Navvies

waterway recovery group

Volunteers restoring waterwaysNo 203 February - March 2004

Contributions......are always welcome, whether hand-written,typed, on 3½" floppy disk, CD-ROM or by e-mail. Photos also welcome: slides or colour orb/w prints. Please state whether you want yourprints back; I assume that you want slidesreturned. Digital / computer scanned photosalso welcome, either on floppy / CD-ROM or ase-mail attachments, preferably JPG format.Send them to the editor Martin Ludgate, 35,Silvester Road, London SE22 9PB, or e-mailto martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk. Press date forNo 204: March 1st.

SubscriptionsA year's subscription (6 issues) is available for aminimum of £1.50 (please add a donation if pos-sible) to Sue Watts, 15 Eleanor Road, Chorlton-cum-Hardy, Manchester M21 9FZ. Cheques to"Waterway Recovery Group" please.Visit our web site www.wrg.org.uk for all the latest news of WRG's activities

In this issue:Chairman Mike talks Driver Authorisation 4-5Logistics and Van Movements 6-7Camp Reports from the Mon & Brec and theWilts & Berks 8-12Cleanup Book now for the BCN 13Diary camps and working parties 14-16Driver Authorisation scheme relaunch:a 4-page supplement 17-20Letters to the editor 21Progress Dig Deep and elsewhere 22-25Dig Report London WRG and KESCRGXmas dig at Froghall 26-27Directory WRG and canal society workingparty contacts 28-29Bookshop auction of canal books 30-32Navvies news including the Training Weekend,Canalway Cavalcade and Boat Club News 33-34Noticeboard 35Backfill play WRG Anorak Bingo! 36

And next time.......we hope to bring you a report from the Febru-ary Camp on the Basingstoke Canal, more aboutthis year’s WRG Training Weekend, another Ap-peal Update and part 1 of a preview of the sum-mer’s Canal Camps.

Contents

Cover photo: first boat on the Uttoxeter Canal at Froghall for about 80 years, during the LondonWRG / KESCRG Christmas dig (see report, p26-27). Photo by Tim Lewis. Below: keeping warm onthe New Year Camp on the Mon & Brec. (see report, p8-10) Photo by Martin Ludgate.

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Editorial

£10k

£20k

£30k

£40k

£50k

£60k

£70k

The Right Tool for the Right Job Appeal has raised over £52,000 so far! The Right Tool for the Right Job

The Inland Waterways Association’sAppeal continues to make progresstowards its target of £75,000 to re-equip WRG forthe future, with thecurrent total nudging the £53,000mark. We will have a full report in the next issue, but in the meantime here is the latest news...Dances with Tools: there’s still time to buy tickets for the Barn Dance on Feb 28th at BensonVillage Hall, Oxfordshire. Tickets £10 (cheques to ‘I Williamson’) including fish & chip supper(please say if you want the veggie alternative), send SAE (please enclose your phone number)to ‘WRG Barn Dance, Dr and Mr Williamson, 79 Oakley Road, Chinnor, Oxfordshire, OX394HR’. Further info from Helen Gardner (tel: 07989 425346, email: helen_gardner@hotmail.com.)Hogroast: Nic Bennett is organising a hogroast in Reading on April 3rd. Please see thewebsite or contact Liz Williamson (see below) for more details.London WRG / KESCRG Xmas party dig: thanks to Steve Davis’s kind donation of abarrel of his finest ‘Old B’stard’ beer, the donations from the assembled drinkers raised £76.Race Night: we hope to run one in the Midlands just before the ‘National’. Details later.Little Venice: we will be running the bhaji stall again, plus a fund-raising quiz on Friday eve.Calendar girls (and boys): good luck to the ‘models’ for the forthcoming photo-shoot!Ideas still wanted: please contact Liz Williamson liz.williamson@wrg.org.uk or 01844351549 with your suggestions and offers of help.Canal Camps 2004 booklet: we apologise for the late arrival...We are sorry that for various reasons - including time taken to ensure that we have all thenecessary permissions in place - it’s looking unlikely that we’ll have a Camps brochure intime to include it in this issue. However we do have a (slightly provisional) schedule of Camps(see p7). Also we are happy to take booking s for the first two camps at St Johns in Februaryand on the Hereford & Gloucester at Easter: just request a booking form from Head Officeon 01923 71114 or enquiries@wrg.org.uk or see the website www.wrg.org.uk.Whose rivers?Ours, according to the Environment Agency’s strategy ‘Your Rivers for Life’.If you follow waterways politics you will remember a bit of a scrap between the EA andBritish Waterways about whether ‘our’ rivers should be the EA’s rivers or BW’s rivers - and thegovernment’s decision that for now they should remain as they are, with each body havingresponsibility for some river navigations. But having seen how pro-restoration BW are nowa-days, (not only supporting restoration on almost all of their own canals but also non-BWcanals like the Cotswolds and the Droitwich) and having seen the EA’s stance on restorationduring the launch of their strategy (which seemed to amount to ‘we will ‘restore’ rivers forsmall craft but we won’t support building any locks on the Wye or restoring any on the Stour’)my doubts were reinforced about whether the EA are the right body to be in charge ofnavigation, at least as far as the prospects for reopening derelict waterways are concerned...But then for those who stayed on afterwards, the EA thoroughly impressed us with a presen-tation on a £60m plan for a waterway route all the way across the fenlands from Boston to theGreat Ouse, combining restoration of closed waterways, creation of new ones, conversion ofunnavigable drains into canals, and improvements to existing waterways. So let’s see if theEA can deliver on this one before we write them off as not interested in navigation or restoration.Press dates: please send your contributions in earlyHopefully you have received this issue earlier in the month than usual. To avoid clasheswith busy times in my ‘day job’ we are bringing the schedule forward by a week or two fromnow on. However this means that your contributions will need to arrive within a few days ofthe official press date to ensure that they get in. Thank you for your assistance with this.Happy New Year

Martin Ludgate

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ChairmanPlease read this: it could affecteveryone who works with WRG

Welcome to 2004!

This edition of Navvies coincides with a very busytime in WRG. Not only are we trying to finish offlast year’s work, plan this year’s work and re-equipourselves for the future but we have also decidedto have a huge tidy-up of all the information wehave.

So quite a large part of this edition of Navvies isallocated to the Big Spring Clean.

While you read all of the following please keepin mind two things:

1. This is not an attempt to find out lots of infor-mation so we can sell your details to anyoneelse to bombard you with junk mail and ‘spam’.As always, we only use WRG information forWRG uses.

2. Although we have been wanting to springclean all our databases for quite sometimethere are a couple of external triggers thatmean we really do have to do this now.

There is, of course, never a good time to try andsort out your address book.

So given that anytime would be bad the WRGboard picked the only date that we could try andachieve this by... April 1st!

What follows may seem complex, but we have triedvery hard to make it simple yet effective. Althoughthere are lots of people scurrying about behind thescenes the success of the operation is verymuch dependant on your helping us by return-ing the forms quickly and correctly!

So what is the problem?

WRG has three main databases - Navvies Sub-scribers, Driver Authorisations and Canal Campbookings. Historically these grew up quite sepa-rately and so there is no real link between thethree sets of information.

Why does that matter?

1. It means that an organiser has 3 lots of data towade through (and they have enough of thatto do as it is). When they do find Fred Bloggsthe dumper driver of Wolverhampton, can theyreally be sure it is the same F Bloggs from WestMids. who has booked on their camp?

2. Very few volunteers remember to update allthree databases when details change sorecords such as next of kin, medical notes andemergency numbers are sometimes wrong.Whilst we hope to never need them we needto keep them up to date.

3. The Driver & Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA)have changed the licensing rules regarding mini-buses and trailers so that the information we haveon you is no longer correct.

Unless the driver re-applies for authorisation, (s)he won’t be allowed to drive it after April 1st this year.

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“From April 1st 2004 allcurrent Driver Authorisations

are revoked. Anyone who usesvehicles, plant or equipment

covered by the IWA/WRGscheme must reapply.”

4. The quantity and diversity of the equipment nowin common use on restoration sites has in-creased greatly. We need to modify the DriverAuthorisation scheme to reflect this if it is to con-tinue to play its part in keeping our sites safe.

5. More and more of the people we work with areasking to see proof of a responsible attitudetowards how we carry out our work. In particu-lar our insurers now require us to keep copiesof certain documents so we can prove that weare taking due care. This now includes copiesof driving licences where appropriate.

6. In the event of us needing to contact peopleurgently (for example if we needed to send asafety update to all excavator operators) thenwe can’t guarantee we can contact everybodyat the moment.

7. And finally it requires a member of IWA staff tomaintain and use these databases. By havinga really good purge now we can get thedatabases into a state where they can be main-tained and used by WRG brass alone. Thiscould make a real saving in the IWA and freeup money to go towards restoration.

So what are we going to do?

Firstly we are going to check everybody’s Nav-vies details - these will be printed on the person-alised letter that accompanies this Navvies.Please check these, make any corrections andreturn the form in the freepost envelope provided.The details listed comprise all the information wefind it useful to know about our supporters; how-ever if you don’t wish to supply any of them thenyou are under no obligation to give them. That isall you need to do if you are one of our manyarmchair supporters (and your support is verymuch appreciated and still very much needed) .

Secondly we need to update the Driver Au-thorisation scheme so that it works, now and inthe future. As described above the world has movedon since it was introduced. We need to review theauthorisations and change the classifications ofplant that the scheme covers. Because of this...

From April 1st 2004 all current Driver Authori-sations are revoked. Anyone who uses vehi-cles, plant or equipment covered by the IWA/WRG scheme must reapply for authorisationto use them.

Further details of how to re-apply for these au-thorisations is contained in the centre pages ofthis Navvies. Please read the information care-fully before reapplying as it will be very time con-suming for us to have to chase up any mistakesor misunderstandings.

Like any responsible organisation we have workedvery hard to ensure that people are only targetedwith information that definitely relates to them, butinevitably some errors may occur. Please be forgiv-ing and let us know what errors have occurred. Oneparticular area where we are having trouble recon-ciling the databases relates to spouses/partners -i.e. people who live together but have differentnames and have different authorisations. Becauseof this it may well be that, for a month or four, somecouples receive two copies of Navvies. Please bearwith us while we sort that last little gremlin out.

Normal service will resume!Mike Palmer

Why the databases need sorting...An example from Real LifeTM

(only the names have been changed, toprotect the innocent)

(...and the guilty...)The Camps database has a Kate Boddington in Port-smouth (the last time she booked on a camp).The Driver Authorisation database has a KWadworth (That was her name before she and Rickwere married) in Surrey (where she used to live withher parents).The Navvies database has a Kate Wadworth in Cam-bridge (where she lived in between leaving her par-ents’ house and getting married).Now those of us who know Kate & Rick know thesethree are the same person - but that would havenot come up in any merge. Kate will have beenreading Rick’s Navvies for the last three years (she’sa slow reader!) and Navvies has been going to Cam-bridge as she assumed that “someone” had donethe sensible thing and cancelled her sub now shelives with Rick. And of course they hadn’t.But consider the implications if this wrong in-formation was being used not just to decidewhere to send Kate’s Navvies to, but to informher Canal Camp leader about a serious food al-lergy, or to determine whether she was qualifiedto operate a specific item of plant safely.That’s why the databases need sorting.

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Logistics...including the kit, van andminibus schedule for 2004

Another Year, Another Dollar...

Busy, busy, busy! ... with Logistics? No! Sad tosay it hasn’t had a look-in. In fact, truth be known,nowt but work has!

So what does the year ahead hold?

Well, I feel I have returned to Eeyore’s doom andgloom of 2002. But fear not, I am returning only inmind and not on paper. And with any luck, I willsnap out of this state soon... sorry, normal serv-ice has failed to resume as it is already past NewYear and ‘real’ work hasn’t let up! That said, it isn’treally a logistics time-of-year.

It is, however, a big “thinking about camps” timeof year...

So, accompanying this somewhat brief article,should be The Grand Van Plan for this year’scamps.

Peruse at your leisure, not forgetting the usual‘subject to change’ criteria. For those of you whodon’t understand why I send the schedule in tobe published (that’s you at least, Mr Mac!) it is tohelp those people who wish to ‘ave a gander’ andnote where/which camp their kit and vans comefrom and where they are going to (leaders), whichcamp the vans and trailer goes to after their cho-sen camp (e.g. wrgies who drive our vans), or forothers who are just plain nosy (I wouldn’t begin toentertain that one!)!

Anyway, we do still have NJF (minibus) but forhow much of the year who can tell... bet she’ll stillbe going when I write this time next year!

As for digging this year, I’m hoping I can escapethe chains of work (and Logistics!) and get outthere and join you all in doing what I originally gotinvolved for!

Just Jenlogistics@wrg.org.uk

By the way, Mr Foley: Thank you very much too...sorry I omitted you from the Festive thanks last time!

If the van and kit movements go to schedule (see opposite) we won’t have to tow our trailers fromcamp to camp by hand this year....

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No. Location Start date Finish date Kit Van Minibus

1 Basingstoke Canal 14th February 21st February A RFB GCW

2 Hereford and Gloucester Canal 3rd April 12th April A RFB GCW

X Training Weekend, Hatton 9th May 10th May A.B RFB.VOJ GCW.NJF

3 Saul Canal Festival 30th June 7th July B VOJ NJF

4 Hereford and Gloucester Canal 3rd July 10th July A RFB GCW

5 Hereford and Gloucester Canal 10th July 17th July A RFB GCW

6 Cotswold Canals 10th July 17th July B VOJ NJF

7 Wilts and Berks Canal 17th July 24th July A RFB GCW

8 Grand Western Canal 17th July 24th July B VOJ NJF

9 Wey & Arun Canal (NWPG) 17th July 24th July

10 Mon & Brec Canals 24th July 31st July A RFB GCW

11 Wilts and Berks Canal 24th July 31st July B VOJ NJF

12 Mon & Brec Canals 31st July 7th August A RFB GCW

13 Caldon Canal 31st July 7th August B VOJ NJF

14 St. John’s Backpumping Project 7th August 14th August A RFB GCW

15 Lancaster Canal 7th August 14th August B VOJ NJF

16 Lichfield & Hatherton Canals 14th August 21st August A RFB GCW

17 Lancaster Canal 14th August 21st August B VOJ NJF

18 IWAF - Burton-on-Trent 23rd August 2nd September A.B RFB.VOJ GCW.NJF

19 Wilts and Berks Canal 4th September 11th September A RFB GCW

20 Grantham Canal 23rd October 30th October A RFB GCW

21 Cotswold Canals 23rd October 30th October B VOJ NJF

X Bonfire Bash - site T.B.A. 6th November 7th November A.B RFB.VOJ GCW.NJF

22 New Year Camp - Wilts & Berks 26th December 1st January A RFB GCW

Canal Camps 2004: kit, van and minibus scheduleHere - subject to the usual proviso that ‘things can change’ (and that includes NJF!) - is the schedulefor which kit, which van and which minibus will go to each of this year’s Canal Camps. And until suchtime as the Canal Camps booklet appears through your door (hopefully very soon!), this can also beused to tell you where all this year’s Canal Camps will be...

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Camp ReportNew Year on the ‘Mon & Brec’:Do anoraks keep the rain off?

Mon & Brec Christmas & New Year Camp“Weather in South Wales? What weather inSouth Wales? Oh, that weather.”Ohhhh this is soooo good. Not only can I contributeto the “Welsh weather debate” but just for once,Martin can write the camp report and I, Mk2, canplay editor. How did this role-swapping come about?Well, let’s put it this way: this report began life withthe title “Martin’s notes from Canal Camp 0318” and Iwas given the job of doing the report. But I wasquite busy trying (just for once) to be responsible,so what follows is based on Martin’s lucid observa-tions in Times New Roman, with my vague recollec-tions inserted in Arial. [You will note that I have evenallowed MK2 the use of my personal set of editorialsquare brackets for this purpose. ...Ed]We begin on Boxing Day, with Camp Leader DaveHearndon, ie. That Nice Mr. Moose, and the blokewho was to do Assistant Leader impressions nearlyall week, namely your very own Mk2, journeying downvia separate routes. Upon arrival, I found Moose and(I never found out why he was so uncharacteristicallyearly) Rick Ansell, standing around around outsideCross Keys Methodist Hall inadequately dressed forthe rain which was starting to hammer down.Also inadequately dressed for the rain which was start-ing to hammer down, I leapt out of RFB and discussedtactics. Anyone who has ever tried to reverse a trailerround into the driveway of that hall will understandthat after several tries both Moose and I gave up andwe all pushed the trailer down to where we wanted it.I blame the kerb that seems able to bugger up yourmost finely judged manoeuvre. And I blame the {ex-pletive deleted} Welsh weather for our getting com-pletely soaked, rather than blaming myself for notdressing up in my wet weather togs first.Martin’s notes, Friday 26th: Arrived at Cross Keys.Noted that the building next door had a cycling Santa onthe roof. (although it was also noted that when not illu-minated, it looked like it might be mistaken for a repre-sentation of coal mine pithead gear, by somebody whohad never seen such equipment). [Er, Martin, that wasme, and yes, I have!]The cook [the unshakeable Harri T] hadn’t arrived yetso (once he’d done the introductory talk) Moose cookedspag bol while several of us made our first visit to a localhostelry - the strangely-named ‘Philanthropic Arms’.[See summer camp reports for the alternativenames for this welcoming house!]The two dogs didn’t get on terribly well with each other.Neither did their owners.

After we’d eaten our spag bol there wasn’t time to goback to the pub. We discussed the possibility of a cin-ema trip on Saturday night.Martin’s notes, Saturday 27th: It rained. Despite bestefforts of the Welsh contingent to deny that it alwaysrains in the principality [see soon-to-be-permanentstrain of letters in Navvies], the Welsh weather livedup to its reputation. Spent the morning cutting down veg-etation on the offside of the canal about a 1/4mile abovethe lock, and burning it on a bonfire, while the weathersteadily got wetter. Gave up work at lunchtime and wentback to hall. Just as well nobody told us we weren’t sup-posed to have a fire, otherwise we might have been quitemiserable on site. [Oh, we knew that. And we knewwhy we couldn’t tell you!]My notes say “Two yucca plants found on canal bank”. Iassume they had been dumped there by the locals whosehouses back onto the cut, rather than the Welsh climateproving unexpectedly suitable for such species to growin the wild.Went to the showers. They were shut. [Van driver, theever-optimistic Mk2, re-named the journey “TheRisca Illuminations Tour”. Passengers so inspiredthey hit the alcohol immediately upon being let outof equally long-suffering NJF.]Harri arrived and cooked a chicken thing. [HonestlyMartin! It was better than that. It was Chicken, er,err… It was nice.]We went to the Public Bar at the ‘Castle Inn’ (wherethere was an interesting discussion covering various sub-jects including Martin smashing a lampshade with hishead while pogoing to the Sex Pistols in 1978) and dis-cussed the possibility of a cinema trip on Sunday night.Some of us sat up late in the Crypt, where Nic’s dogCameron got very frisky with various people’s legs.[Guess my brown cords could have looked a bit likea dog; they still haven’t recovered – Mk2] I think thatmay also have been the night when a certain volunteergot pissed and kept people awake by loudly declaringhis undying love for his girlfriend. (Personally I thinkI’d rather suffer Cameron’s attention...)

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Traditional winter camp work: clearing vegetationalongside the Fourteen Locks flight.

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Martin’s notes, Sunday 28th: Dawned bright and sunny.Welsh contingent got their chance to put the recordstraight as regards Welsh Weather. Until we arrived onsite at which point the snow began.I, meanwhile, was back at the accomm countingthe kit, doing sandwiches, and investigating the cin-ema situation. In our bit of valley, we had rain, hailand sun in an order reminiscent of a demented fairy-light-flashing device. The kit was slightly end-of-seasonish, but various people throught the Campsyear had made up for this by leaving all kinds ofother paraphernalia in the trailer. It may interest youto know that Kit ‘A’ now has two water pistols onboard, one of which is a Super Soaker. We had nouse for them, being super-soaked already.Work: carrying on clearing the offside of the length abovethe lock, but rules changed to ‘no bonfires’ so we had tothrow everything across the canal and stack it for chip-ping. Well, we didn’t have to throw it - there were lots of‘helpful’ suggestions for alternative ways: everythingfrom aerial ropeways through breaching the bank anddraining the canal to boating it across (using a boat tocarry stuff? whatever will they think of next) and someeven dafter ones that I can’t remember. Anyway mostlywe threw it across, except for the high-tech team whodid something clever with ropes and kebs.Some slightly hairy moments getting out the trees thathad sagged into the cut, and a couple of us got a wet footor two. Cue football chant: “Bob and Martin walk onwater, tra-la-la-la-la, la la la la...”Later, Tim Lewis arrived, as did the Worthingtonsin all their Coolness. There was then the hi-vis mo-ment of the camp, nicknamed ‘David and the GiantCar-shuffle’ by Martin. You see, we’d squirrelled asmany of our own vehicles (not to mention the trailerand the odd Transit) round the back and side of theaccomm. But they can only get out in reverse orderto how they went in.Those of us in hi-vis stood as mute warning in theroadway whilst Moose (1) made note of the orderin which people needed to leave or use theirvehicles, (2) ordered them out into the road-way with their vehicles, and (3) ordered themback in using a more suitable sequence. All ranlike clockwork until a certain Fiesta-drivingnavvy encountered difficulty in going back-wards. He was, much later, asked if he had aDA card, to which the reply was “Me? Drive aTransit? You’ve seen me in my car!” Harricooked roast pork whilst all this was happen-ing. With apple sauce!Mr. Floodgates continues: Went to ‘Cross Keys’. Hadfirst of a series of top-class ‘anorak’ discussions - cov-ering WW2 pillboxes, screwthreads, allotment archi-tecture, subterranean Cold (what, colder than Wales?)War stations, as well as the more commonplace sub-jects like railways, canals and trolleybuses - and dis-cussed the possibility of a cinema trip on Mondaynight. Moose promised ‘bonfires tomorrow’.Further Floodgatery, Monday 29th: Weather wetin the morning, but much better later. Advance partyheaded off first to go down the flight and find ussome work on the main site for the camp.

Unfortunately they couldn’t find any. Isn’t it strange howsometimes there’s nothing like as much work to do as itlooked like in summer before all the greenery died back?Small party went to finish the last bit of yesterday’s job(until the chipper broke) while rest of us sat in the canalcentre drinking coffee for an hour while the leaders andlocals managed to sort out some extra work for us onanother site - a couple of locks between the bottom of14L and the junction of the Crumlin Arm with the mainline.Actually, the “leaders” were in fact Moose and DaddyCool (thanks for that, Dave) as yours t. was off onsome giant logistical exercise in the van.A small job for a couple of us first was to drag out sev-eral old bikes that had been chucked in a bridgehole nearthe junction. One of them proved capable of further use,once Martin had nicked a saddle off one of the others,and is now doing services as the editorial transport. (Nojokes about the Morris please!) Harri brought hot cakesto site for lunchtime. They went like hot cakes. She alsobrought solid soup.[Yes, it was full of both vegetablygoodness and yet another logistical exercise for us.]Work progressed well. Finished both lockside clearancejobs in good time. Big bonfires. Spotted GCW headingpast on M4 and were duly joined by Ed and Suzie.Knocked off early (except Bob who had to be draggedoff site protesting) so people could get showered and fed(shepherds pie) in time to go to the cinema. Rest of uswent to Lounge Bar at ‘Castle’ pub. Moose told us along story about a mouse on his boat, in addition to theusual discussions of trains and boats and planes etc.- wedecided that the collective noun for anoraks was ‘ACloakroom’.Note to Asst Leaders here: when planning the cin-ema trip, ensure that where people are going to wantto see epic films (eg. Bored of the Rings) that lastforever, the others need to go for a drink first andsee a later showing of their chosen film, so as toavoid a dull wait afterwards. Or they could just goto see Master & Commander. You may also wish tostitch someone up with the driving (thanks, Nic).

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Tim takes a bonfire for a walk

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Nic may have re-named the journey “The MidnightDiesel Safari”, but I was asleep in bed by the timehe finally found some and returned. Passengers soinspired they hit the sack immediately upon beinglet out of the otherwise refreshed NJF.Tues 30th. It didn’t rain or snow, continues Martin: Hav-ing finished both the ‘extra’ jobs identified yesterday, de-cided that the only way we’d have enough to do for thefinal two days was to get our hands on something to makea temporary bridge across one of the 14 locks so we couldget at some of the sideponds that were inaccessible due tocanal / barbed wire fence etc. and clear them. Eventuallyfound a hireshop that was open, hired a Youngman Board(usual joke about Oldman Boards for more mature volunteers)and started work. Huge bonfires. Lots of scrub bashed. Isn’t itstrange how sometimes there’s far more work to do than itlooked like in summer before all the greenery died back?More of Harri’s hot cakes during day and in the eveningHarri’s beef stew (lots of it!) Martin provided a quiz forthe evening with rounds on various subjects, general knowl-edge, canal pictures (everyone managed to identify the onetaken on site the previous day) and a special round of ‘ano-rak questions’ to suit the mood of the week. (How manywheels are there on a Class 37 loco? Which was the firstseries of Land Rover with headlights in the wings as stand-ard? What gases are used in (1) orange and (2) bluestreetlamps?) Made it to ‘Cross Keys’ in time for a pint atlast orders. Unfortunately somebody over-ordered on ci-der so all the cider drinkers got more than twice as muchas they’d wanted. (2=5?) [Yes, it’s called Mk2 Maths.Richard later won an award for services to ciderconsumption and Harri T got a special mention.]Wed 31st: Weather fine yet again. Non-Welsh faction rap-idly losing cred, reports Sir Floodgates. More scrub-bashing and big bonfires on site, and some interestingwork getting one or two hung-up trees down. [Errr, thatmakes sense. I just thought it was crazy and there-fore a Tenko Task, personally. Mk2.]

In between times, various people scoured the pound shopsand charity shops for stuff for costumes and decorationsfor the evening bash, which was to have a ‘1960s hippy’flavour (and a strong smell of joss-sticks!) Some of usfound a bus station cafe that was straight out of the 1960sbut unfortunately it was too big to bring to the party!Canal Society and BW all very impressed with our work,and Canal Soc Chairman donated lots of booze to theparty. Lesley arrived from London bearing joss-sticks.Went to Cross Keys pub for a few pints and to do battlewith the quiz machine while Harri cooked another (dif-ferent) chicken thing.THAT Chicken Thing, Martin, was CaribbeanChicken. In fact, the whole menu was Caribbean-themed. As it was, er, New Year’s Eve.End of camp awards presented (Including two Anorakof the Week awards!) plus costumes judged. DaddyCool’s hair won its annual prize and has now gone awaytill next time, or the time after next, as he says he’s spend-ing New Year 2005 with his relatives in Edinburgh andI’m not sure we can organise a Canal Camp there!‘If we do, though, HE can be Assistant Leader’,thought Mk2. The theme was “Hippies” or “Love &Peace” and was an excuse to wear my Indian shirtand a CND necklace. Full marks to Art Director Ri-chard Cool and Chief Painter, Decorator andTitivator, Jenny Cool, for transforming the hall andcrypt into a warm, welcoming, slogan-bedecked “be-in”. I say warm: Richard even resurrected long-for-gotten heaters with liberated plugs to take the chillout of the crypt. Daddy Cool looked for all the worldlike Roy Wood.Stayed up late, listened to Big Ben, wished each other aHappy New Year, listened to lots of 1960s music (wowman, feel the vibes) and must presumably have gone tobed eventually.Fri 1st. Martin remembers: Harri didn’t serve break-

fast till 10am. [That lovely person! Mk “lie-in”2] Despite the leisurely start, everything packedup and hall cleared and all away (and Moose’sLand Rover started) by late lunchtime.Mk2 adds: Yes, Moose had borrowedMaria’s Landy and left her a choice of theMoosemobile and his Astra. The Astra diedof something or other mid-week back in Es-sex, so Maria’s Land Rover played snap andrefused to start for several days.Thanks to all of you who showed up at vari-ous points throughout the week and workedhard in sometimes ‘orrible conditions.Thanks Super Ever So Ever So to Harri Tfor keeping us going (and in the case of theimmovable soup, stopping us from going…)and thanks of course to Moose for - despitethe daily threats - not ripping my nuts off.Sorry if I didn’t get the chance to say good-bye to everyone personally – HAPPY NEWYEAR!!Yours, still waiting for the four Ghanians toturn up (via the tube),

Mark ‘Mk2’ RichardsonAnd… MartinMk2 helps to serve out Harri’s delicious food

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Wilts & Berks Canal Camp

Dauntsey Lock 24th – 31st December 2003

This was a relatively small camp – no more thanseven sat down to tea on any one day – but itnever ceases to amaze me the amount that canbe achieved by small numbers of hard-workingvolunteers.

The first few days we concentrated on the areabehind the ‘Peterborough Arms’ pub. The brickwork on the wharf wall was completed and the shutteringpans removed. We moved the timber, Acrow props and scaffolding, started back-filling with clay, andusing ‘Blue’ the excavator we shifted some large stones and concrete blocks over to PeterboroughFarm to construct some new hard-standing for the farmer, who has been very co-operative andhelpful in allowing us to use his land for parking, storage of materials and our ‘hospitality suite’ (an oldcaravan). Other hardcore was also moved over, and we made a start on spreading it. Unfortunately‘Blue’ was less co-operative than the farmer, and wasn’t working up to his usual standard, and I shallarrange for him to be serviced next week. He must have had a busy year!

A local volunteer who has recently joined us and is a retired mechanic removed the drum from ourjumbo mixer and repaired it, and by Boxing Day the drum was lifted back into the frame and bolted in.

We moved some big baulks of greenheart – hopefully to become future lock-gates – and concretepipes, and generally tidied up and levelled the whole area round the wharf, which pleased ‘John-the-pub’ and Wadworths.

The last stumps were finally removed from the spillweir and piled-up ready for burning when they’vedried out, and a lot of saplings were dug out and re-planted in gaps in the hedge. We also cleared alot of willow and blackthorn suckers along 300 yards of offside bank. Unfortunately having cleared allthe vegetation round the spillweir, some cracks were revealed in the brickwork done over the sum-mer, and we shall have to examine these a bit more closely to make sure that it has not resulted in anyleaks.

Camp reportChristmas at Dauntsey on theWilts & Berks

Phill

Car

dy

The completed wharf wall at Dauntsey, with the ‘Peterborough Arms’ in the background

page 12

We had managed to obtain a quantity of half-round stakes, which were cut down to the rightlength and sharpened to use forcampshedding when we repair the towpath,which has slipped in places. We made a starton this work coming down from the spillweir,using hawthorn whips cut from the hedge toweave through the stakes.

There were sufficiently few of us (is that a contra-diction in terms?) for everyone to stay in the cot-

tage rather than our usual accommodation at Foxham Reading Rooms.

Apart from one night, we managed to have one person per room distributed round the cottage – even‘Katy-the-dog’ who has the kitchen to herself at night. The main effect of this was that once some hadhad a hot shower, been well-fed by Di and had installed themselves in comfortable chairs by a blazinglog stove in front of televisions, no-one was very interested in going out in the evenings! We nevereven got to the cinema, which disappointed Di - who is a Lord of the Rings addict – but we did manageto entice everyone except Ray over the road to the pub for a skittles night. We had five straight roundsand then a game of ‘Killer’: obviously everyone is getting too experienced because it proved difficult toget them to lose all five lives. Di – who broke her right arm recently – had to bowl left-handed butmanaged to hold her end up reasonably well.

It was a pleasant, relaxed camp and my thanks go to Ray, Phill, Nigel, David, Tom, Another Ray,Harry, Luke and Di for the part each one played in our achievements.

Rachael Banyard

‘Blue’ the excavator removing stumps from the canal bed at Dauntsey.

Phill

Car

dy

Camp ReportCampshedding and stump-pulling at Dauntsey

page 13

waterway recovery group in association with BCNS, BW and IWAI would like to attend the 2004 National Canal Cleanup on Mar 20-21 on the BCNForename: Surname:Address:

e-mail:Phone: Any special dietary requirements?I require accommodation Friday night / Saturday night / both nightsI enclose payment of £ (pay cheques to 'WRG') for food (cost is £8 for whole weekend, basedon £1.50 for lunch each day, £1.50 for breakfast each day and £2 for Saturday evening meal)Do you suffer from any illness, such as epilepsy or diabetes, about which we should know, or areyou receiving treatment or under medical supervision for any condition? YES / NO (If yes,please attach details)In the unlikely event that you should be injured, who should we contact?Name: Phone:Signed (parent's signature also required if aged under 18):Please send this form to National Cleanup bookings, WRG, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZYBooking / joining info from Head Office on 01923 711114 or email enquiries@wrg.org.uk

CleanupLatest details on the BCNCleanup on the ‘Curly Wyrley’

BCN Cleanup 2004 update

Hurry up and book for the BCN Cleanup!The annual BCN Cleanup weekend takes placeon 20th-21st March, and once again WRG, TheInland Waterways Association, Birmingham Ca-nal Navigations Society and British Waterways willbe getting together to see what bizarre assormentof rubbish we can drag out of the murky waters ofthe Birmingham Canal Navigations in a weekend.

These events are vital for keeping the less well-used parts of the BCN system open to boats. Unless wehelp to clear out the huge amounts of old bikes, prams and other rather less recognisable rubbish thathave accumulated over the years in these canals, they will become completely choked and no use toanyone - which would be sad, when we’re doing so much to restore local canals like the Lichfield andHatherton to encourage more boats onto the BCN. Cleanups are also good fun: the regular volunteers viewith each other to pull the most unlikely item out of the cut. In previous years we’ve found computers,traffic lights, kitchen sinks, lamp-posts and toilets! What will we find this time?The site for this year’s event has just been confirned as the Wyrley & Essington Canal, heading fromHorseley Fields Junction, Wolverhampton, and heading eastwards as far as we can get, and maybe somework on the BCN main line towards BIrmingham too. The local British Waterways will as usual be support-ing us by providing rubbish skips, work-boats, grappling hooks and litter-pickers.Overnight accommodation and WRG catering (thanks Jude!) will be provided, probably at the BWworkshops in Wolverhampton, within easy walking distance of train and coach stations and not far fromthe M6: joining instructions will be sent out to you when you book and will appear on www.wrg.org.uk. Itis also by the canal, which means that (a) anyone who wants to come to the Cleanup on their boat can doso and (b) we might well manage to arrange transport to the work-site by boat! We hope to arrange somekind of evening entertainment and supplies of Real Ale in the accommodation on the Saturday night.If you don’t want to stay overnight you are welcome to turn up for the day on either or both days.Contact details: once again Aileen Butler of London WRG has volunteered to be the WRG leaderfor the event, so if you have any enquiries (other than booking / joining instructions which should go toHead Office as per below) or want to offer to help with organising the event, contact her on 07703567764 or email aileen.butler@btopenworld.com.If you want to spend a fun weekend helping to keep the BCN canals open please complete theapplication form below and send it to Head Office.

Canal Camps cost £42 per week unless otherwise stated.Bookings for WRG Canal Camps (those identified by acamp number e.g. 'Camp 0401') should go to WRG CanalCamps, PO Box 114, Rickmansworth WD3 1ZY.Tel: 01923 711114. Email: enquiries@wrg.org.uk

page 14

DiaryFeb 7/8 London WRG Hereford & Gloucester Canal: OxenhallFeb 7/8 KESCRG Basingstoke Canal: Backpump project at St Johns flight. (Dig Deep)Feb 7/8/9 wrgNW Wilts & Berks Canal: Dauntsey joint dig with Essex WRGFeb 7/8 NWPG Wendover ArmFeb 7/8/9 Essex WRG Wilts & Berks Canal: Dauntsey joint dig with WRG North WestFeb 14-21 Camp 0401 Basingstoke Canal: Construction of St Johns backpumping scheme, plusFeb 21/22 wrgBITM Wilts & Berks Canal: Double Bridge, near Pewsham. Bricklaying, etc. Leader:Feb 28/29 London WRG Basingstoke Canal: Backpumping project at St Johns. (Dig Deep)Feb 28 Sat wrgNW ‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collectionFeb 28 Sat WRG Barn dance at Benson, Oxfordshire in support of The Right Tool for The RightMar 1 Mon Navvies Press date for issue 204Mar 6/7 KESCRG Wilts & Berks Canal: Double Bridge, or Pewsham Locks. (Dig Deep)Mar 6/7 wrgNW Montgomery Canal (Maesbury spillweir)Mar 6/7 Essex WRG Hereford & Gloucester CanalMar 13/14 NWPG Lichfield & Hatherton CanalsMar 13/14 SUCS Montgomery Canal: Newhouse LockMar 14 Sun WRG Committee & Board Meetings: Hatton Park Village HallMar 20/21 wrgBITM Cromford Canal: (provisional)Mar 20/21 WRG BCN Cleanup weekend - see p13 and please book earlyMar 20-21 London WRG BCN CleanupMar27/28 IWA National Canals Cleanup Weekend: Local events happening all over the country.Mar 27 Sat wrgNW ‘Paper Chase’ waste paper collectionApr 1 Sat WRG Hog-roast in Reading in support of The Right Tool for The Right Job AppealApr 3/4 KESCRG Wey & Arun Canal: pre-Easter work camp setting up. (Dig Deep)Apr 3/4 NWPG Wilts & Berks Canal: Dig Deep projectApr 3/4 wrgNW Lichfield CanalApr 3/4 SUCS Montgomery Canal: Newhouse LockApr 3-12 Camp 0402 Easter Canal Camp on the Hereford & Gloucester Canal. Dredging and towpathApr 6 Tue Navvies Issue 204 Assembly: (unconfirmed)Apr 17/18 London WRG Hereford & Gloucester CanalApr 17/18 wrgBITM Wey & Arun Canal: Dig Deep project.May 1/2/3 KESCRG Little Venice: Site Services for Canalway CavalcadeMay 1/2/3 NWPG Wey & Arun Canal: Dig Deep projectMay 1/2/3 wrgNW Mon & Brec Canal: Joint dig with Essex WRGMay 1/2/3 Essex WRG Mon & Brec Canal: Joint dig with wrgNWMay 1/2/3 wrgBITM Little Venice: Sales stall onlyMay 1/2/3 SUCS Montgomery Canal: Newhouse Lock

Please send updates to Diary compiler:Dave Wedd, 7 Ringwood Rd, Blackwater, Camberley, Surrey GU17 0EY.

Tel 01252 874437. e-mail: dave.wedd@wrg.org.uk.

page 15

Tim Lewis 07802-518094 london@wrg.org.ukAnswerphone 01622-858329 Kescrg@btinternet.comDavid McCarthy 0161-740-2179 malcolm.bridge@btclick.comGraham Hawkes 0118-941-0586 grahamhawkes@btinternet.comDave Dobbin 01702-544096 essex@wrg.org.uk

clearance of overhanging vegetation from the canal. enquiries@wrg.org.ukRachael Banyard. Dave Wedd 01252-874437 bookings@wrgBITM.org.uk

Tim Lewis 07802-518094 london@wrg.org.ukDavid McCarthy 0161-740-2179

Job Appeal Helen Gardner 07989-425346 helen_gardner@hotmail.comMartin Ludgate 020-8693-3266 martin.ludgate@wrg.org.ukAnswerphone 01622-858329 Kescrg@btinternet.comDavid McCarthy 0161-740-2179 malcolm.bridge@btclick.comDave Dobbin 01702-544096 essex@wrg.org.ukGraham Hawkes 0118-941-0586 grahamhawkes@btinternet.comMike Friend 01948 880723 tigger.bounce@virgin.net

Dave Wedd 01252-874437 bookings@wrgBITM.org.ukWRG enquiries 01923 711114 enquiries@wrg.org.ukTim Lewis 07802-518094 london@wrg.org.ukIWA Head Office 01923-711-114 enquiries@waterways.org.ukDavid McCarthy 0161-740-2179Liz Williamson 01844-351549 liz.williamson@wrg.org.ukAnswerphone 01622-858329 Kescrg@btinternet.comGraham Hawkes 0118-941-0586 grahamhawkes@btinternet.comDavid McCarthy 0161-740-2179 malcolm.bridge@btclick.comMike Friend 01948 880723 tigger.bounce@virgin.net

work near Hereford. Cost: £54.John Hawkins 01923-448559 hawkins@jote.fsnet.co.ukTim Lewis 07802-518094 london@wrg.org.ukDave Wedd 01252-874437 bookings@wrgBITM.org.ukAnswerphone 01622-858329 Kescrg@btinternet.comGraham Hawkes 0118-941-0586 grahamhawkes@btinternet.comDavid McCarthy 0161-740-2179 malcolm.bridge@btclick.comDave Dobbin 01702-544096 essex@wrg.org.ukDave Wedd 01252-874437 bookings@wrgBITM.org.ukMike Friend 01948 880723 tigger.bounce@virgin.net

page 16

DiaryCanal society regularworking parties

Regular monthly or weekly working parties:3rd Sunday of month BCNS Jeff Barley 01543-3732842nd Sunday & following Wed. BCS Cosgrove Athina Beckett 01908-661217Anytime inc. weekdays BCT Aqueduct section Gerald Fry 01288-353273Every Sunday ChCT Various sites Mick Hodgetts 01246-620695Mon & Wed mornings CCT Cotswolds Dudley Greenslade 01453 825515Every weekend (Sat OR Sun) CCT Cotswolds Neil Ritchie 01452-8540571st Sunday of month CCT Cotswolds: summit Mark Welton 01453-872405Wednesday evenings CCT Cotswolds: East end Keith Harding 01451-860181Every Saturday DCT Droitwich Canal Jon Axe 0121-608 0296Last Sunday of month EAWA N Walsham & Dilham Kevin Baker 01362-6998554th Sunday of month ECPDA Langley Mill Michael Golds 0115-932-8042Second Sun of month FIPT Foxton Inclined PlaneMike Beech 0116-279-26571st & 3rd Sundays GCRS Grantham Canal Colin Bryan 0115-989-22482nd Sat of month GWCT Nynehead Lift Denis Dodd 01823-661653Saturdays H&GCT Hereford (Aylestone) Brian Fox 01432-358628Saturdays / Sundays H&GCT OverWharf House Maggie Jones 01452-618010Various H&GCT Hereford (Aylestone) Adrian Fry 07976-640962Every Sunday if required IWPS Bugsworth Basin Ian Edgar 01663-7324931st Saturday & 3rd Wed. IWA Ipswich Stowmarket Navigtn. Colin Turner 01473-7305862nd weekend of month IWA SBC Maesbury, Mont. Barry Tuffin 01691-670826/492nd weekend of month K&ACT John Rolls 01189-6663161st Sunday of month LHCRT Lichfield Peter Matthews 01543-3189333rd Sunday of month LHCRT Hatherton Denis Cooper 01543-3743702nd & last Sundays PCAS Paul Waddington 01757-6380272nd Sunday of month SCARS Sankey Canal Colin Greenall 01744-7317461st Sunday of month SCCS Combe Hay Locks Bob Parnell 01225-428055Most weekends SHCS Basingstoke Peter Redway 01483-7217101st Sunday of month SNT Haverholme Lock Dave Pullen 01673-8622783rd Sunday of month TMCA David Rouse 01474-362861Approx 15th of month WACT Mid-Week group Colin Gibbs 020-82417736Every Sunday & Thursday WACT Devils Hole Lock Eric Walker 023-9246-3025Thursdays fortnightly WACT Maintenance Unit Peter Wilding 01483-422519or for general information on Wey & Arun contact their office on 01403-7524031st weekend of month WAT Little Tring Roger Leishman 01442-874536Every weekend WBCT Wilts & Berks Canal Peter Smith 01793-852883Every Sunday W&BCC Dauntsey / Foxham Rachael Banyard 01249-892289Please send any amendments, additions and deletions to Dave Wedd (address on previous page)

Abbreviations used in DiaryBCNS Birmingham Canal Navigations Soc.BCS Buckingham Canal SocietyBCT Bude Canal TrustChCT Chesterfield Canal TrustCCT Cotswolds Canals TrustDCT Droitwich Canals TrustEAWA East Anglian Waterways AssociationECPDA Erewash Canal Pres. & Devt. Assoc.FIPT Foxton Inclined Plane TrustD&SCS Derby & Sandiacre Canal SocietyGCRS Grantham Canal Restoration SocietyGWCT Grand Western Canal TrustH&GCT Hereford & Gloucester Canal TrustIWA SBC IWA Shrewsbury & Border Counties

IWPS Inland Waterways Protection SocietyK&ACT Kennet & Avon Canal TrustKESCRG Kent & E Sussex Canal Rest. GroupLHCRT Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Rest'n TrustNWPG Newbury Working Party GroupPCAS Pocklington Canal Amenity SocietySCARS Sankey Canal Restoration SocietySCCS Somersetshire Coal Canal SocietySHCS Surrey & Hants Canal SocietySNT Sleaford Navigation TrustTMCA Thames & Medway Canal AssociationWBCT Wilts & Berks Canal TrustW&BCC Wilts & Berks Canal CompanyWACT Wey & Arun Canal TrustWAT Wendover Arm Trust

Mobile groups' social evenings(please phone to confirm before turning up)London WRG: 7:30pm on Tues 11 days beforeeach dig. Usually at 'Star Tavern', BelgraveMews West, London. Tim Lewis 07802-518094or e-mail tim@timlewis.org.uk.NWPG: 9:00pm on 3rd Tue of month at the'Hope Tap', West end of Friar St. Reading.Graham Hawkes 0118 941 0586

What is the WRG Driver Authorisation (DA) scheme?

For organisations participating in the IWA/WRG insurance scheme the insurers require proof thatsites are managed responsibly and due care is taken with regard to control of plant and vehicleoperation. The WRG Driver Authorisation scheme is the tool that is used to satisfy this requirement.

Volunteers who wish to operate defined categories of vehicles and plant (and to instruct othervolunteers) apply to the WRG Board for authorisation. This authority, if granted, simply shows thatthey have insurance cover when in charge of plant insured under the IWA/WRG Insurance scheme(or, if approved as an instructor, they are authorised to operate and instruct others in the use ofplant insured under scheme and they may, when satisfied of a trainee’s ability, issue them with atemporary operator’s authority).

The Driver Authorisation scheme card is NEITHER a ‘driving licence’ NOR a certificate ofcompetence.

This authorisation scheme applies to categories which are listed overleaf. Items of plant which donot fall into any of these categories should be requested separately. You may only apply forauthorisation for categories in which you have experience or have satisfactorily completed basiccompetence training. If you are applying for instructor status, you must have considerable expe-rience for the category. For each category for which you apply, you should give full details of howand when the experience or training was obtained.

The authorisation card plus your driving licence (where necessary) must be carried at all times whenyou are using the equipment. If you are only approved for operator status, you are not entitled to trainothers in the use of such equipment, neither may you give them permission to operate it.

For further information please see the WRG website.

Driver AuthorisationScheme 2004

www.wrg.org.uk

waterwayrecoverygroup

waterwayrecoverygroup

Driver AuthorisationScheme 2004

WRG Driver Authorisation 2004The vehicle categoriesThe following are the WRG Driver Authorisation plant and vehicle categories. These replace all thecategories used on the old Driver Authorisation cards as of April 1st.

In a Group containing more than one category, the categories within the group are ‘progressive’,with (a) being the lowest followed by (b) and so on. Authorisation in one category implies authorisa-tion in any lower categories in that group. For example: if you have category 5a on your Driver Authori-sation card you may drive vehicles in category 5a but not 5b or 5c; if you have category 5b on your cardyou may drive vehicles in categories 5a and 5b but not 5c; if you have category 5c on your card you maydrive vehicles in categories 5a, 5b and 5c.

Seat numbers: these refer to the total including the driver’s seat as well as the passenger seats.

Please note that in order to keep the database accurate, and to ensure that skills are keptcurrent, Driver Authorisation cards now bear an expiry date. Validity of cards will usually be foreither 3 or 4 years, after which time they must be renewed. The length of validity may be variedat the discretion of the WRG Board. Authorisation cards remain the property of the Board andtheir return may be required at any time.

Gp. Full Description Abbreviation

1. Goods Vehicles

1a DVLA B – Goods vehicles up to 3.5T gvw DVLA B (GV =< 3.5T)

1b DVLA C1 – Goods vehicles up to 7.5T gvw DVLA C1 (GV =< 7.5T)

1c DVLA C – Heavier rigid goods vehicles DVLA C (Rigid)

1d DVLA C+E – Articulated goods vehicle DVLA C+E (Artic)

2. Passenger-carrying Vehicles

2a. DVLA B – Minibuses up to 9 seats DVLA B (Bus =< 9 seat)

2b. DVLA D – Minibuses up to 17 seats DVLA D (Bus =< 17 seat)

3. 4WD Vehicles

3a. DVLA B – Land-Rovers & Equivalents up to 9 seats DVLA B (4WD =< 9 seat)

3b. DVLA D – Land-Rovers & Equivalents up to 17 seats DVLA D (4WD =< 17 seat)

4. Trailers

4a. Trailers behind Site Vehicles, on or off road Site Trailer

4b. DVLA B+E - up to 3.5T (towing vehicle up to 9 seats) DVLA B+E (Trailer =< 3.5T)

4c. DVLA D+E – up to 3.5T (towing vehicle up to 17 seats) DVLA D+E (Trailer =< 3.5T)

5. Tractors

5a. Tractors up to 1000Kg Tractor =< 1T

5b. Ride-on mowers up to 1000Kg Mower =< 1T

5c. Tractors over 1000Kg Tractor > 1T

www.wrg.org.uk

6. Loading & securing of Plant Loading

7. Skid-steer Loaders Skid-steer

8. Dumpers

8a Dumpers, rigid chassis, up to 3 tonnes Dumper, rigid =< 3T

8b As 8a plus Dumpers, rigid or articulated, up to 7 tonnes Dumper =< 7T

8c As 8b plus Dumpers, rear-tipping Dumper =< 7T & Rear-tip

9. Back-actor Machines

9a 180o Excavators 180o Excavator

9b `JCB3 and Equivalents JCB3 & Equivalent

10. Tracked Excavators

10a 360o Tracked Excavators up to 7 tonnes 360o Excavator < 7t

10b 360o Tracked Excavators of any size 360o Excavator > 7t

11. Draglines Dragline

12. Smalley Excavators Smalley

13. Bulldozers Bulldozer

14. Lifting Equipment

14a. Barrow Hoists Hoist

14b. As 14a plus Small Cranes Hoist & Small Crane

15. Telehandlers (and Fork-lift Trucks) Telehandler

16. Vibrating Rollers

16a. Pedestrian Rollers Pedestrian Roller

16b. Ride-on Rollers Ride-on Roller

17. Shredders Shredder

18. Generator-based Electrical Distribution Systems Electrical Distribution

19. Powered Winches Power Winch

20. Flails Flail

21. Boats

21a. Boats up to 7m, powered or unpowered Boat =< 7m

21b. Boats over 7m, powered or unpowered Boat > 7m

21c. As 21b plus Tugs and Hoppers Tug

22. Dredgers Dredger

www.wrg.org.uk

Normally the following rules apply:1. Road going vehicles (Groups 1-4): drivers must

be over 25 and have held a full driving licencefor not less than two years, having driven regu-larly for at least one of those years. Drivinglicences must be clean.

2. Lifting equipment: operators must be over 21with a full driving licence which must beclean.

3. Other self powered mobile plant: operatorsmust be over 18 with a full driving licence whichmust be clean.

Some of the above requirements can be modi-fied in individual cases by decision of the Boardof WRG.If you are below the age limits given above, or ifyou have points on your licence and/or a medi-cal condition, your application will automaticallybe referred to the Board on receipt and the issueof the card may be subject to some delay.4. Irrespective of the above your application must

show appropriate experience of operating eachcategory applied for. This may take the formof participation in a recognised training pro-gramme such as WRG’s Training Weekends,a counter-signature from your Working PartyOrganiser (WPO), employment history or rec-ognised certificates (e.g. CITB). Further ex-amples of acceptable evidence are availableon the WRG website.

Supporting documents.A If applying for authorisation for any category in

Groups 1-4 (inclusive) YOU must send an au-thenticated* copy of your driving licence. If youhave a photo-card licence then we need bothsides of your photo-card as well as your paperCounterpart Licence.

*The photocopy must be signed and dated as atrue current copy of your licence. Copies can beauthenticated by a member of the WRG Board orany deputy appointed by them. This will most likelybe your local WPO - a full list of appointed per-sons is available on the WRG website.B If applying for site-based plant only then a self

declaration on the application form regardingyour licence will suffice.

C For other supporting documents; certificates,etc. then a photocopy will suffice - do not sendoriginals.

Please note: If site-based plant is to be taken ontothe public road then:(i) the operator must be authorised for at least

one category from groups 1-3 (inclusive).(ii) the plant must be road legal.(iii) it must be added to the IWA Special Vehicles

schedule (via the IWA Insurance officer).Your ApplicationBecause the DA scheme covers all equipment andsites insured under the IWA/WRG insurance(whether owned and operated by WRG or a localsociety) there are two distinct routes your appli-cation could take based on who controls theworksite.1. If your main activities are with a WRG group

or Canal Camps then you should send yourapplication, with any supporting evidence, di-rectly to the address below.

2. If however you predominantly work with oneparticular canal society we ask one further step:a Co-ordinator will be charged with collatingyour groups applications and submitting themwith a counter-signature. Your local WorkingParty Organiser should know who this personis. (It will be decided by your society’s man-agement, there is a list on the WRG website).This person will forward your application to theaddress below.

PLEASE NOTE: All applications will be assessedbefore cards are issued. If you send your applica-tion form directly to Head Office without the coun-ter-signature from your society Co-ordinator andyour experience is not known to the WRG assess-ment panel your application is likely to be delayedor even refused.Please send your application and the supportingdocumentation to Freepost NW2944, PO Box114, Rickmansworth WD3 1WD.For further information see our website or emailda@wrg.org.ukData protection: The information you provide willbe stored on computer. We comply with data pro-tection legislation such as the Data Protection Act1998. Personal information will remain confiden-tial to the Board of WRG but details of authorisa-tions held by individuals will be made available toorganisers & leaders who have a need to know.This may be effected through paper-based or elec-tronic communications.

WRG Driver Authorisation 2004The rules

www.wrg.org.uk

page 21

LettersThe reincarnation of theKESCRG open trailer...

Dear MartinKESCRG – a couple of thankyousKESCRG has recently been given a couple of verygenerous donations for which I would like to thankthe people concerned.Anyone at the reunion weekend in November prob-ably saw a very shiny Land Rover towing an equallyshiny trailer with the KESCRG cooker in it. The shinyLand Rover is sadly not the group’s (nor mine for thatmatter!), but the shiny trailer is an amazing reincarna-tion of the tatty, very rotten old KESCRG open trailer.After many years of sterling service the wooden bot-tom and sides of the KESCRG open trailer werefinally starting to succumb to the hard life of livingoutside, carting about many many tons of sand,bricks, plant, the KESCRG cooker and even puddlingclay on numerous canals around the country. Thecrunch came after a Little Venice a couple of years agowhen I was taking Thomas the generator to its nextjob, and the bugger went straight through the bottomof the trailer on the M25. This was patched for the re-mainder of the journey with a bit of kitchen top butobviously the trailer was shagged.A little while later I got hold of enough aluminiumchequer plate courtesy of young Clive to replace allthe wood on the trailer. I towed the whole sorry lot toEddie Evans place where he was going to dismantlethe old rotten body and refurb the trailer for us usingthe chequer plate. This turned out to be a major jobwhich took him a huge amount of time but you reallymust inspect the results if you get a chance.Now Eddie being a modest bugger will tell youwe paid him for his work, but I have to make thepoint Eddie has done a magnificent job for whichwe would have been charged many many timesmore if done commercially. On behalf of KESCRGmay I offer Eddie a huge thank you.Secondly IWA London Region have just donatedus £500 towards our annual insurance premium.As I have said elsewhere paying the ever increas-ing insurance premium is a major task for the groupand so this donation is very much appreciated.Again on behalf of the group may I thank LondonRegion.

Eddie JonesKESCRG weekend working party organiser

Dear Martin,A glance at the diary in Navvies 202 shows thatwrgNW are setting fingerpost bases at the endsof the Macclesfield Canal. (see p25)The signposts are funded by IWA North WestRegion and Stoke Branch, The Macclesfield Ca-nal Society and British Waterways.The one to be placed at Marple will be dedicatedto Ted Keaveney in commemoration of his out-standing efforts towards the restoration of Marplelocks and the rest of the route along the LowerPeak Forest and Ashton Canals to Manchester.This culminated in their reopening in 1974.It was as a member of the Peak Forest CanalSociety that Ted worked and although this was in‘pre wrg’ days I thought this would interest yourreaders as, on disbandment, many PFCS mem-bers went on to join other canal societies andsome were founder members of wrgNW.In April 2003 a memorial interpretation board wasunveiled to Dr. Cyril Boucher, another PFCS stal-wart, near the bottom of Marple locks so soonthere will be recognition near both ends of theflight. IWA Manchester Branch are holding a boatgathering at Marple at Easter to celebrate the 30thanniversary of restoration, where the memorialsignpost to Ted will be dedicated on Good Friday9th April 2004.In the letters section of Navvies 202 John Cowiewrites about the beam limitations on the Hudders-field (Narrow) Canal.I think that there is no doubt that the canal wasconstructed to take boats of 7ft beam. Over theyears the sides of some locks have moved in-wards, but this does not seem to be the case inthe tunnel. I think the reason that it once passed7' boats and will not now is quite simple. Thetunnel sides of the bricked sections slope inwardstowards the bottom. Although these are not the‘pinch points’ it can be assumed that the unlinedsections followed a similar profile even if to mini-mum dimensions. BW lowered the water levelduring restoration to give more air draft and thistherefore reduced the beam. (BW claim that thewater level was raised while un-navigable and isnow at its original level).This canal is reopened but far from fully restored.On the one hand BW are asked to give priority toremoving the pinch points so that 7' boats maypass and on the other they are asked to do dredg-ing, provide facilities and do other works to im-prove the canal for the 95% (their figure) of boatsthat can use the canal. Although pinch points mustbe removed when major works are undertaken itis regrettably a matter of priorities unless substan-tial funding can be found.

Dennis Suleman

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DIg Deep Report: January 2004

The Dig Deep Initiative involves five mobile work-ing party groups (London WRG, KESCRG, Es-sex WRG, NWPG and WRG BITM) committingthemselves to carrying out a certain amount ofvolunteer work (whether in the form of CanalCamps or weekend working parties) on certainrestoration projects in southern England that havebeen adopted as ‘Dig Deep Projects’ - and therebyhopefully enabling the local canal societies thatwe are supporting on these projects to be able tocommit funds and materials to them in the knowl-edge that there will be the labour to completethem.

Whilst Dig Deep is mainly about working on site,it also forms a useful forum for the Groups to ex-change information and make decisions on theless attractive aspects of what we do. So at ourlast two meetings at the Mad Hatter in Southwarkwe have looked in some depth into the issues ofhealth and safety and insurance. On the formerwe agreed to:

· Complete risk assessments and safety notesfor the plant that we own and operate. Volun-teers using such equipment will then be askedto confirm that they have read the notes andare aware of any potential risks/hazards.

· Advise the Canal Societies and trusts that wework for that we will not use skip dumpers (Pel-Job or similar) as we consider these vehiclesto be inherently unstable on any surface otherthan a macadamed roadway or similar.

Our discussions on insurance followed a detailedinvestigation by NWPG into the subject. The hy-pothesis being that as most of the canals on whichwe work already have their own insurance(through the local society or trust), then by hav-

ing a further group policy we were being dou-bly covered. Not a problem at £150 -£200per year but very much so at £500. However,our colleagues at IWA Head Office have per-suaded us that NWPG (and thereforeKESCRG) cannot avoid the fact that they aregroups in their own right with leaders on site,upon whom the legal responsibility for theactions of the group will ultimately fall. Nodoubt therefore that we need to be part ofthe scheme. Instead we have sought to tai-lor our insurance to cover only those essen-tial areas of our activity. By this we hope thatKESCRG and NWPG will continue to be ableto afford to carry on as independent groups.We nervously await the bills for 2004.

As I intimated in my last report (Navvies 201),there has hardly been a flood of new projectsseeking Dig Deep support. However, it doeslook like we shall have enough work to keepus busy for the next couple of years.

On the Wilts & Berks, we seem to be mov-ing into what should be a long and produc-tive stay at Pewsham Locks nearChippenham. As you may have read else-where, there are three brick lock chambershere, together with a strange dry dock affairto be restored. There is also the length ofcanal running south towards Double Bridgeto be cleared, dredged and culverts re-instated. We await a detailed plan from theW&BCT. Specific matters that need to beclarified are:Dig Deep on the Basingstoke: the pipelaying continues

ProgressThe Dig Deep Initiative:co-ordinated canal restoration

Bill

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· Definition of exactly what work Dig Deep is be-ing asked to do.

· Timetable – 2/3 years?

· Working arrangements with the local volun-teers on this shares site.

· How vehicular access and improved parkingis to be achieved to the site?

· Funding, site huts and overnight accommodation also need to be addressed.

No doubt these things can be sorted out and we can settle into this site in 2004 for a long stay.

Following discussions with the Wey &Arun Canal Trust, Dig Deep has beenasked to install a swing bridge on anexisting farm crossing at Harsfold onthe Arun Navigation section. This isthe section on which Dig Deep waslaunched in 1992 as part of the WRGBig Dig there. The swing bridge is exLeeds and Liverpool and is currentlyin the farm yard at Newbridge. Workwill be required to repair and re-fur-bish the steelwork, decking and bear-ing. At Harsfold, the existing flat deckconcrete bridge will need to be re-moved and a re-inforced concretestructure to support the swing bridgeconstructed. In addition, an adjacentwinding hole needs to be cleared(used by a previous landowner as atip) and there may be bank re-insatement works and a weir to build.

Landowner permission has beengiven and planning permission is be-ing sought ready for a start in April.Graham Baird is managing the projectfor the Trust and producing the nec-essary designs, risk assessments etc.Dig Deep will be the principle sourceof labour although once the projectgets started offers of help from otherWRG Groups would be welcomed.This is likely to be a two year projectinvolving demolition, structural con-crete, brickwork, steelwork, painting,carpentry. There even may be somebrick cleaning!

Two of our current projects are near-ing completion (three if Chaddingtonlock on the W & B is included). AtSidney Wood on the W & A, the run-off weir has been finished and an earthdam placed across the canal aboveLock 16. Graham Baird has asked for one more weekend to complete the towpath surfacing and to re-instate the final gap in the towpath next to the site compound before the container is moved to Harsfold.

Dig Deep on the Wey & Arun: the ex-L&L swingbridge (above)and its intended new home at Harsfold (below).

ProgressDig Deep on the Wilts &Berks, the Wey & Arun...

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Progress...and on the BasingstokeCanal

At St Johns on the Basingstoke, pipe laying isapproaching Lock 8. Conditions tend to be vari-able but generally difficult with the sandy soils inthis area. Pete Redway advises that work will con-tinue on the pipe and pump inlet through to mid-summer when it should be complete. The targetdate for use of the back pumping system is 2005.

Finally my ongoing reminder that Dig Deep is notan exclusive club. If you’re involved with a localcanal society and thinkthat you may have asuitable project thenwe’d be very keen tohear from you, byphone, letter or e-mail.Alternatively if youwant to know moreabout Dig Deep thenbrowse our web site atwww.digdeep.org.uk.

Alan Cavender (01628629033) can providemore details

Bill Nicholson

Dig Deep on the WIlts & Berks: at Pewsham TopLock, rebuilding of the nearside chamber wall andoffside paddle culvert are under way (above);Pewsham Middle Lock is in rather worse condition andwill require a more major rebuild (below); PewshamBottom Lock is in the best state of the three, butmight not be needed as the canal above here mayhave to be lowered to get under a road (bottom).

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Progress...and even on theHollinwood Branch

Left: WRG Northwest and IWA volunteers start worktwo new junction signposts, one at each end ot theMacclesfield Canal. The other one, at Marple, is tobe dedicated to the late Ted Keaveney (see letter,p21). Below: the Hollinwood Branch of the AshtonCanal at Daisy Nook. A new canal society is beingset up to restore this branch: the first meeting is tobe held on Saturday 21st February 2004 at 2.00pm in the John Howarth Visitor Centre, Daisy NookCountry Park. Meanwhile another group is beingformed to look at restoring the other main branch ofthe Ashton Canal, to Stockport. Contact Peter Scotton email: ScottSclp@aol.com for more details. Bot-tom: in December vehicles started passing underthe new Lichfield Canal Aqueduct over the M6 Tollmotorway as the road opened to traffic.Ju

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London WRG & KESCRG Christmas Party digDecember 13-14 2003, Caldon/Uttoxeter CanalYourrrrrr’e listening to the Navvying Today programmeand it’s one minute, 347 days and two millennia……after Christ’s birth. Allegedly. But more on that later.First, here’s some traffic.

There’s a problem just off the M40 near War-wick, where tourists on the Warwick Castle toShakespeare’s Birthplace run are creating traf-fic jams as they stop to inspect an abandonedred Morris Minor Traveller, led to believe byit’s obvious agedness (and it’s less obviousknackered dynamo and burnt-out battery) thatit did in fact belong to The Bard himself. Mean-while, in Leek, Staffordshire, a number of sta-tionary cars are boxed-in to the car park ofMillward Hall for the weekend by an improb-ably well-parked green trailer. Back to BrianRedshirt in the studio.

Thank you. Now over to Froghall Basin on the CaldonCanal for a report on the restoration project there.

* * *

We’re here in our N-reg red radio minibus broadcast-ing live from the site of this fascinating historic trans-port interchange, beside the impressive Froghall limekilns. We’re interviewing Rupert and Alison Smedley,who are co-ordinating efforts from their mobile canalrestoration support unit, disguised for heritage plan-ning reasons as a blue Morris Minor Traveller.

“Yes, having escaped putting most of LondonWRG and KESCRG up in our fleet of interest-ing narrowboats, we’ve been able to turn ourattention to the basin, and in particular somemajor scrub-bashing of the almost park-like sitebeside it, chamber clearance of the lock out tothe canal, and finishing off the restoration of oneof the tramway sidings as a heritage feature.”

That’s great Alison, but what’s with the chappie in blueoveralls wielding a chainsaw?“Oh, that’s Tenko. He’s a whiz with it, isn’t he? You’llonly just manage to say the word ‘tree’ before he’s cutit down and sectioned it for firewood. We’ll pile it upover by the car park so that if it’s still there tomorrow,locals with unfeasibly large trailers can take it away.”

Thanks, Rupert, but how do you manage tofeed this dedicated and hard-working group ofimpressively turned-out workers, and, er, theguy in the virtually non-existent shorts toting adigital camera?

“Well, with several Curver boxes of lunch, if it everturns up.”

* * *Welcome to the lunchtime cookery show:Ready, Steady, Cater!. Today star chefs Brian& Maureen, Ellie and helpers various will cre-ate a three-course Christmas-effect dinnercomplete with two kinds of soup, three kindsof meat, two puddings, cheese and biscuits,home-made red wine and beautifully decoratedtables, using only this youth club kitchen, enor-mous and unwieldy green cooker and Transitfulof ingredients. But first, here’s a quick and sim-ple lunch recipe. You will need one huge pileof sandwich fillings, anything left over frombrekkie, some soup, several metal cateringtrays and a Peugeot 205...

* * *

Meanwhile, let’s see what’s going on in Carenza’strench. Ooh, what’s that, Ed?

page 26

Dig reportLondon WRG and KESCRGat Froghall

Restoring an old tramway siding as a heritage feature Clearing the lock chamber

Andi

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“It’s the bit of this old tramway siding that wasleft unrestored (ie. half-rotten) as part of theheritage feature being created. Thing is, the planis to put rails down and display a typical wagonof the period to aid the public’s interpretationof the site. So we need to put a horizontal beamacross the end of the siding in order to fit somebuffers. And this vertical member here on theleft is not suitable, as part of it has rotted away.If it’s anything like the one on the right, whichhas been replaced, it’ll be an old railway sleeperand come out, without a fight, to be replacedby this nice fresh one here.”Several hours later...

“Well, having found that it is in fact square in section,goes down nearly half a metre below ground level andprobably wouldn’t even come out with a Tirfor, we’vedecided to chop out the rotten bit (nice clean cut at thefront with the Stihl saw, much hacking at the rest) andgraft in a cut-down railway sleeper. This involves chop-ping out much of the pointing Mk2 did this morning.”

* * *

Welcome to Tube Idol, in which only the verypithiest attempts at dressing up as LondonUnderground stations will go through to win aselection of unspecified prizes. We have somereally talented people here, all of whom wanttheir big break in public transport impersonation...

“The panel of judges, from the very height of the wa-terway recovery movement, have made their decision,having first turned to drink at the sight of Welsh Alandressed as a fishnet-stockinged schoolgirl. Stars of thenight have included the black tie and ballgown of SteveDavis and Ruth as Bond Street, Bob as both RoyalOak and (through use of his ever-present pocketblowtorch) Burnt Oak, Dr. Liz as Green Park, com-plete with joggers and a pond full of frogs, RichardCool as Angel, with white wings both delicate andlarge, and Liz Wilson as Hatton Cross. Yes, it’s as sim-ple as getting a hat and a cross in this game, but howwill they all fare in Dr. Liz and Martin’s floor-sized,London WRG t-shirt based, Underground-style, pubmap game? And who will survive the Tube Quiz, inwhich they will be asked to name the only station whichcontains none of the letters from the word ‘mackerel’?

* * *

Welcome to ‘Sunday Breakfast’ and to thoseof you who haven’t got much further than sit-ting up in your sleeping bags, staring blearilyinto space and wondering why Bob hasn’tbrought the teapot and some mugs upstairs.And now, music video, featuring the Tim LewisProdigy with ‘Firestopper’, filmed on locationat Froghall, and of course, in a London Under-ground tunnel.

* * *

Meanwhile, back inCarenza’s trench...

“Well, hours of digginghas meant that it isn’tactually possible to tellthe difference betweenBob, MKP and SleepyDave, who are uni-formly covered inblack goo. Oh, no, tella lie, that one’s MKP.Amazingly, you canstill see the virtuallynon-existent shorts.”

Thanks Marcus. But what are you planning todo with the wood with which you have filledthe entire back end of your Land Rover?

“Back to Rupert and Alison’s, methinks.”The big story today is that the site looks reallyimpressive now, ‘huge scrub clearance’ seem-ing like an understatement and ‘an endlesssupply of really black goo’ seeming even morelike a living nightmare. Elanor and Eddie havestarted the kit-washing using pumped canalwater whilst the pointing crew have finallysorted the three brick kits back into the appro-priate bags. Anything else goes into the Re-ally Useful Things Bag. Oh, and in other news,the Americans have finally found SaddamHussein, alone in a hidey-hole in his home-town, and it only took 600 of them to take him.

* * *

It’s Sunday evening. You’re watching RestorationSongs of Praise…• Thanks be to Rupert & Alison for sorting out an

excellent accomm and recommending an equallyace pub for Friday night

• Thanks be to the catering team for yet anotherunbelievably wonderful Christmassy banquet

• Thanks be to people various for organising realale, and, er, homebrewed “Surprise”

• Thanks be to Tenko for seeming to be cutting trees/stumps/railway sleepers in at least three places atany one time

• Thanks be to Bungle for going to bed early andthus discouraging Mk2 from starting a sing-songsession

• Thanks be to all the volunteers who actually madesite on Sunday and dug, chopped, burnt, bashedand pointed their way through hangovers to leavethe site transformed.

Oh, and it was St. John’s Wood, by the way.Mark ‘Mk2’ Richardson

page 27

The Saturday night ‘London Under-ground’ theme party: can you guesswhich Tube station Richard’s dressed as?

Ed

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BARNSLEY, DEARNE & DOVECANAL TRUSTJune Backhouse, 39 HIll St,Elsecar, Barnsley S74 8EN01226 743383http://www.bddct.org.uk

BIRMINGHAM CANALNAVIGATIONS SOCIETYJeff Barley, 17 SunnysideWalsall Wood, W Midlands01543 373284www.bcn-society.org.uk

BUCKINGHAM CANAL SOCTony Collins18 Skeats Wharf, PennylandMilton Keynes MK15 8AY01908 604731info@buckinghamcanal.org.ukwww.buckinghamcanal.org.uk

BUGSWORTH BASIN (IWPS)Ian EdgarBrowside Farm, Mudhurst LaneLyme Handley, Whaley BridgeHigh Peak SK23 7BT01663 732493email: ian@browside.co.ukwww.brocross.com/iwps/index.htm

CALDON CANAL SOCIETYAlison SmedleyHazelhurst CottageDenford, LeekStaffs ST13 7JTemail:alison@hazelhurst3.fsnet.co.uk

CHESTERFIELD CANAL TRUSTMick Hodgetts31 Pottery LaneChesterfield S41 9BH01246 620695www.chesterfield-canal-trust.org.uk

CHICHESTER SHIP CANAL TRUSTJohn Herniman8 Graffham CloseChichester PO19 4AWTel: 01243 527374e-mail:john@dherniman.freeserve.co.ukwww.chichestercanals.co.uk

COTSWOLD CANALS TRUSTNeil Ritchie, The Chapel HouseSandford Rd, ChurchdownGloucestershire GL3 2HD01452 854057email: NeilSigns@aol.comwww.cotswoldcanals.com/

DERBY & SANDIACRE CANALSOCIETYDoug Flack23 Thoresby Crescent, DraycottDerby DE72 3PH01332 874239www.derbycanal.org.uk

DIG DEEP INITIATIVEAlan Cavender10 Vicarage RoadMaidenhead, Berkshire SL6 7DS01628 629033email: alan.cavender@lineone.netwww.dig-deep.org.uk

DORSET & SOMERSET CANALSTUDY GROUPDerrick Hunt, 43 Greenland MillsBradford on Avon, Wilts BA15 1BL01225 863066email: derrick@carlingcott7.freeserve.co.uk

DROITWICH CANALS TRUSTVaughan Welch29 Dice PleckNorthfield, Birmingham B31 3XW0121 477 9782email: kvwelch@supanet.comwww.worcs.com/dct/home.htm

EAST ANGLIAN WATERWAYSASSOCIATIONKevin Baker, 26 Geneva WalkToftwood, DerehamNorfolk NR19 1XT email:kevin@gasservices.freeserve.co.uk

EREWASH CANAL P&DAMick Golds73 Sudbury AvenueLarklands, IlkestonDerbys DE7 5EANotts (0115) 9328042

FOXTON INCLINED PLANE TRUSTc/o Mike BeechFoxton Canal MuseumMiddle Lock, Gumley RoadFoxton, Market HarboroughLeicestershire LE16 7RA0116 279 2657emailmike@foxcm.freeserve.co.ukwww.foxcanal.fsnet.co.uk

GRAND WESTERN CANALTRUSTDenis Dodd, Wharf CottageNynehead, WellingtonSomerset TA21 0BU01823 661653

GRANTHAM CANALRESTORATION SOCIETYColin Bryan113 Hoe View RoadCropwell BishopNottingham NG12 3DJ01159 892248www.granthamcanal.com

HEREFS & GLOUCS CTc/o The Lock Cottage, OverGloucester GL2 8DB01452 332900www.h-g-canal.org.uk

KENT & EAST SUSSEX CANALRESTORATION GROUPKen ParishEastwood FarmhouseUlcombe RoadUlcombe, MaidstoneKent. ME17 1ET01622 858329email: Kescrg@btinternet.comwww.kescrg.co.uk

LAPAL CANAL TRUST26 Loynells Road,RednalBirmingham B45 9NP01785 713862 / 020 8293 9744www.lapal.org

LICHFIELD & HATHERTONCANALS REST'N TRUSTJohn Horton,32 London Road,LichfieldStaffs WS14 9EJ.01543 262466email:janette@horton100.freeserve.co.ukor Denis CooperGorsey Lane FarmGorsey LaneLittle Wyrley, PelsallWalsall WS3 5AJ01543 374370www.lhcrt.org.uk

NEATH & TENNANT CANALSOCIETYIan Milne16 Gower Road,Sketty,Swansea SA2 9BY01792 547902

NWPGGraham Hawkes27 Lawrence Rd,Tilehurst, ReadingBerks RG30 6BH0118 941 0586email:graham.hawkes@talk21.comwww.geocities.com/nwpg2001/nwpg.html

POCKLINGTON C.A.S.Paul WaddingtonChurch House, Main St.Hemingborough, SelbyN. Yorks YO8 7QE01757 638027 (eves)01405 763985 (days)www.pocklington.gov.uk/PCAS

SCARS (SANKEY CANAL)Colin Greenall16 Bleak Hill RoadEccleston, St. HelensMerseyside WA10 4RW01744 731746www.scars.org.uk

SHREWSBURY & NEWPORTCANALS TRUSTSteve Bean4 Arscott, PontesburyShrewsbury SY5 0XP01743 860488email: sn.canal@lineone.netwww.sncanal.org.uk

SHROPSHIRE UNION CSGeoff Munro198, Oldbury RoadRowley Regis, WarleyWest Midlands B65 0NW0121-561 5747www.shropshireunion.co.uk

SLEAFORD NAVIGATION TRUSTSteve Hayes10 Chelmer Clo,N Hykeham Lincs LN8 8TH01522-689460email: steve.hayes-kyme@ntlworld.comwww.sleafordnavigation.co.uk

SOMERSET COAL CANAL SOCBob Parnell34 Wedgewood RoadTwerton, Bath BA2 1NX01225-428055rtjhomepages.users.btopenworld.com/SCC2.html

RIVER STOUR TRUSTDave Rayner26 Underhill Rd, South BenfleetEssex SS7 1EP01268 753245

SURREY & HANTS CANAL SOCPeter Redway1 Redway CottagesSt. John's Lye, Woking GU21 1SL01483 721710email: p.redway1@btinternet.comwww.basingstokecanal1.freeserve.co.uk/

SWANSEA CANAL SOCClive Reed17 Smithfield Road, Pontardawe,Swansea, West Glam. SA8 4LA01792 830782

THAMES & MEDWAY CANALASSOCIATIONJohn Epton45 Vinson Close, OrpingtonKent, BR6 0EQhomepage.ntlworld.com/john.epton/tmca

WENDOVER ARM TRUSTRoger Leishman7 Hall Park, BerkhamstedHerts HP4 2NU01442 874536www.wendoverarmtrust.org.uk

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DirectoryPlease help us keep the Direc-tory up to date - see below right

WEY & ARUN CTThe GranaryFlitchfold FarmLoxwood, BillingshurstWest Sussex RH14 ORH.01403 752403email:wact@weyandarun.freeserve.co.ukwww.weyandarun.co.uk

WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUSTGeorge Eycott36 Grange CourtBoundary RoadNewbury RG14 7PH01635 569449email: bungle@wrg.org.ukwww.wilts-berks-canal.org.uk/

WOODEN CANAL BOATSOCIETY5 Oaken Clough TerraceLimehurstAshton under Lyne OL7 9NY0161-330-2315

IWA IPSWICHColin TurnerCornerwaysElm Lane, CopdockIpswich IP8 3ET01473-730586email:colint@copdock.freeserve.co.ukwww.purbrook.demon.co.uk/iwa/

WRG: GENERAL ENQUIRIES,CANAL CAMP BOOKINGS ANDDRIVER AUTHORISATIONPO Box 114,RickmansworthHerts WD3 1ZY01923 711114email: enquiries@wrg.org.ukwww.wrg.org.uk

WRG NORTH WESTMalcolm Bridge3 Heather BankLittleborough,LancashireOL15 0JQ01706 378582email: nw@wrg.org.ukwww.wrgnw.org.uk

WRG NW - ENQUIRIES/PAPERCHASESDavid McCarthyWoodstock14 Crumpsall LaneManchester. M8 5FB0161-740 2179www.wrgnw.org.uk

WRG NA (1)Spencer Collins (see below)

WRG NA (2)Ian Nelson,6 Lahn DriveDroitwich SpaWorcs WR9 8TQ.01905 798 6760973 640611 (mobile)email: ian.nelson@wrgna.co.ukwww.wrgna.co.uk

WRG BITM & 'NAVVIES' DIARYDavid Wedd7 Ringwood Road, BlackwaterCamberley, Surrey GU17 0EY01252 874437email: dave.wedd@wrg.org.ukwww.wrgbitm.org.uk

LONDON WRGTim Lewis6 Downs Road, EnfieldMiddlesex EN1 IPA020 8367 6227email: tim@timlewis.org.ukwww.london.wrg.org.uk

LONDON WRG: ENQUIRIESLesley McFadyen(as per Martin Ludgate below)

WRG EAST MIDLANDSJohn Baylis (see below)

ESSEX WRGDave Dobbin130 Ashingdon RoadRochford, EssexSS4 1RR01702-544096email essex@wrg.org.ukwww.essex.wrg.org.uk

IWA/WRG STAMP BANKSteve & Mandy Morley33 Hambleton GroveEmerson valleyMilton Keynes MK4 2JS01908 520090email: mail@morleytowers.org.uk

CANAL CAMPS MOBILES(A) 07850 422156(B) 07850 422157

'NAVVIES' EDITORMartin Ludgate35 Silvester RdEast DulwichLondon SE22 9PB020 8693 32660777 947 8629 (mobile)email: martin.ludgate@wrg.org.uk

'WRGWEAR' CLOTHINGHelen GardnerNB 'Sussex'Weaver Shipyard, Saxons LaneNorthwich CW8 1LB07989 425346email: wrgwear@wrg.org.uk

WRG FORESTRY TEAMGraham RobinsonSpringwell, Spark BridgeUlverston Cumbria LA12 7ST01229 861317

or Dave Johnson0161 2787663

WRG BOAT CLUBSadie Dean236 Station Rd, WhittleseyPeterborough PE7 2HA01733 20450507748 186867 (mobile)email sadiedean@vizzavi.net

WRG DIRECTORS

CHAIRMANMike Palmer3 Finwood Road, RowingtonWarwickshire CV35 7DH01564 785293email: mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk

TREASURERRoger Day,5 Merton Road, SloughBerks SL1 1QW

SECRETARYNeil Edwards,c/o IWA, PO Box 114Rickmansworth WD3 1ZYemail: neil@waterways.org.uk

WRG LOGISTICSJen Leigh45 Glebe RoadSheffield S10 1FBe-mail: logistics@wrg.org.uk

WRG PLANTMalcolm Bridge3 Heather Bank, LittleboroughLancashire OL15 0JQemail: malcolm.bridge@wrg.org.uk01706 378582

SITES GROUP & PUBLICITYJudith Moore3 Finwood Road, RowingtonWarwickshire CV35 7DH01564 785293email: jude.moore@btinternet.com

WRGPRINTJohn & Tess Hawkins4 Links Way, Croxley Grn,Rickmansworth WD3 3RQ01923 448559email john.hawkins@wrg.org.uk

page 29

TRANSPORT MANAGERRoger Burchett(See Sue Burchett above)

IWA CHAIRMANJohn Fletcherc/o IWA, PO Box 114Rickmansworth WD3 1ZYemail:john.fletcher@waterways.org.uk

OTHER DIRECTORS

Mick Beattie22 Bridgewater Ave Anchorsholme,Blackpool Lancs FY5 3NA01253 864034

Adrian Fry31 Griffon Close, Elmore LockQuedgeley, Gloucester GL2 4NQ07976 640962email: amf@wrg.org.uk

Spencer CollinsN.B. 'Sunset', c/o Saltford PO,493 Bath Rd SaltfordBristol BR31 3HQ07976 084055email: spencer.collins@wrg.org.uk

Chris Davey / Helen Davey6 Partridge Ct, Round Close RdAdderbury, Banbury OX17 3EP01295 812002email chris.davey@wrg.org.uk

Jonathan Smith, 23 HardingsChalgrove, Oxford OX44 7TJ01865 891 370email jonathan.smith@wrg.org.uk

John Baylis, 215 Clipstone Rd West,Forest Town, Mansfield, NottsNG19 0HJ01623 633895

Updating this Directory:please help!

The aim of this Directory is to give up-to-date con-tact details for all parts of WRG, plus all othergroups that are involved in volunteer work on wa-terways. However it can only be as accurate and up-to-date as the information that is supplied to us.

If you spot anything incorrect, please tell us. Also ifyou are involved in a canal society not listed herethat carries out volunteer work, please give us yourwork party organiser’s details. And if your canal so-ciety is currently listed but no longer carries out work-parties please tell us, and we will remove your entryso that you are not troubled by queries from would-be volunteers. A fuller list of canal society con-tacts is available in the IWA's Waterway Socie-ties Guide, available from IWA Head Office and onwww.waterways.org.uk. Thank You.

BookshopAuction of second-handwaterways books

page 30

WRG Book Auction – February 2004

Over the past few months we have collected morewaterway books for fund-raising. As usual, wehave decided that the best way to sell them off isto auction them through the pages of Navvies -with all the proceeds going to help fund WRG’sCanal Camps.

All the books (except where stated) are in fair sec-ond hand condition. The reserves suggested are

the minimum that we would accept and are approximately half the price you might see from a special-ised book dealer. You are invited to make your bids (in multiples of 50p please). Simply list down theLot Number (the number on the left hand side) and the price you are prepared to pay for each book orother item being auctioned. The bidder offering the highest price for each lot gets the goods at theprice bid. In the event of two equal bids, the first one received wins. All proceeds go to WRG, so youcan afford to be generous. All bids should be sent to Waterway Recovery Group Auction, PO Box114, RICKMANSWORTH, WD3 1ZY to be received no later than March 15, 2004. Successful bidderswill be notified shortly afterwards. Postage and packing is extra: £1.90 where the total of your suc-cessful bids is under £11.00 and £3.75 where the total of your successful bids is over £11 (UK only).

Lot Title / Author (or other description) Pages Date Reserve1 Lock, Stock & Barrel – Shirley Ginger: a story of a family that ran the canalside Ginger’s Stores

(Hardback), mainly text with a few illustrations 189 1985 £3.502 Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal (Towpath Guide No1) – J Ian Langford (Soft back): mainly

text with about 20 pages of photographs 266 1974 £4.003 Water Rallies – David E Owen: rallies held in the 1960s to help to save the canals from closing

(Hardback) A5 size, mainly text with 8 pages of photographs and a map 139 1969 £3.004 Canals Are My World – Iris Bryce: Waterways of the Midlands and North Country travel book (Hard-

back), mainly text with a few photographs 160 1986 £3.005 Bread Upon The Water – David Blagrove: an account of commercial carrying on Midland canals

(Soft back), mainly text with a few photographs 224 1985 £3.006 Waterways Sights To See – Charles Hadfield: Sixty sights to visit and explore by car (Hardback),

mainly text with a few photographs and maps 1976 £2.507 The Flower Of Gloster – E Temple Thurston with a new introduction by L T C Rolt: reprint of a

classic account of a leisurely voyage in the 19th Century (Soft back), mainly text with a few illustra-tions and photographs 244 1972 £3.00

8 Small Boat Through France – Roger Pilkington: Voyage through the Inland Waterways of Europe(Hardback), mainly text with a few maps and illustrations 208 1965 £3.50

9 Cheshire Waterways – David E Owen: navigable waterways (Soft back), mainly text with a fewphotographs 72 1979 £2.00

10 British Canals An Illustrated History – Charles Hadfield: the standard history of British Canals(Soft back), mainly text with a few photographs 270 1970 £3.00

11 Know Your Waterways – Robert Aickman (Founder of The Inland Waterways Association): early bookon canal pleasure boating (Soft back), mainly text with a few photographs 127 £4.00

12 Small Boat Through Belgium – Roger Pilkington: Voyage through the Inland Waterways of Flan-ders (Hardback) A5 size, all text 211 £3.50

13 Canal Barges & Narrow Boats – Peter L Smith: the development of trading craft on the InlandWaterways (Soft back); photographs throughout 32 1983 £2.50

14 Canal Town Stone – John M Bolton: A history of life on and around the Trent & Mersey Canal atStone in Staffordshire (Soft back) A5 size, text and photographs throughout 73 1981 £2.00

15 Inland Waterways of Great Britain and Ireland – L A Edwards: well-known volume, packed withinformation seldom found elsewhere, plus line drawing maps. (Hardback) With tatty dust jacket.Scarcely seen edition 470 1962 £15.00

16 Boatyards & Boatbuilding – Robert J Wilson: Covering all aspects of boating on inland waterways(Soft back) horizontal format, text and archive photographs throughout 32 1974 £2.50

17 250 Waterway Landmarks – John Gagg (Soft back) A5 size, text and photographs throughout32 1976 £1.00

18 Too Many Boats – Robert Wilson: The history of British Waterways’ narrow boat carrying fleets (Softback) horizontal formal, text and photographs throughout 48 1980 £2.50

page 31

19 The Canals Of The West Midlands – Charles Hadfield: a standard reference book in The canals of theBritish Isles series (Hardback) A5 size, mainly text and and few photographs 335 1966 £8.00

20 A Short History Of The Narrow Boat – Tom Chaplin (Soft back) smaller than A5 size, mainly textand a few photographs 48 1967 £2.00

21 Claytons Of Oldbury – Alan H Faulkner: history of the unusual fleet of tanker narrow boats carryingliquid cargoes (Soft back) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout48 1978 £2.50

22 Your Book Of Waterways – Eric De Mare – World’s rivers and canals, importance in history (Hard-back) A5 size, mainly text with 12 pages of photographs 70 1965 £4.00

23 Northeast Waterways – Derek Bowskill: A cruising guide to the Witham, Trent, Yorkshire Ouse and associ-ated waterways (Hardback) text, maps, photographs and charts throughout 245 1986 £3.50

24 Southern Inland Waterways – Derek Pratt – covers the Thames and its surrounding waterways(Hardback) A4 size, mainly photos and descriptions 128 1982 £4.00

25 The Trent & Mersey Canal – Historic Waterways Scenes – Peter Lead (Hardback) mainly photosand captions 131 1980 £4.00

26 Britain’s Lost Waterways 2 – Michael E Ware (Hardback); mainly photos and descriptions1979 £4.00

27 Discovering Craft Of The Waterways – D J Smith – seamanship of inland navigation (Soft back)smaller than A5 size, text, illustrations and photographs throughout 86 1987 £1.50

28 A Pictorial History Of Canals – D D Gladwin (Hardback) A4 size, mainly photos and descriptions141 1986 £2.50

29 Inland Cruising – Tom Willis: what to expect on how to work the boat, the engine, the locks and thebridges (Hardback); text, photographs and diagrams 189 1987 £2.50

30 The Canals Book (Waterways Series New 1972 Edition) John Gagg: Cruising notes on 2150 milesof canals (Soft Back); text, photographs and maps 144 1972 £3.00

31 Inland Waterways Of Great Britain - Lewis A Edwards: reference book with mileages, dimensionsand information on all navigable waterways in Britain (Hardback) with many maps and photographs

456 1985 £10.0032 Along The Canal, The Kennet and Avon from Bath to Bradford-on-Avon – Valerie Bowyer: A

guide for walkers, boaters and sightseers (Soft back) text, illustrations and maps throughout62 1976 £3.50

33 The Warwick Canals – Alan Faulkner: two important canals on the route between the Midlands andLondon (Soft back); text, photographs and maps 77 1985 £3.50

34 FMC – Alan H Faulkner: A short history of Fellows Morton and Clayton Limited, famous canal carriers(Soft back) A5 size horizontally, text and photographs throughout. Now scarce 48 1975 £5.00

35 The River Runs Uphill – Robert Aickman (IWA founder): two decades of his involvement in thewaterways (Hardback) Mainly text a few photographs. Scarce 210 1986 £15.00

36 The Shell Book Of Inland Waterways – Hugh McKnight: includes general introduction to all as-pects of waterways plus route descriptions of every navigable waterway in England, Scotland, Walesand Ireland (Hardback) Text, photographs and line drawings 488 1975 £3.50

37 Still Waters Mystery Tales of the Canals – Margaret Cornish (Soft back) All text 186 1990 £3.5038 The Kennet And Avon Walk – Ray Quinlan: 90 miles of the Kennet and Avon Canal (Soft back)

smaller than A5 size, mainly text, photographs and maps 192 1991 £2.5039 The River Folk – Margaret Dickinson, fiction (Soft back) A5 size, all text 452 2001 £3.0040 Glassfibre Boat Manual: Practical Repairs, maintenance and Improvements (Hardback) A4 size,

text, drawings and diagrams 190 1989 £3.0041 Fibreglass Boats Second Edition – Hugo Du Plessis: detail of finishing and fitting out boats (Hard-

back) A4 size, text, drawings and diagrams 326 1976 £3.0042 The Medley Of Mast And Sail A Camera Record 2 – Alexander Anthony Hurst (Hardback) A4 size,

text and photographs throughout 460 1981 £5.0043 Coal Boats To Tidewater – Manville B Wakefield: Route of the Delaware & Hudson Canal and Gravity

Railroads (Hardback) A4 size, text, photographs and diagrams throughout 206 1965 £5.0044 The Facts About The Waterways – British Waterways Board (Soft back) A4 size, all text

126 1965 £3.5045 Fun On The Waterways – John Banks & Peter Hume: A book to use on holiday (Soft back) A5 size,

text, illustrations, photographs and tables 64 1972 £2.0046 Canals In Camera 2 – John Gagg Including Oxford, Shropshire Union, Leicester, Birmingham-Fazeley

Fossdyke and Witham Erewash (Hardback) larger than A5 size, photographs and descriptions112 1971 £2.50

47 West Sussex Waterways – P A Vine: Local history of the waterways of the area (Hardback) archivephotographs and captions 96 1985 £5.00

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48 The Future Of The Waterways Interim Report Of The Board – British Waterways Board (Soft back)All text 52 1964 £4.00

49 Leontyne - By Barge From London To Vienna – Richard Goodwin: An old Thames Tug travels fromLondon to Vienna (Hardback) Mainly text and a few photographs 219 1989 £3.00

50 Victorian & Edwardian Canals From Old Photographs – D D Gladwin: range of photographs fromScotland, England and Wales (Hardback) – archive photographs (168) and captions

120 1976 £3.5051 Canals And Their Architecture – Robert Harris: a study of machinery, engineering structures and

other buildings (Hardback) large format, text, photographs and illustrations throughout216 1969 £10.00

52 Canal – Anthony Burton and Derek Pratt (Hardback) quarto size, photos and text throughout96 £5.00

53 London’s Lost Route To Midhurst The Earl of Egremont’s Navigation – P A L Vine: An historicalaccount of the Earl of Egremont’s Rother Navigation and building of the Petworth Canal (Hardback)text photographs and maps throughout 166 1995 £5.00

54 The Thames An Eating, Drinking And Cruising Guide – L R Munk: Useful guide for the Thames(Hardback) A5 size mainly text and a few maps 128 1967 £2.50

55 Boat Engines A Manual For Work And Pleasure Boats – Peter Bowyer – a manual for use ofinboard power craft (Hardback) text, charts, diagrams and photographs 188 1979 £3.00

56 Idle Women – Susan Woolfitt – insight into the work of the wartime ‘trainee’ boatwomen (Hardback);mainly text with 8 pages of photographs 223 1986 £7.00

57 5000 Miles 3000 Locks Britain’s Inland Waterways – John Gagg: ‘pleasures and occasional haz-ards of cruising’ (Hardback), mainly text with 12 pages of black and white photographs, a map andtwo diagrams 170 1973 £4.50

58 An Illustrated History of British Waterways - D D Gladwin (Hardback) small format, text andphotographs throughout 156 1977 £4.00

59 Early Solent Steamers – Capt F T O’Brien: A history of local steam navigation (Hardback) mainlytext with a few photographs and diagrams 242 1973 £4.00

60 Narrow Boat Painting – A J Lewery: techniques and style of traditional working boat painting aredescribed (Hardback) text, photographs and diagrams 142 1974 £7.50

61 The Waterways of Britain: A Social Panorama – D D Gladwin: About the people of the waterways(Hardback) mainly text, with a few photographs and illustrations 235 1976 £8.00

62 Knobsticks – Robert J Wilson: Canal carrying on the Northern Trent and Mersey Canal (Soft back)horizontal format, text and photographs throughout 32 1974 £3.00

63 Life Afloat – Robert J Wilson: A working life on the inland waterways (Soft back) horizontal format,text and photographs throughout 48 1969 £3.00

64 Tankers Knottingley – Alan H Faulkner - (Soft back) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout48 1976 £4.00

65 Roses And Castles – Robert J Wilson: understanding the art (Soft back) horizontal format, text andphotographs throughout 48 1976 £3.00

66 Epilogue – Robert J Wilson: last days of canal carrying on the Grand Union and adjoining canals(Soft back) horizontal format, text and archive photographs throughout 79 1977 £3.00

67 Narrow Boat Venture – John Poole (Soft back) text, photographs and a folded map of the water-ways system 63 1975 £3.00

68 The Number Ones – Robert J Wilson: The story of the life of owner boatmen on the Midland Canals(Softback) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout 32 1972 £3.00

69 The George & The Mary – Alan H Faulkner: A short history of the Grand Union Canal CarryingCompany with complete fleet list. (Softback) horizontal format, text and photographs throughout.Now scarce and sought after 32 1973 £8.00

70 Sea Breezes ‘The Ship Lover’ Volume XXV11 - Jan to June 1959 - Maritime historical data (Hard-back) mainly text - some photographs 468 1959 £4.00

71 Sea Breezes ‘The Ship Lover’ Volume XXV1 – July to Dec 1958 - Maritime historical data (Hard-back) mainly text - some photographs 460 1958 £4.00

72 Sea Breezes ‘The Ship Lover’ Volume XXV - Jan to June 1958 – Maritime historical data (Hard-back) mainly, text - some photographs 476 1958 £4.00

73 Sea Breezes ‘The Ship Lover’ Volume XX1V – July to Dec 1957 - Maritime historical data (Hard-back) mainly text - some photographs 476 1957 £4.00

74 Sea Breezes ‘The Ship Lover’ Volume XXV111 – July to Dec 1959 - Maritime historical data (Hard-back) mainly text - some photographs 436 1959 £4.00

75 Set of 7 Nicholsons Guides to the Waterways. 2000 editions – original cost £69.93 – in excellentcondition 2000 £20.00

page 33

Navvies newsVolunteers wanted forCanalway Cavalcade

KESCRG support at Little Venice ’04As I sat down thinking of what to jot down, I tooka look at what I said last year: partly for inspira-tion and to check I didn’t repeat myself. I note Iwas in a surprisingly clear but cold Manchesteraround the same time of year and was finding ithard to think forward to sunnier times we usualenjoy over the Little Venice Canal Cavalcade.This year I am in London having just spent a sur-prisingly clear but bitterly cold KESCRG week-end working down on the Chichester Canal. AgainI find it hard to think forward to the May bank holi-day, so no change there then!KESCRG will be attending Little Venice CanalwayCavalcade 2004 which is taking place over thebank holiday 1st – 3rd May. We will be providingsite and services support over the weekend andas ever I will be leading a small band of merrymen (and women!) either side of the weekenditself helping to put the show together.As explained last year we no longer erect the tentsourselves because of insurance implications, butmay well be required to collect the marquees,stalls, barriers, tables, chairs etc from Hackneyby working boat. If this happens again this year Iwill require assistance loading and unloading thetruck transporting the gear the short distance fromthe hire company’s yard to the wharf at SpringfieldMarina. The reward for your services is of coursea trip back down the down the Lea and up theRegents to LV and a welcome pint in the WarwickCastle, no doubt in the company of LWRG.Once the marquees are up we lay-in the power, markout the trade areas, plumb-in the water etc with theaim to have the site ready for Friday afternoon.Following the success of the Bhaji stall at lastyears national, Ian and Liz Williamson have of-fered to setup and run a similar stall at Little Ven-ice. I am hoping to combine this with a KESCRGpublicity stand for which we will obviously needadditional help to man this new venture.As anyone who has worked with us over the yearswill know, despite the best efforts of the organis-ers the quality of the accommodation has beenrather varied (to put it mildly). Following the re-cent theme of using boats to stay on I am pleasedto announce Libby Bradshaw has secured the useof the BW ex Adelaide widebeam boat ‘Sophia’.This will hopefully provide us with a superior gradeof accommodation over previous years.I know I am repeating myself now but there issomething very special about seeing the pool fullto bursting point with boats covered with decora-tions, or standing on the horse bridge beside theBridge House looking along the main line at boatsmoored 3 deep as far as you can see on the visi-tor moorings.

As well as a cracking event to attend it is veryimportant the event does well from our point ofview as some of the monies raised are donatedto KESCRG to help cover our insurance bill. Sadly,as with all the volunteers group this is increasingevery year but without which we can’t go and dowhat we do best at weekends.If you want to give us a hand either during thesetup/derig or over the weekend itself, please giveme a shout either by email eddie-jones@tiscali.co.uk or on the mobile 07850 889249 (although leave a text if booking in so I canwrite it down as my memory is crap). Becausewe are using boats to stay on we have a definitelimit to the number who can be accommodated.Please contact me before the event to guaranteea berth.Hope to see you there.Cheers,

Eddie JonesCamp Leaders wanted!Over the next few weeks Gavin Moor and AdrianFry will be starting work on finding leaders andassistant leaders for this year’s Canal Camps.If you fancy leading or assisting on one of thisyear ’s Camps, contact Gavin on email:gavin.moor@wrg.org.uk or Tel: 07970 989245,or Adrian on email:amf@wrg.org.uk or Tel: 07976640962.Canal Camp and weekend costsWe have reluctantly decided to increase the costof Canal Camps from £35 to £42 per week start-ing from this year’s first Camp: this is the first priceincrease for many years. The new rate is basedon £6 per day i.e. £2 per meal for all meals.Centrally-booked weekend work party meal costswill also increase in line with Canal Camp costs,from £8 per weekend to £10 per weekend.However this will not affect the Cleanup week-end, as this had already been advertised at theold price before the decision was made to increasethe rate.So book now for the cleanup (see p13) and you’llget a great weekend at a BARGAIN RATE!

page 34

Navvies newsThe training weekend, the BoatClub and Mr Mac’s brew wagon

WRG Training Weekend 2004

Once again British Waterways Heritage SkillsCentre at Hatton has provided a site for our train-ing weekend and once again Ali Bottomley hasvolunteered to be the WRG leader for the week-end which will be held on May 8-9.

Ali would welcome any suggestions for what train-ing people might find useful - machinery opera-tion, manual skills, First Aid or whatever. It is likelythat there will be a certain emphasis on machin-ery training in connection with the update to theDriver Authorisation Scheme (described in thecentre pages of this issue), with ‘refresher’ train-ing likely to be available for those wanting to beauthorised in categories in which they have beentrained but lack recent experience.

Requests for booking forms and other enquiriesshould go to Ali Bottomley at 53 Redgrave Close, StJames’s Villlage, Gateshead NE8 3JD, phone 07719643870 or email a.bottomley1@gateshead.org.

Raffle Tickets

Apologies for including a book of raffle tickets withthe last issue without any explanation of what theywere for: it was a last-minute decision to put themin issue 202 when we unexpectedly found thatthe number of pages in the issue and the lack ofother inserts meant that we could include themfor no extra postage costs.

The raffle is in fact being run by Stoke on TrentIWA branch with the proceeds divided equallybetween waterway projects in their area and theRight Tool appeal to raise funds for WRG. If anyof you still want to send in any tickets, pleasecould you post them and the money (pay TheInland Waterways Association) to the promotorMr Alan Chetwyn, 13 Newborough CLose, BirchesHead, ST1 6RY rather than to the Navvies ad-dress.

If you have already sent your tickets and moneyto WRG, don’t worry - the tickets will be forwardedto the right address, the money will be banked byWRG and the proceeds split between the Appealand Stoke on Trent IWA.

WRG Boat Club News

It’s that lovely time of year that we have been look-ing forward to all winter: the closures will soonbecome openings and things start to get movingagain. I usually set off up the Nene with a vagueplan for the year so.... What exciting activities havewe got lined up for the boat club this year? Wellas of today.... None! Come on, let us know ofwork which we can get to by boat!

BITM has work at Rickmansworth (21-23 May),Wendover (29-31 May) Basingstoke Canal (19-20 June) and Wendover again (31 July - 8 Au-gust). We have missed their weekend on the Buck-ingham Arm in January by now (which the riverNene kept me from), but if members can make itto any of their digs I’m sure that they will be wel-come. Contact Graham on 01252 656087 orbookings@wrgBITM.org.uk.

PLEASE can other groups let us know of theirplans well in advance. Us boating volunteers wantto be involved but need much advanced notice toget to places! [The BCN Cleanup on 20-21 Marchsounds to me like a highly suitable dig for boatingvolunteers to attend - see p13. ...Ed]

The Association of Waterways Cruising Clubs(AWCC) is in the process of updating the constitution,This will be voted on at the AGM on Sat 20th March.Please let Claire or me know before then of anythingthat you want brought to the attention of AWCC.

There are plots and plans for boat club activitiesbubbling away and you will all be informed, andpossibly be sorry*, as soon as anything definiteis ready for public scrutiny!

xxx Sadie Dean

* It may involve raising money!!

And finally, from Mr Mac...

May I crave this use of the columns of Navvies tosend a big ‘Thank You’ to all who sent me cardsand greetings for the festive season and also forthe many expressions of concern at the sad expiryof the engine of the ‘Mobile Brew Hut’ on the M40(though would it be uncharitable to say that theywere lamenting the lost Tea and Broken Biscuits?)

However REJOICE, give thanks and sing Te Deums(cue for ‘Bungle’ for hit song at the next ‘National’)regardless of expense (and boy, was it some ex-pense!) a fresh engine has been found and installedand is now undergoing a period known as ‘runningin’ (which means that I’m now finding out why thelast owner was glad to see the back of it) so hope-fully the Luxury Vehicle will soon be serving up thenecessities of life once again.

Directors of WRG:

John Baylis, MickBeattie, Malcolm Bridge,Roger Burchett,Spencer Collins,Christopher Davey,Helen Davey,Roger Day, NeilEdwards, John Fletcher,Adrian Fry, JohnHawkins, Jennifer Leigh,Judith Moore, MichaelPalmer, Jonathan Smith.

Secretary: Neil Edwards

VAT reg. no : 788 9425 54© 2004 WRGISSN 0953-6655

Nothing printed may be con-strued as policy or an officialannouncement unless sostated - otherwise WRG andIWA accept no liability for anymatter in this magazine.Waterway Recovery Groupis a division of Inland Water-ways Enterprises Ltd., a sub-sidiary of the Inland Water-ways Association (a regis-tered charity).Inland Waterways Enter-prises Registered office:3 Norfolk Court, Norfolk Rd.Rickmansworth WD3 1LTTel : 01923 711114Registered no 4305322

Navvies ProductionNavvies is published by Wa-terway Recovery Group, POBox 114, RickmansworthWD3 1ZY and is availableto all interested in promot-ing the restoration and con-servation of inland water-ways by voluntary effort inGreat Britain. Articles maybe reproduced in alliedmagazines provided thatthe source is acknowl-edged. WRG may notagree with opinions ex-pressed in this magazine,but encourages publicationas a matter of interest.

Editor : Martin Ludgate35 Silvester RoadEast DulwichLondon SE22 9PB020-8693 3266

Subscriptions / circulationSue Watts15 Eleanor RoadChorlton-cum-HardyManchester M21 9FZ

Printing and assembly:John & Tess Hawkins4 Links Way, Croxley GrnRickmansworth, HertsWD3 3RQ 01923 448559john.hawkins@wrg.org.uk

NoticeboardContacting the chairman:Mike Palmer, 3 Finwood Rd,Rowington, Warwickshire CV35 7DHTel: 01564 785293e-mail: mike.palmer@wrg.org.uk

S t a m p sw a n t e d

Send used postagestamps, petrol coupons,old phone cards, emptycomputer printer ink car-tridges to IWA/WRGStamp Bank, 33 Ham-bleton Grove, MiltonKeynes MK4 2JS. All pro-ceeds to canal restoration.

The WRG CanalCamps mobile

phones:07850 422156 (A)

and07850 422157 (B)

Space wanted......for WRG to store some equipment in theMidlands somewhere.We need somewhere secure to keep a stand-ard 20ft by 8ft container full of kit, plus spaceto park a Transit van with trailer, plus onesmallish item of wheeled or tracklaying planteg a small excavator or dumper. .We would need some way of having accessto it at any time of day or night (we could givenotice to the keyholder in advance if neces-sary), it would need to be accessible in theWRG beavertail truck (for purposes of deliv-ering plant) and would be useful if there waspublic transport not too far away.If you can help please contact Mike Palmer(see above)

New on the WRG Website www.wrg.org.uk......a link to ‘waterways watercolours’. FormerLondon WRG ‘regular’ Mike Atkins has anumber of his paintings and prints of canalscenes for sale and has offered a proportionof the proceeds to the Appeal. (Thanks!)Follow the link to the Appeal page and fromthere to ‘Waterways ‘Watercolours’.

page 35

Many Happy Returns......from all of us to Mr Mac, who completed hiseighth decade in January.

Mobile PhonesOne thing that we omitted to mention lasttime in the piece about not using mobilephone while driving WRG vans: when youpull over to the roadside to make or receivea phone call, remember that legally you haveto not only bring the vehicle to a standstillbut also turn the engine off.

THANK YOU to Carolyn Smith whohas just stood down after many yearsservice as Canal Camps Treasurer.(That’s thank you for many years serv-ice, not thank you for standing down...)

BackfillThank you......to Brian Holt for this photo, showing a length ofcanal bank exposed by reduced water levels atBuckby Locks on the Grand Union. Complete witha pair of boots buried in it. Brian wonders if there’sstill a WRGie wearing them....

Introducing WRG Anorak Bingo: a game to liven up boring discussions...Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a discussion of paddle gear on the BCN, differencesbetween Series 2 and Series 3 Land Roversor single-cylinder hot-bulb semi-diesels fittedin Thomas Clayton tanker narrow boats, andfelt that perhaps your evening could havebeen better spent elsewhere? Fear not: WRGAnorak Bingo is here to help you. All you needto do is for all of you who are not absolutelyenthralled by descriptions of the subtle dif-ferences between 1972 MK1 and 1972 MK2Northern Line tube train stock or between aLarge Northwich and a Middle Northwich toequip yourselves with a Bingo Card each. (anexample is printed to the right) Then just crossoff each expression as it occurs in the conversation around you. The first person to complete a linewins a prize (say a year’s subscription to ‘Practical Trolleybus Owner’) and the first to complete theirentire card shouts ‘Bingo!’ (or maybe ‘Bungle!’) and wins the top prize of an item of their choice fromthe WRG Plant store outside North Cheshire Cruising Club.

Thank you...

‘I thinkyou’ll find

that...’

‘Bolinder’ ‘Yes, butonly in the

south’

‘LandRover’

‘In theoriginal

version...’

‘The onlyplace you’llfind that is...’

‘Of coursethey changedit in 1964...’

‘It’s standard onthe Leeds &Liverpool’

‘KL15’

...to whoever it was (sorry I’ve forgotten) who sent in this pictureshowing what Mr Mac gets up to when he isn’t making tea.

New from Logistics......Tools Reunited: the website thathelps spades and mattocks thathaven’t seen each other in yearsget back together.

Seen in the papers....

Sadly it turns out to be the WasteRecycling Group again.

And next time...’Spanner Wars’: a series of filmsfrom George ‘Bungle’ Lucas...

page 36