May 2000 Diary | Directory EDITORIAL COMMENT ~ Steve Jones By all accounts the launch of the Trust's Pearl anniversary at the aqueduct site by Drungewick lane, to which the ‘great and good’ were invited, was a great success as indeed was the ‘small boat rally’ which was held on the same day and gave a good indication of how the canal could be used in the future. With the impending works here at Drungewick, the continuing works at Orfold, including a new bridge there, the re-furbishment works of a major section of canal and its structures by the Dig Deep team south of Newbridge and the continuing works in Sidney Wood and at Devils Hole lock it never ceases to amaze me how much a relatively small band of volunteers and supporters manage to achieve. Many thanks to Don Gibson for his continued sponsorship of this newsletter through donations taken on his excellent series of ‘Mid Week Walks’.

It Only Seems Like Yesterday ~ Colin Gibbs A quote from Geoff Perks (Wey South 88) 'The formers have been stored ready for their next employment, but not before members of the MWWP had rubbed them down and painted them, as a protection against the elements'. This was way back in June 1994, when they were removed after the construction of Brewhurst Bridge. Geoff continues, 'They were purchased by the Trust for use in most, if not all, future bridge constructions….'. Whilst the formers (metal arches) have not been required during the past 6 years, there is a strong possibility they could be used shortly - hence the MWWP's meeting on May 15. A group of 5 arrived, armed with wire brushes, including 2 members who had taken part in this self same job in 1994. Two of the five formers were completed, whilst a quarter of the work has been finished on each of the other 3 - despite the 80 degree temperatures. Was it really 6 years ago!! Work will continue on June 15, when we hope to link it with other tasks along the ‘Loxwood Link’. Towpath Wall of Devils Hole Lock Slowly Rising ~ Eric Walker Gradually the towpath wall of the Devils Hole lock (DHL) is rising up. Thanks to the special DHL donors a further load of ballast and cement has boosted the work. Another 6 tons of concrete, knocked up by the volunteers on May14, pushed the job along. This last month ‘April showers’ were of the monsoon type, a months rainfall in half an hour. Again this held up the leak detection in the pound. And yet another month goes by awaiting the final approval of the District Planning Authority to re- build Drungewick lane bridge. WACT has the ‘Planning Consent’, to build both the bridge and aqueduct. With that consent came 10 conditions, such as requiring a landscaping plan, a tree protection plan and undertaking that all replanting after the contractors work is complete, will take place in the following planting season. Work is not to start until written approval is received from the Local Planning Authority. All the WACT plans and undertakings were submitted by March 17. They lost the file but have gradually put a new one together. Thanks to Councillor Clarke pressure is being applied so that work can start at the beginning of August. The diversion of Bridleway 805, to enable it to be directed over the aqueduct (when built), is in place. It was cause of comment from Chichester District Council, that it would be going back to where it was originally, before the aqueduct was removed, but you knew that already didn't you! We will be removing the stop planks at Drungewick lock on May 28. This will ensure the pound is dry and the cost of pumping out the foundations for the bridge is minimised. The road closure is being arranged to start on July24. P.A.L. Vines latest book shows the previous road closure notice 'for the removal of the bridge over the canal', Dated July 5 1905, ninety five years and 19 days ago. We are still hoping that we will be preparing for the contractors in July. Keep your fingers crossed and your diary free to help in that important task. We meet at the Onslow Arms, Loxwood, Thursdays and Sundays, at 9:30. Check the notice board there, just in case there has been a late change. My answerphone and fax are on all the time on 02392 463025 or you can e-mail me on eric.walker@cwcom.net. No Site Inaccessible with new Hi-tech Mower Transport ~ Brian Crossley It’s business as usual for the group - trying to mow and strim faster than the grass can grow - which is a real challenge in the warm humid weather we are having at the moment. We are rather proud of a special sledge conversion that we have developed for manually towing our heavy mower across bog-land. Now even a repeat of the excessive rainfall we had this spring time should not prevent us from reaching our most inaccessible sites. We’ve temporarily lost our champion strimmer (on secondment for the reconstruction of a hump-backed bridge in the wilds of deepest Sussex). So if you might be able to help, please give us a ring and come along to see how worthwhile and enjoyable our work can be. Our next meetings will be on Mondays June 11 & 26 and July 4. I’ll be holidaying on the last two dates but Nick Wood (Tel 01371 831416) has kindly offered to ‘mind the shop’. As usual we’ll be letting our regular members know the meeting places during the previous week. Dig Deep Progress Despite Wettest April on Record ~ Bill Nicholson Two visits cancelled but two made good progress. At the beginning of April KESCRG visited Rowner lock and completed the difficult job of installing the timber fender on the landing stage. Repairs were carried out to the compound fence, the lock pumped out and the scaffold re-instated. Brickwork around the top paddle air holes was substantially completed. We had hoped to have dredged the Rowner to Newbridge section of the canal at Easter but the rains intervened and this has now been postponed until the summer. Things dried up just in time for NWPG’s May visit which was blessed by warm sunshine. During the weekend the pump out-fall and the base for the stone wall around the pump chamber were completed. Work restarted on stonework repairs to the lock chamber wall, a vehicle gate was installed at Northlands Lifting bridge ready for dredging and pointing commenced on Rowner bridge. Good progress was made on other jobs such that completion of all work this summer can be predicted.

Working Party Diary for June and early July If you do not attend regularly, please contact the site manager before joining a work party. EVERY SUNDAY AND THURSDAY at Loxwood. Meet 0930 at the Onslow Arms in the field car park. Lot’s of jobs as well as construction. Details from Eric Walker. EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY at Orfold. Details from Winston Harwood. THUR JUNE 1 - MAINTENANCE UNIT. Meet 0930 in the WACT car park at the Onslow Arms. Phone Peter Wilding for more details. MON JUN 11 - MONDAY W P. (Mrs Bucket Group). Details of site and meeting time from Brian Crossley. THUR JUN 15 - MWWP. Meet 0930 at Drungewick Hill farm for tool shed repairs and some painting. Please bring wire brushes if you have any. Phone Colin Gibbs for more details. THUR JUN 22 - MID WEEK WALK. ‘Baybridge Canal’. 7mls, 3.5hrs. Depart 1000hrs from the Windmill pub at Littleworth, Partridge Green. Bus Nos 2 & 106 pass just south of the pub. Map ref 193205. Pathfinder 1287, Landranger 198. Theme of historical transport remains, including lovely countryside. Return for lunch at the Windmill at about 1330hrs. Contact Don Gibson for more details. MON JUN 26 - MONDAY W P. (Mrs Bucket Group). Details of site and meeting time from Brian Crossley. SAT JUNE 3/SUN 4 - DIG DEEP with London WRG. WACT members are welcome on any day. Phone John Ward for site and more details. FRI JUN 30/SUN JUL 2 - DIG DEEP with KESCRG. WACT members are welcome on any day. Phone John Ward for site and more details. MON JUL 4 - MONDAY W P. (Mrs Bucket Group). Details of site and meeting time from Brian Crossley. SAT JUL 8/SUN JUL 9 - DIG DEEP with WACT. Members are welcome on any day. Phone John Ward for site and more details. Working Party Directory ~ Brian Crossley (Monday Working Party) 01737 843192 Colin Gibbs (Mid-week Working Party) 0181 2417736 Steve Jones (W P News Editor) 01444 811747 or mobile 0797 1234 338 John Ward (General Enquiries) 01403 268833 Peter Wilding (Trees / Maintenance Unit) 01483 422519 or mobile 07971 336535 Winston Harwood (Orfold) 01737 768781 Eric Walker (Loxwood Area) 02392 463025 Don Gibson (Mid Week Walks) 01903 201375 Dr J Heatley (Green Gym) 01403 260937

Last updated June 2000