WILTS & BERKS CANAL TRUST

Well a bit more to report this quarter. Maintenance keeps us very busy as usual, not just the towpaths but on our on site storage containers. We keep our tools, wheelbarrows, lawnmowers, fuel and oils etc in them, nothing of much value but all very handy to have close to where the work takes place. Now these containers are tough, really tough, but the local ‘nair-do-wells' think it fun to try to hack their way in, they mostly fail miserably but just occasionally a more determined lot manage it, only to find that there is nowt in them worth carrying off. But that leaves us with repair work - a hole in the roof, and the door ripped off of our "Workers welfare facility" known as ‘The Brewery' where we take shelter and have a brew up, and a jammed security lock on the store room. The hole required a hydraulic jack to push the roof back up and the removal and replacement of an inoperable ‘High Security door lock' took a bit of ingenuity; luckily we have more of the latter than the local vandals.

The container at Steppingstone Bridge has suffered as well - some kind person saw fit to fold back the bottom of the door, using a scaffold pole, just enough to allow them to get their head in to see that the wheelbarrows kept in there were to large to fit through the hole and weren't worth pinching anyway. Also someone has managed to hit the height restrictor at the entrance to the park, it has really suffered - the uprights being bent and the cross bar being bent and broken off - I'll bet the ‘unknown' vehicle that did it suffered more though as it was tough, really tough!. Makes you wonder doesn't it! More work when we can source the materials to fix it.

The canalside park is still attracting many people (and dogs), some very welcome and some not so. One ‘most welcome' is a local ‘forest group‘of young children who gather between the trees and learn, from a trained teacher, all about nature and the countryside. Others include the local ‘cubs and guides" about 30 of which we had the pleasure of meeting one evening onsite to explain all about the canal and what we are doing, they were all well behaved and very attentive. Another, most unwelcome, group of "young adults' gather amongst the trees to commune with nature. They must get chilly though, because they rip branches from trees, which they attempt to burn along with the logs that the children use to sit on in their forest school. Don't they know that green stuff doesn't burn? The cans and bottles and some of their other unmentionable paraphernalia doesn't burn either, we have to dispose of it, two wheelbarrows full last time. The local police are aware! Makes you wonder doesn't it!

Some work done has been towpath leveling ready to install two kissing gates. We have two galvanized gates to hand and they are the special type that allow wheelchairs access through the use of a Radar key. Our big towpath tractor/mowers will also just pass through so we intend to install them to limit access of certain lengths of the towpath for pedestrians (and dogs) only. This will prevent horses/cattle/sheep passing but more importantly motor bike riders! Yes, they think it a good idea to race up and down the paths as well, tearing them to pieces and frightening the daylights out of walkers and wildlife alike. Makes you wonder doesn't it!

Now to matters a lot more positive - we have some coping stones for Steppingstone Bridge! Donated through the good offices of Networkrail and Carillion we now have enough, with the few we have on site already, to just about top out the parapets. They came from a ‘dismantled' railway bridge in Shropshire, delivered to us all the way here in Bourton, marvelous! Great Stuff - Thanks to all concerned. Makes you wonder doesn't it! Now we just need to transport them down the lane and install them, and believe me they are heavy - tonnes! A job for the bridge team in the Autumn and Spring.

We have received a few letters recently, none really negative, mostly positive, we like to get feedback and peoples thoughts and ideas, so keep them coming, they are welcomed. We do actually act on some of them. And I try to cover some of the issues raised in my reports but a few are very sensitive, so you really need to read between the lines. Mostly the answer is lack of labour and funds, environmental issues and permissions. Makes you wonder doesn't it!

At our AGM, all the Branch Committee agreed to serve in their current positions for another year, ‘dedicated bunch' aren't we! And aint I glad, pity we can't find a few more volunteers though. Makes you wonder doesn't it!

Thanks everyone,
Alan Norris
Still Branch Chairman!