navvies 259

Issue No 259June-July

2013

Issue No 259June-July

2013

waterwayrecoverygroup

waterwayrecoverygroup

navviesnavviesvolunteers restoring waterwaysvolunteers restoring waterways

Reporting from the

Easter campsand Cleanup

Reporting from the

Easter campsand Cleanup

Coming soon

Summercamps

Coming soon

Summercamps

Visit our web site www.wrg.org.uk for

NavviesProductionEditor: Martin Ludgate, 35 Silvester Road,East Dulwich London SE22 9PB020-8693 3266 [email protected]

Subscriptions: Sue Watts, 15 Eleanor Rd.,Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9FZ

Printing and assembly: John & TessHawkins, 4 Links Way, Croxley Green,Rickmansworth, Herts WD3 3RQ01923 448559 [email protected]

Navvies is published by Waterway RecoveryGroup, Island House, Moor Rd., CheshamHP5 1WA and is available to all interested inpromoting the restoration and conservationof inland waterways by voluntary effort inGreat Britain. Articles may be reproduced inallied magazines provided that the source isacknowledged. WRG may not agree withopinions expressed in this magazine, butencourages publication as a matter of inter-est. Nothing printed may be construed aspolicy or an official announcement unless sostated - otherwise WRG and IWA accept noliability for any matter in this magazine.

Waterway Recovery Group is part of TheInland Waterways Association, (registeredoffice: Island House, Moor Road, CheshamHP5 1WA). The Inland Waterways Associa-tion is a non-profit distributing companylimited by guarantee, registered in Englandno 612245, and registered as a charity no212342. VAT registration no 342 0715 89.

Directors of WRG: Rick Barnes, JohnBaylis, Mick Beattie, James Butler, ChrisDavey, George Eycott, Helen Gardner, JohnHawkins, Dave Hearnden, Jude Palmer, MikePalmer, Jonathan Smith, Harry Watts.

ISSN: 0953-6655

© 2013 WRG

all the latest news of WRG's activities

Chairman plus Inglesham latest news’ 4-5Editorial HS2 versus canal restoration 6Catering important news for anyone whohas anything to do with camp cooking 7Coming soon last chance to book a camp 8Camp reports Cotswold at Easter 9-1340 interviews BITM’s and Tasterella 14-23Diary canal camps and weekend digs 24-26Letters to the editor 27-28Progress our regular roundup from aroundthe country’s canal restoraitons 29-33Camp report Lancaster at Easter 34-37Cleanup report not quite the BCN 38-39WRG NW a year in the life 40-41Toolbox Talk beware Leptospirosis 42Dig report BITM on the Chichester 43WRGBC news from our own Boat Club 44Bits & Pieces and more about Tirfors 45Noticeboard Manchester Cleanup plans 46Infill including the return of Deirdre 47

Contributions...

...are always welcome, whether handwritten,typed, on CD, DVD or by email.

Photos welcome: digital, slides,prints. Please say if you want prints back.Digital pics are welcome as email attach-ments, preferably JPG, but if you have a lotof large files it’s best to send them on CD orDVD or to contact the editor first.

Contributions by post to the editorMartin Ludgate, 35, Silvester Road,London SE22 9PB, or by email [email protected].

Press date for issue 260: 1 July.

Subscriptions

A year's subscription (6 issues) is availablefor a minimum of £3.00 to Sue Watts, 15Eleanor Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy,Manchester M21 9FZ. Cheques payable to"Waterway Recovery Group" please.

This is a minimum subscription, thateveryone can afford. Please add a donation.

ContentsIn this issue...

Above: London WRG’s volunteers take a break fromvegetation clearance around Poyntz Bridge to swing itopen for the Chichester Ship Canal Trust’s tripboat. Seenext time for a London WRG report; see p43 for areport from WRG BITM on the Chichester. Below: IWAWarwickshire branch working party clearing the offsidepath at Hatton Locks. We now try to include all IWAbranch work parties in our diary: if yours on’t appear,please tell us. Left: HS2 - what can we do to stop itharming canal restoration? See pages 6, 30 and 44.Front cover: the Cleanup, with the Redhouse Coneand Dadford’s Shed in the background. See report, p38(photo: Martin Ludgate). Back cover top: plotting abridge for the Gipping - see p29 (RGT) Back coverbottom: Hazel relaunched - see p33 (WCBS)

Mart

in L

udgate

Gre

ta R

uss

ell

ChairmanMKP says ‘Don’t assume’

“There is a reason that every

feature we restore is a

particular shape and size - and

it’s all to do with being exactly

the right feature for boats”

Chairman’s Comment

Many of you will have known Roger Lorenzand will be sad to hear he passed awayrecently.

Roger was a tremendous champion ofall aspects of the heritage of canals and, as away of remembering all he did for the water-ways, there is talk of setting up a charitabletrust. The aim will be to teach traditionalboating skills to young people who wouldn’totherwise have access to hands on experi-ence on a working boat. It’s something wetend to neglect in all our talk of restoration -there is a reason that every feature we re-store is a particular shape and size and it’s allto do with being exactly the right feature forboats. Spend a day boating and you willappreciate all your efforts on site even more!

We shall continue to support this excit-ing opportunity and, once it’s set up andrunning, will encourage people to go alongand learn all the skills we need to keep alivebe they boat handling, engine maintenance,

or whatever.One of the most amusing bits of the

recent Leader Training Day we held was asession titled Don’t Assume. It will make agreat Navvies article one day (once we areallowed to publish the photos) but for themoment can I suggest that this years ‘Sloganfor the summer’ as I like to coin is...

“Don’t assume anythingKeep asking questions”

...It’s what keeps us on our toes (andout of hospital!)

A conversation at the Leaders Training day:Colin (for it is he): Why don’t we havegrease-guns in the Camps kit?MKP (for it is he): Firstly because they arehorrible dirty things that smear evil shiteverywhere, and whenever you actuallyreally need to use one you will find that it isempty having oozed its evil slime over yourmattock handles, publicity banner, supply oft-shirts, etc. But mainly because we don’thave anything in the kit that needs it and ifyou have an excavator on site then it should

Kit Update

The following changes have been made to the camp kits for this summer:

. Extra aprons, temperature probes and chopping boards – as requested by theHACCP team.

. The additional PPE boxes – actually not a new item, but going by some of thephotos from last year, some people seemed to think these were for dressing up!Obviously please do use this additional PPE if needed but please look after it and putit away clean!

. Utility key – (funny little multi-ended key thingy) kept with the accommodation kitto help break into the hall fuse-box at six in the morning when the griddle has doneit again!

. Oil spill kit – this is really only to mitigate the risk that the kit diesel generatorrepresents, should it decide to dump its contents all over the ground.

. New direction signs – yes thanks to Alan Wiffen we now have multidirectionalarrow signs. (We are also working on some new ‘hard hat’ etc. signs which we hopeto finish off in time to get into the kits.

. Whiteboards – to travel with the accommodation kit to help with the communica-tions & general planning of your camp.

have one with it, whether hiredin or not. It’s not our job to sortout the maintenance of every sitewe come to. If you need onethen the site should have one,not the kit.Colin: Aha – fair enough, but itwould probably be a good ideato put a reminder about that inNavvies.

And it came to pass.It’s that time of year – a

new season of Camps means it’stime to talk about the new itemsin the kit you will encounter thissummer. See the opposite pagefor a list of the changes for thecamp kits.

And finally we have modi-fied the Canal Camps Safety Talkin a small but crucial way – more detailselsewhere in Navvies [See page 7 ...Ed] butsuffice to say that sorry – you will all have tolisten to the new Safety Talk this summer, nomatter how much of an “old hand” you are.

We have also decided on the vehiclecircuits for the summer and as usual thesewill be printed up and installed on the backbulkhead of each van so you know wherethings are going after your camp. Martinhave you got them – can we put them innavvies?

As an aside I was rather surprised toread in my local paper that there was a blokewho collected bricks and had over 30,000types of brick. That’s not surprising (seemsperfectly logical to me), what was shockingwas his suggestion that he had a very rarebrick that was supposed to say AccringtonIron but actually said Accrington Nori andthat make it very rare and valuable. If that isthe case than those locks at Aston we builtmust be worth a fortune!

Finally, something a little “off the wall”.My local church is hosting a water-basedchurch service as part of its village festivalthis year. On the evening of Friday 21 June atLowsonford Village Hall there will be a cel-ebration of water. Anyone who is passing, beit by boat, towpath or water-ski is welcometo stop by and have a ponder about why wedo this navvying thing. The village hall has along and honourable history with regard towaterway restoration and has had navviessleeping on its floor both in the last centuryand this. It’s also just a hundred yards fromthe Fleur de Lys pub for those who have a

thirst after righteousness. (Possibly the worstpun I have ever made in Navvies)

As I sign off I am sitting in a pub gar-den with glorious sunshine and the boatspassing by. Pretty much all our camps arefull, the work is sorted and I hope you arelooking forward to this summer as much as Iam.

See you on site!Mike Palmer

“a reason everything we restore is a particular shape”

Important: Inglesham update

In our Cotswold Feature last time we prom-ised you an update on what was happeningat Inglesham Lock, the project at the east end ofthe Cotswold Canals which was to be restoredthanks to the IWA Tom Rolt Appeal but which hadhit delays in gettin the necessary permissions.

It now looks like we will be running a fewweeks of work to sort out the stop-planks/chamberwaterproofing, investigation, lower wing wall re-pairs etc. starting September-ish. These will not beadvertised as “normal” Canal Camps in our campsbooklet but we will be advertising them as soon aswe can in Navvies and on all the other outlets in-cluding WRG website and Facebook group. Anopportunity for those who love the wet plop!

Register your interest via Jenny at head office.M

art

in L

udgate

EditorialMartin’s train of thought...

“One thing I’m sure of is that

if we don’t do something

about it, it’s going to stuff

the canals big-time” -

so what do we do about HS2?

What do the HS2 railway and a witch have in common?

Just for a change, I thought I’d write about railways. Not the nice, cuddly, friendly steamrailways like the Churnet Valley Railway that’s working with the Caldon & Uttoxeter CanalTrust to get both of their routes restored (see previous editorials). No, the big, nasty, unnec-essary, ill-conceived, money-squandering politicians’ vanity project, the HS2 high speedrailway. Or, alternatively, HS2, the vital transport link which will save our existing rail networkfrom grinding to a standstill under the weight of ever-increasing traffic, and whose lightning-fast trains will help the environment by winning back traffic from air and road. Or anynumber of other opinions in between. Indeed, as a frequent user of the railways myself, I’mstill very unsure about whether it’s the right thing to be spending so much public money on.

But one thing I am sure of is that if we don’t do something about it, it’s going to stuffthe canals big-time. And in particular, four of those being restored. Now, we’ve had all thisin the past with roads: from the M6 slicing off the Lancaster Northern Reaches in the 1960sto the battle 30 years later to save the Lichfield & Hatherton canals from being butchered bythe M6 Toll. And we actually hoped, with the introduction in around 2000 of new guidelineson construction of new roads, requiring them to make appropriate provision where theycross canals under restoration, that we’d seen the last of it. But no: unfortunately when theybrought in the new guidelines nobody thought to add “...or railways”. I suppose you can’tblame them - after all, it’s not like anyone was building any new railways. Oh, except for theone from London to the Channel Tunnel which was well under construction at the time. Butthat’s by the by...

Anyway, look at the map on p30 and you’ll see HS2 cuts through four canal restorations.

. The Lichfield, where it was originally due to cross with plenty of headroom but afterother folk objected to the high viaduct it might be modified to cross with zero headroom. the Ashby, which it will cross right next to where a residential development was all setto provide half a mile of rebuilt canal - but which is now in doubt thanks to HS2. the Chesterfield, where several miles might well be completely trashed by the rail-way, and about 3 million of promised Lottery money has already been lost as a result. the Barnsley, Dearne & Dove, which will now need a new aqueduct to cross the line

So what can we do? Well, the canal societies plus IWA are already working together on aplan of action to get the route modified (while at the same time not being too anti-HS2 -because, as indicated above, there is a range of opinions; but more because they feel it’simportant to stay neutral and avoid being characterised as another bunch of NIMBYs) andhave met with representatives of HS2. But some reports don’t bode well. I hear tell of onecanal group turning up at meeting in London, to have it made clear to them that the HS2 teamfelt they should be grateful for HS2’s attendance at the meeting at all, and that if they showedany signs of objecting to the railway plans, “we will take you to court. And we will win.”

On the other hand, I heard of a meeting where the rather curious point was beingmade that a particular canal had been allowed for “because it already has water in it”. It seemsthat, rather like a witch, a high speed railway has issues when it comes to crossing water!

It will take a decade for the railway to reach the main construction phase: what if wespent that time building lengths of all four canals, to make sure that when HS2 arrives therewill be a canal there already with water and boats? Well, something like that is already beingsuggested for one of the canals in question - and we might just find ourselves supporting it.

We’ll have more in Navvies if and when we know for sure that it’s happening.Martin Ludgate

Catering Update

Please read if you are involved in lead-ing or catering on Camps in any way

Changes to the safety talk thissummer: As part of the work that’s beendone by the Catering HACCP team we havemade some changes to the Canal Campssafety talk from this summer onwards.

(Incidentally, if you’re wondering whatHACCP is, it stands for ‘Hazard Analysis andCritical Control Points’ and basically it’s asystematic approach to food safety.)

We have replaced the existing sectionon catering with your first ‘toolbox talk’ ofthe camp which not only covers informationabout how your camp will deal with feedingyou and other domestic issues but there willbe a specific section on basic food hygieneand kitchen safety. The cook, leader orappointed substitute will deliver this duringyour safety briefing.

At the end of the talk, the sectionwhere you sign will include a statement tosay you have been given the camp cateringtoolbox talk. This is in addition to the exist-ing wording that says you have not only readthe WRG Volunteers Health and Safety Guide(and that you agree to abide by it) but youattended a safety briefing (and agree tofollow the leader’s instructions).

We hope this will set the expectationsfor everyone as to the quality of toolbox talksthey receive on site.

The catering folder: We have pro-duced some handy laminates, cooks’ guid-ance notes and other procedures to helpeveryone, whether they are a first time cook,a professional chef or thinking about volun-teering to cook breakfast. This material,along with other documents that have beenaround for ages can be found in the CateringFolder. It is public documentation, muchlike the Practical Restoration Handbook –please use it and pass comments back tohead office.

Leaders and Cooks: This obviouslyaffects the safety talks you’ll be delivering

from now on (if you attended the leaders’training day then you’ll know about this). You’ll be provided with the new Safety Talkand the catering toolbox talk before yourcanal camp.

We have also deciding to formalise thisapproach to food hygiene just a little bit,mainly to prove to external bodies that wetake it seriously but also to ensure goodpractice is adhered to.

If you are responsible for running thekitchen on a camp then we would like you tosign a form, namely Catering Form CF003 –Food Hygiene Checklist. It’s a list of impor-tant food hygiene points and you are signingto say that you understand them. It is auseful aide memoire to review each year andhelp you get your WRG cooking head on,(obviously if there is anything that you don’tunderstand or you have other questions thenplease contact Jenny asap).

You only need to sign this once a yearno matter how many camps you cook on andit is only the ‘catering lead’ that has to sign it,you don’t have to sign it if you are just help-ing out. It’s just a record that someone whoknows about these things is looking after theoverall arrangements. If there is no cook onthe camp then we would expect the leader tosign it as the ‘catering lead’, as they will haveoverall responsibility for food hygiene. Youwill be sent this form in advance: pleasereturn it signed before the camp and it willbe kept on record.

Note that this form is a generic list ofitems designed to cover most WRG kitchens. If you have anything specific to your accom-modation then you can make note of it onthe Safety Talk (as you would previously withthe original talk).

And don’t forget that anyone wantingto help with cooking on a WRG camp canclaim back the cost of completing a basicfood hygiene course – there are plenty outthere; contact Jenny for more information.

Helen Gardneron behalf of the WRG Board

and the WRG HACCP team

IMPORTANT: please read this

update to our catering procedures

if you are involved in leading or

catering on Camps - even if you

are just eating the stuff!

WRG CateringPlease read this update

are already booked solid! Yes, that’s right, we’re afraid you’re too late for lots of them. Thereare a few spaces at the end of the summer: you will be very welcome on the Mon & Brecand Swansea canals - see the table below for details of places available as we go to print.

One camp which would still welcome lots more volunteers is IWA National Water-ways Festival camp, Camp 2013-09 from 13 to 24 July, and the leader is Dave ‘DaddyCool’ Worthington. Let’s hear from him about what’s happening...

Welcome to Cassiobury Park…...or so it says on the notice board. There are paddling pools, a miniature railway, a

wetlands nature reserve and even a canal somewhere in the far distance. What it doesn’tmention is that for a few days this July, there will also be the National Waterways Festival. Ifyou’ve already booked then feel free to go off and read the back pages, otherwise headstraight off to the wrg wide web and fill in a booking form.

Accommodation will be the usual marquee in a field, but the field appears to be not inthe middle of nowhere, but in Watford so civilisation will be near at hand.

Festival work is varied. There will almost certainly be a certain amount of fencing to beerected and redirected (although it’s not a very big site), there will be tables and chairs, ban-ners and bunting and other stuff to sort out, distribute, erect etc. General housekeeping dutiesare shared throughout the teams. During the festival the tasks vary – from the inevitable litterpicking (giving you the chance to get to know the stalls and the stall holders and sample thewide variety of ‘goods’ available, to directing the public, either in their cars or out of them.

When everyone goes home, we can take it all down, pack it all away and go home. Allthis in the sunny South of England (or at least, not North of Watford), so rather thanbarrowing 80 tons of woodchip around site, perhaps a little gentle lounging with an icecream might be in order. Do come and try it, even if you can only spare a couple of days.(My current copy of the site plan appears to show the beer tent right next to the accommo-dation, if that makes it more attractive) Oh, and if there are any wrg cooks out there whowould like to come and cook, if I promise not to make unreasonable demands, do let me know.

For latest details on all camps including how to book visit wrg.org.uk, check the WRGFacebook group, or contact head office on 01494 783453 or [email protected].

Coming soonCanal Camps Preview

Canal Camps 2013 part two

Last time we brought you a preview of thecanal camps up to mid July, intending tocontinue this time with part two taking usthrough to September. The idea being that toencourage you to send your bookings in...

Not a lot of point in doing that, now,because as we go to press most of the camps

No site dates kit vans leader(s) places?

05 Lichfield 29/6-06/7 A RFB/EHP Becky Parr/Mark Richardson full up06 Wey & Arun 29/6-06/7 B SAD/FEH Bill Nicholson/Graham Hawkes full up07 Wilts & Berks 06/7-13/7 B SAD/FEH Bob Crow/Katrina Schonhut full up08 Wendover 06/7-13/7 A RFB/EHP Stephen Davis/Ian & Liz Williamson full up09 National Festival 13/7-24/7 A/B All David Worthington Lots of room!10 Basingstoke 27/7-03/8 B SAD/FEH Chris Blaxland/Colin Hobbs 1 place left11 Chelmer 27/7-03/8 A RFB/EHP Chris Byrne/Gavin Darby 1 place left12 Cotswold 03/8-10/8 B SAD/FEH Martyn Worsley/Phil Rodwell full up13 Cromford 03/8-10/8 A RFB/EHP Adrian Crow/Emma Greenall full up14 Cotswold 10/8-17/8 B SAD/FEH Nigel Lee/Helena Rosiecka full up15 Cromford 10/8-17/8 A RFB/EHP Steve Harmes/Chris Colbourne a few places16 Monmouthshire 17/8-24/8 B SAD/FEH Ralph Mills/Katie Bell 1 place left17 Chesterfield 17/8-24/8 A RFB/EHP George Rogers/Liv Vernon full up18 Monmouthshire 24/8-31/8 B SAD/FEH Adrian Crow/Emma Greenall a few places19 Chesterfield 24/8-31/8 A RFB/EHP George Rogers/Simon Vernon/Colin Hobbs full up20 Swansea 31/8-07/9 B SAD/FEH Bob Crow/Katrina Schonhut plenty of room

Summer 2013 Canal Camps: dates, sites, leaders, vans, kits, any places left?

Camp reportEaster on the Cotswold

“an exceedingly large tree had

grown on top of the buried end of

the wall and its root system had

grown into every nook & cranny”

- a challenge for the ‘mobile camp’

Camp 2013-03 Cotswold Canals

“If you need a Port in a snowstorm then it has to be

Brimscombe Port, Stroud”

There is fast becoming a PremierLeaders League for the number oftimes you end up at a camp locationnot being the one you originally signedup to be at. Alas I’ve sneaked onto this listof illustrious individuals, and it would beinappropriate to name names but my guessis that ‘three days before the arrival date’ isat the top of the last-minute switches. Mythanks go out to the understanding and pa-tience of all those folks on the camp that madethe switch. To those that were unable to joinus, I apologize for any disappointment andinconvenience; the wonder of WRG hasplenty of other restoration jewels to enjoy.

When it comes to thanks there is oneperson that deserves the full recognitionspotlight and that is Jen at WRG head office.Immeasurable in her administrative orches-tration skills and acompelling positivitythat all will belovely, Jen you arethe very best andpivotal to the greatthings that happenwith WRG. Finallyall of this couldn’thave happenedwithout a receptiveand responsive hostsociety and ener-gized facilitators, theCotswold CanalsTrust and JonPontefract / SteveHake fit that bill.

The victims ofcircumstance wereour friends on theLichfield & Hather-ton Canals. The

practicalities thrown up by the severe “win-ter” conditions experienced prior to, andforecast for, the Easter period for castingconcreting coping stones on the exposedtowpath bank below lock 26 on the LichfieldCanal resulted in the hasty switch of thecamp to Stroud. Emailed pictures of a 150-200mm layer of snow on the ground with600mm snow drifts at the accommodationwere not good signs on the Monday beforethe camp start on the following Friday. Aftermuch agonizing during the day and eveningthe L&H Trust decided that discretion was thebetter part of valour and the decision wasgiven early on Tuesday morning. Given theweather situation there had been some pre-emptive alternate site dialogue with CCT,after consultation with my assistant Bob, theawesome Jen moved into action for oursmooth move.

Logistically our main concern was thetransportation arrangements of the folksattending the camp, a short drive for parentsor a convenient train journey potentiallybecame more of a chore, so some serious

Scaffolding around the remains of the wall with embedded giant stump

route planning especially with Bob in theother WRG van, and some understandingparents, facilitated pickups from servicestation car parks but saved a serious cross-country trek to Stroud from the East Mid-lands. It was here that the award for bringthe most number of suitcases and bags on acamp goes to Lucy and Stefanie. The flood-ing risk in Boston was abated for a week asthe land mass rose when the massive weightof their wardrobes was transferred to Stroud!

In recent years the wonders of Unit 4,Brimscombe Port industrial estate have beenhome to Stroud camps and weekend; alas anew tenant had moved in, but we were ableto utilise the outstanding accommodation ofthe vacant Unit 1 on the same site withineven closer walking distance of the worksites and essential local amenities. With thehelp of the KESCRG cooker on loan to CCTthe accommodation was sorted.

Then there was the little matter of thework. A rather unique task was identified byJon. The original Brimscombe Port wassurrounded by a stone boundary wall, and atthe Bourne Lock end of the site, the offsideport boundary wall pedestrian gateway re-quired exposing and careful dismantling (tobe re-built later when the temperatures weremore conducive to lime mortar). With yearsof encroachment of the A419 embankment,an exceedingly large tree had grown on topof the line of the buried end of the wall andits root system had grown into every nook &

cranny, totally dis-rupting the stone-work and the arch. Itwas further exacer-bated by ivy growthand various acts ofwaste materialdumping against theopening. The treewas removed someyears ago but thestump and rootsystem was left in agrowing state.

A detaileddrawing of the ex-posed areas wasmade by CCT andthe tasks performedincluded clearance ofvegetation aroundthe base of the wall,excavation and re-

moval of soil & debris to allow the erectionof scaffolding to clear the remainder of thevegetation at high level, and carefully dis-mantling the wall, numbering the key stoneelements of the wall and taking them to safeCCT storage.

Over 6 days a small group MUP-ledinitially by Ed Walker and then by AdrianSturgess with Stef and Joe (our DoE’ers),Lucy, Kim, David, Alan, chainsaw Bob, in factmost of the team helped out with the tasks,and carefully removed the arch and twothirds of the wall. Progress was constrainedby the extent and size of the root growth towhich chainsaw Bob had to literally sliceaway the root growth bit by bit. Unfortu-nately a large chainsaw was not available toreduce the tree stump which had the finalthird of the wall totally strangled in the re-maining root growth. For safe keeping thescaffold was removed at the end of the week.

The remaining members of the campproceeded to clear the canal section belowGough’s Orchard and the “Ironworks” indus-trial site (the buried Hope Mill Lock location)on the off-side of overhanging vegetation,and cleared years of accumulated wooddebris adjacent to the Ironworks site. Bon-fires were of a “Moose grade” of controlledburns.

The resulting view is now one of aclearly defined, tidy, open view of the canalbed. Phil, Sleepy Dave, Laurence, Kim andUlrich were prime movers in the cleanup

Clearing the channel near Hope Mill

with chainsaw Bob accessing some of thelarger sections. The later clearance in thedamper areas of the canal bed ensured thatour “mud larks” Lucy, Stef and Joe were firstin the queue to the shower. Our spirits werewarmed in the at times bitterly cold condi-tions by the complimentary and encouragingresponse from the local towpaths users.

Having successfully completed this taskthe team moved to Griffin Mill Lock wherepart of the team removed fallen trees, willowsaplings and off-side overhanging vegetationfrom the downstream side of the lock. Someinteresting use of formwork sections allowedthe fallen trees in the cut to be recoveredfrom the rather soft reed & silt layer in thecanal. Ulrich & Laurence were the Tirforkings in pulling out the willow saplings withbit of help from Adrian on the mini digger.The bonfires were a welcome part of theday’s work in the extremely bitterly cold windchill and icy conditions.

The DoE’ers assisted with the levelsurvey of the towpath to allow the crossreferencing of the existing slope to the DDA(Disability Discrimination Act) compliancegradient. Sleepy Dave, David and Joe low-ered the system scaffolding in the main lockchamber and the brickwork preparation onthe tow path lock chamber wall was contin-ued along with the making safe of largecoping stone adjacent to the lower gaterecess. Ron Kirby from CCT came along andtrained Lucy, Stef, Joe, sleepy Dave and meon the use of the Arbotec brick saw. Ourthree illustriousDoE’ers under thewatchful eye ofinstructor Adrian hadthe opportunity toacquaint themselveswith CCT’s Molsonplant company“loaned” mini diggeron a stockpile ofType 1 material inthe Brimscombe PortCCT yard area.

Well it mayseem that it waswork, work, workbut we did get to seethe sights of Stroudand the surroundswhen prised out ofthe super soft sofasin the accom after

the great meals our illustrious camp cooksDebbie and Sarah prepared for us. On theSunday evening a raid over the hill to a pubin Nailsworth saw the team bookend the pubquiz by storming to a worthy win, while notwanting to steal the whole show the otherteam sacrificed themselves (so they say) tofinish last. A trip out to the Stirrup Cup Innat Bisley for pub skittles night was mostpleasing. If Joe bowls overarm as well as hisunderarm exhibition of talent then cricketstumps will need replacing a-plenty. Theshort walk to the Ship Inn was well trodduring the week as the big freeze temperedfurther exploration of the environs of Stroud.My esteemed assistant did venture up out ofthe Golden Valley with a van load to enjoythe delights of the Tunnel Inn at Sapperton.On the Friday night we were joined by thejolly KESCRG peeps who had the weekenddig planned before we and the Lancasterweek 2 temp bookended them with ourdiverted camps.

My sincere thanks to Bob Crow myassistant for all his sterling effort and supportto making this a memorable experience forall, to Debbie and Sarah for their accommo-dation / welfare support and another out-standing range of meals, even after goinghome early on Tuesday! To Ed, David, andAdrian for their MUP contributions at thePort Wall gate and to everyone on the campfor making it a great, and highly enjoyablecamp. Last but not least HQ Jen- star quality.

‘RAF Martin’ Thompson

Preparation for brickwork repair at Griffin Mill Lock

Camp reportEaster on the Cotswold II

“...that slight sense of surprise and

relief at having achieved something so

utterly out of the daily experience...”

- Sophie tries to pin down

what it is about WRG

Camp 2013-04 Cotswold Canals

Our Easter camp on the Cotswolds at Stroudwas certainly the most enjoyable camp I’veled. It had all the good things about a camp(the pride at having survived each day, thesense of achievement, the laughs) with veryfew of the negatives (exhaustion, bruises,lost keys). We had a terrific team of volun-teers heavily weighted towards cheerful andenergetic young Duke of Edinburgh awardseekers, who contributed a great energy tothe week.

Maybe I’ve also matured as a leader –this time I concentrated on camp logisticsand delegated the site supervision to reliablevolunteers. I highly recommend this ap-proach as it’s easier to handle the projectmanagement if you aren’t also knackeredfrom site work or focusing on the smallerdetails of each site. I was very fortunate tohave two good MUPs in Martin Danks andAdrian Sturgess, who did a great job runningeach site, and Martin Ludgate for two daysbrickwork training. As we overlapped withKESCRG’s weekend at Griffin Mill Lock wewere also able to work alongside them forthe first day, which I think helped set thetone and atmosphere for the week as well asimpart more practical skills.

The younger volunteers gelled very wellas a team and if their kitchen hygiene wasperhaps rather minimal it was really theironly failing (we’ll overlook the occasionalmidnight games of biscuit frisbee as their sitework was so good). Old hands such as my-self were impressed that they even had theenergy to go out running or swimming aftersite – clearly I wasn’t working them hardenough.

After a day working alongside KESCRGat Griffin Mill lock removing decayed brick-work and landscaping, we moved to othersites at the far end of Stroud. Our main taskwas building trailer parking next to the slip-way at Strachan’s close off Chestnut Lanewhere the swingbridge is. Some volunteersjoined one of the Cotswold Canal Trust’s

regular towpath building days alongsideCommunity Payback workers. We alsoworked at Hilly Orchard retrieving bricksfallen into the water and repairing damagedbrickwork from a floating pontoon. At FromeGardens, just across the water, we had thetask of removing a large pipe poking out intothe canal and posing a hazard to navigation.This proved to be troublesome as it wascapped with immensely thick concrete. Wewere making progress with power toolswhen the locals unfortunately had to raisethe water levels at short notice and work hadto stop for safety reasons. It was frustratingnot to be able to complete the work howeverwe left it so it could easily be finished by theTrust at a later date.

One Tuesday we operated across threedifferent sites around Stroud and I nearlyhad a breakdown co-ordinating volunteers,tool and van movements. After that we stuckto two sites! Some of the brick-fishing teamgot a bit over-enthused and insisted onpulling all sort of junk out of the cut, includ-ing the inevitable shopping trolley, a compu-ter monitor and a pretty functional bike.They also proved efficient at retrieving thesubmerged bull-nosed coping bricks weneeded to finish the wall.

Fairly quickly some heroes emerged:Angus was the youngest team member butseemed to know his way round all the powertools and was quickly delegated to excavat-ing the troublesome pipe. Engineering stu-dent Jack quickly picked up the levels andJordan became adept at moving the pon-toon. Clive and Emma emerged as peoplewho could be relied on to do a thorough jobwith precision and Tom developed a passionfor pulling all kinds of crap out of the cut,even when we begged him not to. We weregrateful to have Rory and Matt around fortheir cheerful personalities, and James wasvery useful on site but will chiefly be remem-bered for the fistfuls of discount coupons hecontributed for real ale!

At one point I had to go cap in hand tothe CCT and beg for a generator. After

grumbling that “WRGies break everythingthey touch” they eventually agreed to loan usone, provided I sign over my firstborn childas security. It was with great relief I handedtheir equipment back safely to them later inthe week. CCT was immensely supportivethroughout our week and provided every-thing we needed and RAF Martin also stayedon from the previous week’s camp to ensurea smooth handover which was useful. Theaccommodation at Unit 1 Brimscombe Portwas great and provided more than enoughroom, as well as being blissfully warm.

Thursday was probably the hardest dayas 30 tonnes of aggregate needed barrowingover the car park. Volunteers Tim and Annwere particularly stoic at this site and, likemany of the team, took a great interest infinishing what they started. This was a toughperiod in the week and I was grateful howno-one shirked this work and even appliedthemselves with greater energy to get thejob done.

Towards the end of the week we tookadvantage of the DVD collection our excellentcook Peter had thoughtfully provided andenjoyed some film nights with popcorn andbeers. I’d recommend movie nights on acamp, especially after the harder days. Wealso managed an outing to Sapperton Tunneland the excellent pub there, and trips to theWetherspoons in Stroudwhich did a decent jobof feeding us at bargainprice. The Ship Inn atBrimscombe was lesspopular although wewent once or twice.

As usual, leadingthe camp was an im-mensely satisfyingexperience which re-minded me how ex-traordinarily rare it is totruly step outside thebeaten path of yournormal experience.Daily life may bestretching but thosestretches are usually ina familiar directionasking ‘only’ an extraeffort in familiar tasks;a particularly hardsession at the gym, anespecially difficult workmeeting. But WRG asks

of us more unfamiliar stretches. Often thisinvolves exercising muscles we didn’t knowwe had in a site chore. But also sometimesit’s that extra mental effort that comes withapplying unfamiliar and untried skills in atotally novel situation. In my case, it meantproject managing across several sites with ateam mostly of new faces and handling thetechnical challenges which emerged. Thesatisfaction I think comes from attemptingthis novelty and from succeeding. It’s thatslight sense of surprise and relief at havingachieved something so utterly out of thedaily experience which makes our hobby soexquisitely satisfying.

If we’re pinning down the exact natureof that peculiar satisfaction, surely it’s the factthat it is achievable; tough, but achievable.WRG exists as an organisation to supportordinary people as they attempt what are forthem extraordinary feats. The WaterwayRecovery Group is extraordinary not becauseit is a voluntary organisation, but because itsvolunteers are operating so far outside theircomfort zones. Mathematicians bricklay andcardiologists build car parks. It would be afar less admirable organisation if it consistedentirely of civil engineers out on a busman’sholiday. Thanks to everyone who supportedus this week in achieving remarkable things!

Sophie Smith

“...a passion for pulling all kinds of crap out of the cut...”

WRG at 40Forty views for forty years

“My first experience was not being able to

see any of the few radiators for steaming

work clothes that were drying out”

- things can only get better

for BITM’s Simon Walker

Interview 33 was a bit of a collaboration – a BITM collaboration: current WRG BITM Chair-man Simon Walker agreed to be interviewed alongside Dave Wedd. Whilst Dave hasnever formally held any committee post with BITM, when you think BITM, you think Dave.He’s also edited the newsletter for a number of years. The interview also has welcome addi-tions from BITMite Stella Wentworth, who came along for fun and was able to fill in somegaps for us.

Q: Simon, how and when did you first get involvedin canal restoration?A: [Simon] We were living in Oxford at the time, this isgoing back 10 or 12 years and there was some sort of canalfestival just by the Oxford Canal. Went down as a family,had a look. There must have been some WRG presencethere because I remember picking up brochures. Camehome, put them in a drawer and did nothing about it for atleast another two years when there was another of thesefestivals. Went back down there again, went round all thestands, picked up more paperwork and this time actually didsomething about it.

Got in touch, I presume, with Dave and got invited tocome along to the Wilts & Berks, in a January - maybe 2002 - and we were pouring mass concrete inrain that was coming down like stair rods. My first experience of being there in an evening, in a villagehall, was not being able to see any of the few radiators there were for steaming work clothes that weredrying out. It was a challenging introduction. [Stella pointed out that it had been a BITM stand that Simonhad found].

Q: What was your next step after that?A: [Simon] Things could only get better. Having had to have my car pulled out of the verge where itwas parked by the BITM van showed that people were prepared to not leave you just to rot once they’dused your services for the weekend.

[Dave] It was probably because I’d had to have a WRG van hauled out by a tractor when I was theonly one left on site a few years ago.

[Simon] I guess things just progressed on from there.

Q: What persuaded you to go back for a second time?A: [Simon] Better weather. Interest, I suppose, in what was being achieved. The work on the Wilts& Berks, at Seven Locks, was clearly a construction phase of the project - it was not long before we gotto the destruction, and the desecration and everything else that goes with scrub-bashing, and that’s allgood fun. It was the opportunity to get out into some fresh air with a wide range of jobs that needed tobe done; things that were appealing to my somewhat strange sense of what’s fun to do.

Q: Dave, how about you – how did you get started?A: [Dave] I took up canoeing and then saw an advert in the paper for a free film show which was theSurrey and Hants [Canal Society] with John Humphries doing a talk (ex-IWA chairman). Went along tothat for a while, did their sponsored walk, which involving walking the full length of the BasingstokeCanal. Eventually, went to a work party in December, probably 1984, which was the local IWA branchworking at lock 1. They gave me a kango hammer and said “cut a hole in this wall” – one foot cube.This was backing so that new brickwork would bond into old brickwork. I was just going through a

Dave Wedd (left) and Simon Walker

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divorce so having a kango hammer to dosome demolition really appealed. They’dactually given me some reasonablyskilled work to do straight away and Ireally enjoyed it.

There wasn’t another work partywith them for a whole month, so I wentout with a different group the followingweek. That was at Lock 4 on the Bas-ingstoke where Pablo [Haworth] had justrecently started that one after finishinglock 5. Really enjoyed that, dumperdriving and such like. I was a bit wor-ried about the dumper driving andthought I ought to have a bit of training.KESCRG were doing training so Ieventually went up to one of their two-week work camps. They sent me togrout the inside of a bywash pipe;obviously it was a concrete pipe and all the joints had to be grouted from the inside. There were two ofus inside grouting the pipe and when we came out at the other end we found they’d filled in the pipeabove and this Massey Ferguson digger had been driving around on top.

Q: What was your first experience of WRG?A: [Dave] It was KESCRG and then the Wey and Arun work camp – that was probably run by WRG,though it was Catherine from KESCRG who was leading that camp along with John Palmer. There wewere digging out a culvert at Lee Farm Lock, laying a concrete culvert through, which involved a lot ofdigging out of lovely blue clay, digging it out by hand. There was one day when one of the directors ofthe canal trust came along and worked with us. The following day there was a JCB!!

Q: It sounds like you got involved very quickly - you were digging on weekend digs thatwere vaguely where you lived and not associated with any particular group?A: [Dave] Any group that was working on the canal, I would go and work with them. If there wasaccommodation, then I’d stay in the village hall.

[Dave] It was nearly every weekend, sometimes I must have had a day off to go canoeing instead,since I managed to do training to do the Devizes to Westminster canoe race.

[Stella] You did say you’d won the KESCRG attendance award.[Dave] I got that because I got involved with doing phone rounds for them. Ken [Parish] persuaded

quite a few people to do phone rounds in their area and there was one month where I couldn’t findanybody from my area so I phoned up Ken and nobody else had either – he couldn’t make it either. Ithink I ended up ringing the Wey and Arun telling them “better cancel the accommodation” – they said“we’re going to be having a work party anyway” so I went down with Winston Harwood. So I was theonly KESCRG person there and I’d done just about every other KESCRG work party as well, so I gotthe attendance award.

Q: Where did WRG BITM come into it?A: [Dave] That was formed in about ’86. I wasn’t involved when it initially started. I think I mayhave been on about the second or third work party. I remember going along with Mark Bennett to theSouthern Stratford in the days of the Stratford Blitz, pressure washing a lock chamber – I think that’sthe only time I’ve worked on the Stratford – somewhere around Lowsonford.

Q: Can you remember what the idea was around creating BITM as a regional group – whowas involved in that?A: [Dave] Soo Duffin, Steve Pitt, John Palmer and Chris Davey. Chris was chairman originally. Ithink the idea seemed to be to go and work on any canal other than the Basingstoke, which suited mebecause by that time I’d got a full time job with the Surrey & Hants Canal Society so I was working fivedays a week on the Basingstoke Canal and most weekends as well – I’d do KESCRG weekends, NWPG

Kangoing on Lock 3 on the Basingstoke in the 1980s

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weekends or London WRG – they were all on the Basingstoke. Having the chance to work somewhereelse made a nice change.

[Simon] I did a little bit of research for an article that I wrote for our 25th anniversary, and I haveto say that we haven’t improved any over the years in letting people know what we’ve been doing. Itwas pretty vague even at the beginning – there was a report in Navvies maybe three or four months afterthe event that BITM had suddenly been discovered underneath a gooseberry bush or something, some-where. Working my way through quite a number of editions of Navvies after that, there was singularlyvery little in the way of information as to what the heck anybody was getting up to at that time. Itseemed to be, it was set up to give people an opportunity to see a wider range of projects from a non-local perspective. We were able to draw bodies from a much wider geographical area – that’s what itstarted out with and that’s what it’s continued to be.

Q: [To Dave] Have you been a committee member on BITM?A: [Dave] Not officially a committee member, no. I’ve always done the newsletter, which does meanpeople have to tell me what’s going on. I’ve also been doing the dates list for WRG, which started outcompiling a list just for my own interest. Because I was trying to work every weekend, I needed to tryand keep track of what the groups were doing, and each group would have their own separate list ofwhat they were doing. So I would retype that into a list that was in date order so that I could see whichones clashed. Eventually Alan Jervis asked me if he could use that list in Navvies. I found the mainway to compile that list was to actually go on the work parties and ask them what they were going to bedoing!!

Q: Jumping back to your job with the Surrey and Hampshire Canal Society – what workwere you doing?A: [Dave] There were four of us working full time, Frank was building lock gates and the other threeof us were fitting the gates - that was one of the jobs. It was whatever needed doing really. We rebuiltWoodend Bridge, which was completely rebuilding the parapets and the sides, repairing the arch. AndLangman’s Bridge, which was a listed structure but we got permission to do it on safety grounds. I’d bemixing concrete, driving dumpers. No driving diggers because we had an arrangement that the countycouncil would pay for machine hire, and Frank had persuaded them that machines came with a driver,which meant one extra person on the working party!

Q: How long was that job for?A: [Dave] Four and a quarter years until the restoration was finished and we reopened the canal. Ihad always intended to work myself out of a job.

Q: Who have been the other chairmen (women) of BITM?A: [Dave] Andy Norton, I think he took over from Chris [Davey], George Stephenson, then whenGeorge Stephenson dropped out of it I suppose that was when we were stuck with no chairman. WRGinsisted that we needed to have a chairman and that’s when I pointed out that Blue [the Burchetts’ dog]was the only one who hadn’t said “no” to being chairman.

[Simon] Blue got the nod.[Stella] Which led to the BITM van being described as the Chairman’s Limo because he was the

only one allowed to ride in the back of it![Dave] Kevin Angus took over after Blue died, and then Kevin died and Tony Hinsley took over.[Simon] He stood down in 2007, at which point nobody else was fool enough to put their head

over the parapet and ….[Stella] we were delighted to accept Simon![Simon] I must have been digging three or four years. My background is as an engineer - I started

out living on a farm in Cornwall - mining engineer, tunnelling, construction those sorts of things. It justseemed a useful way of making something out of those few skills that I still remembered from when Iwas a practising engineer.

Q: In those years between getting soaking wet and becoming chairman did you just godigging with BITM?A: [Simon] Yes, I have not gone out with any other groups.

Q: Has BITM been afairly solid group overthe years?A: [Simon] Certainly inthe early days there weresome ups and downs. Myrecollection, and this ispurely from reading whatlittle information there wasin Navvies, was that it wentthrough a pretty stickypatch at one stage, fairlyearly on. Since then, andsince I’ve been involved, ithas had a very consistentlevel of interest – a corenumber of people whocome out on a regularbasis, that we can rely on.From that point of view, Ithink it’s done very well.

Q: How many times ayear do you dig?A: [Dave] Basically once a month, third weekend of each month.

[Simon] We chicken out of August, and May is invariably something to do with festivals.[Dave] We started doing the Wendover Arm festival, and we started having a stall at Little Venice

Cavalcade. Then through the contacts with Wendover, we decided to help with site services atRickmansworth – so we were doing three festivals in one month, which didn’t leave much time foranybody to go on a dig.

Q: What kind of work did you do at the Wendover Festival?A: [Dave] Anything that needed doing; putting up fencing, marking out the car park. It wasn’t practi-cal to mow the whole field but we would just mow out stripes to mark out the car park. It was a fieldcurved in every direction – you couldn’t see where the cars were parked when you came in. We endedup with long lollipop things that people would hold up so somebody could see where they were sup-posed to be heading for.

Q: What kind of sites do you go to now?A: [Simon] In my time, everywhere from Chichester to Sleaford, from the Mon and Brec to Chelmerand Blackwater. In the last ten years, anything within that area has been fair game. Having said that,last year we went down to the Stover. It’s very much a Middle England stamping ground for us. In-creasingly we have tended, for reasons of economy if nothing else, to draw our horns in a bit and not goas far. It’s a question of how much it costs people to get out to the further-flung places. The Stoverproject last year, we actually made a long weekend out of it. One of the problems that BITM hasthrough its structure is that we can’t reasonably make use of any of the WRG vehicles to take peoplefrom a particular place to a weekend. If you’re London WRG, then I guess that becomes easier to do.We draw our people from as far afield as Devon, South Wales, Kent, Cambridgeshire, Nottinghamshire.

[Dave] I tried plotting where everyone was coming from on a map once, and it just looked like aspider’s web.

Q: Does BITM have any characteristics as a regional group?A: [Simon] I would say we have tended to have been doing more of the ground clearance, rather thanthe construction side of things. We’ve got our own Tirfor sets, we’ve got our own van with our bits andpieces in there. Again, that really is a reflection on what individual societies have available for us. Itdoesn’t mean to say that we can’t do it – last year we were out for a weekend on the Oxford Canalbridge projects up by Rugby. We started off with a weekend up there repointing and rebuilding some of

WRG BITM working on the Oxford Bridges project in 2012

the parapets – that is a skill set that we certainly have but we may not use it as frequently as some othergroups do.

Q: What’s the most useful skill and who taught it to you?A: [Dave] Hopefully driving an excavator. The first lesson I had was when KESCRG were runningthe National at Waltham Abbey, and there was an opportunity to do basically the safety training downthere – plus I’d had several years watching the excavator drivers on the Basingstoke who were reallyskilled.

[Simon] A lot of what we do I have probably had in my background already – obviously themining side of things - our dumpers are a bit bigger than your dumpers. Turning it on its head, one ofthe things that I can contribute is an understanding of how to use lime. All of the stonework you seearound here [in his house] is done with lime mortars, so where we have had the need for specific materi-als being used, I hope that I’ve been able to bring some experience and also teach people how to goabout using it. I do enjoy going out with my chainsaw and hacking up trees – that is a skill I haveactually learnt (not directly through a WRG thing, but through one of the official training schemes).

Q: What would you say has changed for canal restoration in the time you’ve been in-volved?A: [Simon, after long pause] Precious little! Some projects have moved along, some haven’t. We stillhave the opportunity to get grubby, we still have the opportunity to bring structures (and I’m thinkingfrom an archaeological point of view) not only back to life but into public view. One of the thingswe’ve worked on was Eisey Lock in the middle of the gravel pits out beyond Fairford. When we firstwent there, you could barely see the thing. We spent a fair time clearing everything away, and the placeis now in good condition – a lot of effort has gone into it from other groups as well. It is nice to be ableto release some of these structures from the decades of growth that have been hiding them.

From BITM’s point of view, one thing that has changed and is continuing to change is that every-body’s getting older. There’s quite a few of us who are getting more mature, and for one reason oranother we aren’t getting younger people coming in at the other end of our group profile - that’s aconcern. Whether that is reflected across WRG, I don’t know.

[Stella] Is this a reflection of changes in society? Now even students have far more in the way ofpressures to keep their bills down, they’ve got far less free time than I had when I was a student.

Q: What would you say WRG’s greatest achievement has been?A: [Simon] Keeping a really disparate cross-section of people enthusiastic about the work that’s done– it’s being able to act as an organisational structure under which people can go out and fundamentallyenjoy themselves. There’s so many different aspects to it: OK, we’ve got all our equipment; OK, wecan organise camps; OK, we can organise a bonfire bash, but above all of that it is simply providing anenvironment in which people can go out, keep themselves fit, get some fresh air, and get some camara-derie.

Q: Is there anything you’d say WRG is not so good at?A: [Dave] I sometimes wonder how good we are at getting people coming back again – we do getsome people coming back, but could we do more?

Q: What is your favourite derelict canal?A: [Simon] I haven’t got a favourite as such. Every canal we go and work on offers something differ-ent, something interesting. I really enjoy the opportunity to go round and see different aspects – whatthe challenges are and how people are trying to overcome them.

Q: Do you have any boating background?A: [Dave] I was born and brought up by the River Thames; we had a house by the Thames. I enjoyedboating, going on my parents’ cruiser and [eventually] had a small boat of my own. Mum would row usacross the river to get to school because it was a much shorter route than to walk all the way round.Now I live further away from canals, and spend more time restoring them.

[Simon] You have had your uses as well for us in terms of your canoeing capabilities. There havebeen some occasions where we’ve needed the assistance of waterborne [transport]. You managed topuncture your canoe on the Grantham.

[Dave] When I was working on the Basingstoke, there was a narrowboat that needed to be moveddown to the River Wey, turned round and back again (because they wanted it the other way round). Wewere towing it along with ropes and then came to a part of the towpath where they’d been dredging andthe towpath was more than welly depth in mud. So I got the canoe out and towed it. That’s when Irealised that you have to be a bit careful about towing because you can’t push to send it in the otherdirection.

[Stella] At Grantham, you were using the canoe to get the chains out on fallen trees and take theTirfor lines across, so that the bank party could winch them out of the water.

Q: Has anyone inspired you?A: [Dave] Apart from present company, people like John Palmer. He got me involved in going toother canals initially. He persuaded me to go to the Wey and Arun and not just stay on the Basingstoke– he was coming all the way down from Stockport to work on the Basingstoke.

[Stella] He taught you all you knew about pumps[Dave] Working with him gives you the confidence to strip down pumps and find out what’s

blocking them.

Q: Do you have any ‘do youremember the time...’ stories?A: [Simon] I think my initiation – ifthat is the right word – into BITMwas probably the most striking eventof my career thus far. Fortunately.

[Dave] That was one of the veryunusual working parties where weactually stopped at lunchtime andpacked up for the afternoon.

There was a work party atMaisemore Lock on the River Severn– we went down there to clear thelock chamber, no real intention ofrestoring it but we had the opportu-nity to stop it deteriorating too muchmore, and a horse fell into the river.Apparently they were doing a point-to-point, it had lost its rider and thenit jumped over the wrong hedge andlanded in the river. It was swimming strongly. I think a powerboat went out and persuaded it not toswim downstream towards the weir, so it swam up [to us]. We ended up hauling it out of the water –the landowner who owned the lock chamber was experienced with horses, and she went into the waterto put ropes round the horse. All of us managed to get it out of the water.

Q: Where do you see WRG’s future?A: [Dave] A big muddy hole somewhere.

[Simon] I think it is probably coming to be time to have a serious discussion as to what WRG canreasonably expect to achieve in the future. With the changeover from BW to CRT, that is somethingthat is going to take a while for people to settle down in their new working environment – their actualjobs may still be the same, and hopefully WRG will be able to adjust the way that it functions to takethat into consideration. It is difficult, from my own personal experience in my professional life, whenyou have a ‘client’ (essentially CRT is a client for WRG) who has been operating under a particular setof conditions for a long time, people within that organisation do take a while to adjust. WRG hasopportunities with the new CRT structure, but it will take a while to work out how to make best use ofthose. In the meantime we are dependent upon the success of individual restoration groups/trusts inmaintaining a flow of funding – it is difficult for a lot of them to generate enough funds to keep them-selves ticking over as they’d like to - that obviously is going to have an impact on WRG. It is a differentset of circumstances that WRG is going to have to address, and that is a task that needs to be donesooner rather than later.

Eisey: “When we first went, you could barely see the thing”

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WRG at 40Forty views for forty years

“I wanted to go on holiday on my

own, have a cheap holiday and not

go on a Solo or a Saga holiday

or anything grim like that”

- why Tasteralla joined us

Interview 34 fulfilled my requirement of interviewing someone who started digging after Istarted doing these interviews. Valerie “Tasterella Taster” Goodwin and I locked ourselvesaway in a broom cupboard after the leaders’ training day – not the most glamorous of loca-tions...

Q: How and when did you first get involved with canalrestoration?A: I started August 2010 on RAF Martin Thompson’s camp atEisey and we stayed at Ashton Keynes. That was my first experi-ence with the WRG.

Q: What made you book on the camp?A: I was keen on the canals because I’d been on lots of canalholidays all over the UK (Caledonian Canal, Grand Union, Kennet& Avon, Mon & Brec). I was in the doctor’s surgery one day and Ipicked up a magazine about canal boating and it said in it “haveyou thought about doing WRGie?” – well it didn’t actually saythose words. I thought “This is it! This is brilliant!” The perfectholiday for me because I wanted to go on holiday on my own, havea cheap holiday and not go on a Solo or a Saga holiday or anything grim like that. I used to do theNational Trust years before I had the children and I didn’t really like that very much, the sort of workthey get you to do is namby pamby useless stuff that’s no good to man nor beast. I thought it would bebetter to do proper work and help the canals come back to life.

Q: What work were you doing on that first camp?A: I did lots of brick cleaning. I did three days of brick cleaning and I got an award for cleaningbricks. I realised then I’d found my niche because I just quite like sitting there, cleaning bricks - it’s niceand it takes your mind off your own problems. You get that kind of zen, floaty feeling which I like, thatI always look for when I go on a canal camp. You feel tired but you also feel tranquil and zoned out –you’re not worried about your normal day-to-day worries. You’re just quietly bringing wood to the fireor pulling out brambles or backfilling John Hawkins’ brickwork so he can come and do the front line orwhatever you’re doing. On that first camp I met John Hawkins, Rob Brotherstone, Kim on the cementmixer, Alan Lines, Dave Miller, RAF Martin, George [Rogers], Mandy [Morley], Steve Baylis andMichelle, Teacher Chris – basically the backbone of WRG were there. I just felt immediately I’d foundmy people; good people. In the rest of your life you think where are the people that want to do thingsnot because of getting money but because of doing good works. Here they all are! So soothing, sogood for me – where I was in my life – to be with people who are healing people.

What’s very interesting to me is when you first meet the canal people, the way they are with you isthe way they’re always going to be with you. They never get more friendly and they never get less –they’re always the same amount of friendliness. That’s what’s so comforting – they’re always going tobe the same. I met wonderful people that first camp and I thought “I can’t wait to get more of this”.

So I’ve done loads since then, I don’t know how many exactly, every holiday I’ve got really:Christmas, Easter, all the half-terms. I usually only do the one or perhaps two in the Summer. I’vemostly done Thames & Severn: Eisey, Inglesham, Stroud. I’ve done a bit of Wilts & Berks, a bit atNynehead and Basingstoke.

Q: What motivates you – what’s the atmosphere like?A: You have a good laugh don’t you? I quite like the Duke of Edinburgh people actually because

I’m so used to them. I feel that’s mystrength in a way because I naturally knowhow to talk to them. I don’t always thinkthe other people on a camp know how topitch it.

Q: Is that from your background?A: Because I’m a teacher and havingtwo boys of my own at about that age –and their friends. I want them both tocome along but they won’t come because“it’s mum”. They’d really love it – they’dlove doing the big bonfires and they’reimmensely strong, both of them and fit.It’s such a waste that they won’t come butI don’t think I can persuade them – it’sreally sad.

Q: Is it mainly canal camps thatyou’ve done or weekends?A: Oh [remembering] I did the Nationaland [weekend] digs, yes, I’ve done those.The Somerset Coal Canal – I’ve done thata few times – they haven’t got a weeklong dig on the Somerset Coal Canal.

Q: Which regional group do you goout with?A: Ooh - I go out with all of them –apart from the north. I don’t go up to thenorth, there’s a cut off point, the highestI’ve been is when we did the National atBurton on Trent. I was thinking aboutgoing further north but then I can’t face it. When you live right down on the Jurassic Coast it’s a longway.

I quite like the idea of seeing something through like with Eisey, we saw it come to completion,that was so brilliant.

We did the National, I did the full week and Iain [Valerie’s partner] did the weekends either end. Iquite liked that although it was an awful lot of just moving fences which got a bit tedious. I like thefact that you’re with all those people - that’s really great - I got to know Maria and Moose a bit more onthat one.

I like the bit where you’re doing the [publicity] stand and you’re interacting with the public – Icould have done more of that. That’s something we ought to do more of. Today when I walked alongthe canal there was nothing about WRG anywhere, they had some information boards up, they shouldhave had a bit saying “hey would you like to help get the canals sorted out?” I often feel that they don’tquite do their joined up thinking there.

Q: What kind of jobs are your forte?A: I do a lot of fetching stuff to the fire and pulling out the brambles. The things that nobody elsewants to do. Somebody’s chopped all the stuff down and someone has to take it to the fire and some-times it’s a long way and they don’t particularly want to – it’s not very glamorous. Someone has to dothe non-glamorous stuff. I’m quite happy to do that. I’ve got no responsibilities – it’s great.

I like writing about it afterwards as well, I find it quite easy. Sometimes when they say “oooh[nervously] – who’s going to write the camp report?” I think - I’m quite happy to do the camp report if Ido it straight away otherwise you forget. The thing I’m not very good at is remembering how many feetor metres or the cubic blah-de-blah – technical details. RAF Martin would tell you how many feet orinches and I’d just tell you who did what and what was funny and how many dogs there were.

“I did lots of brick-cleaning”

Q: What do you think of Navvies as amagazine?A: It’s very good – I made a point of read-ing Navvies before I came away on a canalcamp because I could then work out what thedeal was and what likely people there weregoing to be. Before I came I thought there’d bea load of beardy people but actually althoughsome of them have got beards I don’t hold thatagainst them!! In fact I like beards. I thinkI’ve met some of the nicest people - RobBrotherston is like a saint really – he’s justsuch a nice person and he just puts up witheverybody in a really wonderful way.

Q: What are your aspirations over thenext couple of years?A: Just carry on and support Iain becausehe’s going to be a leader or assistant I think.Just do the pastoral side of it – I don’t want todo the engineering, technical, stand aroundtalking about form works and all that business– whatever the heck form works are. I’mhappy for someone to say “lift that barge, totethat bale”.

Q: Is there anything you’re really proudof so far? – you’ve been digging less timethan I’ve been doing these interviews soit’s a different perspective.A: I am proud of it – I like telling peopleabout it, I tell all the kids at school about it,other teachers. I think that’s a good thing todo is to try and get other people involved.When I’m on Facebook I put the pictures up and say what a wonderful time I’ve had. Some of my friendsare already thinking about doing it but they’re a bit afraid to for some reason. One of the things I liked aboutit was when you first come on a camp, especially if you come on your on your own, you find out who youactually are because you’re not defined. You’re not a mother, you’re not a teacher, you’re not someone’ssister or girlfriend. You literally find out who you are and that’s a weird feeling. Maybe people thathave been doing it for years don’t remember that that was one of the things that was special.

Q: What are WRG’s greatest achievements?A: I like to think of Martin Ludgate when he says about how he started working on the Droitwichand now he’s able to cruise down that canal – that is so incredible.

Q: Who has inspired you?A: Everybody really in their different ways. I always think of Rob [Brotherston] and RAF Martin asbeing the biggest inspirations because, in their own ways, they are what WRG is all about- they’re bothsuch hard workers, they lead by example and they take it so seriously.

Q: Cooking – what’s your impression of it?A: I think they do a brilliant, brilliant job. I think it’s everything you want from a holiday becauseyou can eat cheaper on a canal camp than you can eat at home. The standard of food is amazing,Maria, Mandy and Sophie are such amazing cooks.

Q: What’s your favourite derelict canal?A: I think it’s probably Inglesham – and all round Ingesham and Eisey and round there. That’s going

Achievement: boats cruise the restored Droitwich

Mart

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to be so amazing whenthat’s done – you can seeit, it’s almost tantalisingthat it’s so close to beingdone. That’s going to behuge when the Thamesand the Severn arelinked up – it’s got veryexciting with the factthat Stroud [council] put alot of money in at thatend. And the fact thatthe first lock I workedon was Eisey. It’s a veryspecial part of theworld.

Q: What’s the mostuseful skill you learntand who taught it toyou?A: I have almostlearnt how to do bricks -I wouldn’t be trusted to do the front facing but I like back filling and I think I do it quite well. I liketaking the bad bricks out as well and getting the roots out – it’s a bit like dentistry.

Q: Has anything changed about canal restoration in the three years you’ve been doing it?A: Since CRT came in, people are obviously anxious about how that going to affect [things] – and therecession – everybody’s worried about how much money there’s going to be to do all this stuff. It isvery exciting, the Stroud end, about how much difference putting money in makes. I’ve seen that – I’veseen lots of things take off - that H&G stuff, the fact that they put all that length in [the work done on theEaster camp 2012]. Are they going to go on? It’s exciting to see a huge length like that done.

Q: Where do you seeWRG’s future?A: I hope it carries on, Iwouldn’t want it to change toomuch because it’s lovely the wayit is. It’s very different to theNational Trust because it letspeople “do” – they’ll let you chopthe rhododendrons back a bit butthey won’t let you take them outso you know they’re going togrow back.

Q: Do you have any clas-sic “do you remember thetime” when stories?A: There have been so manyfunny times and we’ve laughed somuch. There’s a great range ofpeople that you wouldn’t meetany other way from all differentwalks of life, from all overthe UK.Interviews by Helen GardnerFavourite site: Inglesham awaits the return of the WRGies

Over Extension on the H&G: “Exciting to see a huge length done”

Mart

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Mart

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Navvies diaryYour guide to all the forthcoming work parties

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

Jun 22/23 London WRG Cotswold Canals: Ham Mill Lock

Jun 22 Sat wrgNW ‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection

Jun 22 Sat IWA Lee & Stort River Lee at Ware: clearing veg, litter pick before Ware River Festival Ju

Jun 22 Sat IWA Mcr/CRT Greater Manchester area: Painting, veg clearance, pulling rubbish out, iwa.co.uk

Jun 27 Thu IWA NSSC/CUCT Caldon Canal: Himalayan Balsam pulling. 10am-3pm Meet at Consall L

Jun 29-Jul 6 Camp 201305 Lichfield Canal: Machine operation, block laying.

Jun 29-Jul 6 Camp 201306 Wey & Arun Canal: Run by NWPG. Building footpath and viewing area by

Jul 5-11 WAT Wendover Arm: Seven-day weekend Fri-Thu. Bed & bank lining.

Jul 6/7 wrgNW Hollinwood Canal

Jul 6-13 Camp 201307 Wilts & Berks Canal: Steppingstone Lane Bridge. Bricklaying, coping sto

Jul 6-13 Camp 201308 Wendover Arm: Run by KESCRG. Bricklaying & footpath at Whitehouse

Jul 11 Thu IWA NSSC/CUCT Caldon Canal: Himalayan Balsam pulling. 10am-3pm Meet by Froghall

Jul 12 Fri IWA W Riding Leeds & Liverpool Canal: Milepost painting & litter pick in Leeds. 6pm-9

Jul 13/14 London WRG Cotswold Canals: Ham Mill Lock.

Jul 13-24 Camp 201309 National Festival Camp: Cassiobury Park, Watford

Jul 18 Thu IWA Warks Stratford Canal: Lapworth, lock painting, litter pick, veg clearance & [email protected]

Jul 20/21 wrgBITM To be arranged

Jul 20 Sat IWA Warks/CRTStratford Canal: Lapworth, lock painting, litter pick, veg clearance & [email protected]

Jul 20 Sat IWA NSSC/TMCS Trent & Mersey Canal: Cheshire Locks. Painting & veg clearance at Church

Jul 24 Wed IWA Chiltern Grand Union Canal: Himalayan Balsam pulling in sideponds at Lock 44

Jul 27 Sat IWA Mcr/CRT Greater Manchester area: Painting, veg clearance, pulling rubbish out, li

Jul 27-Aug 3 Camp 201310 Basingstoke Canal: Various works in the Deepcut area

Jul 27-Aug 3 Camp 201311 Chelmer & Blackwater Navigation: Bank protection, towpath construction

Aug 1 Thu IWA NSSC/CUCT Caldon Canal: Himalayan Balsam pulling. 10am-3pm Meet at Basford B

Aug 3/4 KESCRG Wendover Arm: Accom at Ivinghoe Aston. Continuing from summer ca

Aug 3/4 London WRG Wey & Arun Canal

Aug 3 Sat wrgNW ‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collection

Aug 3-11 WAT Wendover Arm: Nine-day week Sat-Sun. Bed & bank lining.

Aug 3-10 Camp 201312 Cotswold Canals: Bricklaying at Ham Mill & Bowbridge Locks.

Aug 3-10 Camp 201313 Cromford Canal: Stone walling and other heritage techniques.

Aug 9 Fri IWA W Riding Leeds & Liverpool Canal: Milepost painting & litter pick in Leeds. 6pm-9

Aug 10-17 Camp 201314 Cotswold Canals: Bricklaying at Ham Mill & Bowbridge Locks.

Aug 10-17 Camp 201315 Cromford Canal: Stone walling and other heritage techniques.

Aug 11 Sun IWA NSSC/CUCT Caldon Canal: Himalayan Balsam pulling. 10am-3pm Meet at Consall L

Aug 15 Thu IWA Warks Stratford Canal: Lapworth, lock painting, litter pick, veg clearance & pat

Aug 17 Sat IWA Warks/CRTStratford Canal: Lapworth, lock painting, litter pick, veg clearance & pat

Canal Camps cost £56 per week unless otherwise stated. Bookings

for WRG Camps identified by a camp number e.g. 'Camp 201305'

should go to WRG Canal Camps, Island House, Moor Road, Chesham

HP5 1WA. Tel: 01494 783453, [email protected]. Diary compiled

by Dave Wedd. Tel: 01252 874437, [email protected]

ease contact diary compiler Dave Wedd: see top of page

Tim Lewis 07802-518094 [email protected]

David McCarthy 01706-211377

uly 5-7. 10am-4pm Les Hunt [email protected]

litter pick Ian Price 07971-444258 chairman@manchester-

Lime Kilns Bob Luscombe 07710-054848 [email protected]

01494-783453 [email protected]

y Cranleigh Waters. 01494-783453 [email protected]

Roger Leishman 01442-874536 [email protected]

David McCarthy 01706-211377 [email protected]

ones, landscaping. 01494-783453 [email protected]

es, plus block laying on lining. 01494-783453 [email protected]

Tunnel Bob Luscombe 07710-054848 [email protected]

9pm (eve) Elaine Scott 07980-953880 [email protected]



th work. 10am-3pm Brian Bayston 01926-831508

Dave Wedd 01252-874437 [email protected]

th work. 10am-4pm Brian Bayston 01926-831508

Lawton 10am-4pm Bob Luscombe 07710-054848 [email protected]

, Marsworth John Brice 07740-733241 [email protected]

tter pick 10am-4pm Ian Price 07971-444258 [email protected]


n, and veg clearance 01494-783453 [email protected]

Bridge, Cheddleton Bob Luscombe 07710-054848 [email protected]

amp. Bobby Silverwood 07971-814986 [email protected]


David McCarthy 01706-211377

Roger Leishman 01442-874536 [email protected]



9pm (eve) Elaine Scott 07980-953880 [email protected]



Lime Kilns Bob Luscombe 07710-054848 [email protected]

th work. 10am-3pm Brian Bayston 01926-831508 [email protected]

th work. 10am-4pm Brian Bayston 01926-831508 [email protected]

Every Tuesday BCA Basingstoke Canal Chris Healy 01252-370073Once per month: pls check BCNS BCN waterways Mike Rolfe 07763-1717352nd Sunday & alternate Thurs BCS Buckingham area Athina Beckett 01908-661217Anytime inc. weekdays BCT Aqueduct section Gerald Fry 01288-353273Every Mon and Wed CCT Cotswold (W depot) Ron Kerby 01453-836018Every mon am Thu pm CCT Cotswold (E end) John Maxted 01285-861011Various dates CCT Cotswold Phase 1a Jon Pontefract 07986-351412Every Sunday ChCT Various sites Mick Hodgetts 01246-620695Every Tuesday CSCT Chichester Canal Carley Sitwell 01243 773002Every Tue & Wed C&BN Chelmer & Blackwater John Gale 01376-3348964th Sunday of month ECPDA Langley Mill Michael Golds 0115-932-8042Second Sun of month FIPT Foxton Inclined Plane Mike Beech 0116-279-26572nd weekend of month GCRS Grantham Canal Ian Wakefield 0115-989-21282nd Sat of month GWCT Nynehead Lift Denis Dodd 01823-661653Tuesdays H&GCT Oxenhall Brian Fox 01432 358628Weekends H&GCT Over Wharf House Maggie Jones 01452 618010Wednesdays H&GCT Over / Vineyard Hill Ted Beagles 01452 522648Thursdays H&GCT Herefordshire Wilf Jones 01452 413888Every Sunday if required IWPS Bugsworth Basin Ian Edgar 0161-427 7402Every day KACT Bradford-on-Avon Derrick Hunt 01225-8630662nd Sunday of month LCT Lancaster N. Reaches Paul Shaw 01524-356851st, 2nd, 4th Sun + 3rd Sat LHCRT Lichfield Sue Williams 01543-6714273rd Sunday of month LHCRT Hatherton Denis Cooper 01543-374370Last weekend of month MBBCS Creams Paper Mill Steve Dent 07802-973228Two Sundays per month NWDCT N Walsham Canal David Revill 01603-7386482nd & last Sundays PCAS Pocklington Canal Paul Waddington 01757-638027Every Wed and 1st Sat RGT Stowmarket Navigtn. Martin Bird 01394-3807652nd Sunday of month SCARS Sankey Canal Colin Greenall 01744-7317461st Sunday of month SCCS Combe Hay Locks Derrick Hunt 01225-863066Two weekends per month SHCS Basingstoke Canal Duncan Paine 01252-614125Last weekend of month SCS Stover Canal George Whitehead 01626-7754982nd Sunday of month SNT Sleaford Navigation Mel Sowerby 01522-856810Thu and Tue April-September SORT Sussex Ouse Ted Lintott 01444-4144131st weekend of month SUCS Newhouse Lock Mike Friend 01948-880723Every Tuesday morning TMCA Thames & Medway C Brian Macnish 01732-823725Every Sunday & Thurs WACT varied construction Eric Walker 023-9246-3025Mondays (2 per month) WACT tidying road crossings John Empringham 01483-562657Wednesdays WACT Tickner's Heath Depot John Smith 01903-235790Wednesdays WACT maintenance work Peter Jackman 01483-772132Sundays mainly WACT Loxwood Link Kev Baker 02380-861074Thursdays WACT Winston Harwood Grp Tony Clear 01903-774301Various dates WACT Hedgelaying (Oct-Mar) Keith Nichols 01403-753882last w/e (Fri-Thu) WAT Drayton Beauchamp Roger Leishman 01442-874536

Please send any additions corrections or deletions to diary compiler Dave Wedd (see previous page)

Abbreviations used in Diary:

BCA Basingstoke Canal AuthorityBCNS Birmingham Canal Navigations Soc.BCS Buckingham Canal SocietyBCT Bude Canal TrustChCT Chesterfield Canal TrustCBN Chelmer & Blackwater NavigationCSCT Chichester Ship Canal TrustCCT Cotswolds Canals TrustECPDA Erewash Canal Pres. & Devt. Assoc.FIPT Foxton Inclined Plane TrustGCRS Grantham Canal Restoration SocietyGWCT Grand Western Canal TrustH&GCT Hereford & Gloucester Canal TrustIWPS Inland Waterways Protection SocietyKACT Kennet & Avon Canal TrustKESCRG Kent & E Sussex Canal Rest. Group

LCT Lancaster Canal TrustLHCRT Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Rest'n TrustMBBCS Manchester Bolton & Bury Canal SocietyNWPG Newbury Working Party GroupNWDCT North Walsham & Dilham Canal TrustPCAS Pocklington Canal Amenity SocietyRGT River Gipping TrustSCARS Sankey Canal Restoration SocietySCCS Somersetshire Coal Canal SocietySHCS Surrey & Hants Canal SocietySCS Stover Canal SocietySNT Sleaford Navigation TrustSORT Sussex Ouse Restoration TrustSUCS Shropshire Union Canal SocietyTMCA Thames & Medway Canal AssociationWACT Wey & Arun Canal TrustWAT Wendover Arm TrustWBCT Wilts & Berks Canal Trust

Mobile groups' socials: phone to confirmLondon WRG: 7:30pm on Tues 11 days before dig. 'Star Tavern'Belgrave Mews West, London. Tim Lewis 07802-518094

NWPG: 7:30pm on 3rd Tue of month at the 'Hope Tap',West end of Friar St. Reading. Phil Dray 07956 185305

Navvies diaryCanal societies’ regular working parties

Letterssions the various canal societies have made and are makingwhen it comes to supplying their canals with water reliably -especially those that struggled in the past. The Editor

Dear MartinTwo very different responses to my letter in Nav-vies 258....

The first from Derrick Hunt of the Somer-setshire Coal Canal. Derrick gently explained thegreat variety of complex negotiations that arerequired before a work party organiser even setsfoot on site. As someone whose volunteering hasbeen very much ‘hands on’, I’d not appreciatedexactly how drawn out and delicate these cansometimes be: the saying about ‘gently’ being the wayto catch monkeys comes to mind! I must say myquestion about structure dimensions was not top-of-head, quite a few volunteers thought the lockslooked unusually narrow - these are the first cham-bers that I have been unable to lie across fullystretched out. I read up on the lock flight later andcame across similar info online... but then again, aheritage project I’m involved with nearer home isup against similar inaccuracies which are so widelyspread they are regarded by many as fact.

Cliff Penny’s response however, was in adifferent league. I could easily fill an entire letterspage by challenging the many points that have beenmisquoted or taken out of context, but will try tolimit myself to just a few. As someone who is ‘on thespectrum’, I’m often told I go too far in making mypoint, but publicly belittling, demolishing the verypeople who have given time to the cause, might notbe the best approach. The irony of a trustee of anorganisation which depends heavily on goodwill andvoluntary input failing to understand the things thatmotivate people to volunteer is not lost on me!

For the benefit of those who had not seenmy original letter, I did not “strongly insinuate”that WRG FT shared my views, and at no pointdid I use the words “waste of time”. Referring tothe “badly informed local” who “wound me up”,the ‘local’ in question was not the village nutterwatching on whilst nay-saying our efforts, but aperson chosen to oversee work on a section wewere working on. Perhaps Mr. Penny, as a Trusteeand Director of H&GCT, should ensure that hiswork party organisers (as ambassadors to theproject) are properly briefed?

I’m intrigued to Mr. Penny’s statement thatthe canal was untouched for over a century - howelse could those well decayed, neat piles of logs,

Dear MartinOh dear! I had no intention of hoisting CliffPenny onto a very high horse, or even particularlyto demean the Hereford and Gloucester, of whichI know very little having never visited in the past,and having no opportunity to do so now. So far asI can remember none of the good things Mr Pennyregales us with have ever been in Navvies before,but I may well be wrong about that as well. Un-fortunately getting on a high horse tends to makeone say or write silly things, and although I may bearrogant sometimes, knowing what GrahamPalmer wanted in restoration terms has nothing todo with arrogance, but simply that for a long timewe were close friends, and that is what he told me!

May I direct attention back to what I actu-ally wrote; and that is to point out that all involve-ment has to be revisited as a basic managementtool, and that the objectives of the H&G must bedifferent from those of WRG who try to operateon a national level, and presumably still try to co-ordinate efforts over the country (even though theco-ordination thing no longer forms part of themasthead on the magazine).

Mr Penny does point out the nub of the casefor restoration not only on the H&G but every-where, in that it produces a few jobs in the shortterm even when it is mostly voluntary labour, andmore and more permanent jobs in the long term;and we need those jobs always. Part of the ability torestore is to be trusted, and WRG having promisedmaximum effort at Over, it had to be completed.

So keep looking forward – build on ourheritage. This old git will not be able to do muchas I have too many responsibilities elsewhere. Butlet me leave you with a question. Where is thewater coming from? Mr Penny did not mentionwater supply in his long letter, and I cannot re-member it being mentioned in Navvies for many along year. Hereford in the west may well beflowing with milk and water, but do we knowabout the demands of an operating canal there?Other waterways failed inter alia because of lackof it. Unfortunately the usual stopgap is to pumpback, but that is hardly “sustainable”.

Thanks for the nicely balanced editorial,Martin, but above all voluntary work has to beFUN, or no-one will turn up. Some will want moreas well and thank goodness for that or Martin andI and Graham and all the others would not havemade WRG (and more local societies) what theyare. But FUN is the word.

Best wishesMike Day

I too (and, I’m sure, many of our readers) would begenuinely interested to hear about what plans and provi-

judging by kerf width obviously cut with a chain-saw, have appeared along the section we cleared?Ditto, the piles of stacked brush...

As Mr. Penny has so rightly pointed out,credibility takes a long time to establish yet it canbe destroyed in moments... clearly not the logicthat was applied in arranging what is easily themost inadequate volunteer accommodation I’veyet to see for a Bonfire Bash in ten years of dig-ging. As a WRGie I do not expect a palace, but anight sleeping on the ONLY available floor spacewhich happened to be in a shower, waking up tofind a puddle has appeared with the overnightpressure rise, is taking the piss. WRG directorsassure me that this was not the accommodation theyhad been led to expect, and since Mr Penny fre-quently quotes the notable basin in his response, Iwill remark that regular WRGies commented thelast-minute let-down was “just like Over”.

Happily, my quandary is at least partiallyresolved: As I so often say of WRG, it’s the per-sonalities involved that make it work so well.Which is why I’ll probably be returning to theSomerset Coal Canal, but will be avoiding any-thing to do with Mr. Penny, certainly until suchtime that he adds some interpersonal skills to hislong list of professional qualifications.

RegardsPhil Scott

Dear MartinI feel well qualified to comment on the H&Grestoration because many years ago I, too, becamethe subject of Cliff Penny’s ire. I made someperfectly innocent comments in a camp reportwhich, apparently, Cliff didn’t like.

But there are far more important issues atstake than Cliff Penny’s feelings. It is absolutelyoutrageous for him to suggest that the Navvieseditor should apply any form of censorship to anyof the correspondence in the magazine. If he hasbeen using the same methods in his own magazineas he suggests should be adopted by our editor,I’m surprised anyone bothers to write to him.

The original letter writer has every right toexpress an opinion, no matter how wrong (inCliff ’s view) that might be. It is not for him to gosearching round web sites before he posts hisletter. In any case, does the H&G site actually giveany views of the restoration other than those ofthe ‘management’? Given the tone of Cliff Pen-ny’s letter I presume he exercises the same amountof censorship on his web site as he does to hismagazine. Our correspondent certainly wouldn’tget any un-biased views from those two sources!

If he really wants to change the opinions ofthe volunteers working on his restoration he

should spend more time on site explaining to themwhat the Trust is trying to do. It would appear thatnot all the ‘locals’ share Cliff ’s rose-tinted view ofthe H&G and perhaps he needs to ask his ownteam for their opinions. But perhaps they are alltoo brow-beaten to be able to speak the ‘truth’ asthey see it, rather that the ‘truth’ as seen by Cliff.

Incidentally, I too am part of a trust tryingto restore a long abandoned navigation. LikeMartin I started on a WRG camp, not because Ithought the waterway concerned was of historicalimportance but because it was in Cornwall and acheap week by the seaside sounded pretty good!

The local pub practised ‘lock-ins’ so it allworked out quite nicely.

From that small start I eventually ended upon the River Gipping. Yes, it would be great if wecould restore the whole length but that won’thappen in my lifetime and I’m realistic enough toaccept that as reality. But we do what we can.

What we can boast of is the fact that ourCanal Camps were voted best in the UK and thatcamp leaders fight to be on our camps. Thatdoesn’t mean we delude ourselves into believingwe must therefore have the most important water-way restoration task in the whole country. Farmore important are the local team and how theyinteract with the camp team. Next in order ofimportance are the quality of the beer, the friendli-ness of the landlord and the accommodation. Along way down the list is the historic importanceof the waterway.

Finally, I must sign myself as simply...Spencer Greystrong

(I wish I had all those letters after my name butclearly I didn’t work hard enough at school)

Dear MartinFirstly I would like to thank Jenny, your good self and anyone else who had a hand in getting copiesof all the old Navvies on line for everyone toreminisce over!

I have been enjoying catching up on thingsand have also noticed how long certain peoplehave been enjoying the “WRG experience”!

I was also wondering if you could update usall on how the plans are progressing for the intro-duction of the “Autopalmer mark 1 Robot Navvy,with built-in 3 inch pump and optional grease-gunattachment”? Which according to the predictionin “Navvies 150” is due to be released in 2014.

Will it be available for the camp season andwill it fit in the kit trailers?

I look forward to you response in duecourse.

Keep up the good work. Nigel Lee (London WRG and WRG FT)

Newsletter Report

Since our last article in Navvies we haveobtained approval from the EnvironmentAgency to progress our plans to open upthe old river course and bywash at PippsFord Lock, Needham Market.

The lock chamber itself was rebuilt inthe late 20th Century and was generally re-constructed close to the original lock specifi-cation, so little work is required to the cham-ber itself, though one of the rebuilt flankwalls at the neck of the lock has sufferedfrom settlement, with cracks appearing in thewall. Some of the coping slopes have ro-tated backwards.

Our current project will see the oldbywash, which follows the original rivercourse, reinstated . The work will involve re-profiling the channel, which has sufferedsome infilling over the years, rebuilding atimber bridge over the channel, and theremoval of a modern causeway built tofacilitate the lockre-build. Later wewill be seekingapproval to re-place the originalweir, the remainsof which can stillbe traced in theabandoned chan-nel. This winterour workpartieshave concentratedon removing thetrees that hadgrown on the oldbridge abutmentsand carefullyremoving asmuch of the oldbrickwork aspossible, for re-use. We havebeen planning aweek of concertedaction in late

ProgressRiver Gipping

Beginning this time with the

Gipping in Suffolk, where the

locals are building a replica of

the Mathematical Bridge in

Cambridge...

April when we would be carrying out the re-profiling, removing some stubborn stumpsand preparing to lay the foundations for thenew bridge abutments and weir base.

The new bridge has been designed byone of our members, Colin Turner, based onthe Mathematical Bridge at Cambridge. Wewill be constructing the bridge from locallysourced oak at White House Farm Glemham,later this year.

Once the bywash is functioning, wewill then be able to use it to carry the riverstream around the lock while we carry outthe repairs needed to the flank wall

In the meantime we have been waitingfor water levels to settle so that we caninstall the new sluice gates at Baylham Mill.The wet winter has kept water levels up andwe have therefore decided to wait until lateSpring when the conditions should be better,and the heavy work at Pipps Ford shouldhave been completed.

Martin Bird

Dealing with stubborn stumps at Pipps Ford

Mart

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Lichfield & Hatherton Canals

With the publication of maps and details ofthe next stage of the HS2 high speed railwayline, which will run to Manchester and Leeds,local interest and expressions of concernhave increased considerably. Lichfield &Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust has beeninvolved with consultations with HS2 in thiswider context as well as with their engineersconcerning the crossing at Huddlesford. Ifthe designers stick to the currently publishedplans then the new line will cross at least 30metres above water level causing us fewengineering concerns. However othermooted possibilities are a tunnel and a cross-ing virtually at current water level. Theformer would probably benefitthe canal environment but thelatter must be resisted at allcosts.

We are still awaiting theInspector’s verdict on the plan-ning application from the travel-lers who have purchased a por-tion of land south of BarracksLane and adjacent to M6 Toll onthe Ogley Flight. The ownershave already cleared the landincluding the embankment of thecanal ahead of occupying it forresidential purposes. The plan-ning application went to appealafter rejection by Lichfield DistrictCouncil and a decision was ex-pected some months ago. Thedelay is apparently the result ofpolicy discussion at the nationallevel.

We have decided to estab-lish a heritage trail following thewhole Lichfield Canal line fromHuddlesford to Ogley which willopen it up to public access andraise awareness of the restorationscheme. We do not control all thetrack and so agreements withlandowners and deviations onto

alternative footways will be required. Therewill be signage and interpretation boards.This has been done on other restorationschemes as a “pump-priming” exercise.

On the Hatherton we have added to ourland ownership portfolio at minimum cost.We have bought a section of land south ofA5 near the M6 Toll Plaza from the CountyCouncil. East of Churchbridge we havebought a length of track behind Finning Catwhich currently carries the water of the WashBrook. This land was sold to us by CannockChase District Council.

Brian Kingshott

Lichfield isn’t the only restoration affected byHS2 plans - see editorial and map below. ...Ed

ProgressLichfield & Hatherton

Meanwhile on the Lichfield

they’re negotiating land

ownership and preparing

to deal with the HS2

high speed railway

HS2 high speed rail plans

and canal restoration

Wendover Arm

March Working Party: During March itwas encouraging to get the re-lining of thecanal on the move again after activities werecurtailed by the wet conditions in winter. 20metres of both banks were profiled ready forlining, both banks lined with Bentomat andthe blocking and coir rolls laid.

April Working Party: A further 20metres of both banks were profiled and thespoil used to cover the top of the banks andBentomat lining on the bed of the canal forthe previous 20 metres. This included aconcrete ‘sleeping policeman’ that is laidacross the joints of the 20 metre lengths ofBentomat used along the bed of the canal.This not only protects the overlap joint ofBentomat against damage from future over-dredging but acts as a strut between thebases of the concrete blocks along the twocanal banks.

The process of profiling ahead of liningand using the spoil tocover the previouslength of lining isvery economic as itavoids double han-dling of spoil and canbe achieved usingone tracked dumperinstead of two.

Thanks to a dryweek, apart fromovernight rain beforethe last day, thetowpath bank waslined, blocked andthe coir rolls laid foranother 20 metres.

Whitehouses:On the 9th March theWRG Forestry Teamspent the day fellingthe prunus tree atWhitehouses. A sadevent but CRT werevery concerned over

the damage the tree roots were causing tothe water control structures that allow waterdown into Wilstone Reservoir and it was alsodirectly over the site of a new chamber CRTneed to build as part of their new watercontrol system.

Herts County Council former tip atBridge 4A: The WRG Forestry Team wasunable to deal with felling the three trees onthis site in March but will be returning inApril or May to complete the job.

When we consulted a timber merchantabout selling the timber from the felled trees,we were told that a large dunny (builder’s)sack of logs would sell for £100. In the eventit has been found that this is too much so weare asking for a donation to Trust funds fromany takers. We have already sold one bag ofcherry wood to a wood turning enthusiast fora £60 donation.

Roger Leishman, Restoration Director01442 874536

[email protected]

Channel lining under way again after three lost months

Roger Leis

hm

an

ProgressWendover Arm

On the Wendover Arm of the

Grand Union Canal, work gets

back under way on re-lining

the channel after an enforced

three month break

ProgressSussex Ouse

Sussex Ouse Restoration Trust

We had been spoiled by having had a drywinter the year before so this (very) wetwinter meant we could not get that muchdone. However, our hardy band of navviesstill turned up to enjoy the wet and the mudduring the non-working season!

Good work has also been done awayfrom the mud in developing our relationshipswith EA, MORPH (Middle Ouse Restoration ofPhysical Habitat) and the National Trust.MORPH is aiming to restore a number of ox-bow lakes and discussions with them aredeveloping mutually acceptable ways forwardin respect of Isfield Lock and Iron Gate Lock inthe NT’s Sheffield Park. But back to the mud…

Iron Gate Lock: We’ve only been ableto make a couple of site visits but importantfirst steps were agreed between SORT andAndy Jesson, Sheffield Park’s head gardener.Summer 2013 will probably be for making thelock chamber dry and accessible by digging anaccess ramp and using the dug-out clay toform bunds at both ends of the cut. RoySutton has drawn the plan and, hopefully,the diggers will be in soon.

The other visit was just beforeChristmas, perhaps during thewettest period of all. As you’ll seefrom the before and after photos,the lock was hardly visible again. InFebruary 2012 it was because therejust wasn’t much to see. On 21December, even if the lock hadbeen nearly rebuilt, it would stillhave been under water!

Isfield (Sutton Hall) LockWe got there most weeks. Oneimportant completed job was clear-ing out the west side ground pad-dle culvert. A mucky, difficult jobbut someone had to do it and Danand Ken wouldn’t let anyone elseget near, lucky for the rest of us.They seemed to enjoy it. Takes allsorts!

Between 1809 and 1855 the

navigation served a paper mill at Isfield Lock,for which there was a wharf wall at the topof the lock. The mill was demolished around1860. Like everything else this wharf wallneeds extensive restoration so we startedsome exploratory excavations.

The wharf wall is about 12 metres longand two probable culverts have been found.We think one served the mill but at somepoint it has had its circular opening bricked-up. The other, with a rectangular opening,seems to have had a wooden lining and mayhave served a hydraulic ram which pumpedwater up to Sutton Hall from the late 1800s.Digging and historical research continues!

2013: This year will see us mainly atIsfield Lock restoring the wharf wall and thearea in front of the top cill – repairing theimmediate approach to the cill and installingthe necessary grooves, base, etc for the stop-planks. We need to do this because we arehopeful that in 2014 MORPH will reinstate anox-bow just up from the lock which willmean the cut will be dug out and flooded, inwhich case we’ll need to have the stop-planksin place to allow us to keep working on therest of the lock.

We will, of course, keep our eyes onIron Gate Lock and provide assistance andexpertise to the NT when required.

If there’s time in 2013 we’ll continuewith rebuilding the last section of the IsfieldLock chamber’s west wall and rebuilding /restoring the ground paddles.

David Evans

The ground paddle at Isfield Lock

SO

RT

ProgressWooden Canal Boat Society

And finally, at the end of a long

rebuilding programme, Hazel, the

last Runcorn wooden header

narrow boat, returns to the

water with a splash...

On May 3rd the Wooden Canal Boat Society successfully launched the Hazel, built in 1913 andths last remaining Runcorn wooden headerboat, into the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, almosttwo years after being dragged out on 8 July 211 for a complete rebuild. After fitting a newbottom, the rest of the boat was carefully measured up and dismantled, then put back to-gether with new wood. At the launching ceremony, the ceremonial bottle of beer wassmashed by Colin Scrivener, who lived aboard Hazel in the 1960s.

There is still a lot to be done in fitting the boat out (volunteer plumbers, electriciansand Gas Safe engineers particularly in demand) for her new role as a wellbeing boat. Fund-ing is still a problem as the project is still about £15,000 short. Anyone wishing to help cancontact Wooden Canal Boat Society, email [email protected] or phone 07931 952 037.

The pictures show the pull-out, rebuilding in progress, and the re-launch.

Reporting from a week of

Sandbagging and dry stone

walling at Easter on the

northern reaches of the

Lancaster Canal

Camp reportLancaster Canal

Easter Lancaster Canal Camp:a newbie tells the story...

I was quite apprehensive on the way toSedgwick, Lancashire. Will there be anythingI can contribute? I have not done muchmanual labour and I’m not the fittest person.What if everybody has done many campsalready?

I had booked the camp because thethought of a week in the fresh air, contribut-ing something to a worthwhile cause seemedappealing - and then two weeks before thecamp, the winter started all over again. Itwas freezing cold and it snowed in manyplaces. I was convinced the camp would becancelled as surely they wouldn’t set us towork in such horrible conditions, wouldthey?

I needn’t have worried. As it turnedout I could do a great deal and as theweek progressed I became stronger asmy muscles grew accustomed to thehard work. Even the weather wasn’t sobad. Although it was cold, the sunshone most of the time - and particu-larly at our break times, it seemed. So,I spent a very enjoyable week with agreat bunch of people! And after abouttwo days I even got used to wearing ahard hat all the time, I couldn’t oftentell whether I had it on or not, it felt thesame.

What did we do? Well, in thebrochure it said something about veg-etation clearing (which we didn’t do)and using diggers (which we did!). Thefirst job was to safeguard the aqueductwhich carries the canal over StaintonBeck. The river had been eroding partsof the footings of the aqueduct. So toprevent it from further damage, onSaturday we filled and laid sandbags todivert the stream while we recon-structed the course of the streambed.We used shovels to move some of thegravel and bigger stones from the river-bed to the bank. After a few hours

hard work the small digger, expertly handledby John our MUP (Most Useful Person),made the work we had done look like pea-nuts as it shovelled large amounts of gravelto build the banks which give access forwalkers and control the course of the river.My knowledge of river ecology came into usewhen I suggested keeping a large piece ofwood in the river flow on a bend of the river,secured by some scoops of gravel. Wood inwater enhances the river by providing shelterfor fish and insects and its slow decay pro-vides food for bacteria and insects when theybreak it down.

On Sunday we mixed dry cement to gointo the degradable white bags to supportthe aqueduct. The previous day Richard ofthe local Canal Trust had told me whatneeded doing, so I suddenly found myself incharge of this project! That was rather fan-

Andy Pandy, Debbie and Tim and dry stone wall

tastic! Me thenewbie!

Anyway, HandyAndy (we had fourAndy’s in our teamof 16 people, so theyall got nicknames)donned the onlywaders that wereactually waterproofover his ‘bikini’ andput the bags inplace. First on top ofthe weir, where thewater level haddropped consider-ably behind thesandbags, then themore difficult job offitting the heavycement bags underthe aqueduct had tobe done. I had de-cided to only fillthose bags half sothat they would beeasier to handle. But Handy Andy had noproblems with it and asked for a few fullbags to finish the job. He was able to hoistthe bags on his shoulder and easily put themin place.

Then we were left with a gap in thewall of the aqueduct where the water racedthrough, undermining the structure. So, wedecided to put gravel and bigger stones onthe top of the weir so that this hole will befilled gradually by the silt and stones. Dave,he with the most comfortable bed ;-) was thedigger driver today and he expertly dug upsome stones from the riverbed below theweir, including one massive stone that hope-fully will stay in place for years to come.

When we removed the sandbags form-ing the dam the next day most of that cornerof the weir stayed dry, giving it time togradually bed down. Getting the sandbagsout and back to base was incidentally thehardest job we did all week, the water hadmade the bags nearly twice as heavy as AndyPandy (our youngest team member at 19)commented. In the end we got one of thevans close to the river to carry them back,even a wheelbarrow with just three bags wasmighty heavy!

Obviously other jobs were done in themeantime including the reconstruction of the‘stop plank grooves under the bridge. Ally

(who turned out to be an excellent vandriver), Alan and John worked on this. Firstthe rotten wooden housing for the steelgroove was painstakingly removed and thennew formwork and shuttering was con-structed to keep the new concrete in place.The concrete was poured down and the firstone held well. Unfortunately halfway downthe second one, the formwork broke andeverything had to be removed, the formworkwas repaired and concrete re-poured. Withinno time whatsoever Ally, Alan and John werefinishing the job and when the Acrows wereremoved the next day two near perfectmoulds for the stop planks were revealed.Job well done!

Then on Monday we started the biggestjob of all... dry stone walling. This was nota normal wall, but part of the canal banks, atransition wall. Under the bridge there is awing wall on each side of the canal made ofcut stones which then becomes a transitionwall of dry stones before reverting to a natu-ral bank.

We were eager to start, so didn’t waitfor the expert Brian Jones to arrive from theDry Stone Wall Association, based locally. Wewere already three rows up on the towpathside, when he basically told us to start over.He instructed the other bank to be dug outdeeper so that bigger stones could be used

The transition wall nearing completion

Lanca

ster

Canal Tru

st

for the foundation. Andy Pandy and Tim(MRP=Most Reliable Person) did most of thework on one side of the canal, assisted onvarious days by Susan (who came downfrom Dundee on no less than 6 differentbuses!), Debbie (a civil engineer who put herexperience to good use when some survey-ing had to be done) and me. It was great tosee how Andy Pandy grew from a rathertimid young man to our gang leader, weeven started calling him ‘Brian’ as he hadgrasped the skill quickly and there were toomany Andy’s anyway! For future referenceAndy Pandy, Tim, Debbie and I have puttogether a handy guide for dry stone walling,just in case it can used somewhere else: seebelow.

When I started building the dry stonewalls, I just pointed at a big stone and askedsomebody in the neighbourhood to hand itto me, but as the week progressed I startedpicking up bigger and bigger stones whichwas great. Laying down a whole line ofstones one after the other was very satisfy-ing, but a lot of time was actually spentfinding the right stone for a spot and throw-ing back stones that didn’t fit. When, after alot of effort, the walls were finally finished onFriday it was great to see the result of the

work we had put in. When the water returnsto the canal we will know whether we did agood job or not ;-) In the real Brian’swords:

Please pass on to the gang my admira-tion of their hard work and aptitude. A ver-satile bunch of enthusiasts. I expect/hope thebanks stay in place and will monitor them onmy walks along the towpath.

Also, dry stone walling is a great wayof getting perfect finger nails, with two pairsof gloves on your nails are protected, I neverhad longer nails than after this week!

Sarah was also able to demonstrate herexpertise in French Drains, as she supervisedlaying a drain to reduce the water pressurebehind the wall on the non-towpath side.This could damage our newly built wallbefore the canal is filled with water.

In the meantime, Jonathan (Halifax)played around with his big digger, movingsoil and stones where they needed to be.After a team had levered the copers intoposition his digger helped perfect the exactpositioning of the coping stones with suchaccuracy it was astonishing. I bet he canmake cake mix with that digger! Most peoplewho wanted also had a first training sessionon the little digger with Paul. I found it

The Lancashire Easter Canal Camp Guide to dry stone walling

1 Get the base right! So don’t do as we did by just starting, wait for the expert, otherwise you arewasting your effort. Put big stones at the bottom and when walling a canal make sure the nextrow is set back a bit to follow the shape of the bank.

2 The leaning of a dry stone wall is called the “batter”, it always narrows as it gets higher. Ourwalls were to follow the profile of the bank, so its batter was quite pronounced.

3 The stones need to be securely put in place, “every one must be touching and every one must beheld,” packed from behind with small stones or by “pinning” at the front (squeezing in smallpieces of stone).

4 When you put the next row on, make sure that the seams are covered like a bricklayer does.

5 Sometimes you will have to hammer a stone in place or you need to “nibble off ” a bit of a stoneto fit. But, whatever you do, do not dress a stone on the wall as you might destroy your work sofar. (Sometimes we successfully ignored this rule!)

6 When you are going up, row after row, it is important to maintain the “Standard Cambrian Level”(keep it straight and level) and keep it is all securely in place by the “Inverted Infill” method(backfilling behind the facing stones with smaller stones of decreasing size.) Don’t just tip themin, place every stone one by one.

7 When you reach the top of the wall, level with the towpath, for instance, backfill with soilaround some bigger stones and finish it all off with a good dressing of soil. Vegetation will beencouraged to cover it quickly and keep it all in place for years to come.*

* Disclaimer: Brian Jones cannot be held accountable for the correctness of this constructionmethod, nor for some of the terminology. Although you will build a half decent wall *modestsmile* #instantexperts.

remarkable howsensitive (female?)the levers were. Theweek after I returnedthe water companycame to install awater meter at myhouse and they useda little digger too, Iwas tempted to say:“move over boy, Iwill dig that hole!”But, I need a bitmore training for thatI guess ;-)

Lynda kept busyby supplying thewallers with thenecessary pinningstones. Bucket loadsof small and mediumstones were supplied,which she picked upfrom the canal banksitting on her picnicrug. Even a requestfor flat wedge-likestones didn’t faze her,she came up with the goods. Leader Pauland assistant leader Sarah kept us all straightand made sure we took breaks on time, butnot too long. During some of these breakssuddenly an alarm would go off, whichturned out to be the ringtone on CandyAndy’s phone. He was so called because healways carries a bag of sweet around, whichkept everybody in good spirits. Paul reallylikes being in charge and he managed to getus to finish the jobs we were intended to do,and more. Sarah has a great sense of hu-mour as she feigned attraction to lovelyAlan, developing a fun filled “relationship”. Isomehow got drawn into it, to much amuse-ment of the others (steamy windows . . . .)

After a hard days job, from getting upearly and finishing around 5 o’clock we werealways more than ready for what the lastAndy – Randy Andy (don’t ask me why!) –our cook would produce. Always very tastyand plentiful and he was particularly crafty atmaking leftovers into a tasty soup the nextday. One day, I went on the soup run withSarah, back only a few miles to our base.Now, this experience had been on my list of‘things to do before I die’ for a long time.Sitting in a van with a hot pan of soup on

your lap while the driver tries to keep thevan level at all times is not to be sniffed at!

On our evening free-time we did vari-ous things, like pub quizzes, eating fish andchips in Morecambe followed by a film orbowling, a film projected on the wall(Django Unchained, with lots of unnecessaryviolence but a good parody on a western)and we played games on other nights. Wegot to know each other fairly well and had alot of fun. Sarah had said at the start thatthere were a few spare bodies, but every-body made it to the finish where we wererewarded by our leaders with a Kinder egg(finally a hint of Easter) and a small rockwith a “Rocky” bar tied to it with string,which I will treasure forever as a fittingsouvenir of this wonderful camp.

Monique Speksnyder(with help for all the technical terms

plus edits from Debbie and Tim)

Leader’s comment: As Monique says, wehad a great group, great weather and inter-esting jobs to do. I’d just like to add mythanks to everyone – especially Sarah, myassistant and ‘Randy’ Andy, our cook.

Paul Shaw

Brian was kind enough to show us around on the dry stone wallingdemonstration area nearby including one of the most astonishing typesof dry stone walling I found on my detour back home through theLake District. The picture is of slate on edge, and yes it really is a drystone wall!

The annual Trolleyfest

moves to a new site for 2013

which (shock horror!) isn’t

actually on the BCN - and

has a new leader for 2014

Cleanup reportNot quite the BCN...

“BCN” Cleanup 2013

Some say it was on the BCN, aficiona-dos may say “it was and it wasn’t”, sowhere was it?

The weekend started for me on theFriday with a detour to Hawne Basin to meetup with Cleanup regulars Stuart and Jim. Ihad promised them a cruise on Bogwoppit ifand when the Cleanup was in the right area:indeed it was this year, so a cruise was dulyarranged. With my son Lewys at the helmthe trip didn’t last long, but they still man-aged to polish off all my stock of Old Speck-led Hen!

Our next job was to meet the Cleanupleader Aileen Butler at Old Hill Station, wewere actually in the Waterfall real ale pubwhen Aileen called me, so I left, picked upAileen and took her back to the pub. A swifthalf later and Aileen was whipping us intoshape to find the accommodation.

Smaller than previous years, but veryinteresting from a canal enthusiasts’ point ofview, the Blowers Green Pumphouse seemedvery adequate for our needs. Our group wassmaller than previous years (due to WelshAlan not coming? Who knows?)

The pumphouse is runby the Dudley Canals Trustand is full of interestingParaphernalia to do with thework of the trust and itsachievements.

So, by the time we’dbeen shown around, giventhe keys etc, it was time tophone the man with the van,yes and what did the vancontain, one may ask? BEERis the answer. Straight fromthe Old Swan Brewery (MaPardoe’s) at Netherton,owner and landlord Timarrived and tapped both‘ready to drink’ barrels.Glasses were found and theevening started: the plan was

to drink as much as we could before LondonWRG arrived.

Well, we were nearly in bed beforeLondon WRG arrived!

The usual to-ing and fro-ing of kitcarrying campers, friendly greetings of “ohno not you again”, “Oh I thought you’d died”made me realise that they had arrived andthe sleep deprivation would start here.

It’s great, the Friday night on the Cleanup weekend, seeing so many people that youknow, but haven’t seen for a twelvemonth, itis always a great social atmosphere. Somediscussion took place about... “were we onthe BCN or not?”

So after some “sleep” and a fab break-fast cooked by Krzysiek we were off to thesigning on point, and decisions were madeas to which team went where. Moose’s teamtook the route up the Fens Branch towardsBrockmoor, joined by volunteers from IWAand a crew of Army Cadets. My groupHeaded for the bottom of the Delph Locks.

We were indeed in the Black Country,but 99% of our work took place on theStourbridge Canal (which was never actuallypart of the BCN), although I can say that mygroup started Saturday morning on the BCN,

All pull together...

Mart

in L

udgate

just above lock 8 of theDelph Flight of theDudley Canal (DelphRoad Bridge being theboundary).

It was nice to workon a bit of waterwaythat actually sees quiteregular boat traffic aspart of the Black Coun-try Ring; quite a fewboats passed us and thecrews thanked the vol-unteers.

As the grapplinghooks flew,the usualsuspects were pulledout: bikes, trolleys,mattresses, vacuumcleaner, microwaveovens, was there acuddly toy? There mayhave been... The mostunusual was steel ringsabout 12 inches in diameter: we had loads ofthem by Brettel Lane. I challenged Krzysiekto a game of horseshoes with a few, he soongave up when he saw how good I was!!

We also ran the gauntlet of local hood-lums who enjoyed throwing in what we hadpulled out - sad isn’t it, the little ****s willprobably go through life having never knownthe pleasure of using a grappling hook!

Saturday evening was another social, tofinish off the beer and cool the aching mus-cles. An evening meal cooked by Maria wasenjoyed by all, down one staircase, and backup the next!

On Sunday morning both teams headeddown the Sixteen Stourbridge Locks withStourbridge Town Wharf being the ultimatedestination. The locks were a little disap-pointing rubbish wise, but one volunteerfound a handy windlass in one. The TownArm itself proved a lot more fruitful: bridgeholes and indeed the main cut gave up bikesand large trolleys to the groups of grapplers.

The groups were picked up from theWharf to go for lunch, where it was decidedto call an early finish due to logistics. Onegroup however, led by myself, volunteered togo to the bottom of the Delph Locks, wind-lass in hand to help work the work boats upthe locks. So as we indeed started, we fin-ished on the good old BCN. ActuallyWetherspoons Merry Hill was where wefinished!

My thanks for the weekend must gofirst to Aileen Butler for the coordination andmonths of work it takes to put this all to-gether, thank you Aileen from all of us. Alsothank you to Maria and fellow volunteers forthe food preparation, cooking, shopping etcthat is required to keep us all going for theweekend; to the van drivers all who helped;and finally to my fellow Zone Leader Moose,whose leadership and experience I cannotfault.

Thanks also go to the local team ofDean Davies and CRT employees who aregreat every year. Thanks also to DavePearson, Brenda Ward and the local IWA,BCNS and Coomeswood volunteers: it’salways a pleasure working with you guys.Finally to all the WRGies, you are a specialgroup, and it was a pleasure to see you allfor the weekend; see you next year, andthank you!!

Chris Morgan

During this year’s Cleanup Aileen Butlerannounced her retirement after over 10 yearsof being the WRG leader and organiser of theevent . Chris Morgan has kindly offered tostep into her boots for next year’s Cleanup,and says “I hope I can do half as well asAileen!” We will now need a new zone leaderto take his place - if you would like to volun-teer, please get in touch with either Chris ormyself. ...The Editor

Just to prove that we worked on the actual BCN: Black Delph Locks

Mart

in L

udgate

WRG North West: a year in the life

Taking a look back over the last 12 monthsfor North West, this period didn’t get off to agood start because the planned joint BankHoliday dig with Essex in May 2012 had tobe cancelled, largely because of flooding.

The month of June was very busy withattendances at Middlewich Folk and BoatFestival, Northwich IWA Rally, CrumpsallCarnival and Chesterfield Canal Festival.

The August Bank Holiday was spent atthe Preston Guild Festival - a carnival heldevery 20 years which coincided with the IWACampaign Rally.

The September dig was a joint onewith KESCRG working at Lichfield where thesite was remarkably like a giant sand-pit,where a big hole was to be dug for two newlocks.

On to October which saw a good turn-out on each day on the Hollinwood Canal,where the task was really like a giant scrubbash session. There was also a CanalCleanup organised by the Manchester IWA;this also gave anopportunity to cel-ebrate the 40th Anni-versary of Ashtac, the1972 big dig whichsaw 1000 peopleworking on the thenderelict canals of theCheshire Ring.

The beginningof November wasspent working on theGrantham Canal andstaying at theCropwell BishopMemorial Hall; thework was supposedto be another scrubbash, but turned outto be more like a lockclearance. At leastthis weekend wasfree of any snow and

blizzards, unlike the last visit back in Febru-ary. Later in the month there was anotherreason to celebrate when Mike and Liz gotmarried.

December saw the group head a bitfurther north to spend the weekend workingon the Lancaster Canal. This weekend was alittle different in that on the Saturday somepeople stayed at the hall for First Aid train-ing; apparently this all went very well -thanks to instructor Jason Day. Meanwhileback at the worksite there were a variety ofjobs, digging out a channel to allow agreater flow of water through a culvert, andalso trying to clear a blockage by using drainrods. A 3600 excavator was building twobunds, one on each side of the culvert inreadiness for possible further work to becarried out. A section of towpath was resur-faced and a land drain installed along theboundary fence.

And so on to 2013...

The January dig was on the Cromford Canal

A look back at a year which saw

WRG NW on the Uttoxeter, Ashton,

Hollinwood, Grantham, Lancaster

and Lichfield - but what’s that

got to do with the price of fish?

Group report...from WRG North West

December’s WRG NW dig on the Lancaster Northern Reaches

LC

T

this was also to be the NW Christmas/NewYear meal. The work at Sawmills wasmainly tree felling and the clearance ofscrub. As soon as the trees were droppedand logged there were quite a few peoplecollecting the logs.

February saw us once again back onthe Hollinwood Canal, but for this occasion itwas on the Droylsden Section. One grouparmed with chainsaws worked a little furtheralong the canal; whilst others were kept verybusy cutting back a hawthorn hedge whichhad started to encroach over the towpath.The collection of logs was moved to the carpark area to be burnt by people as their“winter fuel allowance!”

For the March dig we were staying inAlton Village Hall, within a shout - or shouldthat be a scream - of Alton Towers. Thework on the Uttoxeter Canal was to carry onwith the clearance that had been started onthe October Canal camp, followed up aweekend visit from London WRG and KES-CRG, then the Christmas camp. The siteaccess is via a former sand quarry, the wayin is usually blocked by a large pipe that ismoved by the contractors, but they weregoing to be off site for the weekend and soarrangements had been made for the key toleft for the large telehandler that was to bedriven by Paul. This worked for the Satur-day, but on Sunday the machine refused tostart; so plan ‘B’, we set to and moved somelarge blocks of concrete that also formedpart of the barricade, thisenabled us to get throughto the worksite. The workwas a combination oftrying to establish thewhereabouts of an old lockand also, to a greaterextent, with the aid ofthree chainsaw operatorsto cut down some moretrees – all part of the‘partnerships’ programme.

The HollinwoodCanal beckoned again forthe April dig. The first jobwas to try and retrievesome coping stones thathad become dislodged andslipped into the canal. Theoriginal idea was to rebuildthe stone wall and relaythe copers, but after care-ful consideration it was

decided that we would recover the copers(this involved using the Tirfor across a busytowpath, but kept a cheerful group of peopleentertained for a while!) and set the copersat a later stage when a proper base could bebuilt. Sunday was then spent Tirforing outsome tree stumps that had been left after aprevious visit. Other work over the weekendsaw people clearing the overflow channeland also around Pinches Bridge in prepara-tion for work later in the year.

And that brings us back to May, whichwas a joint Bank Holiday weekend withEssex…… somewhere in this edition thereshould be a full report about the weekend’swork. [Oh well, maybe next time ...Ed]

As usual throughout the year the ‘Paperchases’ have continued, although of late in aslightly different format in that Mr Mac nolonger resides in Woodstock and also asecond ‘shock’ was that the charge for fish &chips has now been increased, after manyyears, to the princely sum of £2.00!

And finally wrg nw are in urgentneed for help with the logistics of get-ting the Sales Stand and stock to typi-cally three or four events a year. Ifyou can offer some help then pleasecontact John Foley or Roger Evans viathe nw website: [email protected]

Report written by, as Mr Mac oncedescribed us...

The ‘southern division of wrg nw’New volunteers welcome: see the Diary pages

Joint NW and Essex WRG dig on the Grantham - report next time?

John H

aw

kin

s

Toolbox TalkLeptospirosis / Weil’s Disease

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis is a form of bacterial infection, also known as Weil’s Disease, that is carried byanimals – most commonly in rats and cattle. The bacteria can enter through breaks in theskin, such as scratches or cuts, or through the lining of the mouth and nose after contactwith urine-contaminated water usually found in ditches, slow flowing rivers... and derelictcanals!

The two types of Leptospirosis infection which affect people in the UK are:

Weil’s Disease – this is a serious and sometimes fatal infection that is transmitted to hu-mans by contact with urine from infected rats.

Hardjo form of Leptospirosis – this is transmitted from cattle to humans.

Symptoms

First symptoms are flu-like – persistent headache and possibly chills. Later symptoms canlead to vomiting, muscle pains and ultimately jaundice and kidney failure. It begins as a midillness, which can be easily cured if treated early enough. If left untreated, it becomes moreserious and in rare cases the disease can be fatal.

Symptoms can occur between three and 21 days from the time of infection.

Although the risk of infection is small, you should take sensible precautions:

Do

3 Cover, with waterproof plasters, all openscratches, cuts, sores and skin infectionsaffected by eczema etc.

3 Wash your hands before eating, drinking osmoking, and after you have finishedworking.

3 Wear protective equipment you are pro-vided with – including rubber gloves andboots.

3 Wash thoroughly, and as soon as possible,if you have entered the water.

3 See a doctor if you feel ill with flu-likesymptoms, and tell them you have beenworking near water.

3 If you are the site leader, ensure there areadequate washing facilities and first aid onsite.

3 Important: if the Doctor decides you haveLeptospirosis, tell your site leader whoshould then report it to WRG Head Officeand the Health & Safety Executive.

Don’t

7 Don’t encourage the presence of vermin.Keep the site tidy and dispose of all rub-bish correctly.

7 Don’t handle dead rats with unprotectedhands. Wherever possible use a shovel orother tool.

7 Don’t be tempted to drink any water onsite, apart from what has been providedfor drinking, even if it looks clean.

7 Don’t wear contaminated site clothing infood preparation or eating areas.

More information:

Health & Safety Executiveguidance:

hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg84.pdf

BITM on the Chichester: April 2013

When we arrived on the Friday of the dig week-end, local contact Linda Wilkinson greeted us withthe news that - even after a warm sunny week -the forecast was for a typical BITM-Chichesterweekend, cold, hail, heavy rain showers and strongwinds. However, Someone Up There chose to smileon us, and it turned out dry, warm and sunny.

We were putting in a section of new bankprotection where the old Nicospan geotextile bankprotection had deformed so the bank itself had beensliding into the canal underneath it. The BasingstokeCanal had developed a new system that promised tobe much stronger and more efficient, and fortu-nately we have a BITM member - Jeff Hill - whohad worked with Kevin Redway and his teaminstalling the system there. Linda and I had visitedthe Basingstoke and watched them putting in thesystem, but it was really useful to have someonewith the actual experience of the installation.

We started with several people in waders inthe canal trying to get the old posts and Nicospanout, involving cutting through the material to releaseeach post and then wiggling them or using a sledgehammer to give them a little persuasion. Unfortu-nately, RAF Martin soon found that his waders had asmall leak in the foot area and he was getting a verysoggy sock, but David James’s neoprene onesproved more reliable, and he spent most of thetwo days splashing around happily. The next jobwas to get in the first post, the most important oneas it sets the whole line, but that proved moredifficult than anticipated. We tried the sledgehammer but couldn’t get it in far enough to get itfirm, probably because gravel from the towpathhad slid into the canal edge. The Chichester smalldigger was sent for, but even lowering the bucketonto the post didn’t work. Eventually, the solu-tion proved to be making a hole with an iron barand then persuading the post into the hole with apost bonker. Fortunately, the rest of the postswent in a bit easier. The post is slotted into thepockets in the nicospan, which had been markedto show where each subsequent post slots in.Work continued along the section to be repaired,all but three in place by the end of Saturday.

Meanwhile, as we had the digger there onsite, Nigel Hanwell decided to make use of it bycontinuing along the towpath and scooping thegravel that had fallen in and spreading it where thebank had started to sink behind the Nicospan.

The geotextile was cut to length and used tospan the gap between the outline of posts-and-Nicospan and the bank. Using a post augur, westarted to dig holes in the towpath for the backanchor posts to which the front posts are wired -

three fronts wired to each back post.The work continued on the Sunday putting

in the remaining front and back posts and wiringthem firmly in place, and the geotextile was nailed tothe front posts and the post tops sawn off to therequired level. The big hopper had been filled withsoil (a job that, Blue Peter style, had been preparedearlier), and it was brought across to our section,where the soil could be shovelled into barrows andwheeled down the plank to fill the gap on top of thegeotextile. Nigel and Martin and one of the localwork party slogged at it all morning while I wheeledit down and tipped it for Di to spread it. Unfortu-nately, the local team had underestimated theamount needed, and by lunchtime we had run out.The worry was that we had not had enough to coverthe wires, and the local vandals were quite capableof coming along with wirecutters! The local workparty come out on Tuesday and Thursday morn-ings for a couple of hours, and they hoped to beable to finish the infill in the following week.

The towpath is very well used by cyclists,pedestrians and dog walkers (the last namedproviding a diversion for our bored dog), so workhad to have a few pauses and slowed us up a bit.During the week a lot of children from surround-ing villages walk to school along the towpath.BITM (and subsequently other groups) first laidthe hedge about 15 years ago under my and Di’sguidance, with hawthorn whips planted in anygaps. The problem was that we used traditionalhedge stakes and binders, and the aforementionedvandals took these out and threw them into thecanal, so the Chichester’s current hedgelayer hadbeen looking for a method of laying that did notrequire stakes or binders, as the hedge has to bekept low to provide good views for the boattrippers. He had contacted a 92-year-old man whowas the only exponent left in England of a Dutchstyle, and had tried to carry this out on the towpathhedge. Di was given a guided tour, also to a nearbysite where the South of England Championshipswere carried out this last winter, and she tried toadvise the of a Welsh style that should fit the bill.

As usual, we were excellently looked afterfoodwise by June, and many thanks to her and to allthe BITMites who worked so hard over the weekend.

Rachael Banyard

Dig ReportWRG BITM at Chichester

WRG BC News‘WRG’s Boat Club

Here is the (WRG BC) news...

Mooring in London for a ‘stop and shop’ is nowvirtually impossible because of the number or boatsmoored three abreast taking up available moorings.There is also a problem with rubbish disposal as allbins etc are constantly overfull for the same reason.However visiting members of clubs affiliated toAWCC (Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs)including WRG BC are welcome at most boatclubs. Please contact clubs in advance and remem-ber you will need your current membership card.

The sanitary station at Wellingborough onthe river Nene is now open as is the one at Marchon the Middle Level.

There are to be no new moorings providedin Northwich.

The plan to enable boats to cruise the riverDee into Chester has, at present, been abandoned.[That’s not quite what I’d heard - has anyone got furtherinformation? ...Ed]

Many areas have seen an increase of boatbreak-ins. The Canal & River Trust is working withthe police on this, so please report any problems.

The AWCC Quarter Master will now beknown as the Development Officer – he is verykeen to get club feedback as to what sort ofmerchandise AWCC members would like; burgees;window stickers; diaries; pens? Would anyone likea calendar to be produced?

There will be new checks and rules as part ofthe Boat Safety Scheme. A new system of certificat-ing came into effect from 1st April which will involvesome kind of ‘magic number’, and computers.

Stafford Boat Club will be 50 years old nextyear and will be organizing a ‘do’ in early June.

The AWCC at 50th Anniversary rally will beheld at Black Buoy Cruising Club 11-13 July 2014.

The planned high speed railway, HS2, willhave devastating effects on existing canals andrestoration projects, including some that are welladvanced! What can we do about it? Please some-one think of something. [See editorial, p6 ...Ed]

Do you read your Navvies from cover tocover or just hop about through it? Sometimes Itake one approach; sometimes the other. Readingthe latest issue I noticed, among other things, thatsome people expect us to spend time looking at

websites to learn about restoration ‘goings on’.Most of us don’t take computers with us whileboating; one member (and possibly more) admitsto not knowing how to switch a computer on. Well‘Hurrah for Navvies’ I say, as it keeps me up to date!

Another way to gather news is for membersto read the latest issue of Alert, the magazine ofthe AWCC. This is available on line, so computerneeded for access. We don’t get a ‘hard copy’ forthe club, as we have no permanent club house todisplay it in! I will try to email a link to membersthat have provided an email address (hint) but youall know how I am with technology!

I was very sad to hear that Roger Lorenz haddied. I have known him and Stef for some long time.When he first asked to join WRG BC we said “No”:most strange you may think, but this was at thenational at Salford, he was the awards officer and wehad entered for the Offley and Slack trophy for theclub with the highest percentage of its membershipattending. The fact that we won it and he then joinedthe club is not linked in any suspicious way!

Roger had been very ill and they both had areally rotten time in the few years preceding hisdeath. We will miss them as club members andsend our love to Stef.

More news of club members: the clubofficer is now on the mend and Roger Burchett isnow home and making good but slow progressback to health. Remember Roger: progress, how-ever slow, in the right direction is better than thealternative!

More AGM, Huddlesford Gathering details –I have sent out booking forms, with the hand-books, to those that requested them – some othersI have emailed forms to. Please get them filled inand returned ASAP.

For those still without forms please log on towww.lhcrt.org.uk, scroll down and click on‘Huddlesford Heritage Boat Gathering 2013, thengo down to ‘Download Boat Entry Form Here’click on and print! If you’re out boating, this canbe done in a public library. If all that fails, text orwrite to me and I will post you a form.

See how keen we are that you come along?(I think the fact that it is called a ‘Heritage’ boatgathering means my attendance is compulsory!)

Hurrah at last we have been on the move onthe boat AND had super weather. Yes, we wereout and about on the Middle Level over the MayBank Holiday weekend. Forgotten is the freezingEaster Cruise: the hail, snow and gale force winds.I hope many club members were as lucky as us.

Does this herald a good boating season tocome? Let’s hope so.

xxx Sadie [email protected] 07748186867

WRG Print update

Many thanks to Chris Griffiths at StroudPrint for donating two of his redundantmachines to WRG Print.

I already had a desktop stapler andfolding machine, this has now been super-seded by the replacement machine that doesvirtually the same operation but is a morecommercial design and construction. Thismachine then moves the copy of Navvies onto the next machine that then crops off thefore edge. Thanks also to WRG NorthWest for purchasing the new ‘square back’machine. This receives the copy after it hasbeen cropped and it is then stacked in a trayat the end of the operation.

All of the machines are linked togetherand once the collated set of Navvies hasentered the first machine it is passed alongall the operations to be finally ejected at theend: well that’s the best, but sometimesthings don’t go quite according to plan andany ‘jam ups’ will then have to be sorted.

John Hawkins

WRG Boat Club, what’s it all about?

For the benefit of those of you who’ve seenthe WRG BC news page in Navvies (seeopposite) and might be wondering...

Membership is open to boaters who areactive volunteers with Waterway RecoveryGroup and those who have previouslyworked with WRG. (This does not includethose who just subscribe to Navvies)

WRG BC is affiliated to The Associationof Waterways Cruising Clubs (AWCC) andaccepts and supports the rules and objectivesof the association.

The club provides fellowship, supportand a forum for members who own boats orotherwise cruise the waterways.

Informal club gatherings or attendanceat boat festivals (especially those associatedthe reopening of formerly derelict water-ways) are encouraged.

All members are urged to cruise reo-pened waterways, little used waterways andthose threatened with closure. Reportingback to the membership is appreciated.

All club news will be published in NavviesNew members must pay a joining fee

of £10, plus one year’s subscription.Membership cards are issued annually.The AGM will be held at The IWA Na-

tional Waterways Festival or alternative

boat gathering if agreed. (As this year)To join, contact: Sadie Heritage, 236

Station Rd, Whittlesey, Peterborough PE7 2HA

Tirfor Tech tips – extra

Some additional information to add to thepiece about Tirfor winches in Navvies 258.

Sometimes there is a need when pullingout tree stumps to work in co-operation witha 360o excavator. This then brings furtherconsiderations for a safe operation.

Care must be taken to ensure that theperson who is operating the Tirfor and the360o operator are totally aware of what eachperson is doing; if the Tirfor is being usedthen the excavator must not be used at thesame time. When the stump has been fullypulled over by the Tirfor, the cable should betaken off load, the handle removed and thenclear instructions given to the excavatordriver to start work on the roots. If the cablewas left taut, then it could put extra load onthe Tirfor and exceed the working capacity. Ifnecessary, the Tirfor can do more work whenthe machine has stopped its movements.

If a large obstacle/tree stump is to bepulled out, involving the use of two Tirforsand also the snatch blocks, then very carefulconsideration must once again be given tothe total loadings that are being applied andthat properly rated equipment is being used.

During this process, if there is a need toadjust the chains/slings then both Tirforsmust be off-loaded at the same time. Ifonly one Titfor is off-loaded, it is possible toseriously overload the other Tirfor, againexceeding the working capacity.

Whilst any system is being set up takecare with chains that have a joining link(larger then the normal link) to ensure thatthe joining link is not twisted, and ideallythat it is on the ‘straight’ pull of the chain,and not within the shackle.

Always check that all people involvedare fully aware of what is happening andtheir role in the process.

John Hawkins

BITS & Piecesincluding more Tirfor Tips

Congratulationsto

Jo and Clive Aldermanon the arrival of Fay Rachaelon 17 May weighing 8lb 6oz

also to

Chris and Emma Wickson their marriage

and to

Nikki Packer and Vascoon their engagement

Dial-a-camp

To contact any WRGCanal Camp:

07850 422156(Kit ‘A’ camps)07850 422157(Kit ‘B’ camps)

Stamps

wantedSend used stamps,petrol coupons, phonecards, empty computerprinter ink cartridges toIWA/WRG Stamp Bank,33 Hambleton Grove,Milton Keynes MK42JS. All proceeds tocanal restoration.

Contacting thechairman:

Mike Palmer,3 Finwood Rd, RowingtonWarwickshire CV35 7DH

Tel: 01564 785293

email:[email protected]

Moving house

Ed and SuzieWalker havemoved to 2

Loddon DriveDidcot OX11 7QA

If you move,remember totell Navvies

Marguerite Redway R.I.P.We are sorry to bring you the sad news that Marguerite Redway, of the Surrey & Hampshire Canal Society,and the widow of former Chairman Peter Redway, died suddenly on 23 May. Her funeral was very wellattended and we are reliably informed that her son Ian’s choice of music for the occasion was “very

unique”! Our sympathies to Ian, Kevin, and all who knew her in SHCS, WRG and everywhere else.

Want to buy a working narrow boat?

Ex working boat LYNX for sale. Built 1913 by FellowsMorton and Clayton - a beautiful boat, original andunconverted, has a hand start Lister JP2m engine. Formore details contact owners, wrg bc secretary SadieHeritage on 07748186867 [email protected]

...or just a part of one?There’s still a share in Grand Union working boatFulbourne for sale. Contact Tim Lewis 01782 518094

Thanks

to Chris Griffiths of Stroudprint for continuedassistance with Navvies cover printing

WRGies become rug-dealers!WRGies and boaters Tina and Colin Hobbs are appeal-

ing for your old red or black WRG t-shirts so that Tina

can turn them into rag rugs that she can then sell to

raise funds.If you have any old WRG t-shirts that have seen

better days, please save them and donate them to

this good cause. Contact Colin by email on

[email protected] to arrange a handover.

A date for your diaries:the Ashtac reunion cleanup event held last October atDukinfield, Manchester was such a success that it hasbeen decided to make it an annual event. Further detailsto follow, but the date is 19/20 October for those whofancy attending the “BCN Cleanup of the North”.

InfillDear Deirdre As a long-serving WRGcook I’m getting rather concernedabout some rumours I’ve heard re-cently regarding canal camps catering.I mean, it’s all very well being con-cerned about food hygiene standards,but I gather there’s a possibility thatusing the manure forks in the campkits for toasting yesterday’s leftoverham sarnies over the bonfire might befrowned upon in future; and even thatthe ‘five-second rule’ for food droppedon the floor might be cut to three sec-onds! Can you reassure me that thiswon’t mean the End Of Civilisation AsWe Know It?- Marie Bain, TowcesterDeirdre writes I’m as shocked as youare, Marie. Recently I saw someone wipe themud off the brewkit’s communal teaspoonwith their sleeve before using it to stir theircoffee. I just don’t think there’s room forfancy manners like that in WRG. More trou-blingly, there’s all this talk of introducing‘comfy camps’ for people too delicate to doss

down on a concrete floor after eight hourson site in February.

I can identify the exact moment thisstarted. It was the arrival of a new volunteerwho claimed he also volunteered for theNational Trust. At tea break he startedspreading the sedition by talking about theirfancy accommodation with BEDS (for good-ness sake!) and GUARANTEED SHOWERS(as if anyone needed such things!). Peoplepretended to be dismissive of such depravityand weakness but you could see the germ ofcorruption had been planted. I expect he wasa mole planted by the NT to infect our volun-teers with their profligate ways before steal-ing them away for their own camps.

I think probably attack is the best form ofdefence and suggest we strike the first blow byburning down Stourhead. It’s rubbish anyway -those landscaped water-features don’t evenhave a single lock. Who’s with me?

Do you have a question for Deirdre? You can email it to [email protected]

And finally...

This photo taken on a recent LondonWRG dig the Chichester shows George,Adrian and Helena weeding the basinfrom a pontoon, dressed in appropriatelife-jackets and... in George’s case... anicely ironed full dress white shirt withcollar! What’s happening? Are metro-politan WRGies ditching the red t-shirtfor something smarter? Alternatively,maybe he misread the invitation: “DearGeorge, you are invited to a weeding...”

Kit updates

A couple of readers have sent inappropriate (?) photos as WRGsorts out kit ready for summercamps. On the left, from RichardTyler who says “a must for everycamp”. While on the right, SteveBarrett has found a dumberatThirkeld Quarry Museum to defythe WRG Driver authorisationscheme, with the entire seat andsteering column assembly swing-ing round depending on thedesired direction of travel. Is it‘front tip’ or ‘rear tip’?

navvies 259

Documents

silvester road

moor road

eleanor road

camp report lancaster

canal restoration

wrgbc news

cleanup report

camp cooking