Diary | Directory

Editorial Comment ~ Wendy Andrews.

Thank you to all the group leaders for their contributions to this month's edition. With so many newcomers to working parties I struggle to keep the WPN distribution list up to date. Please will 'old-timers' help by asking new people to let me have their contact details (e-mail or postal address) if they would like to be recipients. My details are in the directory below.

WTS Group (formerly TSG Group) ~ Eric Walker

At Loxwood lock the brickwork along the training walls has been completed and a start made on the chambers for the small back pump to be located just by the bridge. The back pump did not arrive on the promised day 22nd January and we have been given a new forecast date of the 6 February. Meanwhile the red 2' submersible is keeping the water level down so that we can work on the quoins. We are very pleased with the seal achieved on the stop planks without the use of sawdust and the flooded pound towards DHL gives a good impression for the future.

Burras has completed the pile-capping beam on the bank opposite the Onslow Arms as far as the start of the road bridge. They cleared the site on 26 Jan. The ten piles that can be seen on the surface by the road will form part of the training wall of the new bridge. Behind the pile-cap a drain and duct for electricity have been put in. Now there is a major job for the volunteers covering the pipes and filling in behind the pile-cap with clay. Finally there are the eight mooring rings to be fastened to the pile-cap for mooring the trip boats.

Behind the Onslow the retaining wall has been put in most the way to the road bridge and has to some extent been covered, to be excavated out when the bridge is built. Here, the urgent job is on the area to the east of the pub, opposite the pumping station, to move the bags of stone and gravel, level the bank and put down the grass turf. Next there is a small wall to be built alongside the bridleway behind the Onslow and up to the road.

When Verralls changed the profile of the Onslow garden last September, they demolished the Horsham stone wall around the garden and took it to DHL because room at the site was very limited. It now has to be sorted, cleaned and brought back. From the demolition of Brewhurst lock there is a quantity of Pulborough stone that is now to be incorporated into a new wall around the garden. And of course the milestone removed before the works began can be put back to its correct position.

Again behind the Onslow and under the towpath, a drainage pipe and a duct for electricity are to be installed. With those in place the bridleway reinstatement can start. As of the 22 January the water level in the Onslow pound has been lowered in anticipation of the removal of the bund at Brewhurst lock, due to start on the 29th Jan. Whilst the canal water level is low the gaps between the concrete elements of the wall are to be sealed.

Subject to the amount of settlement that will take place after all of the work, the surface of towpath may need to be re-worked in 18 months or two years time.

The diversion of the BT cables is progressing well and an uncluttered pavement will soon be available. Well, that is until the building of the bridge starts! For the bridge, the detailed design work is in hand for a planned start this May. Money to enable construction to happen is being sought. Please talk to our Hon Treasurer if you feel you can help.

Tickners Heath Depot ~ (Colin Gibbs)

We would be pleased to welcome anyone with an engineering background who would be prepared to work with Stuart Savage. A concrete mixer, a pump and a mower are back in service, mainly due to Stuart's ability to create parts for these ancient machines. The main problem has been obtaining parts from suppliers.

Winston Harwood's Group ~ Lawrie Wraight

The wet weather of January has prevented the group from working at Lordings, so we have been helping with the improvements being made at Brewhurst Lock. With the benefit of a mechanical augur, we were able to erect rustic post and rail fencing, plus other safety rails, in spite of the rain.

Keith Nichols' Group ~ Keith Nichols

Since my last missive the weather has been kinder. It has? It's a shame the snow only lasted half a day, unlike the floods. With the milder weather flower buds are getting ready to open on some trees and in places green shoots are appearing. If this continues it could put a stop to laying very early this season. Where is the winter?

We completed the hedge today (January 31st). This means that the 150m of Brewhurst hedge is ready before the re-opening of Brewhurst Lock and the Onslow Pound. It was a bit of a race!

It will be interesting to see how well it takes off this spring and next spring as we have dramatically reduced the overhangs from the canal bank and competition from bramble. The outcome is a dramatic change of aspect giving increased views of the area, less shading and better drying potential of the towpath and increasing biodiversity.

Hopefully after finishing a couple of jobs in the Loxwood area (car park and Drungewick Gauging Station Meadow) the team should be moving to the Harsfold Bridge/Flood Gates & Bridge area (Orfold) early in February to start on the 300m long hedge.

Planned dates are February:- Tuesday 6, Wednesday 14, Sunday 18 - Wednesday 21 inclusive. March:- Sunday 11 (?), Monday 12, Tuesday 20. Wednesday 28.

Mid Week Working Party ~ (Peter Jackman)

It’s seven weeks since my hip replacement and I'm more than pleased to be back with the team, albeit not to use the chain saw for a week or two. I would like to thank Tony Lewis for leading the team in my absence and thanks also to Ian Edwards for carting the 'odd tool or two' about.

A warm welcome to the new members whom I have yet to meet: Allan Chambers, Alan Jennings, Julian Ebsworth, Alison Saville, Jennifer Marsh, Evelyn Hodgson and Stuart Savage.

Bad weather stopped us from working on two occasions in January so let's try again in the new month:
January 31st/February 7th we'll be at Loxwood doing bankside clearance below Brewhurst Lock. This is a 'pre-weed cutting' operation, the aim to improve navigation. Not knowing quite how much work is involved or how far we go down the canal it seems prudent to allow two weeks.
February 14th we plan to continue bankside clearance between Compasses Bridge and Fastbridge on both banks. (I suggest you park at Fastbridge)
February 21/28 will see us doing bankside clearance from Fastbridge towards Mill Farm (the site will be signposted from Fastbridge)
As ever plans are subject to change - there are times when I would rename MWWP the 'Rapid Response Unit'!

Please call for confirmation before turning up.

Maintenance Manager ~ (David Jessop)

As I mentioned before, there is another little hedge to plant.
This one is a bit of a challenge as it will be on the off-side embankment in Brewhurst Pound, in a one metre wide strip of flat ground. Being so narrow and bounded by a barbed wire fence at your back and facing a hundred foot drop (well, it looks a long way down to me), we will have to strictly limit the number of people working on the task. I intend asking for help from a few of those who helped on the 'other' hedge but who are not able to attend other work parties. The job should take less than a day to complete.

The recent strong winds damaged trees and fences all over the country and we noticed a few locally. I hope that there were no serious problems along the length of the canal but we will have to walk it to be sure. If the rains have stopped for this season, a bit of dry weather would help to make it easier to walk the towpath.

I regret the state of parts of the towpath which resemble a midden at present. I would like to improve these to prevent horses churning them up each year but (obvious fact no.1) the stone costs money and at present all available cash goes into the B2133 project.

Weed and reed cutting between Baldwin's and Drungewick Locks will be done this month and we hope that the cut product will sink. If it doesn't, we will have to get it out of the water to stop it blocking intakes, accumulating at locks and looking unsightly. This is a difficult, time-consuming chore and any better ideas will be welcome.

To allow the reed cutter to approach close to the banks, some of the overhanging vegetation is being cut back. This also will reduce the amount of foreign floating objects (FFO) in the water as currently, most FFO is from nearby trees and bushes.

If you see or think of a maintenance task that you think needs taking care of, please let me know. If we agree you will be able to do it yourself, I will support you. Otherwise it will be added to my 'jobs to do' list and will be taken care of later.

Visiting Groups ~ (Graham Baird)

The month has seen a great deal of activity on the lock site with two weekend 'digs' involving volunteers from the NWPG and KESCRG Dig Deep groups. These weekends made it worthwhile pumping out the lock and enabled us to undertake various finishing touches within the chamber which had been delayed until this time. Chief amongst these was the excavation for and laying of the Armorloc blocks below the backpump outlet to prevent scour. But we also took the opportunity to replace the lower gate paddle brackets, undertake patch repairs to high level stonework and paint steel brackets and ladders.

Above ground, various excavation and backfill tasks were pursued (including hand trimming of banks) and the first stage of the post and rail fencing was completed. The site is really beginning to look like a completed lock!

Stop planks have been fitted at the top of the lock (so much easier in the dry!) to form a second line of defence against flooding from below the lock, and with contractors Barras secure behind their bund by the Onslow Arms the bulk excavation to complete the channel could commence. This was undertaken by Penfold Verral using a 20 tonne excavator, and a 'bog dozer' which pushed the excavated material into a shallow depression alongside the canal.

Seven months after the start of this project boats can once more proceed through Brewhurst Lock, and although there is still final landscaping and painting to complete the pressure is off the many volunteers who have been involved in the work, both from Dig Deep and David Junkison’s team.

Monday Working Party ~ (John Empringham)

Despite the generally wet and windy weather in January we have been very lucky and managed three outings on very pleasant Mondays.

We had an enjoyable day at Malham lock and bridge and cleared this area of brush and undergrowth and it all looks tidy again. We've also spent two days helping to clear part the Loxwood section of fallen trees/ logs and overhanging branches and pulling floating branches from the cut. It was interesting practicing operating a long pole saw but additional recovery skills were soon needed using the grapple to recover it when it disappeared underwater as we found it doesn't float!

In February we will be out on the first and third Mondays of the month.

Loxwood Link Maintenance Unit ~ (Peter Wilding)

May Upton has made its way from Barnsill to Brewhurst, pruning back the rampant offside willows en route, to be available for the MWWP. After being rained off one week and snowed off the next it was put to good use clearing the large, awkward dead hawthorn at the entrance to the winding hole on a glorious sunny 'spring' day on January 31st.

Visiting Groups ~ (Graham Baird)

If you do not attend regularly, please contact the site manager before joining a work party.

First & third Mondays of the month
Mrs Bucket' - Keeping Up Appearances Details from John Empringham

Most Tuesday mornings
Maintenance sessions at Tickner's Heath Depot Check with Colin Gibbs

Every Wednesday; Feb 7, Loxwood; Feb 14 Fastbridge; Feb 21 Fastbridge; Feb 28 Fastbridge;
Mid-Week Working Party Ring Peter Jackman for site details

Every Wednesday
Loxwood Link maintenance Contact Peter Wilding

Every Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday
Mainly construction work. Meet at the Onslow Arms, 09.30. Contact Eric Walker for details

Every Thursday
Winston Harwood Group, usually Lordings but elsewhere this quarter Contact Lawrie Wraight for details.

February: Sun 11, Wed 14, Sun 18 - Wed 21 inclusive, March: Sun 11, Mon 12, Tue 20, Wed 28.
Keith Nichols Group
Check with Keith for last minute changes to dates and for venue

WACT Office, General enquiries, 01403 752 403 email: office@weyandarun.co.uk
Wendy Andrews, W P News Editor, 01403 752 170 email: wendy_andrews@weyandarun.co.uk
Turlough Bamber, Restoration Manager, 01483 421 305 email: restoration@weyandarun.co.uk
David Jessop, Maintenance Manager, 01403 269 384 email: david_jessop@weyandarun.co.uk
Eric Walker (Loxwood Area) 02392 463025 email: ericwalker@onetel.com
Peter Jackman (Mid-week Working Party) 01483 772132
John Empringham, Keeping Up Appearances, 01483 562657, email: john@empringham.com
Dave Junkison (Lordings Lock & Aqueduct) 020 8941 0685
Peter Wilding (Loxwood Maintenance) 01483 422519, email: peter_wilding@weyandarun.co.uk
Colin Gibbs (Tickners Maintenance) 020 8241 7736 email: colin-gibbs@blueyonder.co.uk
Don Gibson (Midweek Walks) 01903 201375
Lawrie Wraight (The Winston Harwood Working Group) 01903 721404
Bill Nicholson, Visiting Groups, 01844 343 369, email: bandsnicholson@tiscali.co.uk
Graham Baird, Brewhurst Lock Reconfiguration, 01403 262 515, email: graham@gbaird.plus.com