Working Party Report — March 2011

More site activity since the last Branch Meeting having now held a total of 13 working events. These were held at both Pewsham and Calne with repair work concurrently, on Willow, in a shed at Chiverlins.

The weather had been generally wet only just turning dry this last week. The 13th of February was particularly wet but very good for puddling clay around a leaking small spillweir at Triangle Wood. Other places where water should not be were fixed by placing clay along the towpath and the water level reduced to stop it  overflowing the towpath. The temporary weir over the bund at Squirrel’s Rest had to be repaired as the water was beginning to wash out the sandbags. Needless to say most of the work party members looked a little grey at the end of the day and no doubt were directed immediately to the shower room on returning home.

Repair work on Willow was started on the 15th February at Chiverlins and by the end of the first week the decayed bottom had been removed. The boat was then left for the next week to dry out.

We had a clearing up day on the 27th February following the winter storms. The frost loosened bricks on the spill weir have now been removed and stacked ready for relaying when the weather improves. Tidying up the lock sites has also been started by the removal of bricks from the canal area.

This last week, the weather showing signs of turning dry, Ray Canter offered to complete the repair of the headwall of Triangle Wood culvert with the help of Dave Payne. This was completed on Friday 4th March. At times the weather felt as though it was returning to winter. It was so cold, but Friday was a lovely day and this speeded up the work which now has been completed.

Meanwhile work on Willow continued at Chiverlins and currently the boat is now half clad with new marine ply.

Our bid for funding the repair of the Wharf at Chaveywell in Calne was successful . Many thanks and congratulations to Kath for her efforts in achieving this. Work has now started on the project last Sunday, 6th March.  Ten members of the Work Party, under the guidance of Jeff Daws, cleared the area of the old wharf and laid concrete foundations for the new retaining wall. We will be continuing with the work during the current week and it is hoped to have the work substantially complete by next week.    

During February our volunteers worked a total of 442 man-hours which amounted to the sum of £5935 in volunteer value matched funding. Looks like being another busy year for the Work Party team.

Douglas Harris

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Working Party Report — February 2011

Since the last Branch Meeting, held on the 11th January, we have held three work parties, all held at Calne. In addition, on 30th January, we also worked at Pewsham.  The activity was mainly scrub clearance and general maintenance, the weather being too cold to continue with the outstanding bricklaying at Pewsham.

At Pewsham, the generally wet weather during January has filled the canal to capacity and this has put a strain on our temporary structures to manage water levels during the interim stage of the dredging. This has been exasperated by the low level of some sections of the towpath which, on occasions, has acted as temporary spillweirs. An emergency workparty team are going to Pewsham this week to lower the water level in some of the sections, repair bunds and place sandbags at points on the towpath where water tends to flood.

At Calne we have made good progress with the clearance of bramble, fallen trees & low branches over where the towpath used to be on the west side of Chaveywell Bridge. It is hoped that the general public will use this area, next to the canal, as the footpath as it much less muddy than the path that is currently used. We have also managed to remove a fallen Willow that had lain right across the canal at the Winding Hole. This would have obstructed the route of boat trips planned for Easter Saturday at the Calne Easter Bunny Hunt.

The past cold weather has damaged some of the brickwork laid in November. Such cold weather that we had in December could not have been anticipated and the damage was done before we could improve the protective cover laid over the work. Even the brickwork laid in the summer was affected.  As soon as the danger of frost recedes we will carry on with the work repointing and relaying brickwork affected. It is hoped that a week of continuous working will complete the repairs and the outstanding bricklaying work.

Kath our Director of Fundraising is tonight attending the Calne Area Board Meeting in company with Jeff Daws where our Bid for a grant to repair Chaveywell Wharf is being considered. Kath has worked hard on the bid and we should wish her every success.

 

The dismantled steelwork of the Bailey Bridge, from Frome, needs some immediate remedial work done to limit corrosion on the fixing holes of the bridge panels. Mike Lee, our Director of Engineering (West) would like a few volunteers from our Branch to help him at Outmarsh Farm, where the steelwork is stored. This is to ensure that the corrosion is limited whilst in storage. There is no need to be a member of the work party to help Mike.

During January our volunteers worked a total of 332 man-hours which amounted to the sum of £3,908 in volunteer value matched funding. Gentle beginnings of what could be a busy year for the Work Party team.

Douglas Harris

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Working Party Report — January 2011

A successful year passed and another full programme of restoration ahead of us. We will be hard pressed to do more than was achieved last year but we can consolidate our progress so far. Finishing work at Pewsham with the aim of getting an undivided stretch of water from the locks to the Reybridge end of cut would be a successful outcome.

Since the last Branch Meeting, held on the 14th December, we have held just one work party and that was last Sunday 9th January when we had an attendance of 22 members. Prior to that the Work Party Management Team met on the 4th of January and hammered out a programme which includes work at Calne, Pewsham and Semington.

There's a lot to be done at Pewsham in preparation of the final dredging and re-watering up to Bottom Lock:-

The Spill Weir coping bricks to be laid and weir board guides to be installed. This work was interrupted by the early approach of freezing weather in November but should not take more than two days to finish.

Cocklemore Brook culvert exit end structure to be repaired.

Triangle Wood Culvert exit head wall to be finished.

All to be completed before water is extended to the lock.

 

There is some remedial work to be carried out on Double Bridge including the installation of a waterproof membrane and towpath raising and widening in places; work that could all be carried out concurrently.

 

We also have a project lined up at Calne where the wharf is in need of refurbishment, and more scrub to be cleared from the canal where it is planned to extend the cut westwards.

 

If that is not enough we have been asked to restore the dismantled steelwork of the Bailey Bridge that was given to us from Frome which is to be installed over the Melksham Link near Semington.

During December our volunteers worked a total of 114 man-hours which amounted to the sum of £1,343 in volunteer value matched funding.

These hours were included in my report for last month so the Grand Total for the year ended 31st December 2010 is unaffected and remains at:- 5,847.5 man-hours which amounted to the Sum of:- £81,450.90 It was a record!

Douglas Harris

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Working Party Report — December 2010

We have held just four Work Parties since the last Branch Meeting, the last being held at Calne.

The cold weather put a stop on the bricklaying and as a consequence the work on the Spill Weir and Triangle Wood Culvert, at Pewsham, could not be completed. However we have made good progress on the scrub clearance at the Reybridge end of the cut. Progress is slower than normal as we have to haul all the tools and carry the arisings by hand to the fire site. Recently erected fences prevent our using vehicular transport on this section. With an average attendances of 14 the hand work was not too arduous. Another session on this end of the cut we should be able to clear all the scrub to which we have access. Dredging on this section however will have to wait until we have been given permission to clear the other half of the canal bed which belongs to another farmer. (the boundary between the two farms goes down the centre of the canal bed).

At Calne we carried on with the timber removal. This was cut last winter during a visit by KESCG. The canal was dry then (5th December 2009) unlike last Sunday when it was extremely boggy, It was so wet we had to lay builders planks on the ground so that we could traverse the mud with our wheel barrows. All the loose timber has now been removed and left by Chaveywell Bridge for people to take away by road trailers. It is mainly Aspen which will burn if well dried out.

There remains three large trees growing out of the canal bed which regrettable have to be felled. This will have to be done during the next two months to avoid the bird nesting season. We have been offered some free native variety trees which could be planted on the exposed canal bank. These will have to be provided with substantial tree guards and maintained for a few years if they are to survive. There are also plenty of spaces at Pewsham where trees could be planted. Ideal winter work for some.

During November our volunteers worked a total of 428 man-hours which amounted to the sum of £5,775 in volunteer value matched funding.

As we have no more work parties planned for the rest of December I can report that the total man-hours for the Year Ending 31st December is:- 5847.5 which amounts to the Grand Total of:- £81,450.90. Looks like another record to me to me.

Last year’s total was 5587 man-hours and £78,132.

Douglas Harris

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Working Party Report — November 2010

Another very busy month mainly due to the dredging which has tied up our volunteers five days a week plus all the preparation and planning. Together we have been on site held a total of 21 occasions mostly at Pewsham but we have also worked at Calne this past Sunday. As before the workload has fallen on the faithful few who have been able to attend midweek but attendances on the Sunday events have also been significant. For example 25 volunteers turned up on 31st October which included four new members. We now have a steady stream of enquiries from people wishing to join the work party ranks and we may have to consider its management to employ people effectively

Work on the spill weir at Pewsham is now complete apart for about a couple of metres of coping on the upper level. Drainage from the locks has now been diverted into the inlet duct but so far the level has not yet reached the invert.  Now that the dredging has terminated at the Squirrel’s Rest Breach the landscaping and fencing can be completed at leisure as too can the weir structure which may have to accommodate varying levels of canal water when the dredging reaches Bottom Lock, hopefully, next year.

I’ll leave references to the dredging work to Colin Fletcher the Trust’s Project Director (West) apart from saying that it was a great achievement and his leadership should be congratulated.

Work started on the repair of the headwall of Triangle Wood culvert on 26th September which had suffered some subsidence. During the past week however, with the help of our new volunteer, Ray Canter, the work including the building of two buttress walls has moved on significantly. Two more work parties have been organised for this week and I would not be surprised if the work is all but finished by the next full work party on Sunday 14th November. The towpath at the culvert has now been raised to its correct level so that the height of the structure can be determined without guesswork.

During October our volunteers worked a total of 884 man-hours which amounted to the sum of £14,012 in volunteer value matched funding. The total so far this year ending 31st December is:- £74,300. Looks like another good year to me.

Douglas Harris

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Working Party Report — October 2010

We have held a total of 10 Work Parties mostly at Pewsham but the total also includes visits to Calne & Forest Farm to carry out autumn mowing.

Work on the spill weir at Pewsham is now in the final stages with just the top and lower coping levels to complete. However the structure will be able to take flood water as the remaining work is well above maximum canal water level.

Work has started on the repair of the headwall of Triangle Wood culvert which had suffered some subsidence. Foundations of new buttress walls have been prepared and one of the concrete foundations laid.

The fencing that was taken down in the Meadow has since been reinstated which included a 15ft gate and stile for the public footpath.

On Monday work has started on the second stage of dredging at Pewsham. This is will run from Triangle Wood north towards the locks. We have less plant on site this time comprising an 8 tonne digger and two 3 tonne 4WD dumpers.

During September our volunteers worked a total of 467 man-hours which amounted to the sum of £6446.40 in volunteer value matched funding.

Douglas Harris

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Working Party Report — September 2010

We have held a total of 12 Work Parties at Pewsham since the last meeting on 10th August. Not as many as last month which, at 23, was quite exceptional. Never-the-less the restoration work at Pewsham carried on relentlessly until the week ending 20th August. Yours truly was glad to get away for two weeks holiday and now followed by Colin for what I expect was the same reason.

Work on the Pewsham Spill Weir continued with the help of our contractors until 23rd August having completed the canal side of the structure. The remaining work below the weir can continue even with partial rewatering in the canal as all the remaining brickwork will be above the proposed initial water level in the canal.

Post Pewsham Dredging, the Work Party have been busy off-site providing Boat Trips at the Chippenham River Festival on the 29th August in addition to working simultaneously at Pewsham.

The ‘Junction Site’ at Semington was cleared of bramble and long grass earlier on the 22nd in preparation for the Royal Visit on the 8th September. At the ‘The Event’ itself the Branch was well represented by a large turnout of our Branch members and volunteers. I am sure this will be covered by another report at this meeting.

Finally, at Wichelstowe, the Branch supported Swindon Branch’s event in celebrating the 200th anniversary of the construction of the Wilts & Berks Canal by providing Boat Trips in ‘Willow’ and ‘Damsel Fly’ in association with the new Trust’s Narrowboat named, “Dragonfly”, by HRH the Duchess of Cornwall last Wednesday.

During August our volunteers worked a total of 658 man-hours which amounted to the sum of £9,821 in volunteer value matched funding. Another good month even though it was the holiday season.

Douglas Harris

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Working Party Report — August 2010

We have held a total of 23 Work Parties at Pewsham since the last meeting on 13th July     (including today). Again this extreme activity relates to supporting our contractors who have been dredging the canal and rebuilding the towpath at the Double Bridge end of the cut.

The towpath north of Double Bridge turned out to be 4ft below its correct level. We knew it was low because of the survey that Martin Stubbs carried out in 2006 but now that it has been rebuilt with an 8ft track width on top the embankment looks enormous and has taken a lot of work and material to create.  The towpath in the meadow was also well below that required and the canal, now dredged, is also a lot wider than expected. The silt line as revealed when the top soil was removed was a clear indication of where the canal lay and it is thought that the width was cut to ease the navigation around the sharp bend in the canal as it follows the tight contour of the hill. 40 tonnes of roadstone has now been delivered to site to create the hard topping of the towpath created so far.

We started the repair of Cocklemore Brook culvert on Monday 19th July, putting work on the Spill weir on hold as that work could continue if the dry weather came to an abrupt end. By the following Saturday we had completed the culvert duct to entrance position and we had Robert Brotherston at Pewsham for the weekend to help with the head works and wing wall construction. By Tuesday 27th July the culvert was repaired and the team returned to the Spill Weir rebuild on Wednesday 28th July.

 The periphery wall is now complete and work has started on the weir wall and the canal side structures. This will ensure that the critical work is completed before water appears at the inlet duct following the dredging. Providing the water level in the canal is kept low work can continue on the tail race and discharge benching by our volunteers without risk of it being inundated. Hopefully we will have this completed before it is required to raise the water level and before the winter rains begin.

As you will appreciate a lot of work has been carried out the past few weeks and this is borne out by the man-hour figures worked by our volunteers. This does not include the extensive hours worked by our contractors who have been on site almost 7 days a week since the start of the project on the 5th July.

So, during July, our volunteers worked a total of 1038 man-hours which amounted to the grand sum of £15,088 in volunteer value matched funding. I doubt that we can beat that easily.

Well done those who turned out almost every day to help the project along. Their effort was much appreciated.

Douglas Harris

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  Working Party Report — May 2010

There was no report from me at the last Branch Meeting for which I apologise. However we have held 6 work parties at Pewsham since the 9th of March Meeting.

Boat trips were run with ‘Willow’ at Calne on the 3rd March for the Easter Bunny Hunt and, at Foxhangers on the 29th, we carried out some maintenance on ‘Damsel Fly’ in preparation for a Helmsman training session on the 30th April. We had 10 ‘students’ on this day practicing boat manoeuvres with the electric outboard motor and the Mariner engine, that we normally use.

At Pewsham the continuing strategy is to clear the trees and roots within the canal bed and structures These are  part of the major restoration project for this year.

Work on the Spill Weir has started and already bricklaying has begun to take shape around the culvert opening. Additional roots identified as being in the path of the required brickwork have been also removed. It is surprising how much timber was embedded in and around the old structure. There is still one significant root to be removed but this is not interfering with the bricklayers—as yet!   

At Triangle Wood the large Oak tree standing alongside the culvert has been totally removed as has also the large Ash tree that was close by to the south. Tim has started clearing porous soil away from the culvert but the canal bed was too soft for our newly acquired  4x4 dumper to operate. It was still too soft last Sunday so Tim assisted the Tirforing gang in their attempt to remove the two Ash stumps from the canal bed in the meadow. One stump has proved to be extremely difficult to shift and may only succumb to a full excavation or even a power winch - which we have not got.

At Calne, on the 2nd May, there was an attempt to mow the canal area but the weather was too wet and the event was cancelled. I hope to get this done during the week.

During the whole of  March our volunteers, worked a total of 444 man-hours which amounted to £6,203 and in April 355 hrs were worked amounting to £4,210 in volunteer value matched funding.

 

Douglas Harris

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  Working Party Report — March 2010

We have held 5 working parties since the last Branch Meeting—all at Pewsham.

The main thrust has been the clearing of the large trees growing out of the canal structures that are the subject of the restoration planned for this year.

The large Ash tree by the spill weir finally was removed on the 28th February when we had our maximum attendance so far - 21 volunteers. Needless to say not all 21 were employed at the Spill Weir and several other small trees that were in the canal or interfering with passage along the towpath were also removed. Other work included digging of trial holes in the in-filled section of the canal north of Double Bridge which is also scheduled for re-excavation.

The removal of the Ash tree now clears the way for us to start the Spill Weir restoration.

Re-puddling work on the Triangle Wood culvert depends upon the successful removal of the Oak tree standing alongside which hopefully will be achieved this coming Sunday.

During the whole of February our volunteers, worked a total of 386 man-hours which amounted to £4799 in volunteer value matched funding.

In future the matched funding hours will be identified with the work associated with its respective funding.

 

Douglas Harris

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  Working Party Report — February 2010

Just one work party since the last Branch Meeting but a significant one never-the-less as on the 31st January the team started the scrub clearance on the canal where it crosses the A4 road at Pewsham. The aim of this was to advertise the presence of the canal to the passing public. Wiltshire Council through the good offices of the Canals Officer, Ken Oliver, erected an official sign on the verge indicating that this was the Wilts & Berks Canal.  I was not able to attend being away in sunnier climes but 18 members of the team were and did a magnificent job in about 4 hours—without me.

With the good news of Kath’s success with funding applications we can look forward to a busy Spring & Summer. Some of the funding has to be spent by the end of March so as soon as the weather becomes a bit more open we will begin the rebuilding of the main spill weir below Bottom Lock. In the meantime we have to clear the remains of the large Ash tree that was growing out of the masonry and all the displaced brickwork.

Following that, the repairs to the two remaining culverts below Bottom Lock have to be completed and puddled before we can begin the dredging.

At Calne there remains the clearance of the towpath to do which we hope to complete during the coming weeks. Also the Castlefields Canal & River Park Association (CARP) are well on their way to securing funding for the rehabilitation of the lock and have passed Stage 1 of the their application. Together with ourselves in the Trust and CARP we have to convince the ‘Facilitator’ that we can complete the Project. One of the benefits of this work, apart from an improvement in the appearance of the lock, is that more water may be extracted from the River Marden, when permitted by the Environment Agency, which will refresh the water in the canal near the lock. It will also enable us to re-water further extensions of the canal with confidence.

All very exciting stuff.

During the whole of January the team, worked a total of 212 man-hours which amounted to £2587 in volunteer value matched funding. Not bad for starters.

Douglas Harris

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  Working Party Report — January 2010

There have been just two work parties since the last Branch Meeting on the 8th of December. This was mainly due to the Festive Season and a request from the farmer on whose lane we use to gain access to the Pewsham site.

One meeting was held at Calne on the 13^th December, where the team enjoyed a well earned 'Mulled Wine & Mince Pie Bonfire', and the other last Sunday, 10^th January 2010, at Pewsham in Artic conditions. What a contrast in the weather conditions.

The event at Calne was photographed by Justin Guy our Press Officer. The picture taken at site has subsequently appeared all the local papers. It must have been something to do with having our Chairman beaming happily in the foreground or possibly my unfortunate absence. Never-the-less it was very good publicity.

Last week we were to hold a midweek meeting at Pewsham on the 6^th January but weather conditions were difficult, to say the least, so we met in the Red Lion at Lacock instead to discuss our future plans and the necessary funding. It's not all work on our work parties.

Last Sunday seven of the gang turned out on a bitterly cold morning and managed to clear the remaining tree tops and logs from the canal left by the tree surgeons in October. Some of the logs required three people to lift them. Ideal work for ‘Gorillas’ really. We also had a very nice bonfire.

During December the team, worked a total of 543 man-hours which amounted to £8635 in volunteer value matched funding. The total for whole year ending 31^st December amounted to £78,132 which has totally smashed last year's total of £51,811. Well done team.

Are we going to do this again this year?

Douglas Harris

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