Those of you who read my monthly 'Work Party Blogs' will be thinking "where has the March edition got to". My apologies for not having written one. The truth is I had to to put something together for our 'Cut Both Ways' magazine. This proved to be a bit of an issue, but that's another story. However, it appears that Peter Buck has done a good job of chronicling the goings on at the Fosseway Site, these you will find in the LHCRT Blog page in our web site.
Taking the Lichfield workings bit by bit, it is easiest to start this report at our old Tamworth Road, pound 27 area. Here, near to the weir, we have a long standing problem with water leaking into the adjacent field. Over the last few months, remedial work has been done to seal these leaks. Grout and expanding foam both being tried. More clay has been placed at the foot of the wall near the weir where the foundations to that wall are suspect. Their success has yet to be seen. Also at Tamworth Rd, due to the area between the canal and the A51 being redeveloped as a building site, we have had to move our Cabin and any stock in that area to just inside our entrance compound off the Tamworth Road. Tony G and Steve W with Harry W's help have done a truly fantastic job in tidying the site up and sorting the good from the rubbish.
Coming now a short way towards Gallows Wharf, by the Fish and Chip Shop, excavations by Adrian S. were undertaken to try and find if there is a canal wall on the road side of the cut, to no avail, but the dreaded big pipe was found some five feet down. Talking of the big pipe, in Pound 25 in the near future I hope to resume work, to install the oak beam into lock 25 and concrete around it. Then establish a low damn just before the lock entrance. This will allow water to build up in pound 25 regardless of whether the big pipe is still insitue or not. It will certainly look a lot better than it's present weed overgrown wasteland.
Progressing further on now to the Fosseway Site. This is the area where most of our efforts have been focused At the Fosseway end the canal base is now cleared, and the whole length from lock 18 through to the steps has been profiled, including the footpath on the railway side. This pathway is now an easy, pleasant walk. With nature re-establishing itself rapidly down this end, along the canal banks and the side of the footpaths, it is now starting to look less like a building site and more like a country walk. Well done to Dex and Adrian S for their skillful use of our earth moving equipment.
Coming back now to the wet lands area. Here there is still work to do pending the sourcing of the right type of clay to complete the mini islands. Following the canal bed onwards towards Falklands Road, you will see the bed of the canal has be cleared of all the mud. The towpath wall is progressing, all be it slowly. It has reached the point where the canal widens out into the new turning pound. We sorely miss the presence of Roger Barnett, who for years has volunteered with us at all sorts of tasks, bricklaying, hedge laying, grass cutting etc etc You Roger and Jeanie would be welcomed back any time with open arms. Roger can be thanked for building the majority of this brick wall to a very high standard which we have found hard to replicate since he left. The towpath itself has been finished with a yellow crushed stone/clay topping, up to where the towpath wall is itself completed.
Within the Turning pound huge progress is being made daily. Moody blocks have been laid in the corner between the railway and Falklands Road. Either side of these blocks we have reverted to the tried and tested wall building method of a concrete block sandwich with a filling of concrete. A simple, strong, leak proof system that our volunteers like to use. It uses less clay (cost saving) and therefore less effort in puddling the stuff. The sand bag walls down this end are now finished. They are starting to respond to the grass seed which has been broadcast onto the sandbags, allowing them to blend in with their surroundings nicely
That's about it for this time. A plea for some competent bricklayers to volunteer their services 'please'. There's pleanty to do for a good many months to come. Finally, we all, us volunteers, wish to tell Tony Gardner that we hope he has a speedy recovery and is back with us again soon. We miss him.
Hugh Millington, photos by Paul Marshall.
