Wendover Arm Trust Working Party News – Issue 119, February 2017
An Apology
It is now over six months since I was stricken with a severe balance problem and I have to apologise for my absence from the restoration site as I find it impossible to walk the distance from Little Tring. It is very frustrating but I am undergoing a course of physiotherapy that I hope will improve my balance in due course.
This has also restricted my ability to visit the site and take photographs of current progress for this newsletter. I would be grateful for email copies of up-to-date photographs from any of you.
January and February Parties
The weather put paid to any hopes of final bank profiling/Bentomat laying but we hope that site conditions will soon improve and allow us to get cracking again. Nevertheless progress was made with bulk excavation that will hopefully speed up final profiling when it re-starts.
In February the last 6 metres of pipe capping leading up to Whitehouses was completed leaving only the higher level length opposite the wharf wall to be completed.
March and April Working Parties
Hopefully the weather will have improved and bank and bed lining can get going again.
Morgans Plant Hire
We now have a measure of the extra costs arising from the demise of Morgans. Excavator hire is much the same as before but the hire of a 6t dumper is now costing about £400 extra per working party, £300 for longer distance transport that under Morgans was included in the excavator transport and around £100 extra for a much more modern dumper (but not so useful as the Morgans’ Morooka for ready-mix handling).
Whitehouses
Yet again, surprise, surprise; we are still awaiting details from CRT for their proposal for a pseudo weir and wing walls to the wharf wall at Whitehouses. Once this is to hand it is hoped that the Trust will be able to complete the higher level pipe capping in front of the wharf wall.
Buckinghamshire Archaeological Society is conducting a survey of the site that will be used for the HLF bid in conjunction with developing visitor facilities at the site.
HLF Bid by WAT/CRT
This is progressing, headed by CRT, although it is falling somewhat behind schedule. Although the Trust has funds, at present something less than £400,000, about £300,000 of this is required for the WAT contribution of 15% of the grant awarded. This means that, at present, the Trust do not have sufficient funds to complete work to Bridge 4. The original intention was that the HLF work would start on the Little Tring side of Bridge 4 (chainage 3200m). The current aim by the Trust is to definitely complete work up to chainage 3450m on the Wendover side of Whitehouses and possibly through Whitehouses, depending upon the state of the Trust’s funds in the meantime.
Volunteer’s lunch
A reminder that there is a volunteer’s lunch on Saturday March 18th to which all volunteers have been invited. I hope to see as many of you there as possible.
Open days
Just a reminder that the Restoration Open Days this year are on Sundays 4th June and 3rd September.
General Notes
We operate as a self-supervising group under CRT and all volunteers receive and sign for the Trust’s Restoration Handbook that includes full Health and Safety requirements for the restoration works.
The handbook is the property of the Trust; if you leave the working parties for any reason, please return your Handbook to either Ray Orth or myself.
Hard hats for use at all times and high visibility jackets to be worn on sites with mobile plant in use are kept in the store at Tringford and must be drawn/returned there.
One first aid kit is kept in the store and one in the Nissan Cabstar and each qualified first-aider will have their own kit with him/her when on site.
Also available in the store at Tringford are ear defenders and goggles that must be worn when using strimmers, angle grinders, concrete breakers and the like. CRT will supply hard hats, gloves and footwear with reinforced toecaps on request.
We normally work from 9am to 5pm (or dark if earlier!). There are breaks for morning tea/coffee, packed lunch and afternoon tea/coffee. We take our own food and drink.
Vegetation Control, Phases I and II
This continues under John Reynolds who is organising regular Friday dates.
Amongst other things, John and his team have been improving the area behind Bridge 4 mooring wall to eventually develop it as a picnic site and an area for visitor moorers. The offside footpath to Whitehouses will give access to Whitehouses where it is intended to develop visitor attractions. On the next page is a plan of what is to be accomplished and it is hoped to plant the new deciduous trees near the boundary in the near future.
We are looking for sponsors to ‘plant a tree’ to finance the purchase of the new trees. They vary in price according to species but a ball park figure is £25. If you would like to sponsor a tree please contact John on mobile number 07787 355515.