Falkland Road – Zone C
Just a bit of finishing off of the perimeter bund and fitting access gates at Zone C
last month - while we now wait for Planning Permission.
Several posts for the perimeter access gates were concreted in at Zone C and
we also reused an old metal gate set from up at lock 18 for our site entrance
into Zone B entrance on Claypit Lane.
Supporting ‘godfather’ posts were added down the rear fence line of Zone C -
where the fencing between the canal and the housing developer had collapsed.
Around 40 metres of fencing was put back up.
We also had a generous donation of around 850 imperial red bricks and 150
blue bricks from one of the local residents, which we collected via the use of our
excavator - reaching across into the garden.
Tamworth Road, between Cricket Lane and FishFace
The bund on the road side had quickly been
created some time before using soil and it wasn’t a consistent profile and height.
Over a couple of days, using the kerb height as a datum, it was reprofiled to be
around 500mm high and to start 2 metres from the road.
Access was a bit difficult doing the section in front of Rose Willow but it was
carefully carried out in the restricted space between ‘boat’ and bund.
A large amount of this section has recently now had its hedging whips planted
across the ridge line. Gaps in the bund have also been created every 10 metres
or so in order for a tree to be planted.
Tamworth Road Narrows
The weather had been a bit wet in March and early April and so, dependent upon
the ground conditions, the team switched between concreting the various
missing sections of the basin at pound 25 and also completing the new north
wall as far as the ‘big pipe’ inspection chamber - adjacent to the cottage.
It was good to see Roger back doing bricklaying again and Rick had also
finished the last section of the column and rail fence on top of the old north lock
wall.
Once the new section of north wall had had its soldier courses of bricks added it
was backfilled and profiled up to the former north wall, which by now had had its
mortar joints raked out and been repointed.
This first forty metres or so of the new north wall have been completed and it is
starting to look really good - you can now begin to see how this section will look
– but you wouldn’t know the amount of work that went into supporting the old
wall with buttresses – all of this work is now covered up with soil.
As the north wall had progressed, a further section for the new south wall could
now be excavated, ready for it to be extended.
Michael Babb
Progress along Tamworth Road in March/April
Work has progressed along Tamworth Road from Cricket Lane down to the
Chip shop with the extension to the bund alongside the road and planting of
hedge whips.
In pound 25 work has re-started on laying concrete to the canal bed and
about another 30 feet has been finished. After we laid the last 12 feet of
concrete, which had been done by lunchtime, an hour later it poured with rain
and before we knew it our new concrete slab was 3 inches under water as
the big pipe had flooded. Since concrete sets under water, the slab was
inspected the next morning and all was well. We are currently using cement,
aggregate DPC membrane and reinforcement at the rate of over £1,200 per
month on this section alone.
Rain over this period has been our main problem and at times the site around
old lock 24 was a complete quagmire.
Rick has been building the piers and railing along the right hand side of old
lock 24 and now just needs tidying up - well done, good job.
The right hand wall has been extended now up to the inspection chamber
and Roger has topped it off with blue bricks, and the bank above graded and
planting has started.
The blue brick wall alongside the neighbouring garden has been rebuilt and
pointed and is once more in good condition.
The left hand wall has now been progressed and is moving forward with
concrete behind, and Hugh has been extending the loose block wall above
the towpath line.
Much thanks to Roger and Rick for the bricklaying, and all the lads feeding
the concrete machine and brick cleaning for the bricklayers, Adrian for help
on the excavator and all those folk walking along the towpath offering kind
words and encouragement. Sad to lose Brian Williams who has undergone
knee surgery and will not be with us for a few weeks.
Tony Cadwallader
