| September 2004
Diary | Directory
EDITORIAL COMMENT ~ Steve Jones
I have just dug out my copy of W.P.News for August 1994 and what interesting reading that makes. Restoration of the canal was focused on the rebuilding of Brewhurst Lock led by Eric Walker and speculation was rife as to how we could get under the B2133. But, the Council of Management was turning its attention to the Drungewick Lane area. David Ball completed his 2-part story of his recollections of the first ever working party which; was held at Rowner Lock on Sunday the 28th of March 1971! Could those early volunteers have had any idea of the enormity of the task that they had embarked upon? David seemed to think so, and I'm sure he must feel that their enthusiasm and foresight has been fully justified.
Working Party Works and Partys ~ Winston Harwood
I haven't heard the old adage 'work hard and play hard' for a long time so it is fantastic to report that the annual WACT canal camp did this to excess during the first week of August on our island site at Lordings. After yards of ale and late nights bowling the team cleared the whole side of the lock including salvaging the copingstones and bricks. They painted the water wheel and adjacent metalwork, barrowed in tons of ballast and concreted around the three extended aqueduct arches. Also completing odd jobs like spreading soil, bringing in 3000 bricks, brick laying, cleaning bricks and scaffold fittings. This was altogether an incredibly productive week despite the hangovers and temperatures over 90 degrees.
The programme is now well advanced thanks to their efforts and there is no need to panic to get the bricklaying above flood levels so that we can continue with the rebuilding through the winter. It seems odd to be worried about flooding when you are working under blue skies in very high temperatures, humidity and dust.
Haybarn Project Swings into Action ~ Bill Nicholson.
A day of concerted effort at the beginning of the NWPG summer camp at last saw the completion of the demolition of the concrete deck and east abutments at Haybarn. Further excavation clearly revealed the buttresses and form of the original Arun canal bridge and it was tempting to abandon the swing bridge and start on a new arch! 24 hours later there was nothing but a large hole in the ground and we set about the task of concreting a level base upon which the support structure for the swing bridge was to be built. The base itself was built in three sections over four days. A 7am start for some on the Wednesday ensured that the slab was finished and ready for block laying over the final two days of the camp. The excavation team was also dispatched to Sidney Wood to complete the final works to the towpath there. Dig Deep 2003 completed! A day was also spent removing further rust from the swing-bridge prior to contractors starting work on strengthening.
A highly successful camp that can best summarised by some rough statistics: About 80 tons of concrete mixed, poured and tamped - all by hand. 150 metres of access road constructed with hardcore from the bridge and rolled with planings. 300 concrete blocks laid and filled with concrete. An un-quantified amount of clay and silt excavated from in and around the bridge hole. Pictures And so on! 18 hard working volunteers attended over 8 days plus another 4 carrying out tree surgery on the Loxwood Link. Thanks to them, to the MWWP members who helped load blocks into and out of the dumper and to Derek Heath for crewing ZK for our annual boat trip which this time included Drungewick Lock for the first time. Two further weekends of preparation are planned before the bridge is craned into place in mid - October, weather and progress permitting.
Dog Catching Included in the Monday Group Repertoire ~ Brian Crossley.
With our roving mission to keep up appearances, a wide variety of equipment is very useful. Recently we found that having dog leads in our inventory was a great help. Two ramblers came along the towpath to Devils Hole followed by a stray dog which; had insisted upon accompanying them. We were able to retain the dog while we contacted the telephone number on the name disk, and return the dog to its very relieved owner. All in the days work for the Monday Group.
In September, we'll be meeting on Mondays 13 and 27. Anyone interested please come along - just ring me during the previous week for more details.
Busy 6 Months Planned for TSG ~ Eric Walker
As expected, August was a quiet month. At our Tickners Heath depot block making preparation work for the other sites has yet to start. For dredging the inductor has been ordered but has yet to be received and proven. The Giant hogweed and the Himalayan balsam are again rampant so plans are being laid for work next spring. Work at Devils Hole lock, Toat and the Tickners Heath depot will proceed as planned over the next six months.
The Thursday & Sunday Groups (TSG) 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 mobile 077 1785 5340 or email
The Mid Week Working Party do You Remember Them? ~ Peter Jackman.
At last, a contribution from the MWWP. Who? You may well ask. The problem has been obtaining landowners permission to work on their land (beyond my control). It is longwinded and exceedingly frustrating. We have been out, but on a day before ring round basis, but that is history. The good news is we have some work arranged in advance which; includes coppicing in Sidney Wood along with the annual strimming/brush cutting of the bed and bank, cutting down of 8foot plus bull rushes in the canal above Devils Hole which will expose lots of tree stumps that did not get pulled out by the digger, plus brush cutting of the bed and bank.
Additionally we now have permission, a first (well at least for a few years) to work on the bank sides and bed of the canal north and south of Haybarn Bridge. This location is where the Leeds and Liverpool swing-bridge is being installed. From the barns/yard a hard surface drive now runs right down to the bridge site; a brilliant job by the Dig Deep consortium. No legging it in mud and ***t for ½ a mile; we also have permission to keep tools on site in the Trust's steel container. All this next to the work site its got to be heaven (sorry no B&Bs).
We are aiming to work every Wednesday and I would ask you please to ring me on 01483 772132 to confirm which site we will be working at. My apologies to those members who may well have given up hope, I am looking forward to seeing your smiling faces again.
WACT Summer Camp ~ Stuart O'Hara (camp leader).
The annual WACT summer camp was held at the Lordings Lock site this year and twelve volunteers attended. The tasks were varied and consisted of painting the water wheel inside and out with black bitumen paint and applying new white numbers to the paddles. The spaces around the newly formed arches on the aqueduct were filled with concrete and the arch former was removed. Various bricklaying was carried out on the site where required with the help of Winston and his team. The site of the old lock keepers cottage was levelled and a dressing of topsoil applied ready for grass seeding to form a small picnic area adjacent to the water wheel.
The towpath side of the lock wall was demolished where required to allow for rebuilding and the old coping stones were moved to the opposite side of the lock to complete the side that had been rebuilt. A channel was dug into the silt adjacent to the demolished lock wall to allow pointing of the brickwork close to the invert. Our final task was to move some of the new bricks from the compound to the aqueduct to assist Winston and his team to continue work on the site during the next months. We would like to thank the village of Kirdford for the use of their village hall and their kind hospitality.
Working Party Diary for September and early October.
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.
TUESDAYS, THURSDAYS at Lordings. Site details from Winston Harwood.
WEDNESDAYS. Loxwood Link maintenance. Site details from Peter Wilding.
EVERY THURSDAY and SUNDAY Meet 0930 at the Onslow Arms, Loxwood. Lots of jobs mainly
construction. Site details from Eric Walker.
SAT SEP 11/SUN 12 - DIG DEEP with KESCRG. WACT members are welcome on any day. Contact the
WACT office for site and more details.
MON SEP 13 - MONDAY W P. (Mrs Bucket Group). Details of site and meeting time from Brian Crossley.
THUR SEP 23 - MIDWEEK WALK. The Wey & Arun Canal. Onslow Arms to - Drungewick winding hole
section.4.5mls. 2.5-3hrs. Contact Don Gibson for more details.
MON SEP 27 - 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 e-mail:
steve@stumblemead.fsnet.co.uk
Peter Jackman (Mid-week Working Party) 01483 772132
WACT office (General Enquiries) 01403 752403
Winston Harwood (Lordings Lock & Aqueduct) 01293 424672
Peter Wilding (Loxwood Maintenance) 01483 422519
Eric Walker (Loxwood Area) 02392 463025 email:ericwalker@onetel.com
Colin Gibbs (Tickners Maintenance) 020 8241 7736
Don Gibson (Midweek Walks) 01903 201375
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