Work party report 2nd October 2024
All work parties were cancelled due to bad weather and potential flooding of the working area at Beggarlee.
Friday 4th & Monday 7th October
Beggarlee:
Tree stumps and small tree clearance with the new digger
Blacks bridge,
Two FCC volunteers collected rubble and stone for the base of the new steps.
Wednesday 9th October
High Peak Junction: Three, volunteers went to paint the window shutters and the door of the enginemen’s hut (weighbridge hut) next to the Lengthman’s hut. Also, there was some work to do pulling cut reeds on both sides of Browns Bridge, which the Birdswood crew were complaining about. There was some damage to repair to the coir rolls on the edge of the towpath along the railway wall, caused by the tractor clearing a section of vegetation. Due to the monsoon type rain when the work party got there, the work party was abandoned and they went to join the work party at Beggarlee.
At Beggarlee: the weather was perfect compared to High Peak Junction only twelve miles away, two groups of FCC volunteers were there, four volunteers were working at the flood plain extension, with the dumper and the new digger, clearing along the edge of the gulley to the River Erewash. This, is in preparation to the bank of the gully, being landscaped to a less steep angle. The dumper was taking spoil and tree roots up to an area near Hall Road, but after about ten trips the noise from the gearbox didn’t sound good. The dumper was taken very slowly to the storage area at the end of the boat yard moorings awaiting investigation. The digger was used to clear the area and piling the material up for removal at a later date.
The other group were working at the end of the in-water section towards the boat yard, clearing the self-seeded vegetation.
Langley Mill: Pole saw training and approval for one FCC volunteer
Thursday 10th October
Blacks Bridge Forge site, Jacksdale: Two FCC volunteers assisted some volunteers from the Friends of the Forge to prepare an area at Blacks Bridge for the new steps from the canal up the bank on to the Forge. They dug out an area and laid suitable gravel to form a sound walking area.
Friday 11th October
Beggarlee:
Two FCC volunteers, worked on the dumper, dropping the gearbox away from the engine.
The gearbox was stripped and it was found that several parts needed replacing. New parts were sourced and ordered.
Tuesday 15th October
Ironville:
Jack Brown, one of the FCC Trustees reported a dead dog in the canal channel under one of the road bridges. On investigation by a team of three FCC volunteers, it was the remains of a deer which had been butchered. It was placed into suitable bags and removed from site to disposal.
Wednesday 16th October
Westwood, near Jacksdale:
Two, FCC volunteers started building the steps for the Friends of the Forge, in the workshop kindly provided by FCC Trustee John Boucher
Beggarlee:
A work party of ten were again clearing the area around the end of the in-water section, Strimming has now finished on the bund, clearance work is now up the side of the bund towards the boat moorings, very heavy going due to thick very old brambles. Progressed about 10m.
Monday 21st October
Beggarlee:
Two volunteers were working on the dumper gearbox.
Wednesday 23rd October
Ambergate:
John Barker assisted by Les Hall, had a group from AECOM for a volunteer day, at the Percy’s Cottage area pulling weeds, cleared 25m. Reed rakes provided by DCC
Beggarlee:
Eight volunteers continued to clear the area at the end of the in-water stretch, cleared another 15m of dense brambles and self-seeded saplings, finished in line with the digger stored in the compound on the towpath side. Strimming along the section up towards Hall Road cleared all the self-set saplings and high weeds.
Blacks Bridge, Forge site:
Three FCC volunteers with assistance from Friends of the Forge volunteers, brought the steps built the previous week to site and fitted them securely in position, hand rails are to be added by Friends of the Forge.
Friday 25th October
Beggarlee:
Work commenced rebuilding the dumper gearbox, three volunteers including two from ECP&DA, fitted the new parts. Pressing of the bearings on to the shafts, was done courtesy of an ECP&DA volunteer
Wednesday 30th October
Lower Hartshay:
Fourteen volunteers worked to clear vegetation and saplings along 100m of the old canal wall on the towpath side. Three of these volunteers removed a large number of saplings from the canal bed to allow some fallen tree trunks which are in the canal bed and sprouting, to be pulled out by winch at a future work party. The path which our volunteers worked on last winter, couldn’t be seen for all the fallen leaves. There, was a great deal of strimming done to clear the hedging ready for a delivery of whips to be planted for a continuation of the new hedge. That, was until the exhaust on the strimmer became detached and that work had to cease.
Total FCC work party volunteer hours have given 281 hours & 39.75 travel hours.
By J Guyler for FCC, 2nd November 2024