March 2003 Diary | Directory EDITORIAL COMMENT ~ Steve Jones Time to roll out the begging bowl again. Last year sponsorship from 2 members more than covered the annual production and distribution costs of W.P.News. Many of you kindly provide SAE’s or subscriptions even though you are entitled to a regular ‘free’ copy by attending working parties at least once every 6 months. However, if you would like to sponsor the remaining costs; which are currently running at about £120 per annum, I would be very pleased to hear from you. Please indicate if you wish to remain anonymous. 10 years ago it was reported in the Waterways press, to coincide with Valentines Day, that the Trust had completed the restoration of Loves Bridge. In fact we had moved to a new site just before Christmas where we had started the restoration of Old Toat Bridge.

Eyes & (Sh)ears in Sidney Wood ~ Jim Phillips Readers of W.P.News will know that WACT has a 20-year lease on the canal through Sidney Wood. Members who walk in that area (to the south-west of Dunsfold Airfield) will also know how attractive it is, with the canal winding through oak and beech woods. WACT will be judged by how well we look after that part of the summit level; if we leave fallen branches in the canal, or hedges overlapping the towpath, it will give a poor impression to passers-by. We need a pair of eyes in a Member who walks in Sidney Wood to report to the Granary (the Trust's Office), if there is anything amiss: as this is W.P.News I will add that we would also like the volunteer to take a pair of secateurs and/or loppers on the walk to immediately deal with small items. If there is anything larger - eg a branch down, this merits a phone call to the Office. The Trust will ensure that correcting action is then taken, as it is very dispiriting to the reporter if nothing happens. If you can offer a pair of eyes & (sh)ears in Sidney Wood from time to time during the course of your walks, please get in touch with me. No Pun Intended? ~ Brian Crossley The Group has been putting in quite a lot of fencing posts using a tool called a punner for ramming the earth firm. When a really hard pun is intended, but an unexpected rock is encountered, the end of the tool may break off. It is easy to repair, but unfortunately each time the handle gets shorter. Kindly note, that we are now recruiting volunteer pygmies. Besides erecting fencing near the new aqueduct, the group tackled a variety of jobs during the past month. These include a big burn-up for the hedge-layers at Baldwin's Knob, clearing the entrance to culverts, and installing posts to discourage equestrians from using those sections of the towpath in Sidney Wood - which are ‘permissive footpaths’. Also brush-cutting both at Run Common and along alternative routes for the canal through Sidney Wood. Meetings in March will be on Mondays 10th & 31st. Whether you’re 2 metres or 2 feet tall, just ring me during the previous week for details. Here, There and Everywhere ~ Colin Gibbs A second abortive visit to Toat within 8 weeks - floods right across the Arun Valley again! However, the brave 5 who arrived on site in torrential rain, spent the day at Tickners Heath depot, erecting a rack for the scaffold poles. Thank you here to Michael and Eddie for building a lift-out door, to provide access to the rack. Two visits to East Whipley completed clearance on the towpath and its bank. Unfortunately the water level did not enable us to work on the offside. The same situation has arisen at Run Common (north), and it looks as though these jobs will have to wait at least until August when water levels and the ‘clearance months’ hopefully combine. Our first session north of Fastbridge saw the first 230 yards on the offside bank cleared together with a further 200 yards around the corner, north of the field gate. Work on this section entails selective clearance of both banks, removing trees, branches and debris from the canal and below maximum water level. By lowering the dam ‘that Jack built’, our professional weir keeper and his assistant, made work here possible. At least 3 more visits will be required. The towpath and what remains of the towpath south of Compasses Bridge, has been cleared of scrub and bramble during 3 visits to Dunsfold Park (airfield). Work also commenced north of the bridge on our last visit. Diary dates show yet another hectic month ahead, mainly because of the conservation situation between the end of March and the beginning of September, as well as an effort to complete jobs we’ve already begun. Wey & Arun Globally Positioned ~ Eric Walker At Devil's Hole Lock the last of the copings have been cast. The rest of the work, some re-pointing on the non-towpath side, installation of the infra structure for back pumping, bringing the towpath up to coping level and back filling on the non-towpath side will continue for some time. Despite this, we are now clearing the site. For the last ‘Wey-South’ magazine, John Wood asked what jobs we will be doing over the next few months. A brain dump turned up over sixty jobs. At last the detailed surveying is starting to make progress, after many false starts. I’m hoping the printouts are as good as I see on the PC screen. The poor weather over the last month has given us the warm work thumping in the hundreds of boundary marker posts in Sidney Wood. Each has been treated and given four coats of paint and then put in every 10m. Every third has a nameplate on it. We have also installed two permanent ground markers in Sidney Wood so we are now expecting Leica to tell us where they are, using Global Positioning System equipment. It's good to see new members joining WACT having seen the web. Of course our overseas members and supporters and indeed many within the UK, monitor what we are doing, using the free access that the web provides. Arthur Dungate our web master is always happy to see photos with a text saying what is happing within the bounds of the picture. The WACT associated body, The Friends of the Drungewick Slipway Access, had a meeting recently to do the last of their work. The Lottery donor, the New Opportunities Fund, has told them an inspection of the work will take place in February. With planning now received for the slipway we should soon see that work starting in the near future. As expected Richard Julian has completed the banks joining the aqueduct to the plant crossing. The parapet fencing has been made and is (mid February) at the galvanisers. Still outstanding at Lock 17 are the repairs to the parapets, and what about preparing for the installation of the swing bridge? What about the rest of D2N? Well these and many other items will make 2003 a busy year. The Thursday & Sunday Groups meet at 09:30 at the Onslow Arms, Loxwood. Lots of jobs, mostly construction related. For more details contact Eric Walker Tel/Fax 023 9246 3025 or ericwalker@boltblue.com

Working Party Diary for March and early April. Press date for articles for inclusion is the 20th of the month by letter or e-mail. If you do not attend regularly, please contact the site manager before joining a work party. MOST TUESDAYS maintenance sessions at Tickners Heath. Check with Colin Gibbs first. EVERY THURSDAY and SUNDAY at Devil's Hole. Meet 0930 at the Onslow Arms, Loxwood. Lots of jobs. Site details from Eric Walker. SAT MAR 1/SUN 2- DIG DEEP with London WRG. WACT members are welcome on any day. Phone John Ward for site and more details. WED MAR 3 - MWWP. Meet 0930 at Fastbridge for bank clearance. There is room for cars on the bridge and also on the back road by the field gate. Contact Colin Gibbs for more details. THUR MAR 6 - MWWP. Meet 0930 at Dunsfold Park (airfield) main gate. Ask security to park near Compasses Gate. Plenty of brambles and brush cutting. Contact Colin Gibbs for more details. MON MAR 10 - MONDAY W P. (Mrs Bucket Group). Details of site and meeting time from Brian Crossley. MON MAR 10 - MWWP. Meet 0930 at Fastbridge for bank clearance. There is room for cars on the bridge and also on the back road by the field gate. Contact Colin Gibbs for more details. FRI MAR 14 - MWWP. Meet 0930 at Pippin Farm for work at Toat. Trees to fell and a tidy up at Cooks Bridge. We may go on to Harsfold Bridge if time permits. Contact Colin Gibbs for more details. TUES MAR 25 - MWWP. Meet 0930 at Lee Place Farm. Park on the grass at the top of the lane leading down to Harsfold Bridge for work clearing north of the bridge. Contact Colin Gibbs for more details. FRI MAR 28 - MWWP. A reserve day in case work at any of the above sites has not been completed. Telephone Colin Gibbs a couple of days beforehand if you are available. MON MAR 31- MONDAY W P. (Mrs Bucket Group). Details of site and meeting time from Brian Crossley. Working Party Directory ~ Brian Crossley (Monday Working Party) 01737 843192 Steve Jones (W P News Editor) 01444 811747 Colin Gibbs (Mid-week Working Party) 0208 2417736 e-mail steve@stumblemead.fsnet.co.uk or Mobile 07870 371019 John Ward (General Enquiries) 01483 527124 Winston Harwood 01293 424672 or Mobile 07971 336535 Peter Wilding (Loxwood Maintenance) 01483 422519 Eric Walker (Loxwood Area) 02392 463025

Last updated March 2003