you from 192 1991 £2.00 London to Bristol via the Kennet & Avon Canal. Pocket size. Good condition.

35. Wild Flowers of Britain – Pan Books. Over a thousand species identified 192 1977 £2.00 with pictures. A4 size, Good condition. (Softback) 36. Back Door Britain – Anthony Burton. Story of a 1000 mile journey 189 1977 £2.00 exploring the canal network of England. (Softback).

37. The River Severn – Keith Kissack. A comprehensive look at Britain’s 150 1982 £2.00 longest river. Good condition. (Softback) 38. BCU Guide to Waterways of the British Isles. A guide to over 300 canals 264 1966 £1.00 and rivers suitable for canoeing, (Hardback) 39. Red for Danger – L.T.C Rolt. Covers major accidents on British railways 293 1978 £1.00 between 1840 – 1975 and describes the evolution of safety devices.

40. Cheshire Waterway – David E. Owen. A concise introduction to these 72 1979 £1.00 various waterways. (Softback) 41. The Warwick Canals – Alan Faulkner. A detailed account of Warwick’s 77 1985 £2.00 canals providing a vital link between the Midlands and London. (Softback) 42. The Kennet & Avon Canal – Niall Allsop. A user’s guide to the waterways 64 1999 £2.00 between Reading and Bristol. 4th Edition, good condition. (Softback) 43. Thames Passport – Roy Curtis. A personal guide to the non-tidal 189 1970 £1.00 river and places of interest. (Hardback) 44. Nicholsons OS: Inland Waterways Map of Great Britain. Good condition.

1997 £1.00 45. Ancient & Bizarre – A Navvies Song Book. A rare copy of this booklet by 18 £2.00 WRG featuring classics such as ‘Uncles Joe’s Mint Balls’.

The following lots contain two or more publications, which are sold as one lot.

46. Nicholsons Guides: Complete set of 5 covering the waterways, plus The 1970s £3.00 River Thames and Real Ale Guide.

47. Nicholsons OS Guide to the waterways South (1983), plus map of River Thames £1.00 and Geoprojects map of the Basingstoke Canal (1991) 48. Cruising Guide to the Upper Reaches of the River Medway, plus Imrays map of £1.00 The upper reaches and Stanfords map of the River Thames.

49. Geoprojects Maps: Complete set for the Grand Union Canal, plus map of the Oxford Canal 1990s £3.00 CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE...

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50. Two Pearsons Guides: Oxford Canal & Grand Union and South Midlands & 1990’s £1.00 Warwickshire Ring.

51. A total of four maps and guides covering the Norfolk Broads, Rivers Cam, 1960’s £2.00 Great Ouse, Nene and the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal.

52. A collection of seven small handbooks published by IWA in the 1970’s featuring £2.00 various waterways.

53. A selection of nine historical booklets on various waterways, canal architecture and £2.00 boat museums.

54. Lucky Dip 1: Seven booklets, mostly of a waterway restoration theme. £1.00 55. Lucky Dip 2: Four guides for the River Avon, Stratford Canal and Kennet & £1.00 Avon Canal.

56. Lucky Dip 3: Selection of ten waterways guides and maps, including the B.C.N, £1.00 two French waterway maps, Bridgewater Canal, River Wey Navigation.

57. Lucky Dip 4: ‘Bits n’ Bobs’ – Includes map, guides, Colour of the Cut postcards, £1.00 children’s book, and a guide to wildflowers of the waterways. Eleven items.

58. Windlass – Journal of IWA South East Region. Around 60 editions dating £2.00 from 1970 – 1984. (A5 size booklets).

59. Waterways News. Around 40 copies of this monthly newspaper produced by £3.00 British Waterways Board dating from 1972 – 1979. A3 size.

The next lots are all original copies of British Waterways Inland Cruising Booklets. In reasonable condition and contain many maps and photographs. All softback copies.

60. Booklet Number 1: Cruising on the Llangollen Canal 36 1965 £1.00 61. Booklet Number 3: Lee & Stort Navigations 28 1965 £1.00 62. Booklet Number 4: Cruising on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal 32 1965 £1.00 63. Booklet Number 5: Cruising on the Shropshire Union Canal 44 1964 £1.00 64. Booklet Number 6: Cruising on the Oxford Canal 44 £1.00 65. Booklet Number 7: Cruising on the Fossdyke & Witham Navigation 20 1965 £1.00 66. Booklet Number 8: Cruising on the Grand Union Canal Part 1 36 1967 £1.00 67. Booklet Number 9: Cruising on the Grand Union Canal Part 2 (2 copies) 48 £1.00 68. Booklet Number 10: Cruising on the Grand Union Part 3 36 1965 £1.00 69. Booklet Number 11: Cruising on the Macclesfield Canal 28 1965 £1.00 70. Booklet Number 12: Cruising on the Trent & Mersey Canal Part 1 28 1965 £1.00 71. Booklet Number 13: Cruising on the Trent & Mersey Canal Part 2 28 1965 £1.00 72. Booklet Number 14: Cruising on the Severn Waterway 56 £1.00 73. Booklet Number 15: Cruising on the Lancaster Canal 24 1965 £1.00 74. Booklet Number 16: Cruising on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal 44 1966 £1.00 Not books, but other items of a waterways theme.

75. LP record (33 1/3 R.P.M): The Bold Navigators - England’s canals in Song £4.00 76. LP record (33 1/3 R.P.M): Narrow Boats – Voices, Sounds & Songs of the Canals. £15.00 77. Pair of brass windlasses, one large fitting, one small. £25.00 The following are a selection of boat plaques, all brass unless stated: 78. ‘Head of Navigation – Reading Section’ K & A Canal. Aluminium £5.00 79. Complete set of nine commemorative plaques for the Kennet & Avon Canal 1990-92£20.00 re-opening, plus certificate of authenticity. Limited Edition.

80. Plaques from IWA’s National Waterways Festival. £2.00 ea Please state which plaque(s)you are bidding for from either: A) Lee Valley 1980 B) Brentford 1986 C) Gloucester 1990 D) Peterborough 1993 E) Waltham Abbey 1994 F) Chester 1995 G) Henley 1997 H) Salford Quays 1998.

81. A selection of eight plaques from various local waterways and boat rallies. £5.00 Includes Berkhamsted ’86, Taunton ’92 (Still Boxed), Reading ’81, Basingstoke Canal, Wendover Arm, Kennet & Avon Canal, Gloucester ‘91.

82. A selection of seven thin brass plaques from local festivals and various waterways. £3.00 Includes IWA Guildford ’85, ’86, IWA London Branch ’79, Godalming ’81, Slough Arm Basin.

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Restoring a Jones KL15 crane Part one: the beast arrives Those of you who know me will probably have realised that I get involved in canal restoration because I enjoy working with plant. Frankly I find the thought of standing in a lock all day laying bricks tedious in the extreme (no offence Martin). But if your cement mixer needs attention I’m your man. Likewise my idea of scrub bashing is to turn up with a 1950’s tractor complete with tree stump winch!

Martin tells me that it is some time since we had an article for the “Plantheads” in WRG (his description not mine) so this is hopefully the start of a series as our team bring a Jones KL15 back to full working order.

For the past few years a Jones KL15 crane has been sat rusting in a shed at Barnsley waiting for someone to give it some loving care and attention; the only problem was that it needed to be moved first as the Barnsley group wanted the space back. Following some negotiation some space was negotiated with the Kennet and Avon Canal Trust at Claverton which has the big advantage of a chap called Pete Dunn who has previously fixed and maintained all sorts of cranes including ones in dockyards and oil rigs.

Plant Bungle and the KL15 Crane: episode 1 Malcolm arrived at 4pm with the crane and four rollbars for the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust. Once everything had been unstrapped we hooked the crane up to the front of the Land Rover with a bar and slowly pushed it down the lane. Malcolm stood on the platform and heaved and shoved at the steering wheel in an effort to have some control over where the machine went. Contrary to some peoples expectations the move into the temporary storage (a railway car park) went relatively smoothly, with the small exception of the Land Rover engine cooling fan deciding that it really didn’t want to work any more and packing in. At least the driver didn’t get cold....

First impressions of the job indicate that much of the work will be repainting. The linkages need “fettling”, the engine will require a thorough service and probably an overhaul, the tyres and tubes are knackered, the jib rope is probably scrap although the main rope looks ok. Oh, and no matter what sort of pressure is applied to what is jokingly called the “brake pedal” there is no discernible effect on the speed of movement.

The approach to Claverton is down a narrow lane with a tight bend halfway down: there was no way the WRG beavertail truck would be able to negotiate this bend so we had to plan how to move a dead crane with no brakes safely down the hill and into the car park (without ending up stuck on That’s it for now, I am already well past the press the uncontrolled level crossing at the bottom!). date for Navvies - Oops.

Geroge 'Bungle ' Eycott Just to add to the problems, the area where we wanted to work on the crane was flooded with two feet of water, something to do with the rain I understand. A few days beforehand we put up some notices in the lane asking people to park sensibly and explaining a crane would be coming down the lane the following Saturday. On the Saturday morning I received a phone call from Bath police traffic control asking where and when my abnormal load would be arriving! It took some talking to convince the officer that a police escort wouldn’t be required..... The KL15 arrives, on the back of the WRG beavertail truck. (George Eycott)

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The old RN must have come with the original boat, whenever that was and whatever she was called in the days when she was slightly narrower and had a more pragmatic purpose than to fulfil my fantasies of being a 'Number One'.

Tunnel Vision by

JonSims This happened about twenty years ago and, as the memory can play funny tricks, you may not remember the place looking quite the same way as I remember it...

The place in question was the old Coombeswood Tube Works at the wrong end of Gosty Hill Tunnel; wrong as in the end that goes nowhere or, at least, not unless they rebuild Lapal Tunnel. Such an idea being laughable fifteen years ago, we were definitely at the wrong end of Gosty Hill’s claustrophobic little sewer pipe and I was at the wrong end of the bargain.

Not that it was much of a bargain either.

Jake had said he would help me down the Stourbridge Flight if I would take a detour along the Dudley Number Two so that he could explore the tube works before it followed the rest of the Black Country into suburban oblivion. Jake tends to get emotive like that about grime and twisted rust and large heaps of waste stuff. Not having been through Gosty Hill before, I hadn’t objected too much to the plan and started the trip in an equable spirit of adventure.

Engines come in three varieties: modern, vintage and shot. The Russel-Newbury in Tumbleweed fell into the last category but sounded willing enough as it bomp-bompbomped off the cavernous interior of Netherton Tunnel with some breathable air in between the coughs of blue smoke which shot up the exhaust pipe.

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There had been a plastic bag and a bit of rope once we had turned up the Number Two but nothing to quite prepare us for the Sargasso of wood, bottles and undefineable scum which we met having entered the obscenity-daubed western portal of Gosty Hill. And there was to be no parting of the waves as there would have been in Netherton or any other tunnel of decent proportions. Tumbleweed’s sagging hips meant that the space between gunwale and tunnel (it sounds better when you say it out loud) was somewhat less than with a new hire boat. The clag built up in front and reduced our progress to way below a breaking wash while the big blades of the propeller transmitted their frustration to the struggling Rusell-Newbury with the result that the breathable air became rarer and the blue coughs more asthmatic until, with a final wheeze, it gave up the ghost.

There was only one way out and that was to adopt the tried and tested method from the pre-diesel days when the only fossil fuel around these parts came out of the surrounding hills. We spread the plank across the hold, got on our backs and legged it.

Shoulder to shoulder and head to head, with our legs bent double under the cramped and infinitely variable roof, we slowly walked our way right through until we emerged into the startling brick canyon of the tube works with its derelict, desolate ghost town air of utter abandonment. Shattered windows gazed blindly down and flaps of corrugated iron refused to flap in the stillness of the misty grey, autumn afternoon.

Right next to me I could hear Jake let out a great exhalation of gobsmacked wonder.

“Bloody magic!” was the limit of his eloquence but I could tell from the way he said it that he was really, really, dead impressed and, before I could make any arrangements about time and tide and needing to be at least near a decent pub on the far side of the tunnel by nightfall, he was on the bank and off like a rabbit into the warren of buildings.

Thanking him vehemently under my breath, I managed to hammer in some stakes and tie up before using the hook to graunch about under the counter. Eventually, I managed to latch onto what I was looking for and, with grim wrenches which threatened to part the hook from the pole, I hauled out the best part of a mattress whose posture springing had lovingly entwined itself around the prop. Which explained something, I suppose. I checked the engine which reluctantly grunted back to life, I drank the remains of my lukewarm flask and then I waited for Jake to finish his delving.

And then I waited for Jake a bit more. And a bit more. And when you wait like that you are always torn between quiet sulking and building up a head of steam except that it was too chuntering cold for steam so that by the time Jake emerged dimly from the advancing twilight I was in a mood as black as the inevitable tunnel mouth. The stakes were out, the ropes flung on board and the prop already turning by the time he dropped lightly into the hold and disappeared, along with the front end of the boat, into the tiny little portal. As the back end, with me on it, followed into stygian darkness, the racket was deafening.

We had purged the tunnel of all of its flotsam on our first pass and the RN could bomp to its hearts content. Least ways, it could for about the first hundred yards or so and then, just out of sheer bloody minded spite for all I had put it through, it stopped dead.

Resisting the urge to break my foot on the flywheel, I accepted the inevitability of another inverted walk and, squeezing between cabin and tunnel (don’t bother saying it out loud this time; it doesn’t work) I tumbled into the hold. OK, so it was obvious whose fault this was and, by God, I was going to let him know but it was going to be later when I was warm and well fed and he had bought me at least three placatory pints.

Just for now he would feel the full wrath of my silence. He was already on the plank and gave a mere grunt as I climbed alongside of him. No hint of an apology. Bloody Jake.

Mind, from the smell of his breath, I was quite glad for him to keep his mouth shut.

Good grief! What had he been eating? I was quite used to his penchant for onion bargees but this had an altogether less exotic pungency.

He obviously sensed my mute fury and replied with an equally deafening silence which I took as an admission of guilt. But then he added a subtle variation. As we walked along the roof, his stride became more and more purposeful, pushing with the power of a bloke who treats the Three Peaks Race and London Marathon with equal contempt.

Pride demanded that I keep pace, step for step and shove for shove, and before long I was sweating profusely in spite of the clammy coldness of the tunnel. The contest was grossly unequal. My legs trembled as I forced them to push at the unnatural angle while his were steady as pistons. The vague glimmer of the headlight as it preceded us to the far end was just enough to show the clouds of steam as I laboured for breath while he seemed embarrassingly unperturbed.

Just when I was about to concede defeat, a sudden change in the air and the cessation of my echoing gasps indicated that we had emerged back into the open. The plank lurched as my erstwhile subterranean opponent rolled off and I lay for half a minute regaining composure and breath in equal measure, while the stars in front of my eyes were gradually replaced by the real thing.

Tumbleweed drifted into the bank and I sat up, expecting to see Jake taking a rope out onto the towpath. But the towpath was deserted. A very wan moon lit the equally empty hold so I clambered back to the cabin which was also devoid of any trace of Jake.

It was then that I noticed a short but stocky figure on the offside bank; too short and too stocky to be Jake and anyway, how had he got from the towpath to the offside? The figure raised a hand in salute, turned his back and marched purposefully off up the hill and, in the same split second, a furious but familiar voice echoed down from the direction of the road.

‘What the hell was the big idea of that. Do you always naff off without the crew?”

I must have looked pretty daft, standing gawping first at Jake on the towpath and then at the offside bank where the receding figure merged into a settling mist. And although as I said before, the memory can play funny tricks, I swear that up on the hill, where the radio masts should have been, I could see only pit-head gear.

Jon Sims

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Cleanup March22-23:weneedyourhelp toclearrubbishfromtheBCN...

BCN Cleanup 2003 Help to launch the 2003 National Clean-Up Month: come and join the annual 'BCN fishing' competition... only you'll be fishing for rubbish in the canal...

2003 Birmingham Canal Navigations Clean-up (Otherwise known as the Great Spaghetti Clean-up) Salford Junction, Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, Birmingham & Warwick Junction Canal and the Tame Valley Canal, March 22nd & 23rd 2003 The site of the next annual BCN clean up is located to provide the best evening’s on-site entertainment facility that has even been available to a WRG camp (unless of course someone can come up with something better). It is hoped that this added attraction may entice all those armchair WRGies to come and do a bit, even if it is only for part or one of the days, towards recovering our waterways. Then once you have had a dabble then you can then relax all those aching muscles (without the Radox Bath) by enjoying a film in one of 27 auditoriums within the adjacent cinema complex. However if you're still feeling energetic then perhaps have a game of ten pin bowling, or just enjoy some of the other entertainment facilities that are available within the Warner Brothers Star City Complex... On the other hand if your idea of an evening's entertainment involves WRG cooking and a few beers, I'm sure you'll be catered for.

Star City is located within the junction of the Birmingham & Warwick Junction and the Birmingham & Fazeley Canals. It has only been open two years, being built on the old Nechells Power Station site (where in years gone by coal was delivered by boat from the many collieries that used to exist in the West Midlands) and is the country’s biggest cinema and entertainment complex.

During the weekend it is planned to clean out all the four canals that radiate from this junction that is located under the infamous ‘Spaghetti Junction’ on the M6. Such is the proximity of the motorway that considerable lengths are underneath it so don’t be put off if it rains, you’ll just become muddy and wet from your feet upwards rather than both directions.

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Despite the motorway the area in which Salford Canal Junction is located is historically important in that it is the junction of old turnpike roads that lead from Birmingham to Lichfield and Tamworth.

It is also located adjacent to the junction of the Rivers Rea (the river that created Birmingham) and the Tame, hence the existence of the Tame Valley Canal and its junction with the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal at Salford.

Planned to take place over the weekend 22nd & 23rd March it is the first of many clean-up events that are being devised to take place between then and the end of April.

Starting from the Junction it is hoped to work out in all four directions clearing out the residual remains of many years of industry that existed in the area until the late 60’s. Both the Tame Valley and the Birmingham & Warwick Junction Canals are known to cause trouble for deeper drafted boats when competing in the BCN Marathon Challenge Cruise, and whilst we don’t want to make it too easy for them we don’t want to see unnecessary damage to the boats.

It is hoped to remove the rubbish via the Star City Site and this is likely to be the signing on point (A to Z Map Ref 4E 61, nearest Railway Station is Aston - 3/4 mile away - which is regularly (including Sundays) served by trains from Birmingham New Street to Walsall and Lichfield).

More details will be provided in the next edition, but in the meantime, please complete the application form opposite and send it to Head Office. Even if you only plan to attend on one or other of the days, it would be helpful if you could also complete it so that we can get an idea of the numbers likely to attend.

Once again British Waterways are helping by providing the usual floating and road hardware, supported by BCNS’s boat 'Phoenix' and, hopefully,

by Dudley Canal Trust with their tug. They will of course be supplying the usual work-gloves that we know you all appreciate.

The overnight accommodation is expected to be at the Ackers Trust in Small Heath, Birmingham (Birmingham A to Z Map Ref 1F 91). This is located at the side of the Small Heath Highway - A45 - adjacent to the Grand Union Canal between Tyesley and Small Heath. It has a small basin that can provide accommodation for those that may wish to come by boats. Again more information in the next issue and those that book will be advised once it is finally confirmed.

More next time.

Vaughan Welch

WRG Boat Club news Well I hope that you all have got your new diaries handy as here are some dates for you to fill in.

First and foremost: April 4th-6th Aston Locks Opening. ‘Oh yeah?’ we all say with a measure of disbelief. Yes, yes it is true! Those in the know tell us, and who am I to doubt them? Anyway as I write (Nov 1st) two club members have said they plan to take their boats there. I hope many others will want to join us, but remind all that there will still be closures on the Shroppie, at Shelmore Embankment, so you can’t get there that way: it is closed until 11th April.

Claire attended a Midland AWCC meeting and got some dates for activities that we are most welcome to join them in...

3/4 May: Leamington Spa, 2/3/4/5 May: Erewash Rally 4/5/6 July: Coventry 9/10 July: AWCC National and Midland Rally Other news from the meeting included BW say that by 2004 there will be new sanitary stations at Fradley and Sutton Cheyney. Totem poles are to be removed at Shardlow so you can now moor along the whole area opposite Dobson’s yard. Also, ‘dog poop’ bins are to be requested for honeypot sites!!!

This request is not only from BW but from the various local councils. As BW are very much in favour of these ‘facilities’ AWCC are putting their requests in too. I wonder if groups or individuals will sponsor them and have plaques put on them? Some claim to fame eh?

In the last issue I mentioned that WRGBC members won three awards at The ‘National’ - Congratulations to Di and Rhys Jones for winning two awards for the ‘Longest and most meritorious voyage taking into account the aims of the festival’ (Or something like, I’m not sure of the details of the wording)

waterway recovery group

WRG BC LatestnewsfromtheWRGBoat Club Very well done both of them. With awards like that it isn’t just the journey that is meritorious, it is all the work involved in keeping a detailed log!

By the time you read this you will have received your new membership card (unless you haven’t paid up in which case it is TOO LATE) It is most important that you can produce this card when you want, or need, to use any facilities offered by other AWCC clubs.

Our donation of £500 to the David Suchet appeal for the Lichfield & Hatherton was very well received. We have been mentioned in their magazine and have been sent a signed certificate, it will be on display in the clubhouse alongside our shield and plaques.

It has been suggested that we try to get a block booking for our boats attending the National Waterways Festival next year. Let me know what you think and if you are coming. Loads of room on the Thames so come on, make the effort to join us there. I expect the AGM will be held there and I know you would hate to miss the fun. Plenty of work for all too.

Have a Happy Christmas and hope you manage some winter boating, enjoying the peace and dodging the closures.

XXX Sadie Dean

in association with BCNS, BW and IWA

I would like to attend the 2003 National Canal Cleanup on Mar 22-23 on the BCN Forename:

Surname:

Address: e-mail: Phone:

Any special dietary requirements?

I require accommodation Friday night / Saturday night / both nights I enclose payment of £ (pay cheques to 'WRG') for food (cost is £8 for whole weekend, based on £1.50 for lunch each day, £1.50 for breakfast each day and £2 for Saturday evening meal) Do you suffer from any illness, such as epilepsy or diabetes, about which we should know, or are you receiving treatment or under medical supervision for any condition? YES / NO (If yes, please attach details) In the unlikely event that you should be injured, who should we contact?

Name:

Phone:

Signed (parent's signature also required if aged under 18): Please send this form to National Cleanup bookings, WRG, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY

page 37

Bits & pieces KESCRG Camp 2003 OK so you've read the first page of Navvies; the back one!! Now we can get to all you keen campers before you say "WOT NO KESCRG CAMP!?"

The KESCRG camp is not in the 2003 camps brochure this year! "All rumours of its demise have been exaggerated........."

Unfortunately because the brochure is coming out on time, and we are going somewhere new, we've not 100% sorted our site yet! We will let you know the site in the next issue and via mailing lists and the web.

What we can confirm is the dates are 26th July to 2nd August, leader is Ian Williamson, we will have a very glamorous assistant [apparently Garry Alderman ...Ed], and catering will be mis-managed

by Dr Liz and her NHS management team.

Watch this space for more news very soon.

The Management, KESCRG

Attention WRG van drivers...

Just a reminder of a few things that all WRG Transit van and minibus drivers need to be aware of...

(1) A word about carrying passengers in the back of panel vans... DON'T. Not only is it illegal for anyone to travel in a vehicle if they aren't on a proper seat, but they're not insured if you're in an accident.

(2) If you get any 'points' on your licence, you need to get in touch with the WRG board for authorisation to carry on driving WRG vehicles.

(3) Tachograph charts. If you need to use these (for towing with the vans, or for driving the beavertail truck) do remember to TAKE THEM OUT AGAIN at the end of your journey!

PS to whoever it is who's lost their specs, Roger says they're in RFB! The WRG Slides CD-ROM Apologies for giving incorrect details last time when adverting the excellent CD-ROM of all the old historic waterways slides sets that WRG used to sell in the 1970s and 80s.

The price is ÂŁ7 (post free) and they are available from Liz Lamen, 72 Sunfield, Romiley, Stockport, SK6 4BJ.

IWPS Walks

Please make cheques payable to 'WRG N/W'.

Our friends in IWPS - in between trying to make Bugsworth Basin watertight - organise a programme of towpath walks on different canals around the country, which anyone interested in waterways heritage will enjoy. Here is the 2003 programme:

Operation Ironville...

Jan 1st: Around the pits and parks of Poynton. A NewYear's morning stroll from the Macclesfield Canal.

Feb 1st: Rochdale Canal. A walk to inspect Manchester’s latest restored canal.

April 5th: Leominster Canal. A rare chance to see this little known waterway.

June 7th: Chesterfield Canal.

Aug 2nd: Aire & Calder Navigation. A commercial break in Yorkshire.

Oct 4th/5th: Weekend away - Hampshire waterways. A weekend exploring the lesser known waterways of the deep south.

Nov 29th: Chester Canal. Completing our perambulation of this early canal For more details and to join the mailing list, contact walk co-ordinator: Pete Yearsley, 41 Tatton St, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 6AE. Phone c/o 0161-860-7405 (weekends only)

page 38

...will be the first work-party on a new scheme to restore the Cromford Canal. It takes place on February 1-2 at Ironville Locks, and the work will be mainly scrub-bashing to clear the canal bed and assess the condition of the locks prior to restoration.

Organised by Friends of the Cromford Canal, with support from local WRGies, this workparty is mainly aimed at attracting local support (so no overnight accommodation is provided) but all visiting volunteers are welcome.

See www.cromfordcanal.org.uk for details.

Coming soon on the web... ...Bungle's WRG Online Songbook. All the lyrics to the WRG songs that we've performed at the 'National' etc. 'The Navvies Jerusalem', 'Leader of the Camp' and the 'Aston Locks Reopening Dirge...'

And speaking of the Aston Locks Reopening...

Don't forget - 4th April. Yes, really!

Contacting the chairman: Mike Palmer, 3 Finwood Rd, Rowington, Warwickshire CV35 7DH Tel: 01564 785293

Noticeboard

e-mail: mike.palmer@bbc.co.uk

Movinghouse...

Available free to a 'good home' i.e. for a canal society work-boat etc., or to a private individual for a donation to WRG.

Deb Turnbull has moved to: 1 Spa Cottages, Beacon Road, Malvern, Worcs WR14 4EH Garry & Karen Alderman have moved to: 15 Pines Avenue, Broadwater, Worthing, West Sussex BN14 9JG. Tel: 01903 212628 If you move house, don't forget to tell us about it, so we can change your details on the Navvies subscriptions database. Write to Sue Watts (see bottom of page) or email subs@wrg.org.uk.

Buyer to collect - from the River Stort.

LOST PROPERTY

If you're interested please contact Ron Jones on email ron@ronjones.org.uk. (If you don't have e-mail, contact the editor and we'll pass your details on to Ron.)

Found in SWS (the beavertail truck), after its excursions to the Grand Western, a pair of (ladies?) sunglasses. Contact Malcolm Bridge (see Directory pages) to arrange their return.

Free to a good home....

One outboard motor. It's a Yamaha 15A, 15hp 250cc twin two stroke, with a 22.5 litre plastic petrol tank and hose and a fine pitch prop (for canals). Made in 1976, but spare parts still easily available.

Brush-cutter for sale Husqvarna 165rx Brushcutter Suitable for very heavy duty work In excellent condition, complete with harness Serviced October.

Ideal for strong WRGies!

ÂŁ100 Contact Colin Gibbs of Wey & Arun Canal Trust 020 8241 7736

Navvies Production

Navvies is published by Waterway Recovery Group, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY and is available to all interested in promoting the restoration and conSubscriptions / circulation servation of inland waterSue Watts ways by voluntary effort in 15 Eleanor Road Great Britain. Articles may Chorlton-cum-Hardy be reproduced in allied Manchester M21 9FZ magazines provided that the Printing and assembly: source is acknowledged.

John & Tess Hawkins WRG may not agree with 4 Links Way, Croxley Grn opinions expressed in this Rickmansworth, Herts magazine, but encourages WD3 3RQ 01923 448559 publication as a matter of inhawkins@jote.fsnet.co.uk terest. Nothing printed may Editor : Martin Ludgate 35 Silvester Road East Dulwich London SE22 9PB 020-8693 3266

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

be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated - otherwise WRG and IWA accept no liability for any matter in this magazine.

Waterway Recovery Group is a division of Inland Waterways Enterprises Ltd., a subsidiary of the Inland Waterways Association (a registered charity).

Send used postage stamps, petrol coupons, old phone cards, empty computer printer ink cartridges to IWA/WRG Stamp Bank, 33 Hambleton Grove, Milton Keynes MK4 2JS. All proceeds to canal restoration.

Directors of WRG: John Baylis, Mick Beattie, Malcolm Bridge, Roger Burchett, Spencer Collins, Christopher Davey, Helen Davey, Roger Day, Richard Drake, Neil Edwards, Adrian Fry, John Hawkins, Jennifer Leigh, Judith Moore, Michael Palmer, Jonathan Smith.

Inland Waterways Enterprises Registered office: Secretary: Neil Edwards 3 Norfolk Court, Norfolk Rd. Rickmansworth WD3 1LT VAT reg. no : 788 9425 54 Š 2002 WRG Tel : 01923 711114 Registered no 4305322 ISSN 0953-6655

page 39

Backfill

Recipes for disaster

Thank you to Sue Burchett for a couple of contributions in response to my request for 'great catering cockup' stories...

(1)

(2)

Roger still talks of my macaroni milk pudding made at a Sleaford camp. I made it using memory & guess work (a fatal combination). It turned out so solid that it was served in slabs for the next day's lunch. Several asked me for the recipe for my "cake"...

A cook found a large bowl in the kitchen and made a cake for a Canal Camp...

"Where is my dog's bowl?" I asked.

"Err... I made a cake in it. It was clean wasn't it?"

"No - but I'm sure the dog licked it out well..."

We need more of these stories. I'm sure lots of you have anecdotes to tell about having to grill the eggs, or fry the porridge, or cook the baked beans on the griddle... Or about the time you burned the salad... Keep them coming!

"Mobile phone reception is crap here..."

If you were at the Bonfire Bash you might remember Alan Lines wandering around on Friday night asking if anyone had seen his mobile phone. Unfortunately nobody had. And nothing happened when he tried to ring it from another phone.

In fact nobody found it until after the end of the weekend, when 'Other Alan' from M&BCT who works there was doing school caretaker duties and came across it in the line of duty. He was clearing a blocked loo at the time.

Just as well it turned up - it was driving Alan round the bend...

How did it happen? Was Alan talking out of his backside again?

"Was it an expensive phone, Alan?"

"No, just bog-standard."

page 40

Why are we doing it?

From the 'Irish Times': "Nearly one in five eight year olds thinks canals were built as homes for ducks, a survey in Britain has shown. One in 20 boys believes octopuses lurk in Britain's manmade waterways, while 13% of youngsters aged 7 to 14 believe they were built to cool the earth or catch rainwater, the poll for Wild Over Waterways showed."

Don't be stupid - everyone knows the waterways were built as nature reserves...

New from the

WRGCHRISTMAS GIFT CATALOGUE TC Gifts for the navvy who has everything: WRGWear pre-soiled T-shirts. Spend all day sitting in a cosy excavator cab, but look like a real hard-working WRGie in your mud-stained T-shirt. Choice of mud colours: Droitwich Brown, Elsecar Black, Frimley Green.

'ScruBurco' wood-fired tea-boiler. No more lugging gas-bottles along uneven towpaths - and no more messy bonfires on scrub-bashing camps. Simply cut down vegetation and feed it into the bottom of the Burco. As seen on the 'Mon & Brec Burco Bash' dig.

'WRG Perfect' software for better 'Navvies' camp report writing. With in-joke generator, photo-library (please state whether you want photos of dumpers, excavators or Steve Davis) and a spell-checker that deliberately leaves the odd mipsrint in to catch Martin out. Available on CD-ROM, DVD or BFP (Back of Fag Packet).

The 'Steve Paice' navvy alarm clock for those early-morning starts. No buzzers or bells - at precisely 6:54am a voice synthesizer, audible throughout the accommodation says "Bollocks! Is that the time?"