Navvies 212

avvies N Volunteers restoring waterways No 212 August - September 2005

waterway recovery group

Contents Contributions... ...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 email attachments, preferably JPG format. Send them to the editor Martin Ludgate, 35, Silvester Road, London SE22 9PB, or email to martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk. Press date for No 213: September 1st.

Subscriptions

In this issue: Chairman’s Comment MKP leads a camp 4-5 Coming soon book now for the Bonfire Bash 6-7 Camp reports from Saul and Sleaford 8-15 Directory of WRG and canal societies 16-17 Diary Canal Camp and working party dates18-20 Letters to the editor 21-22 Concreting reinforcing codes revealed!

23 David Hutchings Another appreciation 24-25 Camp report NWPG on the Wey & Arun 26-28 Logistics new tape measures and levels! 29-30 KESCRG on the Lichfield Canal 31 Plant Bungle’s got a brand new plant trailer 32 Navvies news and Sits. Vac. 33-34 Noticeboard 35 Backfill a novel use for the Tardis is suggested 36

And next time... ....we hope to include camp reports from all the camps that either haven’t happened yet or have happened but we haven’t received any camp reports from them yet. Such as the Hereford & Gloucester, Sexy Wilts & Berks (ask MKP why), Wey & Arun (2nd and 3rd weeks), Mon & Brec, Lichfield, Grantham, Grand Western... and the National Festival camp at Preston Brook.

PLEASE GET THOSE REPORTS IN SOON!

A year's subscription (6 issues) is available for a minimum of £1.50 (please add a donation if possible) to Sue Watts, 15 Eleanor Road, Chorltoncum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9FZ. Cheques to "Waterway Recovery Group" please.

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

WACT

Cover photo: The culmination of our work at Froghall over the past two-and-a-bit years - and (we hope) the start of restoration through to Uttoxeter. Narrow boat Ben carries a boatload of volunteers through the restored Lock 1 into the rebuilt basin at the official reopening in July. (Photo by the editor) Below: All our own work: volunteers from Wey & Arun Canal Trust and all of the Dig Deep teams celebrate the official opening of the Haybarn Swingbridge, a completed Dig Deep project.

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Camp reports please!

As I write this, the main Canal Camps season has been under way for several weeks, and by stretching the press dates just a little (OK, just a little bit beyond breaking point!) we’ve managed to include reports from the first three camps in this issue.

That means that out of the 16 camps in the main programme, there are another 13 that we haven’t yet printed camp reports from. We would like to include them all in the next issue - yes, all 13 of them if you send them in in time (we will happily increase the number of pages if necessary). Because if you don’t send them in in time, then they won’t appear until the following issue which means that folks won’t be reading about your exploits in July until December. Which also means that you’ll have me hassling you for your camp report for another two months. Not to mention that by the time you get round to writing it your memories of the camp won’t be quite so sharp - and you might have trouble remembering if it was 2,000 or 3,000 bricks you cleaned, whether it was Tuesday or Wednesday that you got thrown out of the ice rink for that episode involving a Burco and a bricksaw, and exactly why one of your new volunteers ended the week with the nickname Jane ‘two baked potatoes and a trouser-press’ Smith...

Editorial It’s that time again... time for the Ed to start chasing camp reports!

So go on, get writing them now! And don’t forget to send lots of nice pics to go with them - and if you send the pics to Jen too, then she can use them in the 2006 camps brochure.

Good news The good news on the waterways keeps on coming in. Not only do we have a superbly restored basin and lock at Froghall (see cover pic), a working swingbridge on the Wey & Arun (see this page) and another lock reopened on the Driffield Navigation (see next page) but there’s good news for the future of the Droitwich with confirmation of the main funding for completion (see Navvies News on page 34), a big Lottery grant for the Bude Canal... and even a £150,000 award to restore the Bilston Arm of the BCN - which I’d never even heard of!

Thank you ...to Chris Griffiths of Stroudprint for assistance in getting this issue out on time.

An apology I’m sorry that in my editorial last time (at least in the paper copies of the mag) I expressed my infuriation at the late arrival of various contributions with a poor choice of phrase. I did not intend to cause offence based on anyone’s race or religion - only to vent my frustration at the struggle I had been having to get the mag out on time (or at all) - and I apologise to anyone who was offended by my inappropriate words.

Martin Ludgate

No more Mr Stroppy Editor?

It really swings! First boat through Haybarn Bridge

Well, not for this issue anyway. But that’s nothing to do with whether the contributions arrived on time (they didn’t). However I can recommend going on a Canal Camp or two as an excellent way of relieving stress. There are still a couple of camps to go before the end of the summer programme, and there’s one in October and another at New Year. Go on you know you want to!

Martin Ludgate

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Chairman MKP runs a Canal Camp by the seat of his pants...

No endless email exchanges about what if a nuclear tanker runs into the site, until yesterday I didn’t have enough drivers, I still don’t have a cook, and not a single one of the volunteers has been on a camp before. And it feels good. This is a nice, straightforward camp on a site that just needs a big push – exactly what we were brought into being for.

Chairman’s Comment

But for those that think I’ve given up that control freak stuff don’t worry - it will be back for the Lichfield.

Well here goes for another summer – by the time you read this I will have completed Camp 10 on the Wilts and Berks but as I write this it starts next Saturday*. (Which is a bit of a problem as we also have the Froghall opening that day but these things were sent to try us.)

Last Navvies we announced an extra camp (CC21), which seemed a good omen to start the season with. Indeed it seems to have worked because as I type this we have enough bookings to guarantee all our camps, the leaders are all appointed, and many of the camps are fully booked.

Anyone who knows me will be expecting me to be disappearing behind a mound of paperwork and planning. Well not this time as this is going to be a ‘seat of the pants’ job and I have to admit I am really looking forward to it. I’m not saying that they won’t be any paperwork – but it will just be what I need to do, not what several ‘suits’ think I should do in order to make things safe and cosy for them.

The only exceptions to this are the September camp on the Middle Level (which has been rescheduled for Easter 2006) and Camp 13 on the Mon and Brec; whilst we could continue to hang on in and hope for the best it seems much more responsible to concentrate and consolidate our success with the other camps and cancel this one.

The previous week will be going ahead and hopefully we will still manage all the important work.

One of the less high-profile restoration projects also had a reopening recently. The Mayor of Driffield is seen cutting the tape to declare open Whinhill Lock on the Driffield Navigation in Yorkshire

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One of the most important aspects of canal restoration, and one that rarely gets a look in in this magazine is fund-raising. Without all those people writing letters, giving presentations and twisting limbs none of the rest of it would occur. I must admit, its not something I give a lot of thought to for three reasons – (a) we already have the security of our running costs being funded by IWA, for which we are very grateful, (b) it’s very nice putting the fundraising responsibility on others and (c) the real reason – many funders will only fund a specific project in a specific location, so because we zoom around the country we just don’t qualify for a lot of it.

So when I went to the Northern Canals Association meeting in July (in Louth – lots happening there, call in and see it if you are passing) and saw Andy Screen’s presentation on opportunities available for fundraising I thought that I might communicate a couple of interesting new schemes.

Chairman ...and describes a couple of new sources of funds.

Those of you who watched the highly popular Restoration programme on the BBC may have accidentally switched to one of the more minor channels (ITC? ITV? something like that) recently and seen the promotions for The people’s millions.

It seems the Big Lottery Fund have got together with those telly people and come up with a “phone in and vote for who we should give the money to” show. Now the first series deadline has already closed but the programme will return for series two. So all you local societies log onto www.biglotteryfund.org.uk and get a submission in that we can all support. At the very least you will get some publicity.

So that’s the local problem sorted – how about the other common problem? All the funders want you to have everything in place including things like land purchase, etc. Which is all a bit of a gamble. So HLF is launching Landscape Partnerships, this is a much bigger player with up to £2.5 million but best of all you can make a submission with just a gentlemen’s agreement between all the potential partners necessary rather than a full commitment between everyone.

That’s it - see you soon Mike Palmer.

PS Race night venue is confirmed as Hatton Village Hall on the 15th Oct – put the date in your diary now.

Mike Palmer

(*) Except as I have just discovered the print date for Navvies has slipped a week so I will be able to get in a stop press in and it goes something like this: STOP PRESS – Froghall is ace. The camp on the Wilts and Berks was…

...actually despite the slipped press date he failed to get anything in. But Working on rebuilding bridge abutments at Shrivenham on Mike they look pretty happy in the pic on Palmer’s Wilts & Berks Camp. Full report next time (please!) the left, don’t they? ...Ed

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Coming soon Autumn and winter camps, Bonfire Bash... and Christmas!

The main summer canal camps programme will be coming to an end by the time you read this, but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing happening in the next few months. So here’s a preview of some of the digs, camps and other events that will be taking place between now and the end of the year.

But firstly, on the subject of the summer camps programme coming to an end: you may be just in time to join Ed Walker and Liz Wilson for a week of rescuing the Ell Brook Aqueduct on the Hereford & Gloucester before it collapses, or helping Mike Palmer and Becky Parr to rebuild a section of towpath wall through what was until very recently part of somebody’s garden on the Lichfield Canal. Both of these camps run from August 13 to 20 which means it’s probably too late for you to book, so please ring the leaders on 07850 422156 (Lichfield) or 07850 422157 (H&G) if you want to join them. And then from August 22 to 31 it’s the IWA’s National Waterways Festival at Preston Brook, and I’m sure the leaders of the WRG Site Services Camp Al Moore and Richard Worthington will be very grateful of any last-minute offers of assistance - but do please phone them (on either of the above camp phone numbers) to warn them you’re coming.

We’re sorry to say that the Canal Camp planned for September has had to be postponed. But we will be rescheduling this interesting project to raise the very low Ramsey Hollow Bridge in Lincolnshore and allow more boats to use the intriguing Middle Level Navigations for next Easter.

The next major event in the WRG calendar isn’t a work party at all, it’s a Race Night on October 15th. If you haven’t been to one of these before, the idea is that it’s just like going to the races, except that all the horse-racing action takes place on video - and all the profits from the betting go to a good cause (like WRG!) instead of going into the bookies’ pockets. It’s a really good fun evening and a great social get-together - so put the date and venue (Hatton Village Hall, Warwickshire) in your diaries now. We will be organising catering and overnight village hall type accommodation: contact Mike Palmer (see top of p35 for his contact details) for more information.

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Next comes the October Canal Camp on October 22-29. “October Canal Camp, what October Canal Camp?” I hear you ask. Yes - although it didn’t appear in the camps booklet because originally we weren’t going to have one, there will be one. We’ve found a venue (Seven Locks on the Wilts & Berks), some accommodation (Foxham Reading Rooms), some leaders (Jo ‘Smudge’ Smith and Dave ‘Taz’ Tarrant), a cook (Liz ‘Dr Liz’ Williamson) and hopefully we’ll find some keen volunteers (nicknames not compulsory) to turn up and lay bricks, lay hedges and lay concrete.

The big event in November is our annual Bonfire Bash and reunion weekend on November 5-6.

This is when you get to see what 100-plus WRGies can do when we get together for a weekend - both in terms of how much work we can achieve, and how much partying and socialising we can manage too. Everyone is welcome to attend whether you’re a first-timer from one of this summer’s camps, an old hand from one of the regional groups, a canal society volunteer - or even someone who’s never worked on a canal before.

This year we’re returning to 2003’s venue at Fourteen Locks on the Mon & Brec. We’re assured by the local canal trust that there’s still loads and loads of scrub for us to bash, the accommodation is the same school as we were in last time, and Mr Spencer Collins is the WRG organiser for the event.

Please book using the form on the opposite page.

And please do book as soon as possible, as it makes it much easier (or should that be ‘less difficult’?) for us to plan the work, the catering, the accommodation and everything else involved in an event this size if we’ve some idea in advance how many people are coming.

One final point: we’re sorry that once again due to the high cost of insurance, we won’t be able to have a traditional Guy Fawkes Night ‘do’ - so don’t bring any fireworks. (There will, however, be plenty of bonfires on site!)

And on to Christmas: on December 3-4 KESCRG and London WRG get together for their Christmas Party Dig which this year is on the Wilts & Berks Canal. It doesn’t matter if you’ve never been digging with either of these groups before everyone is welcome. More information and booking details next time.

And finally: the New Year Camp on December 26 - Jan 1. Once again Dave ‘Moose’ Hearnden will be leading it, and once again the venue is looking likely to be the Cromford Canal - and once again there should be lots of big bonfires!

More in issue 213.

Martin Ludgate

waterway recovery group

NATIONAL CO-ORDINATING BODY FOR VOLUNTARY LABOUR ON THE INLAND WATERWAYS OF BRITAIN

WRG Reunion Bonfire Bash 2005

I would like to attend the 2005 WRG Bonfire Bash on the Monmouthshire & Brecon Canals on November 5th-6th Forename:

Surname:

Address:

email: Phone: Any special dietary requirements?

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

(please make cheques payable to ‘WRG’) for food

(cost is £10 for the whole weekend, based on £2 for each meal.)

How will you be travelling to the Bonfire Bash?

Do you want to work with volunteers from one of this year’s Canal Camps or from one of the regional groups? If so, which camp or group?

Do you suffer from any illness, such as epilepsy or diabetes, about which you should know, or are you receiving treatment or under medical supervision for any condition YES/NO If yes, please attach details on a covering letter.

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: Bonfire Bash Bookings, WRG, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY page 7

Camp report Diggin up the path (and the past) on the Sleaford...

Camp 0502: Sleaford Navigation By way of a change, we thought we’d get different people to write each day’s bit of the report, starting with Chris...

If, like me, you’re new to WRG and Canal Camps, you will be oblivious to the running of a camp. But for the knowing ‘old hands’ the first day was pretty organised, with people mucking in with meals, food, checking the inventory of all manner of tools and the paraphernalia associated with bringing an assorted bunch of people to dig. Nothing too surprising, even for new people to figure out.

However there was a surprise waiting for us in the spoil to be removed from the site – which I’ll return to later.

The ed doing what comes naturally - digging the dirt

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Sunday: The first day on site started with a hearty breakfast and a short trip in the minibus to a stretch of the very unused Sleaford Navigation at Cogglesford Mill Lock. The mill itself is a working (certain days only) museum of local life and well worth a visit. It is surrounded by countryside crisscrossed with footpaths and of course the waterway consisting of the very overgrown navigation and pretty stretches of the River Slea leading back into Sleaford itself. For those of you that have yet to leave a footprint in the mud here, the River Slea and the Sleaford Navigation are one and the same. The river was made more navigable towards the end of the 18th Century by building locks to enable full use of the waterway.

Back to Sunday. It’s hard to imagine the navigation west of Cogglesford Mill being a busy waterway. It is now 5.30 and I walk the towpath to the last of the elegant lime trees that marks the boundary of this week’s project. There is no danger of getting your wellies full of water by wading from bank to bank, and as I take my final 1-metre pace of fifteen (showing the difficult day had by the digger driver) I am struck by the scene before me.

The fresh green of the lime trees framed by a bright blue sky with ever present (for Britain) fluffy white clouds, which thankfully were in transit to another place where they would inevitably be cursed by some and blessed by others. The water whose progress is slowed by decades of builtup silt and rafts of blanket weed, is home also to grayling, ducks, grebes and a variety of other flora and fauna. A scene to remember when bogged down at work or when faced with an endless array of housework. However life at this pace will in the long term surely see a waterway doomed as further decay sets in – which is why we set to work this morning clearing overhanging branches and strimming the towpath margins, as a start to the long-term regeneration of a wonderful part of the Lincolnshire countryside.

Progress in the earthworks was slowed down by the pedestrian pace of the two tipper trucks, and by mid afternoon a number of the team left the site to walk along the towpath to visit Navigation House, built in the 1830s and standing on Navigation Wharf in the town. The remainder of the worker colony slaved away moving soil. Which brings me to the surprise mentioned earlier. Some years ago I lived in Peterborough where I regularly found fossils in my garden. These I discovered were the remains of a squid-like creature called a Belemnite. It came as no surprise to find them in Sleaford too.

Belemnite fossil segments were turning up in profusion in the spoil along with flint nodules which I didn’t pay that much attention to until I found a fragment of flint with evidence of what looked like stress fractures similar to those found on flint worked by our stone-age ancestors.

Moments later I made a discovery which made Bellemites and flint small cheese. I bent down to pick up what looked like a fragment of terracotta, only to find myself staring at an almost intact animal claw with only the very fine tip missing. The only animal I can think of that would have claws this size would be a bear. So in one day the remains of sea-creatures millions of years old were found with evidence of stone age man living in the area, with possibly the only part of his lunch that has lasted after centuries lost in downtown Sleaford. Amazing!

After Navigation House had yielded its secrets to the curious, they returned to the site and basked a while in the warm sun before leaving for the accommodation to prepare our evening meal and a much-needed shower. Meanwhile the colony of workers finished moving the last few loads of spoil from the towpath. On our return it was our turn to block the drains with the layers of dirt and sweat accumulated during the day, before like hungry wolves we fell on the wonderful meal cooked

by Izzy.

Whilst we were perfecting the art of second gear, the rest of the camp worked solidly on a range of tasks including shifting soil, excavating the path and whilst waiting for the new skips, drinking tea!

Sadly, lunch had to be extended in anticipation of skip arrival, but, we were finally ready to go it alone... to show the camp that we were worthwhile members of the team. After a day of calculated manoeuvres and careful navigation (up and down a straight field) I (Susi) rested my weary bones in the full skip whilst I (Laura) helped Chris determine which part of the body a piece of fossilised bone had come from.

We settled on the femur.

Martin Ludgate

Today brought another change to the group.

Chef Mark’s arrival marked the beginning of good food. With On my first canal camp day Susi and Laura in training for their ‘8a’ delights such as my only regret is that I didn’t come along sooner. If the rest of the week is only chicken casserole and apple pie, we returned to half as satisfying as today I will leave Sleaford a civilised catering. [Well I thought Izzy’s Spag Bol on Sunday was pretty good. ...Ed] Post dinner very happy man.

Chris Taylor and the quickest clear up ever, we went bowling.

With an interesting mix of strikes, complete misses, video cameras and copious amounts of Now over to Susi and Laura for Monday... alcoholic beverages, we all scored over fifty – quite Welcome to Susi and Laura’s version of ‘camp an achievement, given the circumstances. Both report’. Even with all our Duke of Edinburgh Award pool and ice hockey tables were then made amexperiences behind us nothing quite prepared us ple use of. Unfortunately, our pool skills are somewhat lacking, and after a close call in the first game for ‘WERRGG’ camp. we were well and truly beaten by Chris and James The first couple of days at times had been decid- in the second. edly slow. but all was about to change! Rumours on Sunday evening that ‘others’ may be taught For many the evening did not end after our return to the rugby club. Later reports informed us that the ways of the dumper truck were rife. activities, such as drunken twister, occurred early Upon our arrival on site we were whisked away to into the morning. It is at this point that our report the holding pen of the diggers and dumpers, there must conclude, but before we go we are pleased Martin (with an ‘i’) imparted his great knowledge to say that we did indeed pass 8a and are sinto the both of us. Thus began our journey to cerely looking forward to commencing the next achieving category 8a, the first step in the acad- stage of our studies. emy of dumper driving. So under Martin’s watchThoughtfully written by ful eye we drove, sometimes we even contribSusi King & Laura Nattrass. uted our unique style to the shape of the path.

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Camp report “...the words ‘It’ll be fine’ had crossed my lips a few times...”

Back to Chris for a quick archaeological update...

And finally we hand over to the leaders Nina and Izzy for the rest of the week...

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With nearly the entire length of towpath (c. 200m) dug out, the race was on to fill it in again. We had acquired a second high-tipping dumper (actually about the fourth – they kept breaking) the previous afternoon and it was immediately pressed into constant use transporting the recycled road planings to the far end of the towpath where they were raked out on top of the Terram by Lynne, Max, Richard and James. Chris made use of his golf-course-making pedigree and took on the role of grader supreme; making a more-than-perfect job of ensuring the path sloped in all the right directions (thank you Chris!). Further up the towpath, the wood edging was progressing rapidly with help from Laura, Susi, Tony and Nic (in between vital nail-filing intervals). Harry achieved superhuman excavation progress both on the pile of planings and on the remaining stretch of path, ably assisted by Phil-the-Bitch who whizzed along like a whizzy thing on the dumper (and sometimes on both of the posh dumpers but not simultaneously and that wasn’t a euphemism).

Martin Ludgate

Monday’s finds were mostly Belemnite fragments which at times were heavy with concretion or rock formed from the sediment washed into the sea at the time the Belemnites died. The day also turned up Gryffia and a short section of tree root. Tuesday turned up a piece of blast furnace bloom, iron and charcoal along with yet more gryffia and two pieces of fossilised bone, more Belemnite, two small lengths of clay pipe stem and a section of bovine cheek-bone. However these are contemporary bones, though still interesting in that along with the other finds they help to build up a picture of past life in the area. But why are not greater numbers of finds turning up? Possibly (1) because this is a footpath reinstatement and not an archaeological dig we are throwing similar evidence away because we simply aren’t here to find and record bits and bobs from the past. Or (2) more finds are not forthcoming because the soil we are removing isn’t originally from this site. Without digging into local history we can never be sure that this spoil wasn’t removed from another site to create what was in evidence before the towpath restoration was started by WRG this week. Lots of questions and right now no answers.

Seeing as neither of us can really remember how the week began, we thought we’d start around about Thursday (which wasn’t topless and is a little less blurry than the days that preceded it).

Wednesday had been a long day (as usual) with approximately eleven hours of it being spent on site shovelling, dumpering, diggering and sawing, so we decided to make Thursday a shorter day (or less long to be more precise!).

“Are we ready to roll?”

So progress was made.

And then Martin turned up - in his car, not an AA van, and according to him, he’d driven all the way there and not just driven out of the back of a lorry round the corner impressive! Then it was late afternoon and a nice man called Sean arrived on site. He was from a company called Colas and the purpose of his visit was to show us how to use the bitumen spray that had been specified for the top layer of the path and also to take some photographs for their website (using our path as a case study!).

So if anyone needs to know anything about bitumen spraying, just ask me or Izzy!

The locals provided us with the evening’s entertainment in the form of boating in the centre of Lincoln – thank you to Mel, Sue, Chris and Steve.

So, we finally left site shortly before 5pm ready for a well-earned evening out. Most of the time on the boats was spent photographing the other boat, eating chips, sheltering from the rain, discussing the heritage of the Lincoln canals and photographing the other boat a bit more. We disembarked around ten o’clock and headed to a local boozer for some real ale (and in some cases, real cider). Points of interest in the pub included many a tattooed body, a man with a steel bar through the back of his neck (on purpose), wonky ceiling fans (that looked like they were going to jump out at you à la helicopter crash) and errr… us! (Because we have the ability to look strange even in a strange place.) Izzy kindly drove us home from our little adventure and some of the party continued in the form of Twister in the shower rooms.

And it was! Mark our lovely chef extraodinaire had spent the entire day preparing many a delicacy for the hungry workers and the BBQ was eaten with great enthusiasm by us and our friends at the Sleaford Navigation Trust. We then proceeded with a presentation ceremony which included Izzy and me giving each other identical presents in the form of long stripy socks (a complete coincidence, honest!). And then Mark’s pièce de resistance was unveiled: a huge…baked Alaska complete with cake fireworks. Wow! On that note, Izzy and I would like to thank Mark for his wonderful cooking, David Pullen for his hard work, commitment, advice and good humour, Norman Osbourne for running around for us, fetching diesel and anything else we needed, and finally, EVERYBODY on the camp for working so hard all week and for making it one of the ‘most funnest’ camps I have been on.

Finally some statistics for the week:

Friday arrived with a sharp pain in the forehead, which thankfully was cured swiftly by a nice cup of tea (thanks Martin!). Only one day to complete the job…

The day wheeled on (with one wheel smaller than the other at times) and then hurtled along, with everyone working to their maximum potential. The end (of the towpath) was in sight and as we had our last tea break at around half past five, we were finally all convinced that we would in fact complete the job before the BBQ had finished. So, cutting it rather finely (I did say it would be fine) we downed tools for the last time at around half past seven. And we left site all very happy and proud of what we’d done (if a little strange and excitable) and ready for the barbecue of the century!

Nina Whiteman

Martin Ludgate

On arrival at site, we continued where we had discontinued the day before: tipping and raking planings, completing the wood edging and excavating the final few metres of towpath. I trained Nic, James, Richard and others to use the bitumen spray apparatus and the final stage of the job spurred into action – one person spraying, one person wheeling the trolley with the barrel and others raking fine gravel (very finely) across the tar. By lunchtime, the words ‘It’ll be fine’ had crossed my lips a few times, and I had convinced myself, at least, that it would be.

5 people trained on dumpers 9 skips filled 190 metres excavated 8 different items of plant used (4 dumpers, 2 excavators, 1 roller, 1 sprayer) 80 tonnes of planings 4 tonnes of gravel 2 barrels of tar

“All our own work” - Izzy and the finished path

page 11

Camp Report Supporting the Cotswold Canals Trust’s Saul Festival Saul 2005 – The cook’s perspective The run up to the camp started well following a call from Jen to confirm that she had taken the cooking utensils out and cleaned them – an improvement on last year when for various reasons they hadn’t been checked and they were not nice at all. Then we realised no tea towels had arrived yet but an urgent phone call to Dr. Liz soon sorted that one – she hadn’t realised we were going there from the Saturday.

Nick left for site first thing on the Saturday and James, Holly and myself arrived with the lunch.

James then spent the rest of the afternoon helping Bungle build a sandbag wall – I’m not too sure his weight really helped firm the sandbags in but he enjoyed it anyway!

Monday was Bungle’s magical mystery tour around southern England. First to drop off Malcolm to drive the beaver tail with excavator ‘Blue’ on to Lichfield. Then on to Newbury to drop off Bungle’s trailer. It was while we were in Newbury that we got the phone call asking us to help site the showers – it took a while but eventually we persuaded them that we weren’t going to be able to do that from a Land Rover in Newbury.

The day was brightened by meeting Sue for lunch.

After lunch Bungle and I agreed that there was no need to follow him to his Dad’s workshop and that I might as well just go straight back to site from there. I was approaching Swindon when we realised that I should have picked up an oil drum – oh well never mind too late by then.

Tuesday was a quiet day on site for me, Alan Wiffen arrived and helped Bungle plumb and wire as appropriate. We had a barbecue in the evening but had to go into the marquee to escape the thunderstorm. While we were eating, Kath and Pete turned up so after Bungle showed them where to park the motorhome they joined us in the marquee by which time it was raining so hard that Kath had to put her umbrella up in the marquee…

Not that we admitted as much to the volunteers the next day…

The next morning Nick arrived on site first thing with Lauren (assistant leader) and shortly afterwards my kitchen arrived (once Bungle had convinced the driver that he wouldn’t sink into the field – mainly by bringing him back in the buggy to show him the much bigger lorry with Herras fencing on it already in the field). Once the kitchen was in place I went to Gloucester to do some shopping and pick up our Spanish volunteers leaving Bungle to plug the kitchen in to electricity and water. I arrived back to Bungle telling me everything was fine except the freezer was hotter than the fridge and the insides of the fire suppressant system control box were hanging out so he’d called out both relevant engineers who promised to be there 8am the following morning.

Aerial view of ‘WRG CIty’ - the accommodation at Saul Bungle

Then next morning the boys and Holly finished off the sandbag wall and gate widening while I went back to bed. Memo to self: ‘don’t go to sleep in a tent during the day in summer’ - I woke up almost cooked. That afternoon I received a phone call from Jen – “you know those utensils I washed for you…” it turned out she had left them behind.

The boys finished up the work on Sunday afternoon and Nick went home as he had to be in the office Monday and Tuesday.

page 12

Next morning no sign of the freezer engineer (useful with all the meat I had just picked up from the butchers – good job the camps kit has a freezer) but the fire suppressant system engineer arrived by 10. We showed him the problem and left him to it. Thirty minutes later it was all back in place and switched on – and the next thing we knew, the fire suppressant system went off, drowning all our kit and food in chemicals – lovely. This was followed by us trying to get the food out in a mad dash and in the process my food processor got broken. The engineer called out a cleaner and an electrical engineer as the electrics refused to work (hardly surprising as they were full of fire suppressant chemical!). By 11.30 I realised I wouldn’t be making lunch in the kitchen and sent Liz Lamen off to Sainsburys for 40 packets of pre packed sandwiches. By the time all the engineers had gone – including the freezer engineer who arrived during all this – I didn’t have time to put the kitchen back together, go shopping and cook dinner and as I thought I’d have a revolt on my hands if I served up just beans and tuna with some dried fruit (about all that was rescuable), I went and got dinner from the chippy.

Saul 2005 – Bungle’s perspective Saul began on the Friday a week before the festival, I took minbibus SAD to Abingdon to pick up the caravan. Here I discovered that if you tow a long single axle caravan out of a field with a van that has a long overhang, the back end of the caravan keeps grounding out….. Which is nice.

Following numerous stops to let the wheel bearings cool down I finally arrived on site very late indeed (in fact it was so late it was nearly very early).

Clive Field

Although the camp proper did not start until the middle of the week before the festival, a small group gathered for the previous weekend to widen the field gate which involved culverting a ditch.

The first job was to shift all the materials from the CCT compound to the worksite using the new WRG plant trailer (see page 33), following which I donned chest waders and entered the ditch. Now this would have been fine if it had been water, but the ditch consisted of a foot of water and three feet of sticky, slimy, orrible silt…. Nice. Once the digger driver had removed silt to the right level, some hardcore was chucked in to give the pipe a From then on there were no major problems with bed and then we dropped the pipe into the ditch. the catering – other than ones induced by being At this point we discovered that large plastic drainasked to just “pop” into the electrical suppliers on age pipe, despite being VERY heavy, floats. Indeed, even with 1 Bunmy way past into gle’s worth of weight Gloucester, very scary placed on top it still that as the guy behind floats. The driver swung the counter looked a lot the bucket round and like Bungle – slimmer planted it firmly on the and taller maybe but top of the pipe, pushed still scarily like him. Or it down and into place, ones induced by Fusswhich then only left the pot professing not to question of what we know what a stew was would use to backfill the and saying she didn’t hole with rubble. The like the food – mind farmer disappeared and you, I did notice she came back with a loadcame back for secing shovel that he had onds! And it was a “found” and the hole shame I served up Misstarted to fill at a very sissippi mud pie as she fast rate. Then the sand was leaving – oh well I bag relay race began. gave her a take-away The CCT volunteers portion. would fill them, Nick barrowed them and I The rest of the camp placed them. It was a seemed to go well – long job and just like an lots of people came in iceberg all that can be and ate lots of food and seen now is a couple of looked fairly tired from courses above the watime to time but not too ter line, but the wall is tired that they couldn’t double thickness and manage the odd half of about 7 feet high built beer or two. out of over 200 very Bungle cabled-up and ready to be turned on large sandbags.

Cath Coolican-Smith

page 13

Camp Report “Gosh” said Bungle as he phoned the tyre company...

Monday was the tour of the country, Wantage to drop off Malcolm, Newbury to drop a trailer and pick up some kit, Theale for lunch, Reading to collect Sammy (the big generator truck), back to Reading with Sammy to get a Diesel leak fixed, Saul to drop Sammy and set off in the van, collect cables being loaned to us from Napton, collect a large generator and then to Rowington to get the flight case for the camp then finally back to Saul at just gone midnight….

Tuesday was the day to start plumbing and wiring.

Friday was a day for plumbing and wiring, including connecting up the milk tanker of water to the camp site showers. It was a much bigger tanker than last year and the driver struggled to get it onto site, but his persistence won through, unfortunately when he tried to get the tractor unit out from under the articulated trailer, the trailer sank and he was stuck. So we got both the tank and the truck parked up for the weekend! In the afternoon Pete knocked up an adapter from the parts that had arrived to connect the last of the wiring to Sammy. In the evening we were being very relaxed connecting the last of the traders up and everything was going well, the band had just started playing. Then I got a phone call from Cath: “Bungle, I’ve lost power in the kitchen, and the accommodation tent lights have gone out too”.

As I began to think about which breaker to go and reset I realised that the music had stopped.

A sprint across the site later I got to Sammy and discovered that the generator had shut down. Five minutes of fumbling about later I got it restarted and started to put power back on to the site. As we watched the ammeter going up we realised that the site was drawing too much power for Sammy to cope with (hence the unscheduled shut down). Luckily we had some backup generators on site and once we had shifted some of the load across to them everything returned to normal.

Tim Lewis

Wednesday we did some more plumbing and wiring. At this point we realised that we didn’t have enough outlets of the right size on Sammy to run the site as we had never run so much cabling out at an event before (this should have been a hint of things to come) so I started ringing around various suppliers. Sammy - being of a certain age uses a connector that is fairly unusual: in some cases it was a job just persuading suppliers that the connector even existed let alone get a price.

Thursday I started to panic, no-one had managed to get me a connector, rang a few more people and at 3:30 found someone who could help and get me a connector for the following day. Result!

Carried on with plumbing and wiring.

The Saul Lavender Crew on their luxury lavender boat

page 14

Saturday the festival happened, one power feed kept tripping out, the prime suspect was a trader with three fridges. Eventually I just disconnected them and everything worked. Later on we connected their fridges back up one at a time. When we got to the last one it emitted a bang and crackle before a blue flash and some smoke. That will be the broken one then….. That afternoon it was very hot and Sammy shut down again. We shunted some more load onto other generators and everything returned to normal.

Sunday at 7am Welsh Phil and myself stopped Sammy to have a good look into why it kept shutting down, after half an hour we traced the problem to overheating due to a blocked radiator, not helped by the bulb in the “Overheat” light being blown (if it had worked we would have had a good idea to start with!). For the rest of the day we kept a very close eye on the temperature which resulted in hosing the radiator down in the afternoon to keep everything at the right temperature.

Late in the afternoon one of the backup generators broke down in sympathy which caused some very bad language indeed. Sunday evening saw the end of the show.

Monday we stripped out power and plumbing from everywhere except the WRG camp and then took the radiator out of Sammy to get it overhauled, the reason for the overheating was then very obvious, it was choked solid! In the evening a driver arrived to collect the milk tanker. Even with the water drained out it took quite some doing to extract it from its sunken position. The driver made a quick phone call, words in italics are NOT those used by the driver - use your imagination:

Tuesday we finished the last of the packing of the site including the steel container. Most people went home.

Wednesday myself and Nick prepared to shift the generators to Lichfield, when we discovered that Sammy had a last surprise in store, a flat tyre.

“Gosh” said Bungle as he rang the number programmed into his phone on fastdial for a tyre company. Eventually we set out for Lichfield at a steady pace, Sammy in front followed by VOJ. At one point Nick though he was going to have to put his hazards on as I missed the change to 3rd on a hill on the M5 and ended up going for 2nd to get moving again… Following a brief detour on the way back to pick up a cement mixer from Bromsgrove we arrived back at Saul and decamped for home.

Big thanks to Pete, Alan, Nick and Welsh Phil for helping with plumbing, wiring and Sammy.

Big thanks to Lauren (only her second camp and assistant leader already) for keeping everyone busy doing stuff.

Big thanks to Cath for cooking and getting stuff Big thanks to all of wrgNW who arrived and did more stuff Big thanks to everyone else who I have missed for doing, err, stuff.

That was Saul….. Hmm, got the first planning meeting for next years soon! See you next year?

Bungle

After getting out from the holes into which it had sunk, the driver then discovered that there was no way it would go back out over the bridge as the bends were in the wrong place, the only way to do it was to reverse out. This involved pulling with the telehandler and some more blue words from the driver. Once he had reversed it out he started to swing around forwards to turn round when a Range Rover drove across the completely empty field and parked right in front of him. The lorry driver addressed in the Range Rover driver with the phrase: “I know it’s a bit tight for jolly parking around here but for goodness sake!”

Tim Lewis

“Did you jolly well park this jolly tanker in this jolly field?...... Well I suggest you get your jolly backside over here and drive the jolly thing out then...”

It wouldn’t be a festival camp without some fencing to move

page 15

Directory Please help us keep the Directory up to date - see below right BARNSLEY, DEARNE & DOVE CANAL TRUST June Backhouse, 39 Hill St, Elsecar, Barnsley S74 8EN 01226 743383 www.bddct.org.uk BIRMINGHAM CANAL NAVIGATIONS SOCIETY Jeff Barley, 17 Sunnyside Walsall Wood, W Midlands 01543 373284 www.bcn-society.org.uk BUCKINGHAM CANAL SOC Tony Collins 18 Skeats Wharf, Pennyland Milton Keynes MK15 8AY 01908 604731 email: info@buckinghamcanal.org.uk www.buckinghamcanal.org.uk BUGSWORTH BASIN (IWPS) Ian Edgar Browside Farm, Mudhurst Lane Lyme Handley, Whaley Bridge High Peak SK23 7BT 01663 732493 email: ian@browside.co.uk www.brocross.com/iwps/index.htm CALDON & UTTOXETER CANALS TRUST John Rider 1 Dainty Close Leek ST13 5PX 01538 386790 email: john@riderjohn.jsnet.co.uk CHESTERFIELD CANAL TRUST Mick Hodgetts 31 Pottery Lane Chesterfield S41 9BH 01246 620695 www.chesterfield-canaltrust.org.uk CHICHESTER SHIP CANAL TRUST Linda Wilkinson, 1 Chidham Lane Chichester PO18 8TL 01243 576701 www.chichestercanals.co.uk COTSWOLD CANALS TRUST Neil Ritchie, The Chapel House Sandford Rd, Churchdown Gloucestershire GL3 2HD 01452 854057 email: NeilSigns@aol.com www.cotswoldcanals.com/

page 16

DERBY & SANDIACRE CANAL SOCIETY Doug Flack 23 Thoresby Crescent, Draycott Derby DE72 3PH 01332 874239 www.derbycanal.org.uk DIG DEEP INITIATIVE Alan Cavender 10 Vicarage Road Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 7DS 01628 629033 email: alancavender@tiscali.co.uk www.dig-deep.org.uk DORSET & SOMERSET CANAL STUDY GROUP Derrick Hunt, 43 Greenland Mills Bradford on Avon, Wilts BA15 1BL 01225 863066 email: derrick@carlingcott7. freeserve.co.uk DROITWICH CANALS TRUST Vaughan Welch 29 Dice Pleck Northfield, Birmingham B31 3XW 0121 477 9782 email: kvwelch@supanet.com www.worcs.com/dct/home.htm

GRANTHAM CANAL RESTORATION SOCIETY Colin Bryan 113 Hoe View Road Cropwell Bishop Nottingham NG12 3DJ 01159 892248 www.granthamcanal.com

SHREWSBURY & NEWPORT CANALS TRUST Steve Bean 4 Arscott, Pontesbury Shrewsbury SY5 0XP 01743 860488 email: sn.canal@lineone.net www.sncanal.org.uk

HEREFS & GLOUCS CT c/o The Wharf House, Over Gloucester GL2 8DB 01452 332900 www.h-g-canal.org.uk

SHROPSHIRE UNION CS Geoff Munro 198, Oldbury Road Rowley Regis, Warley West Midlands B65 0NW 0121-561 5747 www.shropshireunion.co.uk

KENT & EAST SUSSEX CANAL RESTORATION GROUP Eddie Jones ‘Altamount’, Coventry Road Fillongley Coventry CV7 8EQ 0845 226 8589 email: eddie@kescrg.org.uk www.kescrg.org.uk LAPAL CANAL TRUST 26 Loynells Road, Rednal Birmingham B45 9NP 01785 713862 / 020 8293 9744 www.lapal.org LICHFIELD & HATHERTON CANALS REST'N TRUST Phil Sharpe 34 Old Eaton Road Rugeley, Staffs WS15 2EZ 01889 583330 email: Phil.Sharpe@lhcrt.org.uk. www.lhcrt.org.uk NEATH & TENNANT CANAL SOCIETY Ian Milne 16 Gower Road, Sketty, Swansea SA2 9BY 01792 547902

EAST ANGLIAN WATERWAYS ASSOCIATION Kevin Baker, 26 Geneva Walk Toftwood, Dereham Norfolk NR19 1XT email: NWPG kevin@gasservices.freeserve.co.uk Graham Hawkes 27 Lawrence Rd, EREWASH CANAL P&DA Tilehurst, Reading Mick Golds Berks RG30 6BH 73 Sudbury Avenue 0118 941 0586 Larklands, Ilkeston email: Derbys DE7 5EA grahamhawkes@btinternet.com Notts (0115) 9328042 www.geocities. com/nwpg2001/nwpg.html FOXTON INCLINED PLANE TRUST c/o Mike Beech POCKLINGTON C.A.S. Foxton Canal Museum Paul Waddington Middle Lock, Gumley Road Church House, Main St. Foxton, Market Harborough Hemingborough, Selby Leicestershire LE16 7RA N. Yorks YO8 7QE 0116 279 2657 01757 638027 (eves) email: 01405 763985 (days) mike@foxcm.freeserve.co.uk www.pocklington.gov.uk/PCAS www.foxcanal.fsnet.co.uk SCARS (SANKEY CANAL) GRAND WESTERN CANAL Colin Greenall TRUST 16 Bleak Hill Road Denis Dodd, Wharf Cottage Eccleston, St. Helens Nynehead, Wellington Merseyside WA10 4RW Somerset TA21 0BU 01744 731746 01823 661653 www.scars.org.uk

SLEAFORD NAVIGATION TRUST Steve Hayes, 10 Chelmer Clo N Hykeham Lincs LN8 8TH 01522-689460 email: steve.hayeskyme@ntlworld.com www.sleafordnavigation.co.uk SOMERSET COAL CANAL SOC Bob Parnell, 34 Wedgewood Road Twerton, Bath BA2 1NX 01225-428055 rtjhomepages.users. btopenworld.com/SCC2.html RIVER STOUR TRUST Dave Rayner, 26 Underhill Rd South Benfleet Essex SS7 1EP 01268 753245 STRATFORD ON AVON CANAL SOC Roger Hancock, 1 Tyler Street Stratford upon Avon CV37 6TY 01789 296096 email: rogmabhan@aol.com SURREY & HANTS CANAL SOC Peter Redway, 1 Redway Cottages St. John's Lye, Woking GU21 1SL 01483 721710 email: p.redway1@btinternet.com www.basingstokecanal1. freeserve.co.uk/ SUSSEX OUSE RESTORATION TRUST Hazel Lintott 26 Gundreda Road, Lewes East Sussex BN7 1PX 01273 475812 email: sussexouse@hotmail.com.

SWANSEA CANAL SOCIETY Clive Reed 17 Smithfield Road, Pontardawe, Swansea, West Glam. SA8 4LA 01792 830782 THAMES & MEDWAY CANAL ASSOCIATION John Epton, 45 Vinson Close Orpington Kent, BR6 0EQ homepage.ntlworld. com/john.epton/tmca WENDOVER ARM TRUST Roger Leishman, 7 Hall Park, Berkhamsted Herts HP4 2NU 01442 874536 www.wendoverarmtrust.org.uk

WEY & ARUN CT The Granary Flitchfold Farm Loxwood, Billingshurst West Sussex RH14 ORH. 01403 752403 email: wact@weyandarun.freeserve.co.uk www.weyandarun.co.uk WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST George Eycott 36 Grange Court Boundary Road Newbury RG14 7PH 01635 569449 email: bungle@wrg.org.uk www.wilts-berks-canal.org.uk/ WOODEN CANAL BOAT SOCIETY 5 Oaken Clough Terrace Limehurst Ashton under Lyne OL7 9NY 0161-330-2315 IWA IPSWICH Colin Turner Cornerways Elm Lane, Copdock Ipswich IP8 3ET 01473-730586 email: colint@copdock.freeserve.co.uk www.purbrook.demon.co.uk/iwa/ WRG: GENERAL ENQUIRIES, CANAL CAMP BOOKINGS AND DRIVER AUTHORISATION PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY 01923 711114 email: enquiries@wrg.org.uk www.wrg.org.uk

LONDON WRG Tim Lewis 5 Herongate Road, Wanstead London E12 5EJ 07802 518094 email: tim@timlewis.org.uk www.london.wrg.org.uk LONDON WRG: ENQUIRIES Lesley McFadyen (as per Martin Ludgate below) WRG EAST MIDLANDS John Baylis (see below) ESSEX WRG Dave Dobbin 130 Ashingdon Road Rochford, Essex SS4 1RR 01702-544096 email: essex@wrg.org.uk www.essex.wrg.org.uk WRG SOUTH WEST Gavin Moor 54 Kiln Close, Calvert Buckingham MK18 2FD 07970 989245 Gavin.Moor@wrg.org.uk IWA/WRG STAMP BANK Steve & Mandy Morley 33 Hambleton Grove Emerson valley Milton Keynes MK4 2JS 01908 520090 email: mail@morleytowers.org.uk CANAL CAMPS MOBILES (A) 07850 422156 (B) 07850 422157

WRG NORTH WEST Malcolm Bridge 3 Heather Bank, Littleborough Lancashire OL15 0JQ 01706 378582 email: nw@wrg.org.uk www.wrgnw.org.uk

'NAVVIES' EDITOR Martin Ludgate 35 Silvester Rd East Dulwich London SE22 9PB 020 8693 3266 0777 947 8629 (mobile) email: martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk

WRG NW - ENQUIRIES/ PAPERCHASES David McCarthy Woodstock, 14 Crumpsall Lane Manchester. M8 5FB 0161-740 2179 www.wrgnw.org.uk

'WRGWEAR' CLOTHING Helen Gardner NB 'Sussex' Weaver Shipyard, Saxons Lane Northwich CW8 1LB 07989 425346 email: wrgwear@wrg.org.uk

WRG NA Ian Nelson, 1 Oakdene Drive Crofton, Wakefield W. Yorks WF4 1RH 01924 860583 email: ian@neltek.com www.wrgna.co.uk

WRG FORESTRY TEAM Graham Robinson Springwell, Spark Bridge Ulverston Cumbria LA12 7ST 01229 861317

WRG BITM & 'NAVVIES' DIARY David Wedd 7 Ringwood Road, Blackwater Camberley, Surrey GU17 0EY 01252 874437 email: dave.wedd@wrg.org.uk www.wrgbitm.org.uk

WRG BOAT CLUB Sadie Dean 236 Station Rd, Whittlesey Peterborough PE7 2HA 01733 204505 07748 186867 (mobile) email sadiedean@vizzavi.net

or Dave Johnson 0161 2787663

WRG DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN Mike Palmer 3 Finwood Road Rowington Warwickshire CV35 7DH 01564 785293 email: mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk

TRANSPORT MANAGER Please contact Mike Palmer (see above) until further notice WRG LOGISTICS Jen Leigh 45 Glebe Road Sheffield S10 1FB email: logistics@wrg.org.uk

TREASURER Roger Day, 5 Merton Road, Slough Berks SL1 1QW

OTHER DIRECTORS

SECRETARY Neil Edwards, c/o IWA, PO Box 114 Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY email: neil@waterways.org.uk

Mick Beattie 22 Bridgewater Ave Anchorsholme, Blackpool Lancs FY5 3NA 01253 864034

WRG PLANT Malcolm Bridge 3 Heather Bank Littleborough Lancashire OL15 0JQ email: malcolm.bridge@wrg.org.uk 01706 378582

Adrian Fry 89 The Causeway, Quedgeley, Gloucester GL2 4LD 07976 640962 email: amf@wrg.org.uk

SITES GROUP & PUBLICITY Judith Moore 3 Finwood Road, Rowington Warwickshire CV35 7DH 01564 785293 email: jude.moore@btinternet.com WRGPRINT John & Tess Hawkins 4 Links Way Croxley Grn, Rickmansworth WD3 3RQ 01923 448559 email: john.hawkins@wrg.org.uk IWA CHAIRMAN John Fletcher c/o IWA, PO Box 114 Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY email: john.fletcher@waterways.org.uk

George Eycott (see under Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, left)

Spencer Collins The Boatyard, 5 Hammond Way Trowbridge BA14 8RS 07976 084055 email: spencer.collins@wrg.org.uk Chris Davey / Helen Davey 6 Partridge Ct, Round Close Rd Adderbury Banbury OX17 3EP 01295 812002 email: chris.davey@wrg.org.uk Jonathan Smith 23 Hardings, Chalgrove Oxford OX44 7TJ 01865 891 370 email: jonathan.smith@wrg.org.uk John Baylis, 215 Clipstone Rd West Forest Town, Mansfield Notts NG19 0HJ 01623 633895

Updating this Directory: please help!

The aim of this Directory is to give up-to-date contact details for all parts of WRG, plus all other groups that are involved in volunteer work on waterways. However it can only be as accurate and up-to-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 organiser’s details. And if your canal society is currently listed but no longer carries out work-parties please tell us, and we will remove your entry so that you are not troubled by queries from would-be 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. Thank You. page 17

Diary

Canal Camps cost £42 per week unless otherwise stated.

Bookings for WRG Canal Camps (those identified by a camp number e.g. 'Camp 0517') should go to WRG Canal Camps, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY. Tel: 01923 711114. Email: enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Aug 13/14

wrgNW

Preston Brook: Work party for pre-camp set-up.

Aug 13-20

Camp 0517

Hereford & Gloucester Canal Camp: Restoring the Ell Brook Aqueduct. Leader

Aug 13-20

Camp 0516

Lichfield Canal Camp: Leaders: Mike Palmer & Becky Parr

Aug 22-31

Camp 0518

IWA Festival Canal Camp: Preston Brook, Setting up the National Waterways F

Sep 1 Thu

Navvies

Press date for issue 213

Sep 3/4

Essex WRG

To be arranged

Sep 3 Sat

wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection

Sep 10/11

London WRG

Wey & Arun Canal: Dig Deep project

Sep 10/11

KESCRG

Lichfield Canal: Dig Deep project

Sep 10/11

NWPG

Mon & Brec Canal: Dig Deep project

Sep 11-18

Camp 0519

Ramsey Forty Foot Drain CAMP POSTPONED UNTIL EASTER 2006

Sep 11 Sun

WRG

Committee & Board Meetings

Sep 17/18

wrgBITM

Mon & Brec Canal: Cefn (14 locks) flight. Dig Deep project

Oct 1/2

London WRG

Grantham Canal

Oct 1/2

KESCRG

Wey & Arun Canal: Dig Deep project

Oct 1/2

Essex WRG

Derby Canal: Hedgelaying training (for Essex WRG regulars only)

Oct 1 Sat

wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection

Oct 4 Tue

Navvies

Issue 213 Assembly: Date unconfirmed. London Canal Museum 7pm onwards

Oct 8/9

wrgNW

Montgomery Canal: Llanmynech. NOTE - changed from Hollinwood Canal.

Oct 8/9

NWPG

Wey & Arun Canal: Dig Deep project

Oct 15/16

wrgBITM

Grantham Canal: Clearing overhanging trees at Woolsthorpe.

Oct 22/23

London WRG

Lichfield Canal: Dig Deep project

Oct 22-29

Camp 0521

Wilts & Berks Canal Camp: Seven Locks flight. Rebuilding lock walls and lands

Nov 1 Tue

Navvies

Press date for issue 214: and Canal Camps brochure

Nov 5/6

WRG

Bonfire Bash at Fourteen Locks on the Mon & Brec Canal. See p6-7 and please

Nov 5/6

Essex WRG

Bonfire Bash at Mon & Brec (centrally booked)

Nov 5/6

wrgNW

Bonfire Bash at Mon & Brec (centrally booked)

Nov 5/6

London WRG

Bonfire Bash at Mon & Brec (centrally booked)

Nov 5/6

KESCRG

Bonfire Bash at Mon & Brec (centrally booked)

Nov 6 Sun

WRG

Committee & Board Meetings

Nov 12/13

NWPG

To be arranged

Nov 12 Sat

wrgNW

‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection

Nov 19/20

wrgBITM

Chichester Canal: Hedgelaying, and scrub clearance ready for planting of new

Nov 19/20

London WRG

Wilts & Berks Canal: to be confirmed

Dec 1 Thu

Navvies

Issue 214 Assembly: Date unconfirmed - will be sometime in December. London Canal

Dec 3/4

Essex WRG

Foxton Inclined Plane

Dec 3/4

wrgNW

Hollinwood Canal: Scrub bashing and tree removal. (Provisional)

page 18

Please send updates to Diary compiler: Dave Wedd, 7 Ringwood Rd, Blackwater, Camberley, Surrey GU17 0EY. Tel 01252 874437. email: dave.wedd@wrg.org.uk.

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

s: Ed Walker and Liz Wilson

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com enquiries@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Festival. Leaders: Al Moore & Richard Worthington.

enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Martin Ludgate

020-8693-3266

martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk

Dave Dobbin

01702-544096

essex@wrg.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Eddie Jones

0845-226-8589

eddie@kescrg.org.uk

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

Mike Palmer

01564-785293

mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Eddie Jones

0845-226-8589

eddie@kescrg.org.uk

Dave Dobbin

01702-544096

essex@wrg.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

John Hawkins

01923-448559

hawkins@jote.fsnet.co.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

scaping the banks. Leaders: Jo (Smudge) Smith and Dave (Taz) Tarrant enquiries@wrg.org.uk Martin Ludgate

020-8693-3266

book using booking form. Leader: Spencer Collins. 01923 711114

hedge.

martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk enquiries@wrg.org.uk

Dave Dobbin

01702-544096

essex@wrg.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

Eddie Jones

0845-226-8589

eddie@kescrg.org.uk

Mike Palmer

01564-785293

mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk

Graham Hawkes

0118-941-0586

grahamhawkes@btinternet.com

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

Dave Wedd

01252-874437

bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

Tim Lewis

07802-518094

london@wrg.org.uk

01923-448559

hawkins@jote.fsnet.co.uk

Dave Dobbin

01702-544096

essex@wrg.org.uk

David McCarthy

0161-740-2179

malcolm.bridge@btclick.com

l Museum 7pm onwards John Hawkins

page 19

Diary

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 email: 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

Canal Societies’ regular monthly or weekly working parties Please send any amendments, additions and deletions to Dave Wedd (address on previous page) 3rd Sunday of month BCNS Jeff Barley 2nd Sunday & following Wed. BCS Cosgrove Athina Beckett Anytime inc. weekdays BCT Aqueduct section Gerald Fry Every Sunday ChCT Various sites Mick Hodgetts Mon & Wed mornings CCT Cotswolds Dudley Greenslade Every weekend (Sat OR Sun) CCT Cotswolds Neil Ritchie 1st Sunday of month CCT Cotswolds: summit Mark Welton Wednesday evenings CCT Cotswolds: East end Keith Harding Every Saturday DCT Droitwich Canal Jon Axe Last Sunday of month EAWA N Walsham & Dilham Kevin Baker 4th Sunday of month ECPDA Langley Mill Michael Golds Second Sun of month FIPT Foxton Inclined PlaneMike Beech 1st & 3rd Sundays GCRS Grantham Canal Colin Bryan 2nd Sat of month GWCT Nynehead Lift Denis Dodd Tuesdays H&GCT Oxenhall Brian Fox Weekends H&GCT Over Wharf House Maggie Jones Wednesdays H&GCT Over Wharf House Wilf Jones Weekends H&GCT Hereford Aylestone Martin Danks Every Sunday if required IWPS Bugsworth Basin Ian Edgar 1st Saturday & 3rd Wed. IWA Ipswich Stowmarket Navigtn. Colin Turner 2nd weekend of month K&ACT John Rolls 2nd Sunday of month LCT Lancaster N. Reaches Will Warburg 1st Sunday of month LHCRT Lichfield Peter Matthews 3rd Sunday of month LHCRT Hatherton Denis Cooper 2nd & last Sundays PCAS Paul Waddington 2nd Sunday of month SCARS Sankey Canal Colin Greenall 1st Sunday of month SCCS Combe Hay Locks Bob Parnell Most weekends SHCS Basingstoke Peter Redway 1st Sunday of month SNT Haverholme Lock Dave Pullen 1st weekend of month SUCS Newhouse Lock Mike Friend 3rd Sunday of month TMCA David Rouse Every Sunday & Thurs WACT varied construction Eric Walker Mondays (2 per month) WACT tidying road crossings Brian Crossley Tuesdays WACT Tickner's Heath Depot Colin Gibbs Wednesdays WACT maintenance work Peter Jackman Wednesdays WACT Loxwood Link Peter Wilding Tues, Thurs & Sats WACT Winston Harwood Various dates WACT Hedgelaying (Oct-Mar)Keith Nichols 1st weekend of month WAT Little Tring Roger Leishman Every weekend WBCT Wilts & Berks Canal Peter Smith Every Sunday W&BCC Dauntsey / Foxham Rachael Banyard

Abbreviations used in Diary BCNS BCS BCT ChCT CCT DCT EAWA ECPDA FIPT GCRS GWCT H&GCT IWPS K&ACT

page 20

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 Grantham Canal Restoration Society Grand Western Canal Trust Hereford & Gloucester Canal Trust Inland Waterways Protection Society Kennet & Avon Canal Trust

KESCRG LCT LHCRT NWPG PCAS SCARS SCCS SHCS SNT SUCS TMCA WACT WAT WBCT W&BCC

01543-373284 01908-661217 01288-353273 01246-620695 01453 825515 01452-854057 01453-872405 01451-860181 0121-608 0296 01362-699855 0115-932-8042 0116-279-2657 0115-989-2248 01823-661653 01432 358628 01452 618010 01452 413888 01432 344488 01663-732493 01473-730586 01189-666316 01931-713317 01543-318933 01543-374370 01757-638027 01744-731746 01225-428055 01483-721710 01673-862278 01948-880723 01474-362861 023-9246-3025 01737-843192 020-8241-7736 01483-772132 01483-422519 01293-424672 01403-753882 01442-874536 01793-852883 01249-892289

Kent & E Sussex Canal Rest. Group Lancaster Canal Trust 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 Shropshire Union Canal Society Thames & Medway Canal Association Wey & Arun Canal Trust Wendover Arm Trust Wilts & Berks Canal Trust Wilts & Berks Canal Company

Dear Martin I do hope everyone will take on board the Chairman's Comment in Navvies 210 (and indeed your own editorial).

One has the awful feeling in the dawn of the 21st Century that Political Correctness and British "don't rock the boatness" will cause some huffing and puffing that some things had better not be said. Thankfully navvies are not very PC - and the bureaucratisation of the volunteer is a vitally important subject with implications for the whole not-for-profit sector.

There is a continuous chipping away of the status of the volunteer at the present time that has to be actively and vociferously resisted. On the one hand legislation is giving them the "privileges" and costs of the employed whilst on the other the tasks they can perform are restricted by what amounts to protectionism. It is becoming more and more difficult to justify the use of volunteers an ultimately disastrous state of affairs for our heritage.

Yours sincerely

Letters ...on the murky waters of politics and the River Tone...

I have also received a couple of not-for-publication communications that are entirely supportive of my editorial in issue 210 - as well as another one disagreeing and saying that political involvement should be restricted to behind-the-scenes lobbying. I realise that we are never all going to agree on this (although I still stand by my views as expressed in that piece). However I think that now is the time for waterways supporters involved in the political parties, or in bodies that might have influence with the parties, to do their best to ensure that come the next election there will be no reason to recommend against voting for a party (whether Tory, Labour or any other) on the grounds of the disastrous effect of their policies on the waterways. ...Ed

Bill Featherstone Dear Editor Dear Sir You have my full support regarding your “don’t vote Tory” editorial, which you penned just before the last General Election. Given the grave damage which an incoming Conservative Government would have inflicted upon our waterways, it would have been a dereliction of duty for you, as Editor, to pussy-foot about with your electoral message to readers. I’m a Labour Party member myself, but I voted for Respect MP George Galloway at the last election, due to New Labour’s disastrous support of the illegal Iraq war. I wouldn’t hesitate to vote against Labour again in future, if its policies regarding the waterways ever became as ruinous as the current Tory ones. I can only regret that Graham Pattison (Deputy Chairman of the North Wiltshire Tory Party, and erstwhile ‘Navvies’ subscriber) doesn’t seem to value the wellbeing of the waterways sufficiently to give his own party a good kick, when it needs one! In giving WRG a kick, by not renewing his ‘Navvies’ subscription, he’s picking on the wrong target!

Yours faithfully, T. Simon Couzens P.S. I’m delighted that Mr Pattison “totally disagrees” with the current Tory plan to confiscate many of British Waterways’ assets. Did he, similarly, oppose the Tories’ privatisation and fragmentation of the railways?

Having spotted D1G SAD presumably doing the usual chip run into Wellington last weekend, I was not surprised to discover a queue of WRGies outside the local swimming pool the following Tuesday. Was this an attempt to get themselves into a more civilised state ready for their return to society? Or just another way of cleaning up instead of cramming twenty dirty bodies into the one working shower cubicle? Suffice to say I was concerned that by the time I got into the pool the water quality would resemble the lower reaches of the River Tone.

Fortunately (or not depending on your viewpoint) the rest of the town had decided that it was such a nice evening they would all join in the fun and the pool was chock full, so none of us got our swim.

Can I suggest to the camp organisers that (1) they avoid Tuesdays (swimming club), (2) consider using the Basins behind the leisure centre instead (don’t use soap, and splash around a bit the fish need the oxygen!) or (3) visit the new Tiverton pool (unless they’ve already been warned). Perhaps the next camp could include the construction of a swimming ‘ole, somewhere a bit less muddy than the rest, where all that mud and nutrients presently being washed down the drain can be returned to the environment in a sustainable way?

Andy Carter

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Letters Are there hordes of old folks rushing to book on camps?

Dear Martin Now that the camp dates for the year have been published and no doubt the applications are flooding in, this in my mind presents a question worthy of an answer.

Are you aware of a preponderance of retired persons wanting to join with the work teams and booking in for the camps? There are differing opinions on whether ‘oldies’ are a benefit or not in the working situation for it’s a fact that retired people rarely come alive before 9am and a doze after lunch is essential, but with all that free time throughout the year a loss here is a gain elsewhere.

Other advantages are that the appetite of the oldies which is akin to that of a sparrow (no teeth?), they can’t drink much (bladder trouble, you know), so vast savings on the catering! Evening activities need not be arranged - they’ve fallen asleep.

Should I continue with the advantages of this workforce?

If the answer to the question is ‘yes’, then it’s Libby Purves’ article about WRG in the May edition of Saga magazine which is to be thanked / blamed for this situation. On the other hand, if it hasn’t brought forth a teeming throng of eager volunteers at least it’s a nice write-up for WRG. But then it’s not unknown for journalists when stuck for material to fill their colums with any old rubbish. [You may say that, but I couldn’t possibly comment. ...Ed] You may feel that this is another of those questions without an answer, like ‘Who is the rain maker?’ Should you know who he/she is, tell him/ her to go home please.

Regards Ron Shackell I realise that at least some parts of Ron’s letter were written with tongue firmly in cheek. However the questions “Are increasing numbers of retired people volunteering for WRG camps?” and “Are these people a benefit to the volunteer movement?” are serious ones, and I believe the answer is ‘yes’ to both of them.

Whilst there has not exactly been a ‘teeming throng of eager volunteers’ resulting from Libby Purves’ excellent piece, we do seem to be attracting quite a few more retired people. I have been on some very enjoyable camps in recent years with an excellent mix of youngsters and older people. And almost all of them - young and old have made valuable contributions to the work, and to the social life too. ...Ed

What’s happening on the Grantham camp? One person working on breaking-out a concrete farm crossing, and fifteen people watching? Hopefully all will be revealed in a camp report in issue 213

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Reinforcing part 2: codes At the end of last month’s article about reinforcement, I promised to answere the question: “what exactly do all those code numbers mean when engineers talk about reinforcing mash?”

The suspense must be killing you, so here goes...

Reinforcing mesh The letter of the code relates to the shape of the mesh, so: A = 200mm x 200mm holes B = 100mm x 200mm holes C = 100mm x 400mm holes D is for wrapping around columns The number is the area of steel per metre if you look at it end on.

When you design a structure this is the value that you come out with for the amount of steel you want, and you then have to convert it to actual numbers of real bars. Mesh is handy because it just looks at the area of steel and does it all for you.

So for example, a mesh using 10mm diameter bars: Area of steel per bar is Pi x (r, squared). i.e A=3.14 x (10/2 x 10/2) A = 78.5 mm2

Another thrilling instalment of MKP’s reinforcing guide So - a mesh using 200mm squares and T10 bars is A393. (for 12mm bars it would be A565 and so on) Bars: The straight versus ribbed thing...

Bars are also given codes with a letter then a number. This is easier. The number is the diameter of the bar in mm, usually 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 24, 36 (bloody big), and the letter relates to the rolling method of the bar.

T = ribbed R = straight Y = old!

I’ve always used Ts, I think Rs are being left out of new codes.

So, a T10 is a ribbed bar, 10mm diameter.

Did you know that each rolling yard stamps a series of braille blips on each bar so you can tell where it came from? You didn’t? Where have you been?

Mike Palmer

Martin Ludgate

If we are using ‘A’ mesh, the bars are spaced at 200mm centres. So there will be 5 bars per metre (1 / 0.2). Therefore the area of steel per metre is 5 x 78.5 = 393 (the magic number)

Concreting

Assembling the reinforcing mesh for the final section of the base of the new Wey & Arun lock

page 23

Hutch

Although the last issue already included an appreciation of the late David Hutchings, I make no apologies for including a further piece about a most remarkable man...

David Hutchings and the Upper Avon

Large plan spread over bonnet of Land Rover, a shortish figure is very directly, and in military fashion, explaining to a small group where a lock is to be built. Here are some volunteers meeting David Hutchings for the first time. They see a man of boundless energy and enthusiasm. The exposition is so brief that they gain little idea of what the lock is to look like, but they are immediately clear of one thing: it is urgent, and it is up to them. So they set about the scrub-bashing full of the need to get it done. And David is gone, tearing off to see a farmer about some dredging: the same farmer who days before was fiercely opposed to the restoration of the navigation, but who is now keen to get the extra usable land that will result from filling a hollow with dredgings. And then David is back, in the thick of it, sharing the work; and then off again.

Never settled, always rushing, always short of cash, always up against difficulties – but always crystal clear about the simple objective of getting the navigation open: this was leadership in action. To keep up the pressure, David set himself apparently arbitrary deadlines. For example, Weir Break Lock had to be finished within six weeks of starting, as a matter of pride; so when he didn’t think we were getting the tar on the sides quickly enough, David started to fill the lock – which taught us the value of wooden ladders. But the point of the deadlines was to save money, by getting plant off hire. And without the urge to meet deadlines, nothing would ever get done.

The obstacles David overcame were extraordinary, or at any rate the way he overcame them was. The Severn Trent Water Authority, which was then responsible for flood prevention, said it was alright to restore the navigation, as long as he didn’t bother them too much – and, by the way, as long as none of the levels were raised. Which sounded fine until one discovered that the original navigation weirs had largely failed in the century of disuse, so that present levels were much lower than they had been when last the river was navigable.

The consequence was that virtually the entire navigation had to be built from scratch. Farmers were opposed, yet land had to be acquired for new locks, and access was needed to weirs and for dredging.

Local Authorities could be unconstructive, especially Stratford-upon-Avon Council, who had opposed the canal, and now did not support the river – perhaps they might bring more tourists. So when the new lock at Lucy’s Mill, opposite the church in which Shakespeare is buried, collapsed because the Council had forced him to build it in made-up ground, David shoved some telegraph poles across the lock to hold the walls apart. Second-hand beams were rapidly acquired and made into a framework inside the lock. Councillors erupted: ‘Mr Hutchings’s monstrous erection must come down’ they thundered in the local paper. But eventually David got his retrospective planning permission, and the framework survives today as though it had always been intended.

David Hutchings oversees work on construction of one of a whole

page 24

This was not the only case to justify David’s preference for drawing (and especially submitting to others) plans after the job had been done. Marlcliff Lock had to be cut down into marl – a tremendously hard rock that fell into nothing only after a prodigious effort. We first attacked it with jack hammers. Eventually, a very special digger was brought from Wales. The sides of the excavation stayed up, and the feet of the piles that were to form the lock wall were set in concrete because they could not be driven. Pilgrim Lock, on the other hand, was built of concrete blocks in soft ground… The obvious moral is that ground investigation would have saved money, but David hated using experts, because they always told you what you couldn’t do. The less obvious moral is that information at the wrong time can stop you in your tracks, so it can be better not to have it. David often said that nothing was impossible, and for him it was true.

Why are the locks on the Upper Avon of different widths? Because the gates were begged from different waterways: Runcorn locks, Surrey and (I think) Gloucester Docks, and others.

‘One volunteer is worth two paid men’ was of course the Hutchings motto. And there were volunteers, from London and from all over the country. But there were also prisoners from Long Lartin, volunteers of a sort I suppose. The forces did a lot: the Royal Engineers had great fun blowing up the river bed, and HMS Warspite (a nuclear submarine) moved the gates from Surrey Docks (presumably after the RE had deepened the river…). But the main work was done by a small team: Eric Pritchard, a fabricator who could make anything; Frank Lee, a crane driver who could manage two at once; and at different times Richard Pearson and Philip Bidwell; with the office run by Mrs Wiles.

The Upper Avon Navigation Trust was led by Robert Aickman, another man of clear vision and far sight. They had the benefits of a substantial no-strings anonymous gift; and of many other gifts from individuals and trusts; but very little from public bodies. They also had a small board which was beholden to no one. In this, the project was very far from today’s large teams on which every conceivable interest group and authority is represented, and from today’s assumption that the Lottery and public bodies will pay. The stock response to this is of course that times have changed. But as restoration funding gets harder, and the quality standards get higher, it might be worth looking again at the lean but utterly committed organisation which built the Upper Avon.

Harry Arnold

As the restoration movement faces up to the debacle on the Rochdale and HNC, which so strongly suggests that getting a canal ‘open’ is not good enough if it falls apart straight away, we could usefully remember David Hutchings, who found this out forty years ago on the Southern Stratford, and went on to get the Upper Avon more or less right first time. And all those many groups who, in the early stages of a project, are driven to beg and to improvise should know to what heights improvisation can rise, and should see in the Upper Avon not just a memorial to a remarkable man, but an example to follow.

Nigel Stevens series of brand-new locks build for the Upper Avon restoration

page 25

Camp report NWPG begin building a brand-new lock on the W&A Camp 05: Wey & Arun Canal NWPG at Loxwood Lock, 9 – 16th July

To make the site of the new lock safe to work in and on, contractors have driven sheet piles into the clay along the whole length of the proposed structure. The area between the piles has been dug out and the canal above and below filled in with the excavated material to create working areas at either end of the lock. Large steel braces have been placed across the excavation at regular intervals to keep the piles apart. Finally, local WACT volunteers have laid a blinding layer of concrete across the bottom of the hole. Cost of the piling and bracing: £2000 per week of hire!

The volunteers

Chapter 1: Concrete and steel This will be a three part story involving the volunteers of NWPG, KESCRG and WACT in a project that, to quote Navvies 211, “will be a chance to show the world what the volunteer movement is a capable of”. Here is Part 1 i.e. my report on progress after the first of three weeks of camps.

Led by NWPG, this is the first time that we have operated as a WRG ‘Type 1’ camp.

The task and preparations

Two of the four phases - the new lock and the lowering of Brewhurst Lock - require the extensive use of volunteer labour, as without it the project would be put financially beyond the reach of the W & A Canal Trust. Even with them the whole project is likely to cost in the region of £1.2 million and take three years subject to the funds being raised.

page 26

NWPG

Our task is no less than to build a lock in a hole in the ground on a site where there has never been a lock before. The reason for this new lock is to enable this section of the Wey & Arun Canal to pass under the main road at Loxwood without raising the road height - the latter not being permitted by the West Sussex Highways Department. The construction of the lock is one of four phases of work needed to get boats across the road which will now be carried out in reverse order. Again I refer you to the last Navvies for the reasons for this somewhat irregular order of events.

The success of a camp both socially and in terms of restoration achieved is, of course, down to the volunteers who generously give up their time and energy. Generally, the best camps are those which have an equal mix of young and old, experience and enthusiasm, and males and females. Not exceeding 25 in number also helps! This year we were fortunate to have all these elements in the right combination although I’m sure Helen, Trudi and Sue will forgive me if I say that we would have welcomed a few more of the fairer sex!

Maybe it would have served only to distract some of the male contingent?

Installing reinforcing in the lock base ready for the concrete pour

The week begins

Camp report

If possible it helps to get a camp off to a good start by assembling a small team of regulars on the Friday night before. This year, by the time that the first of the main group arrived on the Saturday afternoon, we had set up and cleaned out the shower cabin, taken the tools to the site, installed the tea cabin and awning (the latter proving to be essential in what was to be a week of unrelenting hot sunshine), and run through the tasks and programme with Graham Baird and Eric Walker the Project Managers. Getting everyone to mix on the first night was helped by our usual first night barbecue held in the evening sunshine outside Kirdford Village Hall – camp HQ for three weeks. We soon found out that this was not to be a camp of shy and retiring characters. Thank you Nick, Bean, Brett and Ben (the Hoddesdon Four) who successfully managed to bypass both the WRG and D of E rules about the size of groups booking together! Although there have been issues in the past with large groups of friends taking over camps, all four worked like trojans all week, mixed with other camp volunteers and kept us all entertained.

The Safety Talk undertaken, it was time to do some work.

NWPG

And so to work…

“36 Readymix loads... or over £15,000 worth of concrete”

Cutting the reinforcing to the right size The priority job for the week was to cast the reinforced concrete base of the lock. Simple enough, until you consider the quantities involved. At 6 metres wide, 42 metres long and 0.6 metre deep, that’s 150 cubic metres or about 36 Readymix loads… or £15,000 worth of concrete! (not to mention over 120 sheets of 10mm mesh).

NWPG

The job was divided into three equal 14m lengths. The middle section was done first as (a) it was the simplest with no cut-outs or boxes for things like cup pins for gates and (b) it enabled the sections on either side to be worked on simultaneously. For each section we had to make up a substantial ‘mattress’ of reinforcement, taking about a day and a half to complete.

Pouring one of the 36 loads of Readymix concrete

Many of the team set to the jobs of cutting and bending the steel ‘chairs’ to support he upper tiers of mesh. The first section had to be shuttered off at each end, although the side shutters were formed by the sheet piling.

page 27

Camp report “If you can’t fit a pair of boats in the lock you know who to blame” On completion the levels were checked using the WRG Cowley level (another advantage of being a Type 1 camp and using a WRG kit) and signed off ready for the concrete pour on the Tuesday morning.

The second section (the lower third of the lock) was then wired up and the concrete poured on the Friday, with the final third (top sill area) wired up before the camp finished on Friday afternoon.

This section was to be poured on the following Monday by the KESCRG team.

Once the first section had been laid, tamped and cured, timber profile boards were erected for the brickwork to establish the position and batter of the walls. After treble checking the width of the lock at 4.4 metres (a little over 14 feet I believe), Phill, Derek and Graham set to the long task of lock wall building – a process that will no doubt be encouraged by the cost of hiring the piling. If you can’t fit a pair of narrow boats in this lock, you know who to blame!

On the Thursday afternoon, half the camp set off for Bognor for an afternoon of relaxation on the beach – apologies to those left behind in the steel box at 30+ deg C. We went bowling on Monday where Graham Hawkes showed off his hidden talents and we had a very pleasant boat trip on the Wednesday. The latter served to show the volunteers new to canals that none of their work would be seen once up and running!

A trip to the Mikron Theatre production of Wheel of Fortune was an unexpected bonus of this camp, the venue being only three miles from the accommodation. Otherwise the hot summer evenings were spent relaxing and chatting on the grass outside the hall enjoying a cold beer courtesy of Steve Saunders and his well-supplied stock of bottled ales.

Thanks…

To Pete Bunker and Trudi Hems for their skilful traffic management of the Readymix lorries into and out the site (tough but someone’s got to do it); to Terry Shrimpton and Andrew Nice for their technical expertise and team motivation; to all those already mentioned above; to Sue for her excellent meals and the Sainsbury’s cool bags (how many sausage rolls did we eat?); the Grahams for running the camp; to Pete T, Andrew Forrest, Richard, Huw, Henry,George, Jonny, Steve, Chris, Bernard and Alan. I did say there were a lot of blokes! Hopefully we’ll see many of you next year if not before.

...and Play...

Bill Nicholson Chapter 2 to follow from KESCRG…

NWPG

The weather was so hot that immersion in cold water was a highly sought-out activity.

The author in search of inspiration to help him finish the camp report

page 28

Mishmesh!

Something for everyone – logistics, vans & trailers, and photos.

The Kit Fairy only visited for a very short while so the start of this year’s camp season wasn’t without its few hiccups! One might say That fairy paid a few visits but I’m not going to mention her name as I’ll get into trouble if I use That word again!!

The lack of mattocks wasn’t a good start … when the paintbrush was out I found that almost the entire stock of mattocks and picks had to be condemned due to splits forming in the shaft or heads that were just too wobbly with little chance of a good soak helping. And reshafting them isn’t the five-minute job some might imagine it is, not even taking into account the time it takes to engrave and paint them afterwards. Various items had been ordered but didn’t turn up on time and we won’t mention the forgotten (but incredibly clean!) kitchen utensils either! So the kits went out a little light… hmmm, not a brilliant start but it could have been much worse!

...plus vans, trailers, photographs... etc...

As well as lots of new bits and pieces in the catering kits, some of which are replacements but are new nonetheless, there are a couple of items that are new to the site kits. They are a long (30 metre/ 100-foot) tape measure and a six-foot (1.8 metre) long spirit level. Now I suspect when I walked into the kitchen of the Grantham camp brandishing the latter accompanied with the words “How sexy is this?!” they may have thought I was bonkers. Truth is, the people in said kitchen know me well enough to (a) not even dream of thinking I’m bonkers, and (b) understand where I was coming from! It was very cool it was that bunch of people as it’s been far too long since I’ve seen them! Getting back to the spirit level, please try to keep it as shiny as new by not throwing it into the trailer or van where it’ll clatter around and get scratched and be made unshiny! Instead could you please use the provided short bungee straps to attach it firmly to the mesh on the ceiling of the trailer, and it’s probably better to put it over the catering side as the tools side is more likely to get bashed. Thanks.

Eddie Jones

On the up side, however, there are a few shiny new things that have finally found their way out of our house and into the Kits, which hopefully you’re all finding useful. Thanks to Harri T for the postcard and for buying a couple of extra bits for me!

Logistics

The new lock at Loxwood on the Wey & Arun Canal (see report on previous pages) as it was at the end of the second week’s camp, led by KESCRG, with the sill under construction in the foreground, shuttering in place for a ground paddle culvert on the left, and concrete backfilling of the chamber walls well under way.

See issue 213 for a full report from this camp.

There’s only one thing I will say about the new tape measures – KEEP THEM CLEAN PLEASE … More so than other items. It’d be better and easier if you just didn’t get them caked in mud or cement in the first place!

These items are linked to the brick kits and so that is where you will find them on the kit lists, just in case you were wondering (yeah right!).

page 29

Logistics Keep sending your photos to Jen for the camps brochure I really have to thank my very kind and tolerant landlord, Dave, whose house I live in, for putting up with the ridiculously large amount of wrg stuff that ends up there before heading back out the door (and down the steps) to a kit.

Talking of which, some of the new brick kit bits have turned up so hopefully I’ll get a full complement of that soon and I can get the finished sets out to you.

If you receive your vans and kit and don’t see how it arrives (not very likely but can happen) you may find there is hardly any catering kit in the trailer! The reason? You’ll probably find that delivery of the combo (by that I mean the van-andtrailer combination!) involved the driver putting their bike in the trailer - therefore shifting some kit into the van to make room - and then riding home. This is a cheap and easy way of transporting vehicles to a camp you’re not attending as most of us can’t spend all of our summer gallivanting around the country on camps, as much as we may like to! (Please remember to think about the weight distribution in the trailer however as some of those bikes can be quite weighty!) So you will find said missing kit in the van instead of the trailer!

Don’t forget to take pictures on a 2 mega-pix or higher camera (if using digital of course!) so I can zoom in if need be without pixellation (for anyone complaining they don’t know what that is, it’s when the picture is made up of obvious squares – just look at the front cover of this years Camps Brochure … except sometimes we do choose to use it on purpose! Artistic License and all that!)

This article has been written in no particular style but my own yet again. Perhaps when I’ve finished ordering, collecting, engraving, painting and sorting tools I can have some time to be a little more creative but… who am I trying to kid? It’ll be brochure time by then and I refuse to let it span over five months like this year’s!

I could have done it in a “Dora the Explorer” style as I’ve just spent a bit of time with my two-year old niece but I’m guessing the majority of you won’t have even heard of her! But Dora’s very educational and my niece is advanced for her age … she’s incredibly into diggers and other machines (she had a train set and a proper Gauge One – for the anoraks amongst us - Thomas for her birthday!) and had her first go in one at the age of fourteen months! Well, you’ve got to start ‘em early! Definitely her Auntie’s Niece that one!

Carry on Digging… and having fun!

Just Jen logistics@wrg.org.uk

Thanks very much to Martin for sending a cd of all the pictures from the Sleaford camp! Yes, already!!! And thanks to everyone who took pictures there! A very good example from the first camp of the main season following the excellent example set by Mr Lines on the Uttoxeter Easter camp!

Keep it up the rest of you please!

page 30

Martin Ludgate

And on the subject of vehicles please remember to write down those mileages at the start and end of the camp – I’m missing a set of end mileages already! And don’t be afraid to take vehicles to a jet wash, if the area permits of course! Some of those local places for local people don’t have such facilities at an “outsider’s” disposal!!!

It’s OK folks - Jen says you can take it to a jetwash!

KESCRG on the Lichfield Canal It was a small and family-like weekend dig consisting of Dr Liz, Ian, Smudge, Taz, MK2 and me, with Jude and Mike just turning up to socialize before going on a mystery holiday. Breakfast on Saturday looked like a scene from The Waltons as we sat around the kitchen table to eat.

Highlights of the morning included Dave/Noddy the local setting the scene by asking what ‘contrive’ meant and telling MK2 to use real English, followed by much the same with keb "its a bent rake that is" before throwing it point first at me!

Lou arrived on site during the morning just in time for a quick photo for the press.

The rubbish from the roadside was cleared very quickly and the fence was up before we knew it.

Meanwhile Smudge and Dr Liz squelched removing tree and bramble roots from the canal bed at he top of the lock and starting a rather good fire.

Refreshed by lunch and Harri T's special psychedelic depth charged cakes (which I believe London WRG enjoyed too) we proceeded to scrubbash and burn. The work also included relocating trees to fill in the gaps in hedging expertly laid by the locals, well done Noddy!

We retired from site for the day leaving behind fumes of smouldering mattress ( which some local, I forget who, thought would be just the thing to burn). I was glad of my cold which protected me from the smell of the noxious fumes emitted.

We speculated as to whether the site cat was still in our trailer, that had seemed to become its new place of residence.

KESCRG Dippy Claire reports from a dig rather a long time ago...

Most of us went to the Tamworth road site on Sunday - Smudge and I to burn a pile of scrub that had been left for us (and to try not to have conflicts with locals who disapproved of our bonfire, though this issue was thankfully resolved in our favour by Phil S.) More things to burn were provided throughout the day in the form of ivy.

Mk2 and others did some digging to take out hard core from the path.

Some of the others were on another site doing something else, I'm not sure what it was but it seemed to involve the mobilization of quantities of bricks in the back of a Land Rover. In our tea break Smudge and Taz disappeared to find the coping stone over which their eyes first met (Aaaah!) and we all admired the ladder that was the result of many hours hard work at the Christmas party.

We decided to go back for lunch at the hall as we had completed the works listed for us and the weather was looking distinctly unfriendly, and we looked forward to seeing everyone at the upcoming Barn Dance.

Dippy Claire

After a particularly good meal including breeding dumplings ("I made 12!"said Liz) we left to partake of much beer at the Lichfield CAMRA festival that happily coincided with our visit. Soon we were passing round pints and trying everyone else's choice. We also added table top percussion to the local folk band's efforts and generally had a very good time. The interesting beers ran out at 10.30 - almost very well timed as it was the last day and the pub's first festival. After many requests for encores from the band we headed for our hall singing Aston Locks and trying to remember all the words.

Martin Ludgate

Breakfasting on Sunday and pyjama clad we were treated to purple potato cakes (all agreed that The Purple Fairy really should have been the first to try them). Ian and Taz once again tried to find a temporary home for the KESCRG cooker and trailer ready for A more up-to-date KESCRG photo - setting up profile the Cleanup weekend. boards for the new Wey & Arun lock. Report next time?

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Although the beavertail has taken over many of the duties, there are often times when a plant trailer is useful (normally when you need to move stuff from A-B and the beavertail is some 150 miles away at C) and so the "Right Tool for the Right Job" appeal included money to buy a replacement.

WRG Plant Malcolm and Bungle on trailers, dumpers and cranes...

Well, thanks to John Hawkins we have been given one! It is a 16ft long tilt bed Ifor Williams in virtually as-new condition, some of the appeal money allocated to buying a trailer will be used to get a set of removable drop sides (so we can carry things other than plant on it), a winch (so we can move plant that won't move itself) and a decent set of wheel clamps/hitch locks (to help stop it getting nicked). It has already been used at Saul to great effect during the build-up and its next trip out is to the National.

Dumper rebuilder wanted Wanted! Volunteer to undertake/supervise the reconditioning of WRG's Winget Four 45 dumper.

Work required comprises the removal of the engine and gearbox. Provisional arrangements are already in place for the professional reconditioning of the engine and we have a contact for rebuilding the gearbox.

And the KL15?

Work required from the volunteer would be the overhaul of the steering, brakes and hydraulic tipping systems, and general cleaning and painting.

Sorry, no report this time. Just a trailer (geddit?) for the next issue....

Please contact Malcolm Bridge (see Directory p14-15) for more information or to offer help.

The new plant trailer

The jib for the KL15 crane passes Hatton Park Vilage Hall seen on its way to be rebuilt

Bungle

Those with long memories may remember the old wrg plant trailer which has been beyond economic repair for some years.

Martin Ludgate

Full parts manual (exploded diagrams) available.

The machine will be available soon after the National Festival and we would ideally like it back before next year's National.

The new WRG plant trailer

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From the WRG Boat Club R..I.P. Graham Maskell We are so sorry to hear of the untimely death of member Graham Maskell.

Graham and Beryl joined the boat club in the early days. I especially remember how kind they were to me on the way back from The National at Salford Quays.

Beryl has decided to sell their boat. We shall miss them both and send our best wishes and condolencies to Beryl. xxx Sadie Dean

Minibus free to good home

Navvies news Would you like some magazines and a minibus to transport them?

Many thanks to Sheelagh for her efforts over the years, which have raised a useful sum for the waterweays.

If no one is willing to take it on, I’m afraid that we’ll have to put Sheelagh in touch with WRG North West so that the mags can be donated to their waste paper recycling operation.

K782SKN, the 6/9-seater Transit minibus which was donated to WRG by the family of the late Michael Samuelson in 1999 and has been the transport for WRG(NW) ever since, will be needing a new home in September/October.

It has a 2 litre petrol engine and 5speed gearbox but, while it is in generally good mechanical condition, any prospective owner should be aware that it will need some welding to get through its next MOT (November) and its anticipated life is 2-3 years.

It is available FREE to any waterway restoration group or for a small donation to a private individual.

Please contact David McCarthy (Mr. Mac) on 0161-740-2179 or Malcolm Bridge on 01706-378582.

Magazine seller wanted

Would anyone like to take over?

Sheelagh has stocks of virtually every edition of all three commercial waterway magazines. Any applicants to take over the post would need a large garage for storage and a sense of humour. Please contact the editor if you would like to help.

Tim Lewis

After nine years of storing and selling old waterways magazines to raise funds for WRG, Sheelagh Lockwood has decided that she wants to retire from the job.

Recognition for our efforts at Fourteen Locks on the Mon & Brec, and good wishes for future restoration, come in this Rural Wales Award presented in June. It’s good to know we’re appreciated and if you ever wondered what the Welsh for ‘WRG Camp’ was, well now you know!

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Navvies news GoodnewsfortheDroitwich-and a chance to bid for £100,000 Does your canal need £100k?

Our parent organisation The Inland Waterways Association is looking for a suitable restoration project to support with a grant of around £100,000 as part of its Diamond Jubilee celebrations next year.

The project should be high-profile, and if possible capable of being completed before the end of 2006. Ideally it would be suitable for volunteer involvement in which case it would be likely to be adopted as one of WRG’s main projects for next year. But that doesn’t mean that non-volunteer schemes won’t be considered.

Any canal societies or other organisations supporting waterway restoration are invited to submit brief (one page) details of their proposed project. IWA will then form a shortlist of the most suitable projects and request more detailed bids for these, with a view to making a final choice of which one to support this autumn.

Excellent recent news is that Advantage West Midlands have confirmed their £3million contribution towards the £10m package to complete the restoration of both the Droitwich Junction and Barge Canals. Together with a similar sum already confirmed from the Heritage Lottery Fund and sizeable grants from the local authority and county council, this means that enough funding is in place for major work to start before the end of this year.

This could mean that WRG’s involvement in the Droitwich has come to a successful conclusion.

Alternatively it could mean more work for us as there is currently still about £1m needed, and it may be that use of volunteers for some of the more suitable jobs could help to reduce the shortfall.

Either way, it’s good to see a project that has been going for so long (and on which we have had a significant involvement alongside Droitwich Canals Trust) coming to a successful conclusion at last - and a splendid length of historic rural waterway due to become part of the national navigable network in about 2008. Well done everyone!

...and the Bude...

The Heritage Lottery Fund has provisionally agreed £1.6m towards a package to reopen the two-mile barge section (scene of several WRG camps in the late 1990s) as well as carrying out some work on the rest of the canal.

...and where?

Yes, really! £150k to restore the BCN Bilston Arm as a local amenity with residential and visitor moorings.

Martin Ludgate

Please contact IWA Head Office PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY, Tel: 01923 711114 or email: iwa@waterways.org.uk.

Good news for the Droitwich

Thanks to £10m of funding, in three years Hanbury Locks on the Droitwich Junction Canal should be seeing regular through traffic, rather than occasional boats on open days as shown in this picture.

Much of the work on these locks was paid for by an IWA grant of £100k from the Neil Pitts legacy. See above for how to apply for a similar-sized IWA grant - which might just help your restoration scheme to get to where the Droitwich is now.

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

Noticeboard

email: mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk

Change of address

Congratulations! ...to Jurgita and David Charlton (of London WRG) on the arrival of James Paulius Charlton on Sunday 24th July

Online Navvies subscriptions Don’t forget: You can now take out or renew Navvies subs online at www.waterways.org.uk/ restoration/index.htm or at www.iwashop.com/ecommerce/ products.asp?cat=126

Stamps wanted

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

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.

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

Izzy Gascoigne has a new email address: izzy.gascoigne@btinternet.com ...and says please don’t use the old one as it doesn’t work any more.

If you move house, don’t forget to tell Navvies your new details so we can redirect your coy of the magazine.

Navvies for sale We have recently received an almost complete set of Navvies from issue 1 (missing only 19 issues, mostly in the 140s to 160s), and also a set of Windlass (IWA South East region magazine) from issue 25 (1961) to 190 (1990), missing only 6 issues, all of which belonged to the late Ernie Pull (see obituary, Navvies 210). All available for a donation to WRG please contact the editor.

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).

Directors of WRG: John Baylis, Mick Beattie, Malcolm Bridge, Spencer Collins, Christopher Davey, Helen Davey, Roger Day, Neil Edwards, George Eycott, 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 © 2005 WRG Tel : 01923 711114 Registered no 4305322 ISSN 0953-6655

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Backfill

From Wey-South magazine... the Wey & Arun Canal Trust’s treasurer gives us the splendid advice “Treasurers should not be seen pushing their members in front of buses on the off-chance of a legacy”. Dead right! Don’t, whatever you do, let anyone see you doing it...

Found in the Birmingham Canal Navigations...

The only suggestions for captions to the pic (left, by Steve Barratt)) in issue 210 of the editor and a crocodile pulled out of the Walsall Canal were from Harry Arnold. He suggests (1) 'Is this the BCN Super Bug that they're having all this trouble with?' and (2) 'I've tried everything but it still stays limp'. Can you think of any better ones for the pic (right,

by Rupert Smedley) of Steve Barratt and a girl he picked up during the same BCN Cleanup?

If you can, please send them to the editor now!

Speaking of the Cleanup... I don’t think we mentioned in the last issue a splendid demonstration

by Tom Cutting of how important the BCN Cleanup is for making sure that boats can continue to use these parts of the system by keeping them clear of rubbish that might impede progress. What’s that, Tom? What did you get on your prop as you departed? Oh, a length of rope with a BW grappling hook on the end...

And finally... John Foley of WRG NW tells me that at Saul he noticed a portaloo lorry with ‘Tardis Toilet Hire’ written on the side of it. Recalling our mention in the last Navvies that we are looking for a new home for the IWA ‘Tardis’ festivals trailer, John says ‘let your imagination do the rest’. And he points out that the ‘unfeasibly large capacity’ of the Tardis could be useful if we ever choose a permanent site for the festival as it would never need to be emptied. And I suppose we could rename it the ‘Turdis’?

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