| Better get yourself a cup of tea and a biscuit before you start this one - it's the longest page ever! Today we were working on the new junction at Abingdon, where the Wilts & Berks will join up to the Thames. It is a massive step forward for us, not least because it is official confirmation that the canal restoration will occur. It has gained a big chunk of Lottery funding, which also goes a long way to improving our "canal-cred".
At present there is a small fishing lake - one of a series - a short distance from the Thames, and the plan is to dig a channel across the smallish field between it and the river, thus forming a small mooring basin which can be used while we wait for the rest of the canal to be dug out. This will consolidate the position of the junction, as well as providing much-needed moorings. The fish will be moved into the next lake, apparently. Today, our task is to clear the scrub and "weed" trees from the Thames edge, and to clear the intervening hedge out of the way. Here we are at the lovely sign which marks, for the interest of river-users, where the junction will be: Roy, never one to waste time, gives a calculating look at the scruffy elders which will shortly fall prey to his bowsaw. At this point I'm looking north: 
Now I'm looking east, straight out over the Thames, trying not to tell Phil that he's stepped off the land and is actually walking on water (the ice was quite thick): 
and now I'm looking south from the same spot, with Phil and Jim, the Bowsaw Brigade, itching to get working and get warmed up. 
Ten minutes later, a large pile of brushwood starts to accumulate, and I am told to start a bonfire on the muddy "beach" just north of the sign. Goody! I do like bonfires! 
And so does everyone else, on a cold day! Here's Bob, tastefully attired in orange as usual, adding a small handful to my carefully arranged fire. It's not easy, laying a fire on wet mud, complete with ice....... 
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On the next bay to the north, Roy decides that we'll take full advantage of George turning up in the WRG fire truck - or Burger Van, if you prefer - by using his winch to prevent this large overhanging willow from dropping into the river. As always, preparations include clearing some access, laying out ropes, (full risk analysis of course) and getting the right helpers in the right place. Today, that included having me taking photos from a safe distance.
Bungle gets the tea van - sorry, the WRG truck - into position and unpacks the canvas sling for the tree. 
Wanted - one volunteer to take this sling and get it up the tree. John bravely volunteers - we didn't tell him that the tree was leaning out over the water - and, turning down Phil's offer to sling a hard hat at him, he clambers bravely upwards. 
"Go on - a bit higher." "Get it round that branch." "You're doing really well." And other such helpful comments..... 
"Why has everyone gone away and left me up here?" came the plaintive little voice. 
"Dixon - I'm in." (a little "Alias" joke there.) Bungle confirms that the winch line is in position. 
And ooh look, who could that be, the one in the high-vis waistcoat and the ancient hard hat that doesn't fit? It's me! Thanks to Gwynneth for this photo.... 
... and for this one - not quite sure what's going on, looks like Jim is fishing with a bent branch and a bent pin, and has caught Bob. 
Anyway, back to business: the winch line tightens, Roy's chainsaw whines ("you never take me anywhere...") 
Whee! Crash! Down it comes, beautifully tethered and not into the river. Well done everyone! 
Right, Roy, you get on with tidying up that mess..... 
... while Chinnor John, Gwynneth and Bob fling the branches onto my lovely bonfire. 
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Turning away and leaving Roy merrily chopping at the downed tree, this is the view with the Thames behind me, across the small field to the lake, with the hedge line in the way. You can see where the other half of the workparty have already cleared away much of the scrub. Think I'll wander over and see how they are getting on.
Bungle gets to work with his chainsaw to fell a tree that's just a bit too big for the bowsaw brigade: 
Whee! Crash! and down it goes. By the way, if you look on the left of the frame, you can see Roy's blue and yellow van, which is parked by the water's edge, where we were a minute ago (I climbed through the scrub to get behind Bungle for these photos, in order to be safely out of the way, so now we're looking back towards the Thames), and this gives you an idea of scale. It's not a very big field, but we'll have to dig the channel all by ourselves..... 
A plaintive cry from Steve "I can't get the bonfire going!" Never one to resist a call to start a woodfire, off I go to help. 
There's my newly started bonfire, blazing away merrily, while Bungle takes down another tree that's in the way. 
Run away! 
All together now, "fell, sned and block!" (chainsaw terms) Bungle tidies up the corpse. Alistair, out of sight, is saying "cut them smaller, they won't fit in my stove!" 
"Ah! Job well done!" says Bungle. "Oh no it's not!" we all cry, sending him back to tidy up the stump. 
Bungle tidies up the stump. "mutter, mutter, mutter." 
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The lunch whistle has been blown, and there's a slight panic back by the river. Roy and Bob rush to make sure that my first bonfire hasn't been neglected: "she'll tell us off, if we let it go out!"
Aah, lunch time. From the left, Phil, Alistair, Malcy, Graham and Chinnor John (representing about a third of the work party) settle down for some well-earned grub. 
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After lunch, most of us move back to the hedge line, and it's back to clearing the scrub:
Here's Steve trying to balance a slasher, fend off a falling branch, and avoid falling in the ditch, all at the same time. 
And here's Vic, either testing the sharpness of his slasher, or considering pushing Keith into the ditch, I'm not sure which. 
Alistair chops them one twig at a time..... "well, they fit in my stove better!" There's someone beyond him, you can see them through the bowsaw, who is either having a massive sneeze, or taking a photo. Funny, in the background of their shot will be me, apparently either having a massive sneeze or taking a photo.... 
And at last, the end of the day, the gap for the link is clearly visible, the bonfires are smoking gently, the sun has melted all the frost, and we all spend 20 minutes searching in the long grass for Bungle's keys. Eventually he checks his pockets, and finds them...... we consider flinging him on the bonfire as well, but decide against it, in case he won't let us play with his truck again. 
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| Well, I'm impressed by your stamina, and yes, that's finally it, the end of the report - and about time too, this is the longest work party report ever, I even ran out of yellow background and had to make a new one!
We had a great day, we made a good start to clearing the junction, and we are all looking forward to digging it out and filling it with water, one day soon. Come back later in the year and see how we got on! |