Looking back over last months activities at the Fosseway site, it is obvious that there is a' hell' of a lot going on there. At least on six days per week maybe even seven some weeks, there are work parties there. Work being carried out not only by our own volunteer force but by corporate volunteers as well on some days each week. You can add on to this the regular visits by pupils from Queen's Croft School, at least one morning a week, and you can add on the students from South Staffordshire College of trainee brick layers for at least two days, if not more, per week. That's a lot of volunteering. The beauty of this is that all the volunteers, be it our own or from elsewhere just get stuck in and work on whatever they are asked to do. Be it burning hedge cuttings, mowing grass, helping with towpath/footpath construction, concrete mixing, brick or block laying, no problem, it just gets done. I am usually only on site for two days each week so in effect I don't see half of what goes on, and I feel that in the past I have failed to give sufficient publicity and thanks to all those who work on our behalf when I am not around to see it. So thanks to all , your input to this restoration task is valuable beyond belief.
In my December blog I described the work going on over the Christmas/New Year period. The loan of the excavator from Chasetown Civil Engineering, and the volunteering by our navvies who over this time period made great progress in clearing the canal bed from lock 18 towards Falklands Road. We, fortunately had the excavator through till January 8th, which enabled us to complete the task by, say, 80% before the digger was returned as was also the 6 tonne dumper truck they lent us. With the two 6 tonne dumper trucks working alongside the excavator, the canal bed was cleared of old concrete, bricks, rubble, soil, metal objects, plastic sheeting etc.. The removed material was disposed of by building the Heritage Footpath higher and infilling lowland between the canal and the railway line.
While this was going on, volunteers elswhere continued their tasks at the Falklands Road end of the site. Shuttering, in preparation for a concrete delivery, was prepared, and concrete ordered. Alas the concrete delivery lorry broke down! just into the New Year. Eventually concrete was poured on January 9th. More shuttering for more concrete was prepared. This time when the delivery was due, the weather turned too cold and the delivery was postponed, but only by a day. This almost completed the concrete base towards Falklands Road. For the last small section of concreting we will mix and pour it ourselves. It's up to Roger and the brickies now, boys, to carry out the brickwork.
Roger, in his spare time, has done wonders with the field side hedge at lock 18 end of this site. A real good neat job of hedge laying. What a difference it makes. Thanks to resident pyromaniac Chris and Queens Croft School pupils all the brash generated by Roger was soon burnt..
Elsewhere, progress continues at a pace. On the towpath reconstruction, Paul J. and his helpers have almost caught up with the bricklayers. Thanks also to those who filled sandbags to be placed on the embankment facing Falkland Road. There's a lot more of these to do yet. Tony G and his helpers last Saturday at Tamworth Road gave our 6 Tonne dumper a thorough service and valet. I've never seen it so clean. All the years of mud encrustment have been removed. It lookes the 'bees knees', and no doubt weighs a lot lighter The 3 tonne dumper next? Tony and Steve thanks. Our plant is looking much better these days thanks to you. As this goes to press, I can report that the 3 tonne dumper has indeed been serviced and cleaned. What a difference it makes.
What a team! From Chair Lady Chris and Engineering Director Peter all the way through to the Tea Lady (still to be appionted). LHCRT are going places, fast. Keep it up!
Hugh Millington
How can you help? Why not become a volunteer and join our team!
