Navvies 203

avvies N Volunteers restoring waterways No 203 February - March 2004

waterway recovery group

Contents

In this issue:

...are always welcome, whether hand-written, typed, on 3½" floppy disk, CD-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 204: March 1st.

Chairman Mike talks Driver Authorisation 4-5 Logistics and Van Movements 6-7 Camp Reports from the Mon & Brec and the Wilts & Berks 8-12 Cleanup Book now for the BCN 13 Diary camps and working parties 14-16 Driver Authorisation scheme relaunch: a 4-page supplement 17-20 Letters to the editor 21 Progress Dig Deep and elsewhere 22-25 Dig Report London WRG and KESCRG Xmas dig at Froghall 26-27 Directory WRG and canal society working party contacts 28-29 Bookshop auction of canal books 30-32 Navvies news including the Training Weekend, Canalway Cavalcade and Boat Club News 33-34 Noticeboard 35 Backfill play WRG Anorak Bingo!

36

Subscriptions

And next time...

Contributions...

A year's subscription (6 issues) is available for a ....we hope to bring you a report from the Februminimum of £1.50 (please add a donation if pos- ary Camp on the Basingstoke Canal, more about sible) to Sue Watts, 15 Eleanor Road, Chorlton- this year’s WRG Training Weekend, another Apcum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9FZ. Cheques to peal Update and part 1 of a preview of the sum"Waterway Recovery Group" please. mer’s Canal Camps.

Visit our web site www.wrg.org.uk for all the latest news of WRG's activities

Martin Ludgate

Cover photo: first boat on the Uttoxeter Canal at Froghall for about 80 years, during the London WRG / KESCRG Christmas dig (see report, p26-27). Photo by Tim Lewis. Below: keeping warm on the New Year Camp on the Mon & Brec. (see report, p8-10) Photo by Martin Ludgate.

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The Right Tool for the Right Job Appeal has raised over £52,000 so far!

The Right Tool for the Right Job

Editorial

The Inland Waterways Association’s Appeal continues to make progress towards its target of £75,000 to reequip WRG forthe future, with the current total nudging the £53,000 mark. We will have a full report in the next issue, but in the meantime here is the latest news...

£70k

Dances with Tools: there’s still time to buy tickets for the Barn Dance on Feb 28th at Benson Village Hall, Oxfordshire. Tickets £10 (cheques to ‘I Williamson’) including fish & chip supper (please say if you want the veggie alternative), send SAE (please enclose your phone number) to ‘WRG Barn Dance, Dr and Mr Williamson, 79 Oakley Road, Chinnor, Oxfordshire, OX39 4HR’. Further info from Helen Gardner (tel: 07989 425346, email: helen_gardner@hotmail.com.)

Hogroast: Nic Bennett is organising a hogroast in Reading on April 3rd. Please see the website or contact Liz Williamson (see below) for more details.

London WRG / KESCRG Xmas party dig: thanks to Steve Davis’s kind donation of a £60k barrel of his finest ‘Old B’stard’ beer, the donations from the assembled drinkers raised £76.

Race Night: we hope to run one in the Midlands just before the ‘National’. Details later.

Little Venice: we will be running the bhaji stall again, plus a fund-raising quiz on Friday eve.

Calendar girls (and boys): good luck to the ‘models’ for the forthcoming photo-shoot!

£50k

Ideas still wanted: please contact Liz Williamson liz.williamson@wrg.org.uk or 01844 351549 with your suggestions and offers of help.

Canal Camps 2004 booklet: we apologise for the late arrival...

We are sorry that for various reasons - including time taken to ensure that we have all the necessary permissions in place - it’s looking unlikely that we’ll have a Camps brochure in time to include it in this issue. However we do have a (slightly provisional) schedule of Camps (see p7). Also we are happy to take booking s for the first two camps at St Johns in February £40k and on the Hereford & Gloucester at Easter: just request a booking form from Head Office on 01923 71114 or enquiries@wrg.org.uk or see the website www.wrg.org.uk.

Whose rivers?

Ours, according to the Environment Agency’s strategy ‘Your Rivers for Life’.

If you follow waterways politics you will remember a bit of a scrap between the EA and British Waterways about whether ‘our’ rivers should be the EA’s rivers or BW’s rivers - and the £30k government’s decision that for now they should remain as they are, with each body having responsibility for some river navigations. But having seen how pro-restoration BW are nowadays, (not only supporting restoration on almost all of their own canals but also non-BW canals like the Cotswolds and the Droitwich) and having seen the EA’s stance on restoration during the launch of their strategy (which seemed to amount to ‘we will ‘restore’ rivers for small craft but we won’t support building any locks on the Wye or restoring any on the Stour’) my doubts were reinforced about whether the EA are the right body to be in charge of £20k navigation, at least as far as the prospects for reopening derelict waterways are concerned...

But then for those who stayed on afterwards, the EA thoroughly impressed us with a presentation on a £60m plan for a waterway route all the way across the fenlands from Boston to the Great Ouse, combining restoration of closed waterways, creation of new ones, conversion of unnavigable drains into canals, and improvements to existing waterways. So let’s see if the EA can deliver on this one before we write them off as not interested in navigation or restoration. £10k

Press dates: please send your contributions in early Hopefully you have received this issue earlier in the month than usual. To avoid clashes with busy times in my ‘day job’ we are bringing the schedule forward by a week or two from now on. However this means that your contributions will need to arrive within a few days of the official press date to ensure that they get in. Thank you for your assistance with this.

Happy New Year Martin Ludgate

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Chairman Please read this: it could affect everyone who works with WRG

So given that anytime would be bad the WRG board picked the only date that we could try and achieve this by... April 1st!

What follows may seem complex, but we have tried very hard to make it simple yet effective. Although there are lots of people scurrying about behind the scenes the success of the operation is very much dependant on your helping us by returning the forms quickly and correctly!

Welcome to 2004!

So what is the problem?

This edition of Navvies coincides with a very busy time in WRG. Not only are we trying to finish off last year’s work, plan this year’s work and re-equip ourselves for the future but we have also decided to have a huge tidy-up of all the information we have.

WRG has three main databases - Navvies Subscribers, Driver Authorisations and Canal Camp bookings. Historically these grew up quite separately and so there is no real link between the three sets of information.

Why does that matter?

So quite a large part of this edition of Navvies is allocated to the Big Spring Clean.

While you read all of the following please keep in mind two things: 1. This is not an attempt to find out lots of information so we can sell your details to anyone else to bombard you with junk mail and ‘spam’.

As always, we only use WRG information for WRG uses.

2. Although we have been wanting to spring clean all our databases for quite sometime there are a couple of external triggers that mean we really do have to do this now.

2. Very few volunteers remember to update all three databases when details change so records such as next of kin, medical notes and emergency numbers are sometimes wrong.

Whilst we hope to never need them we need to keep them up to date.

3. The Driver & Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) have changed the licensing rules regarding minibuses and trailers so that the information we have on you is no longer correct.

Alan Lines

There is, of course, never a good time to try and sort out your address book.

1. It means that an organiser has 3 lots of data to wade through (and they have enough of that to do as it is). When they do find Fred Bloggs the dumper driver of Wolverhampton, can they really be sure it is the same F Bloggs from West Mids. who has booked on their camp?

Unless the driver re-applies for authorisation, (s)he won’t be allowed to drive it after April 1st this year.

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4. The quantity and diversity of the equipment now in common use on restoration sites has increased greatly. We need to modify the Driver Authorisation scheme to reflect this if it is to continue to play its part in keeping our sites safe.

5. More and more of the people we work with are asking to see proof of a responsible attitude towards how we carry out our work. In particular our insurers now require us to keep copies of certain documents so we can prove that we are taking due care. This now includes copies of driving licences where appropriate.

6. In the event of us needing to contact people urgently (for example if we needed to send a safety update to all excavator operators) then we can’t guarantee we can contact everybody at the moment.

7. And finally it requires a member of IWA staff to maintain and use these databases. By having a really good purge now we can get the databases into a state where they can be maintained and used by WRG brass alone. This could make a real saving in the IWA and free up money to go towards restoration.

Why the databases need sorting...

An example from Real Life TM (only the names have been changed, to protect the innocent) (...and the guilty...)

The Camps database has a Kate Boddington in Portsmouth (the last time she booked on a camp).

The Driver Authorisation database has a K Wadworth (That was her name before she and Rick were married) in Surrey (where she used to live with her parents).

The Navvies database has a Kate Wadworth in Cambridge (where she lived in between leaving her parents’ house and getting married).

Now those of us who know Kate & Rick know these three are the same person - but that would have not come up in any merge. Kate will have been reading Rick’s Navvies for the last three years (she’s a slow reader!) and Navvies has been going to Cambridge as she assumed that “someone” had done the sensible thing and cancelled her sub now she lives with Rick. And of course they hadn’t.

But consider the implications if this wrong information was being used not just to decide where to send Kate’s Navvies to, but to inform her Canal Camp leader about a serious food allergy, or to determine whether she was qualified to operate a specific item of plant safely.

That’s why the databases need sorting.

“From April 1st 2004 all current Driver Authorisations are revoked. Anyone who uses vehicles, plant or equipment covered by the IWA/WRG scheme must reapply.”

So what are we going to do?

Firstly we are going to check everybody’s Navvies details - these will be printed on the personalised letter that accompanies this Navvies.

Please check these, make any corrections and return the form in the freepost envelope provided.

The details listed comprise all the information we find it useful to know about our supporters; however if you don’t wish to supply any of them then you are under no obligation to give them. That is all you need to do if you are one of our many armchair supporters (and your support is very much appreciated and still very much needed) .

Secondly we need to update the Driver Authorisation scheme so that it works, now and in the future. As described above the world has moved on since it was introduced. We need to review the authorisations and change the classifications of plant that the scheme covers. Because of this...

From April 1st 2004 all current Driver Authorisations are revoked. Anyone who uses vehicles, plant or equipment covered by the IWA/ WRG scheme must reapply for authorisation to use them.

Further details of how to re-apply for these authorisations is contained in the centre pages of this Navvies. Please read the information carefully before reapplying as it will be very time consuming for us to have to chase up any mistakes or misunderstandings.

Like any responsible organisation we have worked very hard to ensure that people are only targeted with information that definitely relates to them, but inevitably some errors may occur. Please be forgiving and let us know what errors have occurred. One particular area where we are having trouble reconciling the databases relates to spouses/partners i.e. people who live together but have different names and have different authorisations. Because of this it may well be that, for a month or four, some couples receive two copies of Navvies. Please bear with us while we sort that last little gremlin out.

Normal service will resume!

Mike Palmer

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Logistics ...including the kit, van and minibus schedule for 2004 Another Year, Another Dollar...

Busy, busy, busy! ... with Logistics? No! Sad to say it hasn’t had a look-in. In fact, truth be known, nowt but work has!

So what does the year ahead hold?

So, accompanying this somewhat brief article, should be The Grand Van Plan for this year’s camps.

Peruse at your leisure, not forgetting the usual ‘subject to change’ criteria. For those of you who don’t understand why I send the schedule in to be published (that’s you at least, Mr Mac!) it is to help those people who wish to ‘ave a gander’ and note where/which camp their kit and vans come from and where they are going to (leaders), which camp the vans and trailer goes to after their chosen camp (e.g. wrgies who drive our vans), or for others who are just plain nosy (I wouldn’t begin to entertain that one!)!

Anyway, we do still have NJF (minibus) but for how much of the year who can tell... bet she’ll still be going when I write this time next year!

Well, I feel I have returned to Eeyore’s doom and gloom of 2002. But fear not, I am returning only in mind and not on paper. And with any luck, I will snap out of this state soon... sorry, normal service has failed to resume as it is already past New Year and ‘real’ work hasn’t let up! That said, it isn’t really a logistics time-of-year.

As for digging this year, I’m hoping I can escape the chains of work (and Logistics!) and get out there and join you all in doing what I originally got involved for!

Just Jen logistics@wrg.org.uk

It is, however, a big “thinking about camps” time of year...

By the way, Mr Foley: Thank you very much too... sorry I omitted you from the Festive thanks last time!

If the van and kit movements go to schedule (see opposite) we won’t have to tow our trailers from camp to camp by hand this year....

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Canal Camps 2004: kit, van and minibus schedule Here - subject to the usual proviso that ‘things can change’ (and that includes NJF!) - is the schedule for which kit, which van and which minibus will go to each of this year’s Canal Camps. And until such time as the Canal Camps booklet appears through your door (hopefully very soon!), this can also be used to tell you where all this year’s Canal Camps will be...

No. Location

Start date

Finish date

1

Basingstoke Canal

14th February

21st February A

RFB

GCW

2

Hereford and Gloucester Canal 3rd April

12th April

A

RFB

GCW

X

Training Weekend, Hatton

9th May

10th May

A.B RFB.VOJ GCW.NJF

3

Saul Canal Festival

30th June

7th July

B

VOJ

NJF

4

Hereford and Gloucester Canal 3rd July

10th July

A

RFB

GCW

5

Hereford and Gloucester Canal 10th July

17th July

A

RFB

GCW

6

Cotswold Canals

10th July

17th July

B

VOJ

NJF

7

Wilts and Berks Canal

17th July

24th July

A

RFB

GCW

8

Grand Western Canal

17th July

24th July

B

VOJ

NJF

9

Wey & Arun Canal (NWPG)

17th July

24th July

10 Mon & Brec Canals

24th July

31st July

A

RFB

GCW

11 Wilts and Berks Canal

24th July

31st July

B

VOJ

NJF

12 Mon & Brec Canals

31st July

7th August

A

RFB

GCW

13 Caldon Canal

31st July

7th August

B

VOJ

NJF

14 St. John’s Backpumping Project 7th August

14th August

A

RFB

GCW

15 Lancaster Canal

7th August

14th August

B

VOJ

NJF

16 Lichfield & Hatherton Canals

14th August

21st August

A

RFB

GCW

17 Lancaster Canal

14th August

21st August

B

VOJ

NJF

18 IWAF - Burton-on-Trent

23rd August

2nd September A.B RFB.VOJ GCW.NJF

19 Wilts and Berks Canal

4th September 11th September A

RFB

GCW

20 Grantham Canal

23rd October

30th October

A

RFB

GCW

21 Cotswold Canals

23rd October

30th October

B

VOJ

NJF

X

6th November

7th November A.B RFB.VOJ GCW.NJF

Bonfire Bash - site T.B.A.

22 New Year Camp - Wilts & Berks 26th December 1st January

Kit Van

A

RFB

Minibus

GCW

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Camp Report New Year on the ‘Mon & Brec’: Do anoraks keep the rain off?

Mon & Brec Christmas & New Year Camp “Weather in South Wales? What weather in South Wales? Oh, that weather.”

Ohhhh this is soooo good. Not only can I contribute to the “Welsh weather debate” but just for once, Martin can write the camp report and I, Mk2, can play editor. How did this role-swapping come about?

Well, let’s put it this way: this report began life with the title “Martin’s notes from Canal Camp 0318” and I was given the job of doing the report. But I was quite busy trying (just for once) to be responsible, so what follows is based on Martin’s lucid observations in Times New Roman, with my vague recollections inserted in Arial. [You will note that I have even allowed MK2 the use of my personal set of editorial square brackets for this purpose. ...Ed] We begin on Boxing Day, with Camp Leader Dave Hearndon, ie. That Nice Mr. Moose, and the bloke who was to do Assistant Leader impressions nearly all week, namely your very own Mk2, journeying down via separate routes. Upon arrival, I found Moose and (I never found out why he was so uncharacteristically early) Rick Ansell, standing around around outside Cross Keys Methodist Hall inadequately dressed for the rain which was starting to hammer down.

Also inadequately dressed for the rain which was starting to hammer down, I leapt out of RFB and discussed tactics. Anyone who has ever tried to reverse a trailer round into the driveway of that hall will understand that after several tries both Moose and I gave up and we all pushed the trailer down to where we wanted it.

I blame the kerb that seems able to bugger up your most finely judged manoeuvre. And I blame the {expletive deleted} Welsh weather for our getting completely soaked, rather than blaming myself for not dressing up in my wet weather togs first.

After we’d eaten our spag bol there wasn’t time to go back to the pub. We discussed the possibility of a cinema trip on Saturday night.

Martin’s notes, Saturday 27th: It rained. Despite best efforts of the Welsh contingent to deny that it always rains in the principality [see soon-to-be-permanent strain of letters in Navvies], the Welsh weather lived up to its reputation. Spent the morning cutting down vegetation on the offside of the canal about a 1/4mile above the lock, and burning it on a bonfire, while the weather steadily got wetter. Gave up work at lunchtime and went back to hall. Just as well nobody told us we weren’t supposed to have a fire, otherwise we might have been quite miserable on site. [Oh, we knew that. And we knew why we couldn’t tell you!]

My notes say “Two yucca plants found on canal bank”. I assume they had been dumped there by the locals whose houses back onto the cut, rather than the Welsh climate proving unexpectedly suitable for such species to grow in the wild.

Went to the showers. They were shut. [Van driver, the ever-optimistic Mk2, re-named the journey “The Risca Illuminations Tour”. Passengers so inspired they hit the alcohol immediately upon being let out of equally long-suffering NJF.] Harri arrived and cooked a chicken thing. [Honestly Martin! It was better than that. It was Chicken, er, err… It was nice.]

We went to the Public Bar at the ‘Castle Inn’ (where there was an interesting discussion covering various subjects including Martin smashing a lampshade with his head while pogoing to the Sex Pistols in 1978) and discussed the possibility of a cinema trip on Sunday night.

Some of us sat up late in the Crypt, where Nic’s dog Cameron got very frisky with various people’s legs.

[Guess my brown cords could have looked a bit like a dog; they still haven’t recovered – Mk2] I think that may also have been the night when a certain volunteer got pissed and kept people awake by loudly declaring his undying love for his girlfriend. (Personally I think I’d rather suffer Cameron’s attention...)

The cook [the unshakeable Harri T] hadn’t arrived yet so (once he’d done the introductory talk) Moose cooked spag bol while several of us made our first visit to a local hostelry - the strangely-named ‘Philanthropic Arms’.

[See summer camp reports for the alternative names for this welcoming house!]

The two dogs didn’t get on terribly well with each other.

Neither did their owners.

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Martin Ludgate

Martin’s notes, Friday 26th: Arrived at Cross Keys.

Noted that the building next door had a cycling Santa on the roof. (although it was also noted that when not illuminated, it looked like it might be mistaken for a representation of coal mine pithead gear, by somebody who had never seen such equipment). [Er, Martin, that was me, and yes, I have!]

Traditional winter camp work: clearing vegetation alongside the Fourteen Locks flight.

Martin’s notes, Sunday 28th: Dawned bright and sunny.

Welsh contingent got their chance to put the record straight as regards Welsh Weather. Until we arrived on site at which point the snow began.

I, meanwhile, was back at the accomm counting the kit, doing sandwiches, and investigating the cinema situation. In our bit of valley, we had rain, hail and sun in an order reminiscent of a demented fairylight-flashing device. The kit was slightly end-ofseasonish, but various people throught the Camps year had made up for this by leaving all kinds of other paraphernalia in the trailer. It may interest you to know that Kit ‘A’ now has two water pistols on board, one of which is a Super Soaker. We had no use for them, being super-soaked already.

Work: carrying on clearing the offside of the length above the lock, but rules changed to ‘no bonfires’ so we had to throw everything across the canal and stack it for chipping. Well, we didn’t have to throw it - there were lots of ‘helpful’ suggestions for alternative ways: everything from aerial ropeways through breaching the bank and draining the canal to boating it across (using a boat to carry stuff? whatever will they think of next) and some even dafter ones that I can’t remember. Anyway mostly we threw it across, except for the high-tech team who did something clever with ropes and kebs.

Some slightly hairy moments getting out the trees that had sagged into the cut, and a couple of us got a wet foot or two. Cue football chant: “Bob and Martin walk on water, tra-la-la-la-la, la la la la...”

Later, Tim Lewis arrived, as did the Worthingtons in all their Coolness. There was then the hi-vis moment of the camp, nicknamed ‘David and the Giant Car-shuffle’ by Martin. You see, we’d squirrelled as many of our own vehicles (not to mention the trailer and the odd Transit) round the back and side of the accomm. But they can only get out in reverse order to how they went in.

Mr. Floodgates continues: Went to ‘Cross Keys’. Had first of a series of top-class ‘anorak’ discussions - covering WW2 pillboxes, screwthreads, allotment architecture, subterranean Cold (what, colder than Wales?)

War stations, as well as the more commonplace subjects like railways, canals and trolleybuses - and discussed the possibility of a cinema trip on Monday night. Moose promised ‘bonfires tomorrow’.

Further Floodgatery, Monday 29th: Weather wet in the morning, but much better later. Advance party headed off first to go down the flight and find us some work on the main site for the camp.

Actually, the “leaders” were in fact Moose and Daddy Cool (thanks for that, Dave) as yours t. was off on some giant logistical exercise in the van.

A small job for a couple of us first was to drag out several old bikes that had been chucked in a bridgehole near the junction. One of them proved capable of further use, once Martin had nicked a saddle off one of the others, and is now doing services as the editorial transport. (No jokes about the Morris please!) Harri brought hot cakes to site for lunchtime. They went like hot cakes. She also brought solid soup.[Yes, it was full of both vegetably goodness and yet another logistical exercise for us.]

Work progressed well. Finished both lockside clearance jobs in good time. Big bonfires. Spotted GCW heading past on M4 and were duly joined by Ed and Suzie.

Knocked off early (except Bob who had to be dragged off site protesting) so people could get showered and fed (shepherds pie) in time to go to the cinema. Rest of us went to Lounge Bar at ‘Castle’ pub. Moose told us a long story about a mouse on his boat, in addition to the usual discussions of trains and boats and planes etc.- we decided that the collective noun for anoraks was ‘A Cloakroom’.

Note to Asst Leaders here: when planning the cinema trip, ensure that where people are going to want to see epic films (eg. Bored of the Rings) that last forever, the others need to go for a drink first and see a later showing of their chosen film, so as to avoid a dull wait afterwards. Or they could just go to see Master & Commander. You may also wish to stitch someone up with the driving (thanks, Nic).

Martin Ludgate

Those of us in hi-vis stood as mute warning in the roadway whilst Moose (1) made note of the order in which people needed to leave or use their vehicles, (2) ordered them out into the roadway with their vehicles, and (3) ordered them back in using a more suitable sequence. All ran like clockwork until a certain Fiesta-driving navvy encountered difficulty in going backwards. He was, much later, asked if he had a DA card, to which the reply was “Me? Drive a Transit? You’ve seen me in my car!” Harri cooked roast pork whilst all this was happening. With apple sauce!

Unfortunately they couldn’t find any. Isn’t it strange how sometimes there’s nothing like as much work to do as it looked like in summer before all the greenery died back?

Small party went to finish the last bit of yesterday’s job (until the chipper broke) while rest of us sat in the canal centre drinking coffee for an hour while the leaders and locals managed to sort out some extra work for us on another site - a couple of locks between the bottom of 14L and the junction of the Crumlin Arm with the main line.

Tim takes a bonfire for a walk

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Nic may have re-named the journey “The Midnight Diesel Safari”, but I was asleep in bed by the time he finally found some and returned. Passengers so inspired they hit the sack immediately upon being let out of the otherwise refreshed NJF. Tues 30th. It didn’t rain or snow, continues Martin: Having finished both the ‘extra’ jobs identified yesterday, decided that the only way we’d have enough to do for the final two days was to get our hands on something to make a temporary bridge across one of the 14 locks so we could get at some of the sideponds that were inaccessible due to canal / barbed wire fence etc. and clear them. Eventually found a hireshop that was open, hired a Youngman Board (usual joke about Oldman Boards for more mature volunteers) and started work. Huge bonfires. Lots of scrub bashed. Isn’t it strange how sometimes there’s far more work to do than it looked like in summer before all the greenery died back?

More of Harri’s hot cakes during day and in the evening Harri’s beef stew (lots of it!) Martin provided a quiz for the evening with rounds on various subjects, general knowledge, canal pictures (everyone managed to identify the one taken on site the previous day) and a special round of ‘anorak questions’ to suit the mood of the week. (How many wheels are there on a Class 37 loco? Which was the first series of Land Rover with headlights in the wings as standard? What gases are used in (1) orange and (2) blue streetlamps?) Made it to ‘Cross Keys’ in time for a pint at last orders. Unfortunately somebody over-ordered on cider so all the cider drinkers got more than twice as much as they’d wanted. (2=5?) [Yes, it’s called Mk2 Maths.

Richard later won an award for services to cider consumption and Harri T got a special mention.]

Wed 31st: Weather fine yet again. Non-Welsh faction rapidly losing cred, reports Sir Floodgates. More scrubbashing and big bonfires on site, and some interesting work getting one or two hung-up trees down. [Errr, that makes sense. I just thought it was crazy and therefore a Tenko Task, personally. Mk2.]

In between times, various people scoured the pound shops and charity shops for stuff for costumes and decorations for the evening bash, which was to have a ‘1960s hippy’ flavour (and a strong smell of joss-sticks!) Some of us found a bus station cafe that was straight out of the 1960s but unfortunately it was too big to bring to the party!

Canal Society and BW all very impressed with our work, and Canal Soc Chairman donated lots of booze to the party. Lesley arrived from London bearing joss-sticks.

Went to Cross Keys pub for a few pints and to do battle with the quiz machine while Harri cooked another (different) chicken thing.

THAT Chicken Thing, Martin, was Caribbean Chicken. In fact, the whole menu was Caribbeanthemed. As it was, er, New Year’s Eve. End of camp awards presented (Including two Anorak of the Week awards!) plus costumes judged. Daddy Cool’s hair won its annual prize and has now gone away till next time, or the time after next, as he says he’s spending New Year 2005 with his relatives in Edinburgh and I’m not sure we can organise a Canal Camp there!

‘If we do, though, HE can be Assistant Leader’, thought Mk2. The theme was “Hippies” or “Love & Peace” and was an excuse to wear my Indian shirt and a CND necklace. Full marks to Art Director Richard Cool and Chief Painter, Decorator and Titivator, Jenny Cool, for transforming the hall and crypt into a warm, welcoming, slogan-bedecked “bein”. I say warm: Richard even resurrected long-forgotten heaters with liberated plugs to take the chill out of the crypt. Daddy Cool looked for all the world like Roy Wood.

Stayed up late, listened to Big Ben, wished each other a Happy New Year, listened to lots of 1960s music (wow man, feel the vibes) and must presumably have gone to bed eventually.

Fri 1st. Martin remembers: Harri didn’t serve breakfast till 10am. [That lovely person! Mk “lie-in” 2] Despite the leisurely start, everything packed up and hall cleared and all away (and Moose’s Land Rover started) by late lunchtime.

Martin Ludgate

Mk2 adds: Yes, Moose had borrowed Maria’s Landy and left her a choice of the Moosemobile and his Astra. The Astra died of something or other mid-week back in Essex, so Maria’s Land Rover played snap and refused to start for several days.

Mk2 helps to serve out Harri’s delicious food

page 10

Thanks to all of you who showed up at various points throughout the week and worked hard in sometimes ‘orrible conditions.

Thanks Super Ever So Ever So to Harri T for keeping us going (and in the case of the immovable soup, stopping us from going…) and thanks of course to Moose for - despite the daily threats - not ripping my nuts off.

Sorry if I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to everyone personally – HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Yours, still waiting for the four Ghanians to turn up (via the tube), Mark ‘Mk2’ Richardson And… Martin

Wilts & Berks Canal Camp Dauntsey Lock 24th – 31st December 2003 This was a relatively small camp – no more than seven sat down to tea on any one day – but it never ceases to amaze me the amount that can be achieved by small numbers of hard-working volunteers.

Camp report Christmas at Dauntsey on the Wilts & Berks

The first few days we concentrated on the area behind the ‘Peterborough Arms’ pub. The brickwork on the wharf wall was completed and the shuttering pans removed. We moved the timber, Acrow props and scaffolding, started back-filling with clay, and using ‘Blue’ the excavator we shifted some large stones and concrete blocks over to Peterborough Farm to construct some new hard-standing for the farmer, who has been very co-operative and helpful in allowing us to use his land for parking, storage of materials and our ‘hospitality suite’ (an old caravan). Other hardcore was also moved over, and we made a start on spreading it. Unfortunately ‘Blue’ was less co-operative than the farmer, and wasn’t working up to his usual standard, and I shall arrange for him to be serviced next week. He must have had a busy year!

A local volunteer who has recently joined us and is a retired mechanic removed the drum from our jumbo mixer and repaired it, and by Boxing Day the drum was lifted back into the frame and bolted in.

We moved some big baulks of greenheart – hopefully to become future lock-gates – and concrete pipes, and generally tidied up and levelled the whole area round the wharf, which pleased ‘John-thepub’ and Wadworths.

Phill Cardy

The last stumps were finally removed from the spillweir and piled-up ready for burning when they’ve dried out, and a lot of saplings were dug out and re-planted in gaps in the hedge. We also cleared a lot of willow and blackthorn suckers along 300 yards of offside bank. Unfortunately having cleared all the vegetation round the spillweir, some cracks were revealed in the brickwork done over the summer, and we shall have to examine these a bit more closely to make sure that it has not resulted in any leaks.

The completed wharf wall at Dauntsey, with the ‘Peterborough Arms’ in the background

page 11

Camp Report Campshedding and stumppulling at Dauntsey

We had managed to obtain a quantity of halfround stakes, which were cut down to the right length and sharpened to u s e f o r campshedding when we repair the towpath, which has slipped in places. We made a start on this work coming down from the spillweir, using hawthorn whips cut from the hedge to weave through the stakes.

There were sufficiently few of us (is that a contradiction in terms?) for everyone to stay in the cottage rather than our usual accommodation at Foxham Reading Rooms.

Apart from one night, we managed to have one person per room distributed round the cottage – even ‘Katy-the-dog’ who has the kitchen to herself at night. The main effect of this was that once some had had a hot shower, been well-fed by Di and had installed themselves in comfortable chairs by a blazing log stove in front of televisions, no-one was very interested in going out in the evenings! We never even got to the cinema, which disappointed Di - who is a Lord of the Rings addict – but we did manage to entice everyone except Ray over the road to the pub for a skittles night. We had five straight rounds and then a game of ‘Killer’: obviously everyone is getting too experienced because it proved difficult to get them to lose all five lives. Di – who broke her right arm recently – had to bowl left-handed but managed to hold her end up reasonably well.

It was a pleasant, relaxed camp and my thanks go to Ray, Phill, Nigel, David, Tom, Another Ray, Harry, Luke and Di for the part each one played in our achievements.

Phill Cardy

Rachael Banyard

‘Blue’ the excavator removing stumps from the canal bed at Dauntsey.

page 12

BCN Cleanup 2004 update Hurry up and book for the BCN Cleanup!

The annual BCN Cleanup weekend takes place on 20th-21st March, and once again WRG, The Inland Waterways Association, Birmingham Canal Navigations Society and British Waterways will be getting together to see what bizarre assorment of rubbish we can drag out of the murky waters of the Birmingham Canal Navigations in a weekend.

Cleanup Latest details on the BCN Cleanup on the ‘Curly Wyrley’

These events are vital for keeping the less well-used parts of the BCN system open to boats. Unless we help to clear out the huge amounts of old bikes, prams and other rather less recognisable rubbish that have accumulated over the years in these canals, they will become completely choked and no use to anyone - which would be sad, when we’re doing so much to restore local canals like the Lichfield and Hatherton to encourage more boats onto the BCN. Cleanups are also good fun: the regular volunteers vie with each other to pull the most unlikely item out of the cut. In previous years we’ve found computers, traffic lights, kitchen sinks, lamp-posts and toilets! What will we find this time?

The site for this year’s event has just been confirned as the Wyrley & Essington Canal, heading from Horseley Fields Junction, Wolverhampton, and heading eastwards as far as we can get, and maybe some work on the BCN main line towards BIrmingham too. The local British Waterways will as usual be supporting us by providing rubbish skips, work-boats, grappling hooks and litter-pickers.

Overnight accommodation and WRG catering (thanks Jude!) will be provided, probably at the BW workshops in Wolverhampton, within easy walking distance of train and coach stations and not far from the M6: joining instructions will be sent out to you when you book and will appear on www.wrg.org.uk. It is also by the canal, which means that (a) anyone who wants to come to the Cleanup on their boat can do so and (b) we might well manage to arrange transport to the work-site by boat! We hope to arrange some kind of evening entertainment and supplies of Real Ale in the accommodation on the Saturday night.

If you don’t want to stay overnight you are welcome to turn up for the day on either or both days.

Contact details: once again Aileen Butler of London WRG has volunteered to be the WRG leader for the event, so if you have any enquiries (other than booking / joining instructions which should go to Head Office as per below) or want to offer to help with organising the event, contact her on 07703 567764 or email aileen.butler@btopenworld.com.

If you want to spend a fun weekend helping to keep the BCN canals open please complete the application form below and send it to Head Office.

waterway recovery group

in association with BCNS, BW and IWA

I would like to attend the 2004 National Canal Cleanup on Mar 20-21 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 Booking / joining info from Head Office on 01923 711114 or email enquiries@wrg.org.uk

page 13

Diary

Canal Camps cost £42 per week unless otherwise stated.

Bookings for WRG Canal Camps (those identified by a camp number e.g. 'Camp 0401') should go to WRG Canal Camps, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY. Tel: 01923 711114. Email: enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Feb 7/8

London WRG

Hereford & Gloucester Canal: Oxenhall

Feb 7/8

KESCRG

Basingstoke Canal: Backpump project at St Johns flight. (Dig Deep)

Feb 7/8/9

wrgNW

Wilts & Berks Canal: Dauntsey joint dig with Essex WRG

Feb 7/8

NWPG

Wendover Arm

Feb 7/8/9

Essex WRG

Wilts & Berks Canal: Dauntsey joint dig with WRG North West

Feb 14-21

Camp 0401

Basingstoke Canal: Construction of St Johns backpumping scheme, plus

Feb 21/22

wrgBITM

Wilts & Berks Canal: Double Bridge, near Pewsham. Bricklaying, etc. Leader:

Feb 28/29

London WRG

Basingstoke Canal: Backpumping project at St Johns. (Dig Deep)

Feb 28 Sat

wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection

Feb 28 Sat

WRG

Barn dance at Benson, Oxfordshire in support of The Right Tool for The Right

Mar 1 Mon

Navvies

Press date for issue 204

Mar 6/7

KESCRG

Wilts & Berks Canal: Double Bridge, or Pewsham Locks. (Dig Deep)

Mar 6/7

wrgNW

Montgomery Canal (Maesbury spillweir)

Mar 6/7

Essex WRG

Hereford & Gloucester Canal

Mar 13/14

NWPG

Lichfield & Hatherton Canals

Mar 13/14

SUCS

Montgomery Canal: Newhouse Lock

Mar 14 Sun

WRG

Committee & Board Meetings: Hatton Park Village Hall

Mar 20/21

wrgBITM

Cromford Canal: (provisional)

Mar 20/21

WRG

BCN Cleanup weekend - see p13 and please book early

Mar 20-21

London WRG

BCN Cleanup

Mar27/28

IWA

National Canals Cleanup Weekend: Local events happening all over the country.

Mar 27 Sat

wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection

Apr 1 Sat

WRG

Hog-roast in Reading in support of The Right Tool for The Right Job Appeal

Apr 3/4

KESCRG

Wey & Arun Canal: pre-Easter work camp setting up. (Dig Deep)

Apr 3/4

NWPG

Wilts & Berks Canal: Dig Deep project

Apr 3/4

wrgNW

Lichfield Canal

Apr 3/4

SUCS

Montgomery Canal: Newhouse Lock

Apr 3-12

Camp 0402

Easter Canal Camp on the Hereford & Gloucester Canal. Dredging and towpath

Apr 6 Tue

Navvies

Issue 204 Assembly: (unconfirmed)

Apr 17/18

London WRG

Hereford & Gloucester Canal

Apr 17/18

wrgBITM

Wey & Arun Canal: Dig Deep project.

May 1/2/3

KESCRG

Little Venice: Site Services for Canalway Cavalcade

May 1/2/3

NWPG

Wey & Arun Canal: Dig Deep project

May 1/2/3

wrgNW

Mon & Brec Canal: Joint dig with Essex WRG

May 1/2/3

Essex WRG

Mon & Brec Canal: Joint dig with wrgNW

May 1/2/3

wrgBITM

Little Venice: Sales stall only

May 1/2/3

SUCS

Montgomery Canal: Newhouse Lock

page 14

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.

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Answerphone

01622-858329

Kescrg@btinternet.com

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

Dave Dobbin

01702-544096

essex@wrg.org.uk

clearance of overhanging vegetation from the canal.

enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Rachael Banyard.

Job Appeal

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

Helen Gardner

07989-425346

helen_gardner@hotmail.com

Martin Ludgate

020-8693-3266

martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk

Answerphone

01622-858329

Kescrg@btinternet.com

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

Dave Dobbin

01702-544096

essex@wrg.org.uk

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

Mike Friend

01948 880723

tigger.bounce@virgin.net

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

WRG enquiries

01923 711114

enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

IWA Head Office

01923-711-114

enquiries@waterways.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

Liz Williamson

01844-351549

liz.williamson@wrg.org.uk

Answerphone

01622-858329

Kescrg@btinternet.com

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

Mike Friend

01948 880723

tigger.bounce@virgin.net

John Hawkins

01923-448559

hawkins@jote.fsnet.co.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

Answerphone

01622-858329

Kescrg@btinternet.com

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

Dave Dobbin

01702-544096

essex@wrg.org.uk

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

Mike Friend

01948 880723

tigger.bounce@virgin.net

work near Hereford. Cost: ÂŁ54.

page 15

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. Usually at 'Star Tavern', Belgrave Mews West, London. Tim Lewis 07802-518094 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 01543-373284 2nd Sunday & following Wed. BCS Cosgrove Athina Beckett 01908-661217 Anytime inc. weekdays BCT Aqueduct section Gerald Fry 01288-353273 Every Sunday ChCT Various sites Mick Hodgetts 01246-620695 Mon & Wed mornings CCT Cotswolds Dudley Greenslade 01453 825515 Every weekend (Sat OR Sun) CCT Cotswolds Neil Ritchie 01452-854057 1st Sunday of month CCT Cotswolds: summit Mark Welton 01453-872405 Wednesday evenings CCT Cotswolds: East end Keith Harding 01451-860181 Every Saturday DCT Droitwich Canal Jon Axe 0121-608 0296 Last Sunday of month EAWA N Walsham & Dilham Kevin Baker 01362-699855 4th Sunday of month ECPDA Langley Mill Michael Golds 0115-932-8042 Second Sun of month FIPT Foxton Inclined Plane Mike Beech 0116-279-2657 1st & 3rd Sundays GCRS Grantham Canal Colin Bryan 0115-989-2248 2nd Sat of month GWCT Nynehead Lift Denis Dodd 01823-661653 Saturdays H&GCT Hereford (Aylestone) Brian Fox 01432-358628 Saturdays / Sundays H&GCT OverWharf House Maggie Jones 01452-618010 Hereford (Aylestone) Adrian Fry 07976-640962 Various H&GCT Every Sunday if required IWPS Bugsworth Basin Ian Edgar 01663-732493 1st Saturday & 3rd Wed. IWA Ipswich Stowmarket Navigtn. Colin Turner 01473-730586 01691-670826/49 2nd weekend of month IWA SBC Maesbury, Mont.

Barry Tuffin 2nd weekend of month K&ACT John Rolls 01189-666316 1st Sunday of month LHCRT Lichfield Peter Matthews 01543-318933 3rd Sunday of month LHCRT Hatherton Denis Cooper 01543-374370 2nd & last Sundays PCAS Paul Waddington 01757-638027 2nd Sunday of month SCARS Sankey Canal Colin Greenall 01744-731746 1st Sunday of month SCCS Combe Hay Locks Bob Parnell 01225-428055 Most weekends SHCS Basingstoke Peter Redway 01483-721710 1st Sunday of month SNT Haverholme Lock Dave Pullen 01673-862278 3rd Sunday of month TMCA David Rouse 01474-362861 Approx 15th of month WACT Mid-Week group Colin Gibbs 020-82417736 Every Sunday & Thursday WACT Devils Hole Lock Eric Walker 023-9246-3025 Thursdays fortnightly WACT Maintenance Unit Peter Wilding 01483-422519 or for general information on Wey & Arun contact their office on 01403-752403 1st weekend of month WAT Little Tring Roger Leishman 01442-874536 Every weekend WBCT Wilts & Berks Canal Peter Smith 01793-852883 Every Sunday W&BCC Dauntsey / Foxham Rachael Banyard 01249-892289 Please send any amendments, additions and deletions to Dave Wedd (address on previous page)

Abbreviations used in Diary BCNS BCS BCT ChCT CCT DCT EAWA ECPDA FIPT D&SCS GCRS GWCT H&GCT IWA SBC

page 16

Birmingham Canal Navigations Soc. Buckingham Canal Society Bude Canal Trust Chesterfield Canal Trust Cotswolds Canals Trust Droitwich Canals Trust East Anglian Waterways Association Erewash Canal Pres. & Devt. Assoc.

Foxton Inclined Plane Trust Derby & Sandiacre Canal Society Grantham Canal Restoration Society Grand Western Canal Trust Hereford & Gloucester Canal Trust IWA Shrewsbury & Border Counties

IWPS K&ACT KESCRG LHCRT NWPG PCAS SCARS SCCS SHCS SNT TMCA WBCT W&BCC WACT WAT

Inland Waterways Protection Society Kennet & Avon Canal Trust Kent & E Sussex Canal Rest. Group Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Rest'n Trust 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

waterway recovery group

Driver Authorisation Scheme2004

What is the WRG Driver Authorisation (DA) scheme?

For organisations participating in the IWA/WRG insurance scheme the insurers require proof that sites are managed responsibly and due care is taken with regard to control of plant and vehicle operation. The WRG Driver Authorisation scheme is the tool that is used to satisfy this requirement.

Volunteers who wish to operate defined categories of vehicles and plant (and to instruct other volunteers) apply to the WRG Board for authorisation. This authority, if granted, simply shows that they have insurance cover when in charge of plant insured under the IWA/WRG Insurance scheme (or, if approved as an instructor, they are authorised to operate and instruct others in the use of plant insured under scheme and they may, when satisfied of a trainee’s ability, issue them with a temporary operator’s authority).

The Driver Authorisation scheme card is NEITHER a ‘driving licence’ NOR a certificate of competence.

This authorisation scheme applies to categories which are listed overleaf. Items of plant which do not fall into any of these categories should be requested separately. You may only apply for authorisation for categories in which you have experience or have satisfactorily completed basic competence training. If you are applying for instructor status, you must have considerable experience for the category. For each category for which you apply, you should give full details of how and when the experience or training was obtained.

The authorisation card plus your driving licence (where necessary) must be carried at all times when you are using the equipment. If you are only approved for operator status, you are not entitled to train others in the use of such equipment, neither may you give them permission to operate it.

For further information please see the WRG website.

www.wrg.org.uk

WRGDriverAuthorisation2004 Thevehiclecategories

The following are the WRG Driver Authorisation plant and vehicle categories. These replace all the categories used on the old Driver Authorisation cards as of April 1st.

In a Group containing more than one category, the categories within the group are ‘progressive’, with (a) being the lowest followed by (b) and so on. Authorisation in one category implies authorisation in any lower categories in that group. For example: if you have category 5a on your Driver Authorisation card you may drive vehicles in category 5a but not 5b or 5c; if you have category 5b on your card you may drive vehicles in categories 5a and 5b but not 5c; if you have category 5c on your card you may drive vehicles in categories 5a, 5b and 5c.

Seat numbers: these refer to the total including the driver’s seat as well as the passenger seats.

Please note that in order to keep the database accurate, and to ensure that skills are kept current, Driver Authorisation cards now bear an expiry date. Validity of cards will usually be for either 3 or 4 years, after which time they must be renewed. The length of validity may be varied at the discretion of the WRG Board. Authorisation cards remain the property of the Board and their return may be required at any time.

Gp. Full Description

Abbreviation

1.

Goods Vehicles

1a

DVLA B – Goods vehicles up to 3.5T gvw

DVLA B (GV =< 3.5T)

1b

DVLA C1 – Goods vehicles up to 7.5T gvw

DVLA C1 (GV =< 7.5T)

1c

DVLA C – Heavier rigid goods vehicles

DVLA C (Rigid)

1d

DVLA C+E – Articulated goods vehicle

DVLA C+E (Artic)

2.

Passenger-carrying Vehicles

2a.

DVLA B – Minibuses up to 9 seats

DVLA B (Bus =< 9 seat)

2b.

DVLA D – Minibuses up to 17 seats

DVLA D (Bus =< 17 seat)

3.

4WD Vehicles

3a.

DVLA B – Land-Rovers & Equivalents up to 9 seats

DVLA B (4WD =< 9 seat)

3b.

DVLA D – Land-Rovers & Equivalents up to 17 seats

DVLA D (4WD =< 17 seat)

4.

Trailers

4a.

Trailers behind Site Vehicles, on or off road

Site Trailer

4b.

DVLA B+E - up to 3.5T (towing vehicle up to 9 seats)

DVLA B+E (Trailer =< 3.5T)

4c.

DVLA D+E – up to 3.5T (towing vehicle up to 17 seats)

DVLA D+E (Trailer =< 3.5T)

5.

Tractors

5a.

Tractors up to 1000Kg

Tractor =< 1T

5b.

Ride-on mowers up to 1000Kg

Mower =< 1T

5c.

Tractors over 1000Kg

Tractor > 1T

www.wrg.org.uk

6.

Loading & securing of Plant

Loading

7.

Skid-steer Loaders

Skid-steer

8.

Dumpers

8a

Dumpers, rigid chassis, up to 3 tonnes

Dumper, rigid =< 3T

8b

As 8a plus Dumpers, rigid or articulated, up to 7 tonnes

Dumper =< 7T

8c

As 8b plus Dumpers, rear-tipping

Dumper =< 7T & Rear-tip

9.

Back-actor Machines

9a

180o Excavators

180o Excavator

9b

`JCB3 and Equivalents

JCB3 & Equivalent

10.

Tracked Excavators

10a 360o Tracked Excavators up to 7 tonnes

360o Excavator < 7t

10b 360o Tracked Excavators of any size

360o Excavator > 7t

11.

Draglines

Dragline

12.

Smalley Excavators

Smalley

13.

Bulldozers

Bulldozer

14.

Lifting Equipment

14a. Barrow Hoists

Hoist

14b. As 14a plus Small Cranes

Hoist & Small Crane

15.

Telehandlers (and Fork-lift Trucks)

Telehandler

16.

Vibrating Rollers

16a. Pedestrian Rollers

Pedestrian Roller

16b. Ride-on Rollers

Ride-on Roller

17.

Shredders

Shredder

18.

Generator-based Electrical Distribution Systems

Electrical Distribution

19.

Powered Winches

Power Winch

20.

Flails

Flail

21.

Boats

21a. Boats up to 7m, powered or unpowered

Boat =< 7m

21b. Boats over 7m, powered or unpowered

Boat > 7m

21c. As 21b plus Tugs and Hoppers

Tug

22.

Dredger

Dredgers

www.wrg.org.uk

WRGDriverAuthorisation2004 Therules

Normally the following rules apply: 1. Road going vehicles (Groups 1-4): drivers must be over 25 and have held a full driving licence for not less than two years, having driven regularly for at least one of those years. Driving licences must be clean.

2. Lifting equipment: operators must be over 21 with a full driving licence which must be clean.

3. Other self powered mobile plant: operators must be over 18 with a full driving licence which must be clean.

Some of the above requirements can be modified in individual cases by decision of the Board of WRG. If you are below the age limits given above, or if you have points on your licence and/or a medical condition, your application will automatically be referred to the Board on receipt and the issue of the card may be subject to some delay.

4. Irrespective of the above your application must show appropriate experience of operating each category applied for. This may take the form of participation in a recognised training programme such as WRGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Training Weekends, a counter-signature from your Working Party Organiser (WPO), employment history or recognised certificates (e.g. CITB). Further examples of acceptable evidence are available on the WRG website.

Supporting documents.

A If applying for authorisation for any category in Groups 1-4 (inclusive) YOU must send an authenticated* copy of your driving licence. If you have a photo-card licence then we need both sides of your photo-card as well as your paper Counterpart Licence. *The photocopy must be signed and dated as a true current copy of your licence. Copies can be authenticated by a member of the WRG Board or any deputy appointed by them. This will most likely be your local WPO - a full list of appointed persons is available on the WRG website.

B If applying for site-based plant only then a self declaration on the application form regarding your licence will suffice.

C For other supporting documents; certificates, etc. then a photocopy will suffice - do not send originals.

Please note: If site-based plant is to be taken onto the public road then: (i) the operator must be authorised for at least one category from groups 1-3 (inclusive). (ii) the plant must be road legal. (iii) it must be added to the IWA Special Vehicles schedule (via the IWA Insurance officer).

Your Application Because the DA scheme covers all equipment and sites insured under the IWA/WRG insurance (whether owned and operated by WRG or a local society) there are two distinct routes your application could take based on who controls the worksite.

1. If your main activities are with a WRG group or Canal Camps then you should send your application, with any supporting evidence, directly to the address below.

2. If however you predominantly work with one particular canal society we ask one further step: a Co-ordinator will be charged with collating your groups applications and submitting them with a counter-signature. Your local Working Party Organiser should know who this person is. (It will be decided by your societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s management, there is a list on the WRG website).

This person will forward your application to the address below.

PLEASE NOTE: All applications will be assessed before cards are issued. If you send your application form directly to Head Office without the counter-signature from your society Co-ordinator and your experience is not known to the WRG assessment panel your application is likely to be delayed or even refused.

Please send your application and the supporting documentation to Freepost NW2944, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1WD. For further information see our website or email da@wrg.org.uk Data protection: The information you provide will be stored on computer. We comply with data protection legislation such as the Data Protection Act 1998. Personal information will remain confidential to the Board of WRG but details of authorisations held by individuals will be made available to organisers & leaders who have a need to know.

This may be effected through paper-based or electronic communications.

www.wrg.org.uk

Dear Martin, A glance at the diary in Navvies 202 shows that wrgNW are setting fingerpost bases at the ends of the Macclesfield Canal. (see p25) The signposts are funded by IWA North West Region and Stoke Branch, The Macclesfield Canal Society and British Waterways.

The one to be placed at Marple will be dedicated to Ted Keaveney in commemoration of his outstanding efforts towards the restoration of Marple locks and the rest of the route along the Lower Peak Forest and Ashton Canals to Manchester.

This culminated in their reopening in 1974.

It was as a member of the Peak Forest Canal Society that Ted worked and although this was in ‘pre wrg’ days I thought this would interest your readers as, on disbandment, many PFCS members went on to join other canal societies and some were founder members of wrgNW. In April 2003 a memorial interpretation board was unveiled to Dr. Cyril Boucher, another PFCS stalwart, near the bottom of Marple locks so soon there will be recognition near both ends of the flight. IWA Manchester Branch are holding a boat gathering at Marple at Easter to celebrate the 30th anniversary of restoration, where the memorial signpost to Ted will be dedicated on Good Friday 9th April 2004.

In the letters section of Navvies 202 John Cowie writes about the beam limitations on the Huddersfield (Narrow) Canal.

I think that there is no doubt that the canal was constructed to take boats of 7ft beam. Over the years the sides of some locks have moved inwards, but this does not seem to be the case in the tunnel. I think the reason that it once passed 7' boats and will not now is quite simple. The tunnel sides of the bricked sections slope inwards towards the bottom. Although these are not the ‘pinch points’ it can be assumed that the unlined sections followed a similar profile even if to minimum dimensions. BW lowered the water level during restoration to give more air draft and this therefore reduced the beam. (BW claim that the water level was raised while un-navigable and is now at its original level).

This canal is reopened but far from fully restored.

On the one hand BW are asked to give priority to removing the pinch points so that 7' boats may pass and on the other they are asked to do dredging, provide facilities and do other works to improve the canal for the 95% (their figure) of boats that can use the canal. Although pinch points must be removed when major works are undertaken it is regrettably a matter of priorities unless substantial funding can be found.

Dennis Suleman

Letters The reincarnation of the KESCRG open trailer...

Dear Martin KESCRG – a couple of thankyous KESCRG has recently been given a couple of very generous donations for which I would like to thank the people concerned.

Anyone at the reunion weekend in November probably saw a very shiny Land Rover towing an equally shiny trailer with the KESCRG cooker in it. The shiny Land Rover is sadly not the group’s (nor mine for that matter!), but the shiny trailer is an amazing reincarnation of the tatty, very rotten old KESCRG open trailer.

After many years of sterling service the wooden bottom and sides of the KESCRG open trailer were finally starting to succumb to the hard life of living outside, carting about many many tons of sand, bricks, plant, the KESCRG cooker and even puddling clay on numerous canals around the country. The crunch came after a Little Venice a couple of years ago when I was taking Thomas the generator to its next job, and the bugger went straight through the bottom of the trailer on the M25. This was patched for the remainder of the journey with a bit of kitchen top but obviously the trailer was shagged.

A little while later I got hold of enough aluminium chequer plate courtesy of young Clive to replace all the wood on the trailer. I towed the whole sorry lot to Eddie Evans place where he was going to dismantle the old rotten body and refurb the trailer for us using the chequer plate. This turned out to be a major job which took him a huge amount of time but you really must inspect the results if you get a chance.

Now Eddie being a modest bugger will tell you we paid him for his work, but I have to make the point Eddie has done a magnificent job for which we would have been charged many many times more if done commercially. On behalf of KESCRG may I offer Eddie a huge thank you.

Secondly IWA London Region have just donated us £500 towards our annual insurance premium.

As I have said elsewhere paying the ever increasing insurance premium is a major task for the group and so this donation is very much appreciated.

Again on behalf of the group may I thank London Region.

Eddie Jones KESCRG weekend working party organiser

page 21

Progress The Dig Deep Initiative: co-ordinated canal restoration

Whilst Dig Deep is mainly about working on site, it also forms a useful forum for the Groups to exchange information and make decisions on the less attractive aspects of what we do. So at our last two meetings at the Mad Hatter in Southwark we have looked in some depth into the issues of health and safety and insurance. On the former we agreed to:

·

DIg Deep Report: January 2004 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’ - and thereby hopefully enabling the local canal societies that we are supporting on these projects to be able to commit funds and materials to them in the knowledge that there will be the labour to complete them.

·

Complete risk assessments and safety notes for the plant that we own and operate. Volunteers using such equipment will then be asked to confirm that they have read the notes and are aware of any potential risks/hazards.

Advise the Canal Societies and trusts that we work for that we will not use skip dumpers (PelJob or similar) as we consider these vehicles to be inherently unstable on any surface other than a macadamed roadway or similar.

Our discussions on insurance followed a detailed investigation by NWPG into the subject. The hypothesis being that as most of the canals on which we work already have their own insurance (through the local society or trust), then by having a further group policy we were being doubly covered. Not a problem at £150 -£200 per year but very much so at £500. However, our colleagues at IWA Head Office have persuaded us that NWPG (and therefore KESCRG) cannot avoid the fact that they are groups in their own right with leaders on site, upon whom the legal responsibility for the actions of the group will ultimately fall. No doubt therefore that we need to be part of the scheme. Instead we have sought to tailor our insurance to cover only those essential areas of our activity. By this we hope that KESCRG and NWPG will continue to be able to afford to carry on as independent groups.

We nervously await the bills for 2004.

As I intimated in my last report (Navvies 201), there has hardly been a flood of new projects seeking Dig Deep support. However, it does look like we shall have enough work to keep us busy for the next couple of years.

Bill Nicholson

On the Wilts & Berks, we seem to be moving into what should be a long and productive stay at Pewsham Locks near Chippenham. As you may have read elsewhere, there are three brick lock chambers here, together with a strange dry dock affair to be restored. There is also the length of canal running south towards Double Bridge to be cleared, dredged and culverts reinstated. We await a detailed plan from the W&BCT. Specific matters that need to be Dig Deep on the Basingstoke: the pipelaying continues clarified are:

page 22

· · · · ·

Definition of exactly what work Dig Deep is being asked to do.

Timetable – 2/3 years?

Working arrangements with the local volunteers on this shares site.

How vehicular access and improved parking is to be achieved to the site?

Progress Dig Deep on the Wilts & Berks, the Wey & Arun...

Funding, site huts and overnight accommodation also need to be addressed.

No doubt these things can be sorted out and we can settle into this site in 2004 for a long stay.

Bill Nicholson

Following discussions with the Wey & Arun Canal Trust, Dig Deep has been asked to install a swing bridge on an existing farm crossing at Harsfold on the Arun Navigation section. This is the section on which Dig Deep was launched in 1992 as part of the WRG Big Dig there. The swing bridge is ex Leeds and Liverpool and is currently in the farm yard at Newbridge. Work will be required to repair and re-furbish the steelwork, decking and bearing. At Harsfold, the existing flat deck concrete bridge will need to be removed and a re-inforced concrete structure to support the swing bridge constructed. In addition, an adjacent winding hole needs to be cleared (used by a previous landowner as a tip) and there may be bank reinsatement works and a weir to build. Dig Deep on the Wey & Arun: the ex-L&L swingbridge (above) and its intended new home at Harsfold (below).

Landowner permission has been given and planning permission is being sought ready for a start in April.

Graham Baird is managing the project for the Trust and producing the necessary designs, risk assessments etc.

Dig Deep will be the principle source of labour although once the project gets started offers of help from other WRG Groups would be welcomed.

This is likely to be a two year project involving demolition, structural concrete, brickwork, steelwork, painting, carpentry. There even may be some brick cleaning!

Bill Nicholson

Two of our current projects are nearing completion (three if Chaddington lock on the W & B is included). At Sidney Wood on the W & A, the runoff weir has been finished and an earth dam placed across the canal above Lock 16. Graham Baird has asked for one more weekend to complete the towpath surfacing and to reinstate the final gap in the towpath next to the site compound before the container is moved to Harsfold.

page 23

...and on the Basingstoke Canal At St Johns on the Basingstoke, pipe laying is approaching Lock 8. Conditions tend to be variable but generally difficult with the sandy soils in this area. Pete Redway advises that work will continue on the pipe and pump inlet through to midsummer when it should be complete. The target date for use of the back pumping system is 2005.

Alan Cavender (01628 629033) can provide more details

Dig Deep on the WIlts & Berks: at Pewsham Top Lock, rebuilding of the nearside chamber wall and offside paddle culvert are under way (above); Pewsham Middle Lock is in rather worse condition and will require a more major rebuild (below); Pewsham Bottom Lock is in the best state of the three, but might not be needed as the canal above here may have to be lowered to get under a road (bottom).

Martin Ludgate

Finally my ongoing reminder that Dig Deep is not an exclusive club. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re involved with a local canal society and think that you may have a suitable project then weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d be very keen to hear from you, by phone, letter or e-mail.

Alternatively if you want to know more about Dig Deep then browse our web site at www.digdeep.org.uk.

Martin Ludgate

Progress

Martin Ludgate

Bill Nicholson

page 24

Progress the

Left: WRG Northwest and IWA volunteers start work two new junction signposts, one at each end ot the Macclesfield Canal. The other one, at Marple, is to be dedicated to the late Ted Keaveney (see letter, p21). Below: the Hollinwood Branch of the Ashton Canal at Daisy Nook. A new canal society is being set up to restore this branch: the first meeting is to be held on Saturday 21st February 2004 at 2.00 pm in the John Howarth Visitor Centre, Daisy Nook Country Park. Meanwhile another group is being formed to look at restoring the other main branch of the Ashton Canal, to Stockport. Contact Peter Scott on email: ScottSclp@aol.com for more details. Bottom: in December vehicles started passing under the new Lichfield Canal Aqueduct over the M6 Toll motorway as the road opened to traffic.

LHCRT

David Kitching

Julie Arnold

...and even on Hollinwood Branch

page 25

“Yes, having escaped putting most of London WRG and KESCRG up in our fleet of interesting narrowboats, we’ve been able to turn our attention to the basin, and in particular some major scrub-bashing of the almost park-like site beside it, chamber clearance of the lock out to the canal, and finishing off the restoration of one of the tramway sidings as a heritage feature.”

Dig report London WRG and KESCRG at Froghall London WRG & KESCRG Christmas Party dig December 13-14 2003, Caldon/Uttoxeter Canal Yourrrrrr’e listening to the Navvying Today programme and it’s one minute, 347 days and two millennia… …after Christ’s birth. Allegedly. But more on that later.

First, here’s some traffic.

There’s a problem just off the M40 near Warwick, where tourists on the Warwick Castle to Shakespeare’s Birthplace run are creating traffic jams as they stop to inspect an abandoned red Morris Minor Traveller, led to believe by it’s obvious agedness (and it’s less obvious knackered dynamo and burnt-out battery) that it did in fact belong to The Bard himself. Meanwhile, in Leek, Staffordshire, a number of stationary cars are boxed-in to the car park of Millward Hall for the weekend by an improbably well-parked green trailer. Back to Brian Redshirt in the studio.

That’s great Alison, but what’s with the chappie in blue overalls wielding a chainsaw?

“Oh, that’s Tenko. He’s a whiz with it, isn’t he? You’ll only just manage to say the word ‘tree’ before he’s cut it down and sectioned it for firewood. We’ll pile it up over by the car park so that if it’s still there tomorrow, locals with unfeasibly large trailers can take it away.”

Thanks, Rupert, but how do you manage to feed this dedicated and hard-working group of impressively turned-out workers, and, er, the guy in the virtually non-existent shorts toting a digital camera?

“Well, with several Curver boxes of lunch, if it ever turns up.” *

*

*

*

*

Restoring an old tramway siding as a heritage feature

page 26

*

Meanwhile, let’s see what’s going on in Carenza’s trench. Ooh, what’s that, Ed?

Andi Kewley Ed Walker

We’re here in our N-reg red radio minibus broadcasting live from the site of this fascinating historic transport interchange, beside the impressive Froghall lime kilns. We’re interviewing Rupert and Alison Smedley, who are co-ordinating efforts from their mobile canal restoration support unit, disguised for heritage planning reasons as a blue Morris Minor Traveller.

*

Welcome to the lunchtime cookery show: Ready, Steady, Cater!. Today star chefs Brian & Maureen, Ellie and helpers various will create a three-course Christmas-effect dinner complete with two kinds of soup, three kinds of meat, two puddings, cheese and biscuits, home-made red wine and beautifully decorated tables, using only this youth club kitchen, enormous and unwieldy green cooker and Transitful of ingredients. But first, here’s a quick and simple lunch recipe. You will need one huge pile of sandwich fillings, anything left over from brekkie, some soup, several metal catering trays and a Peugeot 205...

Thank you. Now over to Froghall Basin on the Caldon Canal for a report on the restoration project there. *

*

Clearing the lock chamber

Ed Walker

“It’s the bit of this old tramway siding that was left unrestored (ie. half-rotten) as part of the heritage feature being created. Thing is, the plan is to put rails down and display a typical wagon of the period to aid the public’s interpretation of the site. So we need to put a horizontal beam across the end of the siding in order to fit some buffers. And this vertical member here on the left is not suitable, as part of it has rotted away.

If it’s anything like the one on the right, which has been replaced, it’ll be an old railway sleeper and come out, without a fight, to be replaced The Saturday night ‘London Underby this nice fresh one here.” ground’ theme party: can you guess which Tube station Richard’s dressed as?

Several hours later...

“Well, having found that it is in fact square in section, goes down nearly half a metre below ground level and probably wouldn’t even come out with a Tirfor, we’ve decided to chop out the rotten bit (nice clean cut at the front with the Stihl saw, much hacking at the rest) and graft in a cut-down railway sleeper. This involves chopping out much of the pointing Mk2 did this morning.” *

*

“Back to Rupert and Alison’s, methinks.”

The big story today is that the site looks really impressive now, ‘huge scrub clearance’ seeming like an understatement and ‘an endless supply of really black goo’ seeming even more like a living nightmare. Elanor and Eddie have started the kit-washing using pumped canal water whilst the pointing crew have finally sorted the three brick kits back into the appropriate bags. Anything else goes into the Really Useful Things Bag. Oh, and in other news, the Americans have finally found Saddam Hussein, alone in a hidey-hole in his hometown, and it only took 600 of them to take him.

Welcome to Tube Idol, in which only the very pithiest attempts at dressing up as London Underground stations will go through to win a selection of unspecified prizes. We have some really talented people here, all of whom want their big break in public transport impersonation...

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

It’s Sunday evening. You’re watching Restoration Songs of Praise…

•

Thanks be to Rupert & Alison for sorting out an excellent accomm and recommending an equally ace pub for Friday night

•

Thanks be to the catering team for yet another unbelievably wonderful Christmassy banquet

•

Thanks be to people various for organising real ale, and, er, homebrewed “Surprise”

•

Thanks be to Tenko for seeming to be cutting trees/ stumps/railway sleepers in at least three places at any one time

•

Thanks be to Bungle for going to bed early and thus discouraging Mk2 from starting a sing-song session

•

Thanks be to all the volunteers who actually made site on Sunday and dug, chopped, burnt, bashed and pointed their way through hangovers to leave the site transformed.

*

Welcome to ‘Sunday Breakfast’ and to those of you who haven’t got much further than sitting up in your sleeping bags, staring blearily into space and wondering why Bob hasn’t brought the teapot and some mugs upstairs.

And now, music video, featuring the Tim Lewis Prodigy with ‘Firestopper’, filmed on location at Froghall, and of course, in a London Underground tunnel.

“Well, hours of digging has meant that it isn’t actually possible to tell the difference between Bob, MKP and Sleepy Dave, who are uniformly covered in black goo. Oh, no, tell a lie, that one’s MKP. Amazingly, you can still see the virtually non-existent shorts.”

Thanks Marcus. But what are you planning to do with the wood with which you have filled the entire back end of your Land Rover?

*

“The panel of judges, from the very height of the waterway recovery movement, have made their decision, having first turned to drink at the sight of Welsh Alan dressed as a fishnet-stockinged schoolgirl. Stars of the night have included the black tie and ballgown of Steve Davis and Ruth as Bond Street, Bob as both Royal Oak and (through use of his ever-present pocket blowtorch) Burnt Oak, Dr. Liz as Green Park, complete with joggers and a pond full of frogs, Richard Cool as Angel, with white wings both delicate and large, and Liz Wilson as Hatton Cross. Yes, it’s as simple as getting a hat and a cross in this game, but how will they all fare in Dr. Liz and Martin’s floor-sized, London WRG t-shirt based, Underground-style, pub map game? And who will survive the Tube Quiz, in which they will be asked to name the only station which contains none of the letters from the word ‘mackerel’?

Meanwhile, back in Carenza’s trench...

Oh, and it was St. John’s Wood, by the way.

Mark ‘Mk2’ Richardson

page 27

Directory Please help us keep the Directory up to date - see below right BARNSLEY,DEARNE&DOVE CANALTRUST June Backhouse, 39 HIll St, Elsecar, Barnsley S74 8EN 01226743383 http://www.bddct.org.uk BIRMINGHAMCANAL NAVIGATIONSSOCIETY Jeff Barley, 17 Sunnyside Walsall Wood, W Midlands 01543373284 www.bcn-society.org.uk BUCKINGHAMCANALSOC TonyCollins 18SkeatsWharf,Pennyland MiltonKeynesMK158AY 01908604731 info@buckinghamcanal.org.uk www.buckinghamcanal.org.uk BUGSWORTHBASIN(IWPS) Ian Edgar Browside Farm, Mudhurst Lane Lyme Handley, Whaley Bridge High Peak SK23 7BT 01663732493 email: ian@browside.co.uk www.brocross.com/iwps/index.htm CALDONCANALSOCIETY Alison Smedley Hazelhurst Cottage Denford, Leek Staffs ST13 7JT email: alison@hazelhurst3.fsnet.co.uk CHESTERFIELDCANALTRUST Mick Hodgetts 31 Pottery Lane Chesterfield S41 9BH 01246620695 www.chesterfield-canaltrust.org.uk CHICHESTERSHIPCANALTRUST JohnHerniman 8 Graffham Close ChichesterPO194AW Tel: 01243 527374 e-mail: john@dherniman.freeserve.co.uk www.chichestercanals.co.uk COTSWOLDCANALSTRUST Neil Ritchie, The Chapel House SandfordRd,Churchdown Gloucestershire GL3 2HD 01452854057 email: NeilSigns@aol.com www.cotswoldcanals.com/

page 28

DERBY&SANDIACRECANAL SOCIETY DougFlack 23 Thoresby Crescent, Draycott DerbyDE723PH 01332874239 www.derbycanal.org.uk DIGDEEPINITIATIVE AlanCavender 10 Vicarage Road Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 7DS 01628629033 email: alan.cavender@lineone.net www.dig-deep.org.uk DORSET&SOMERSETCANAL STUDYGROUP Derrick Hunt, 43 Greenland Mills Bradford on Avon, Wilts BA15 1BL 01225863066 email: derrick@carlingcott7. freeserve.co.uk DROITWICHCANALSTRUST VaughanWelch 29 Dice Pleck Northfield, Birmingham B31 3XW 0121 477 9782 email:kvwelch@supanet.com www.worcs.com/dct/home.htm

GRANTHAMCANAL RESTORATIONSOCIETY Colin Bryan 113 Hoe View Road Cropwell Bishop NottinghamNG123DJ 01159892248 www.granthamcanal.com HEREFS&GLOUCSCT c/o The Lock Cottage, Over Gloucester GL2 8DB 01452332900 www.h-g-canal.org.uk KENT&EASTSUSSEXCANAL RESTORATIONGROUP Ken Parish EastwoodFarmhouse UlcombeRoad Ulcombe,Maidstone Kent. ME17 1ET 01622858329 email: Kescrg@btinternet.com www.kescrg.co.uk LAPALCANALTRUST 26 Loynells Road, Rednal BirminghamB459NP 01785 713862 / 020 8293 9744 www.lapal.org LICHFIELD&HATHERTON CANALSREST'NTRUST John Horton, 32LondonRoad, Lichfield Staffs WS14 9EJ. 01543262466 email: janette@horton100.freeserve.co.uk or Denis Cooper GorseyLaneFarm GorseyLane Little Wyrley, Pelsall Walsall WS3 5AJ 01543374370 www.lhcrt.org.uk

EASTANGLIANWATERWAYS ASSOCIATION Kevin Baker, 26 Geneva Walk Toftwood,Dereham Norfolk NR19 1XT email: NEATH&TENNANTCANAL kevin@gasservices.freeserve.co.uk SOCIETY Ian Milne EREWASHCANALP&DA 16GowerRoad, Mick Golds Sketty, 73SudburyAvenue SwanseaSA29BY Larklands, Ilkeston 01792547902 Derbys DE7 5EA Notts (0115) 9328042 NWPG GrahamHawkes FOXTONINCLINEDPLANETRUST 27 Lawrence Rd, c/o Mike Beech Tilehurst, Reading FoxtonCanalMuseum BerksRG306BH Middle Lock, Gumley Road 0118 941 0586 Foxton, Market Harborough email: Leicestershire LE16 7RA graham.hawkes@talk21.com 0116 279 2657 www.geocities. email com/nwpg2001/nwpg.html mike@foxcm.freeserve.co.uk www.foxcanal.fsnet.co.uk POCKLINGTONC.A.S. PaulWaddington GRANDWESTERNCANAL Church House, Main St. TRUST Hemingborough,Selby Denis Dodd, Wharf Cottage N. Yorks YO8 7QE Nynehead, Wellington 01757 638027 (eves) SomersetTA210BU 01405 763985 (days) 01823661653 www.pocklington.gov.uk/PCAS

SCARS(SANKEYCANAL) Colin Greenall 16 Bleak Hill Road Eccleston, St. Helens MerseysideWA104RW 01744731746 www.scars.org.uk SHREWSBURY&NEWPORT CANALSTRUST SteveBean 4 Arscott, Pontesbury ShrewsburySY50XP 01743860488 email: sn.canal@lineone.net www.sncanal.org.uk SHROPSHIREUNIONCS GeoffMunro 198, Oldbury Road Rowley Regis, Warley WestMidlandsB650NW 0121-5615747 www.shropshireunion.co.uk SLEAFORDNAVIGATIONTRUST SteveHayes 10 Chelmer Clo, N Hykeham Lincs LN8 8TH 01522-689460 email: steve.hayeskyme@ntlworld.com www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk SOMERSETCOALCANALSOC Bob Parnell 34WedgewoodRoad Twerton, Bath BA2 1NX 01225-428055 rtjhomepages.users. btopenworld.com/SCC2.html RIVERSTOURTRUST DaveRayner 26 Underhill Rd, South Benfleet EssexSS71EP 01268753245 SURREY&HANTSCANALSOC PeterRedway 1RedwayCottages St. John's Lye, Woking GU21 1SL 01483721710 email: p.redway1@btinternet.com www.basingstokecanal1. freeserve.co.uk/ SWANSEACANALSOC Clive Reed 17 Smithfield Road, Pontardawe, Swansea, West Glam. SA8 4LA 01792830782 THAMES&MEDWAYCANAL ASSOCIATION JohnEpton 45 Vinson Close, Orpington Kent,BR60EQ homepage.ntlworld. com/john.epton/tmca WENDOVERARMTRUST RogerLeishman 7 Hall Park, Berkhamsted HertsHP42NU 01442874536 www.wendoverarmtrust.org.uk

WEY&ARUNCT TheGranary Flitchfold Farm Loxwood, Billingshurst WestSussexRH14ORH. 01403752403 email: wact@weyandarun.freeserve.co.uk www.weyandarun.co.uk WILTS&BERKSCANALTRUST George Eycott 36 Grange Court BoundaryRoad NewburyRG147PH 01635569449 email: bungle@wrg.org.uk www.wilts-berks-canal.org.uk/ WOODENCANALBOAT SOCIETY 5 Oaken Clough Terrace Limehurst Ashton under Lyne OL7 9NY 0161-330-2315 IWAIPSWICH Colin Turner Cornerways ElmLane,Copdock Ipswich IP8 3ET 01473-730586 email: colint@copdock.freeserve.co.uk www.purbrook.demon.co.uk/iwa/ WRG:GENERALENQUIRIES, CANALCAMPBOOKINGSAND DRIVERAUTHORISATION PO Box 114, Rickmansworth HertsWD31ZY 01923711114 email: enquiries@wrg.org.uk www.wrg.org.uk WRGNORTHWEST Malcolm Bridge 3 Heather Bank Littleborough, Lancashire OL150JQ 01706378582 email: nw@wrg.org.uk www.wrgnw.org.uk WRGNW-ENQUIRIES/ PAPERCHASES DavidMcCarthy Woodstock 14 Crumpsall Lane Manchester.M85FB 0161-7402179 www.wrgnw.org.uk WRGNA(1) Spencer Collins (see below) WRGNA(2) Ian Nelson, 6 Lahn Drive Droitwich Spa WorcsWR98TQ. 01905 798 676 0973 640611 (mobile) email: ian.nelson@wrgna.co.uk www.wrgna.co.uk

WRGBITM&'NAVVIES'DIARY DavidWedd 7 Ringwood Road, Blackwater Camberley, Surrey GU17 0EY 01252874437 email: dave.wedd@wrg.org.uk www.wrgbitm.org.uk LONDONWRG TimLewis 6 Downs Road, Enfield Middlesex EN1 IPA 020 8367 6227 email: tim@timlewis.org.uk www.london.wrg.org.uk LONDONWRG:ENQUIRIES LesleyMcFadyen (as per Martin Ludgate below) WRGEASTMIDLANDS John Baylis (see below) ESSEXWRG DaveDobbin 130AshingdonRoad Rochford, Essex SS41RR 01702-544096 email essex@wrg.org.uk www.essex.wrg.org.uk IWA/WRGSTAMPBANK Steve & Mandy Morley 33HambletonGrove Emerson valley Milton Keynes MK4 2JS 01908520090 email: mail@morleytowers.org.uk CANALCAMPSMOBILES (A) 07850 422156 (B) 07850 422157 'NAVVIES'EDITOR Martin Ludgate 35 Silvester Rd East Dulwich LondonSE229PB 020 8693 3266 0777 947 8629 (mobile) email: martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk 'WRGWEAR'CLOTHING HelenGardner NB 'Sussex' Weaver Shipyard, Saxons Lane NorthwichCW81LB 07989425346 email: wrgwear@wrg.org.uk WRGFORESTRYTEAM GrahamRobinson Springwell, Spark Bridge Ulverston Cumbria LA12 7ST 01229861317 or Dave Johnson 01612787663 WRGBOATCLUB SadieDean 236 Station Rd, Whittlesey PeterboroughPE72HA 01733204505 07748 186867 (mobile) email sadiedean@vizzavi.net

WRGDIRECTORS CHAIRMAN MikePalmer 3 Finwood Road, Rowington WarwickshireCV357DH 01564785293 email: mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk TREASURER RogerDay, 5 Merton Road, Slough BerksSL11QW SECRETARY Neil Edwards, c/o IWA, POBox114 RickmansworthWD31ZY email: neil@waterways.org.uk WRGLOGISTICS Jen Leigh 45 Glebe Road Sheffield S10 1FB e-mail: logistics@wrg.org.uk WRGPLANT Malcolm Bridge 3 Heather Bank, Littleborough Lancashire OL15 0JQ email:malcolm.bridge@wrg.org.uk 01706378582 SITESGROUP&PUBLICITY Judith Moore 3 Finwood Road, Rowington WarwickshireCV357DH 01564785293 email: jude.moore@btinternet.com WRGPRINT John & Tess Hawkins 4 Links Way, Croxley Grn, RickmansworthWD33RQ 01923448559 email john.hawkins@wrg.org.uk

TRANSPORTMANAGER Roger Burchett (See Sue Burchett above) IWACHAIRMAN John Fletcher c/o IWA, PO Box 114 RickmansworthWD31ZY email: john.fletcher@waterways.org.uk OTHERDIRECTORS Mick Beattie 22BridgewaterAveAnchorsholme, Blackpool Lancs FY5 3NA 01253864034 Adrian Fry 31 Griffon Close, Elmore Lock Quedgeley, Gloucester GL2 4NQ 07976640962 email: amf@wrg.org.uk Spencer Collins N.B. 'Sunset', c/o Saltford PO, 493 Bath Rd Saltford Bristol BR31 3HQ 07976084055 email:spencer.collins@wrg.org.uk Chris Davey / Helen Davey 6 Partridge Ct, Round Close Rd Adderbury, Banbury OX17 3EP 01295812002 email chris.davey@wrg.org.uk Jonathan Smith, 23 Hardings Chalgrove, Oxford OX44 7TJ 01865 891 370 email jonathan.smith@wrg.org.uk JohnBaylis,215ClipstoneRdWest, Forest Town, Mansfield, Notts NG190HJ 01623633895

UpdatingthisDirectory: please help!

The aim of thisDirectoryistogiveup-to-datecontact details for all parts of WRG, plus all other groupsthatareinvolvedinvolunteerworkonwaterways.Howeveritcanonlybeasaccurateandupto-date as the information that is supplied to us.

If you spot anything incorrect, please tell us. Also if you are involved in a canal society not listed here that carries out volunteer work, please give us your work party organiserâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s details. And if your canal society is currently listed but no longer carries out workparties please tell us, and we will remove your entry so that you are not troubled by queries from wouldbe volunteers. A fuller list of canal society contacts is available in the IWA's Waterway Societies Guide, available from IWA Head Office and on www.waterways.org.uk.ThankYou. page 29

WRG Book Auction – February 2004

Bookshop Auction of second-hand waterways books

Over the past few months we have collected more waterway books for fund-raising. As usual, we have decided that the best way to sell them off is to auction them through the pages of Navvies with all the proceeds going to help fund WRG’s Canal Camps.

All the books (except where stated) are in fair second hand 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 Waterway Recovery Group Auction, PO Box 114, RICKMANSWORTH, WD3 1ZY to be received no later than March 15, 2004. Successful bidders will be notified shortly afterwards. Postage and packing is extra: £1.90 where the total of your successful bids is under £11.00 and £3.75 where the total of your successful bids is over £11 (UK only).

Lot Title / Author (or other description) Pages Date Reserve 1 Lock, Stock & Barrel – Shirley Ginger: a story of a family that ran the canalside Ginger’s Stores (Hardback), mainly text with a few illustrations 189 1985 £3.50 2 Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal (Towpath Guide No1) – J Ian Langford (Soft back): mainly text with about 20 pages of photographs 266 1974 £4.00 3 Water Rallies – David E Owen: rallies held in the 1960s to help to save the canals from closing (Hardback) A5 size, mainly text with 8 pages of photographs and a map 139 1969 £3.00 4 Canals Are My World – Iris Bryce: Waterways of the Midlands and North Country travel book (Hardback), mainly text with a few photographs 160 1986 £3.00 5 Bread Upon The Water – David Blagrove: an account of commercial carrying on Midland canals (Soft back), mainly text with a few photographs 224 1985 £3.00 6 Waterways Sights To See – Charles Hadfield: Sixty sights to visit and explore by car (Hardback), mainly text with a few photographs and maps 1976 £2.50 7 The Flower Of Gloster – E Temple Thurston with a new introduction by L T C Rolt: reprint of a classic account of a leisurely voyage in the 19th Century (Soft back), mainly text with a few illustrations and photographs 244 1972 £3.00 8 Small Boat Through France – Roger Pilkington: Voyage through the Inland Waterways of Europe (Hardback), mainly text with a few maps and illustrations 208 1965 £3.50 9 Cheshire Waterways – David E Owen: navigable waterways (Soft back), mainly text with a few photographs 72 1979 £2.00 10 British Canals An Illustrated History – Charles Hadfield: the standard history of British Canals (Soft back), mainly text with a few photographs 270 1970 £3.00 11 Know Your Waterways – Robert Aickman (Founder of The Inland Waterways Association): early book on canal pleasure boating (Soft back), mainly text with a few photographs 127 £4.00 12 Small Boat Through Belgium – Roger Pilkington: Voyage through the Inland Waterways of Flanders (Hardback) A5 size, all text 211 £3.50 13 Canal Barges & Narrow Boats – Peter L Smith: the development of trading craft on the Inland Waterways (Soft back); photographs throughout 32 1983 £2.50 14 Canal Town Stone – John M Bolton: A history of life on and around the Trent & Mersey Canal at Stone in Staffordshire (Soft back) A5 size, text and photographs throughout 73 1981 £2.00 15 Inland Waterways of Great Britain and Ireland – L A Edwards: well-known volume, packed with information seldom found elsewhere, plus line drawing maps. (Hardback) With tatty dust jacket.

Scarcely seen edition 470 1962 £15.00 16 Boatyards & Boatbuilding – Robert J Wilson: Covering all aspects of boating on inland waterways (Soft back) horizontal format, text and archive photographs throughout 32 1974 £2.50 17 250 Waterway Landmarks – John Gagg (Soft back) A5 size, text and photographs throughout 32 1976 £1.00 18 Too Many Boats – Robert Wilson: The history of British Waterways’ narrow boat carrying fleets (Soft back) horizontal formal, text and photographs throughout 48 1980 £2.50

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19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47

The Canals Of The West Midlands – Charles Hadfield: a standard reference book in The canals of the British Isles series (Hardback) A5 size, mainly text and and few photographs 335 1966 £8.00 A Short History Of The Narrow Boat – Tom Chaplin (Soft back) smaller than A5 size, mainly text and a few photographs 48 1967 £2.00 Claytons Of Oldbury – Alan H Faulkner: history of the unusual fleet of tanker narrow boats carrying liquid cargoes (Soft back) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout48 1978 £2.50 Your Book Of Waterways – Eric De Mare – World’s rivers and canals, importance in history (Hardback) A5 size, mainly text with 12 pages of photographs 70 1965 £4.00 Northeast Waterways – Derek Bowskill: A cruising guide to the Witham, Trent, Yorkshire Ouse and associated waterways (Hardback) text, maps, photographs and charts throughout 245 1986 £3.50 Southern Inland Waterways – Derek Pratt – covers the Thames and its surrounding waterways (Hardback) A4 size, mainly photos and descriptions 128 1982 £4.00 The Trent & Mersey Canal – Historic Waterways Scenes – Peter Lead (Hardback) mainly photos and captions 131 1980 £4.00 Britain’s Lost Waterways 2 – Michael E Ware (Hardback); mainly photos and descriptions 1979 £4.00 Discovering Craft Of The Waterways – D J Smith – seamanship of inland navigation (Soft back) smaller than A5 size, text, illustrations and photographs throughout 86 1987 £1.50 A Pictorial History Of Canals – D D Gladwin (Hardback) A4 size, mainly photos and descriptions 141 1986 £2.50 Inland Cruising – Tom Willis: what to expect on how to work the boat, the engine, the locks and the bridges (Hardback); text, photographs and diagrams 189 1987 £2.50 The Canals Book (Waterways Series New 1972 Edition) John Gagg: Cruising notes on 2150 miles of canals (Soft Back); text, photographs and maps 144 1972 £3.00 Inland Waterways Of Great Britain - Lewis A Edwards: reference book with mileages, dimensions and information on all navigable waterways in Britain (Hardback) with many maps and photographs 456 1985 £10.00 Along The Canal, The Kennet and Avon from Bath to Bradford-on-Avon – Valerie Bowyer: A guide for walkers, boaters and sightseers (Soft back) text, illustrations and maps throughout 62 1976 £3.50 The Warwick Canals – Alan Faulkner: two important canals on the route between the Midlands and London (Soft back); text, photographs and maps 77 1985 £3.50 FMC – Alan H Faulkner: A short history of Fellows Morton and Clayton Limited, famous canal carriers (Soft back) A5 size horizontally, text and photographs throughout. Now scarce 48 1975 £5.00 The River Runs Uphill – Robert Aickman (IWA founder): two decades of his involvement in the waterways (Hardback) Mainly text a few photographs. Scarce 210 1986 £15.00 The Shell Book Of Inland Waterways – Hugh McKnight: includes general introduction to all aspects of waterways plus route descriptions of every navigable waterway in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland (Hardback) Text, photographs and line drawings 488 1975 £3.50 Still Waters Mystery Tales of the Canals – Margaret Cornish (Soft back) All text 186 1990 £3.50 The Kennet And Avon Walk – Ray Quinlan: 90 miles of the Kennet and Avon Canal (Soft back) smaller than A5 size, mainly text, photographs and maps 192 1991 £2.50 The River Folk – Margaret Dickinson, fiction (Soft back) A5 size, all text 452 2001 £3.00 Glassfibre Boat Manual: Practical Repairs, maintenance and Improvements (Hardback) A4 size, text, drawings and diagrams 190 1989 £3.00 Fibreglass Boats Second Edition – Hugo Du Plessis: detail of finishing and fitting out boats (Hardback) A4 size, text, drawings and diagrams 326 1976 £3.00 The Medley Of Mast And Sail A Camera Record 2 – Alexander Anthony Hurst (Hardback) A4 size, text and photographs throughout 460 1981 £5.00 Coal Boats To Tidewater – Manville B Wakefield: Route of the Delaware & Hudson Canal and Gravity Railroads (Hardback) A4 size, text, photographs and diagrams throughout 206 1965 £5.00 The Facts About The Waterways – British Waterways Board (Soft back) A4 size, all text 126 1965 £3.50 Fun On The Waterways – John Banks & Peter Hume: A book to use on holiday (Soft back) A5 size, text, illustrations, photographs and tables 64 1972 £2.00 Canals In Camera 2 – John Gagg Including Oxford, Shropshire Union, Leicester, Birmingham-Fazeley Fossdyke and Witham Erewash (Hardback) larger than A5 size, photographs and descriptions 112 1971 £2.50 West Sussex Waterways – P A Vine: Local history of the waterways of the area (Hardback) archive photographs and captions 96 1985 £5.00

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48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75

The Future Of The Waterways Interim Report Of The Board – British Waterways Board (Soft back) All text 52 1964 £4.00 Leontyne - By Barge From London To Vienna – Richard Goodwin: An old Thames Tug travels from London to Vienna (Hardback) Mainly text and a few photographs 219 1989 £3.00 Victorian & Edwardian Canals From Old Photographs – D D Gladwin: range of photographs from Scotland, England and Wales (Hardback) – archive photographs (168) and captions 120 1976 £3.50 Canals And Their Architecture – Robert Harris: a study of machinery, engineering structures and other buildings (Hardback) large format, text, photographs and illustrations throughout 216 1969 £10.00 Canal – Anthony Burton and Derek Pratt (Hardback) quarto size, photos and text throughout 96 £5.00 London’s Lost Route To Midhurst The Earl of Egremont’s Navigation – P A L Vine: An historical account of the Earl of Egremont’s Rother Navigation and building of the Petworth Canal (Hardback) text photographs and maps throughout 166 1995 £5.00 The Thames An Eating, Drinking And Cruising Guide – L R Munk: Useful guide for the Thames (Hardback) A5 size mainly text and a few maps 128 1967 £2.50 Boat Engines A Manual For Work And Pleasure Boats – Peter Bowyer – a manual for use of inboard power craft (Hardback) text, charts, diagrams and photographs 188 1979 £3.00 Idle Women – Susan Woolfitt – insight into the work of the wartime ‘trainee’ boatwomen (Hardback); mainly text with 8 pages of photographs 223 1986 £7.00 5000 Miles 3000 Locks Britain’s Inland Waterways – John Gagg: ‘pleasures and occasional hazards of cruising’ (Hardback), mainly text with 12 pages of black and white photographs, a map and two diagrams 170 1973 £4.50 An Illustrated History of British Waterways - D D Gladwin (Hardback) small format, text and photographs throughout 156 1977 £4.00 Early Solent Steamers – Capt F T O’Brien: A history of local steam navigation (Hardback) mainly text with a few photographs and diagrams 242 1973 £4.00 Narrow Boat Painting – A J Lewery: techniques and style of traditional working boat painting are described (Hardback) text, photographs and diagrams 142 1974 £7.50 The Waterways of Britain: A Social Panorama – D D Gladwin: About the people of the waterways (Hardback) mainly text, with a few photographs and illustrations 235 1976 £8.00 Knobsticks – Robert J Wilson: Canal carrying on the Northern Trent and Mersey Canal (Soft back) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout 32 1974 £3.00 Life Afloat – Robert J Wilson: A working life on the inland waterways (Soft back) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout 48 1969 £3.00 Tankers Knottingley – Alan H Faulkner - (Soft back) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout 48 1976 £4.00 Roses And Castles – Robert J Wilson: understanding the art (Soft back) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout 48 1976 £3.00 Epilogue – Robert J Wilson: last days of canal carrying on the Grand Union and adjoining canals (Soft back) horizontal format, text and archive photographs throughout 79 1977 £3.00 Narrow Boat Venture – John Poole (Soft back) text, photographs and a folded map of the waterways system 63 1975 £3.00 The Number Ones – Robert J Wilson: The story of the life of owner boatmen on the Midland Canals (Softback) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout 32 1972 £3.00 The George & The Mary – Alan H Faulkner: A short history of the Grand Union Canal Carrying Company with complete fleet list. (Softback) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout.

Now scarce and sought after 32 1973 £8.00 Sea Breezes ‘The Ship Lover’ Volume XXV11 - Jan to June 1959 - Maritime historical data (Hardback) mainly text - some photographs 468 1959 £4.00 Sea Breezes ‘The Ship Lover’ Volume XXV1 – July to Dec 1958 - Maritime historical data (Hardback) mainly text - some photographs 460 1958 £4.00 Sea Breezes ‘The Ship Lover’ Volume XXV - Jan to June 1958 – Maritime historical data (Hardback) mainly, text - some photographs 476 1958 £4.00 Sea Breezes ‘The Ship Lover’ Volume XX1V – July to Dec 1957 - Maritime historical data (Hardback) mainly text - some photographs 476 1957 £4.00 Sea Breezes ‘The Ship Lover’ Volume XXV111 – July to Dec 1959 - Maritime historical data (Hardback) mainly text - some photographs 436 1959 £4.00 Set of 7 Nicholsons Guides to the Waterways. 2000 editions – original cost £69.93 – in excellent condition 2000 £20.00

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KESCRG support at Little Venice ’04 As I sat down thinking of what to jot down, I took a look at what I said last year: partly for inspiration and to check I didn’t repeat myself. I note I was in a surprisingly clear but cold Manchester around the same time of year and was finding it hard to think forward to sunnier times we usual enjoy over the Little Venice Canal Cavalcade.

This year I am in London having just spent a surprisingly clear but bitterly cold KESCRG weekend working down on the Chichester Canal. Again I find it hard to think forward to the May bank holiday, so no change there then!

KESCRG will be attending Little Venice Canalway Cavalcade 2004 which is taking place over the bank holiday 1st – 3rd May. We will be providing site and services support over the weekend and as ever I will be leading a small band of merry men (and women!) either side of the weekend itself helping to put the show together.

Navvies news Volunteers wanted Canalway Cavalcade

for

As well as a cracking event to attend it is very important the event does well from our point of view as some of the monies raised are donated to KESCRG to help cover our insurance bill. Sadly, as with all the volunteers group this is increasing every year but without which we can’t go and do what we do best at weekends.

If you want to give us a hand either during the setup/derig or over the weekend itself, please give me a shout either by email eddiejones@tiscali.co.uk or on the mobile 07850 889 249 (although leave a text if booking in so I can write it down as my memory is crap). Because we are using boats to stay on we have a definite limit to the number who can be accommodated.

Please contact me before the event to guarantee a berth.

As explained last year we no longer erect the tents ourselves because of insurance implications, but may well be required to collect the marquees, stalls, barriers, tables, chairs etc from Hackney by working boat. If this happens again this year I will require assistance loading and unloading the truck transporting the gear the short distance from the hire company’s yard to the wharf at Springfield Marina. The reward for your services is of course a trip back down the down the Lea and up the Regents to LV and a welcome pint in the Warwick Castle, no doubt in the company of LWRG.

Camp Leaders wanted!

Once the marquees are up we lay-in the power, mark out the trade areas, plumb-in the water etc with the aim to have the site ready for Friday afternoon.

Over the next few weeks Gavin Moor and Adrian Fry will be starting work on finding leaders and assistant leaders for this year’s Canal Camps.

Following the success of the Bhaji stall at last years national, Ian and Liz Williamson have offered to setup and run a similar stall at Little Venice. I am hoping to combine this with a KESCRG publicity stand for which we will obviously need additional help to man this new venture.

If you fancy leading or assisting on one of this year’s Camps, contact Gavin on email: gavin.moor@wrg.org.uk or Tel: 07970 989245, or Adrian on email:amf@wrg.org.uk or Tel: 07976 640962.

As anyone who has worked with us over the years will know, despite the best efforts of the organisers the quality of the accommodation has been rather varied (to put it mildly). Following the recent theme of using boats to stay on I am pleased to announce Libby Bradshaw has secured the use of the BW ex Adelaide widebeam boat ‘Sophia’.

This will hopefully provide us with a superior grade of accommodation over previous years.

I know I am repeating myself now but there is something very special about seeing the pool full to bursting point with boats covered with decorations, or standing on the horse bridge beside the Bridge House looking along the main line at boats moored 3 deep as far as you can see on the visitor moorings.

Hope to see you there.

Cheers, Eddie Jones

Canal Camp and weekend costs We have reluctantly decided to increase the cost of Canal Camps from £35 to £42 per week starting from this year’s first Camp: this is the first price increase for many years. The new rate is based on £6 per day i.e. £2 per meal for all meals.

Centrally-booked weekend work party meal costs will also increase in line with Canal Camp costs, from £8 per weekend to £10 per weekend.

However this will not affect the Cleanup weekend, as this had already been advertised at the old price before the decision was made to increase the rate.

So book now for the cleanup (see p13) and you’ll get a great weekend at a BARGAIN RATE!

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WRG Boat Club News

Navvies news The training weekend, the Boat Club and Mr Mac’s brew wagon WRG Training Weekend 2004 Once again British Waterways Heritage Skills Centre at Hatton has provided a site for our training weekend and once again Ali Bottomley has volunteered to be the WRG leader for the weekend which will be held on May 8-9.

Ali would welcome any suggestions for what training people might find useful - machinery operation, manual skills, First Aid or whatever. It is likely that there will be a certain emphasis on machinery training in connection with the update to the Driver Authorisation Scheme (described in the centre pages of this issue), with ‘refresher’ training likely to be available for those wanting to be authorised in categories in which they have been trained but lack recent experience.

Requests for booking forms and other enquiries should go to Ali Bottomley at 53 Redgrave Close, St James’s Villlage, Gateshead NE8 3JD, phone 07719 643870 or email a.bottomley1@gateshead.org.

Raffle Tickets Apologies for including a book of raffle tickets with the last issue without any explanation of what they were for: it was a last-minute decision to put them in issue 202 when we unexpectedly found that the number of pages in the issue and the lack of other inserts meant that we could include them for no extra postage costs.

The raffle is in fact being run by Stoke on Trent IWA branch with the proceeds divided equally between waterway projects in their area and the Right Tool appeal to raise funds for WRG. If any of you still want to send in any tickets, please could you post them and the money (pay The Inland Waterways Association) to the promotor Mr Alan Chetwyn, 13 Newborough CLose, Birches Head, ST1 6RY rather than to the Navvies address.

If you have already sent your tickets and money to WRG, don’t worry - the tickets will be forwarded to the right address, the money will be banked by WRG and the proceeds split between the Appeal and Stoke on Trent IWA.

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It’s that lovely time of year that we have been looking forward to all winter: the closures will soon become openings and things start to get moving again. I usually set off up the Nene with a vague plan for the year so.... What exciting activities have we got lined up for the boat club this year? Well as of today.... None! Come on, let us know of work which we can get to by boat!

BITM has work at Rickmansworth (21-23 May), Wendover (29-31 May) Basingstoke Canal (1920 June) and Wendover again (31 July - 8 August). We have missed their weekend on the Buckingham Arm in January by now (which the river Nene kept me from), but if members can make it to any of their digs I’m sure that they will be welcome. Contact Graham on 01252 656087 or bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk.

PLEASE can other groups let us know of their plans well in advance. Us boating volunteers want to be involved but need much advanced notice to get to places! [The BCN Cleanup on 20-21 March sounds to me like a highly suitable dig for boating volunteers to attend - see p13. ...Ed] The Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs (AWCC) is in the process of updating the constitution, This will be voted on at the AGM on Sat 20th March.

Please let Claire or me know before then of anything that you want brought to the attention of AWCC. There are plots and plans for boat club activities bubbling away and you will all be informed, and possibly be sorry*, as soon as anything definite is ready for public scrutiny! xxx Sadie Dean * It may involve raising money!!

And finally, from Mr Mac...

May I crave this use of the columns of Navvies to send a big ‘Thank You’ to all who sent me cards and greetings for the festive season and also for the many expressions of concern at the sad expiry of the engine of the ‘Mobile Brew Hut’ on the M40 (though would it be uncharitable to say that they were lamenting the lost Tea and Broken Biscuits?)

However REJOICE, give thanks and sing Te Deums (cue for ‘Bungle’ for hit song at the next ‘National’) regardless of expense (and boy, was it some expense!) a fresh engine has been found and installed and is now undergoing a period known as ‘running in’ (which means that I’m now finding out why the last owner was glad to see the back of it) so hopefully the Luxury Vehicle will soon be serving up the necessities of life once again.

Contacting the chairman: Mike Palmer, 3 Finwood Rd, Rowington, Warwickshire CV35 7DH Tel: 01564 785293 e-mail: mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk

Space wanted... ...for WRG to store some equipment in the Midlands somewhere.

We need somewhere secure to keep a standard 20ft by 8ft container full of kit, plus space to park a Transit van with trailer, plus one smallish item of wheeled or tracklaying plant eg a small excavator or dumper. .

We would need some way of having access to it at any time of day or night (we could give notice to the keyholder in advance if necessary), it would need to be accessible in the WRG beavertail truck (for purposes of delivering plant) and would be useful if there was public transport not too far away.

If you can help please contact Mike Palmer (see above)

Noticeboard Many Happy Returns... ...from all of us to Mr Mac, who completed his eighth decade in January.

THANK YOU to Carolyn Smith who has just stood down after many years service as Canal Camps Treasurer.

(That’s thank you for many years service, not thank you for standing down...)

Mobile Phones One thing that we omitted to mention last time in the piece about not using mobile phone while driving WRG vans: when you pull over to the roadside to make or receive a phone call, remember that legally you have to not only bring the vehicle to a standstill but also turn the engine off.

Stamps wanted

New on the WRG Website www.wrg.org.uk... ...a link to ‘waterways watercolours’. Former London WRG ‘regular’ Mike Atkins has a number of his paintings and prints of canal scenes for sale and has offered a proportion of the proceeds to the Appeal. (Thanks!)

Follow the link to the Appeal page and from there to ‘Waterways ‘Watercolours’.

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 Printing and assembly: the source is acknowlJohn & Tess Hawkins edged. WRG may not 4 Links Way, Croxley Grn agree with opinions exRickmansworth, Herts pressed in this magazine, WD3 3RQ 01923 448559 but encourages publication john.hawkins@wrg.org.uk as a matter of interest.

Editor : Martin Ludgate 35 Silvester Road East Dulwich London SE22 9PB 020-8693 3266

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

Nothing printed may be construed as policy or an official announcement unless so stated - otherwise WRG and IWA accept no liability for any matter in this magazine.

Waterway Recovery Group is 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, Neil Edwards, John Fletcher, 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 © 2004 WRG Tel : 01923 711114 Registered no 4305322 ISSN 0953-6655

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Backfill

Thank you... ...to Brian Holt for this photo, showing a length of canal bank exposed by reduced water levels at Buckby Locks on the Grand Union. Complete with a pair of boots buried in it. Brian wonders if there’s still a WRGie wearing them....

Introducing WRG Anorak Bingo: a game to liven up boring discussions...

Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a discussion of paddle gear on the BCN, differences between Series 2 and Series 3 Land Rovers ‘I think ‘Bolinder’ ‘Yes, but or single-cylinder hot-bulb semi-diesels fitted you’ll find only in the in Thomas Clayton tanker narrow boats, and that...’ south’ felt that perhaps your evening could have been better spent elsewhere? Fear not: WRG ‘Theonly ‘Land ‘In the Anorak Bingo is here to help you. All you need Rover’ original placeyou’ll to do is for all of you who are not absolutely version...’ find that is...’ enthralled by descriptions of the subtle differences between 1972 MK1 and 1972 MK2 ‘Of course ‘It’sstandardon ‘KL15’ Northern Line tube train stock or between a theLeeds& Large Northwich and a Middle Northwich to theychanged it in 1964...’

Liverpool’ equip yourselves with a Bingo Card each. (an example is printed to the right) Then just cross off each expression as it occurs in the conversation around you. The first person to complete a line wins a prize (say a year’s subscription to ‘Practical Trolleybus Owner’) and the first to complete their entire card shouts ‘Bingo!’ (or maybe ‘Bungle!’) and wins the top prize of an item of their choice from the WRG Plant store outside North Cheshire Cruising Club.

Thank you...

New from Logistics... ...Tools Reunited: the website that helps spades and mattocks that haven’t seen each other in years get back together.

Seen in the papers....

Sadly it turns out to be the Waste Recycling Group again.

And next time... ...to whoever it was (sorry I’ve forgotten) who sent in this picture showing what Mr Mac gets up to when he isn’t making tea.

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’Spanner Wars’: a series of films from George ‘Bungle’ Lucas...