Project 'DNF' - No.5 Refit

A few odd jobs, whilst we wait to refloat the boat.  The 'jazzy' red & white transit device has now been completed.  Here it is at the point of fitting ready to go into transit mode.

Easily reached from the deck with the boom raised, it can be placed around the main ram.

Once the boom has been lowered, it becomes captive and sets the boom in a rest position where the top point is roughly in line with the cab roof.  We have fitted a chain, which can be dropped over a hook so that, should the assembly get accidentally dropped, so it will not sink to bottom of the canal.  When not in use, the spacer can be stored away in a safe place.

The interior of the engine bay has had a few upgrades.  The side walls have received a fresh coat of white paint.  The floor has been extended under the cab so that the tool box is easily withdrawn and accessed, and an engine radiator air flow diverter has been made to send the hot air up out of the engine cover and not under the cab.  However, in winter, the warm air under the cab may be most welcome.

There is a little bit more to do to secure the air diverter effectively and then check operation with the engine running..

...and finally, to prevent damage to the engine cover when it is closed, we have fitted a couple of plastic door stops, one each side.

A start was also made on a site clearance.  Much detritus has accumulated during the refit.

Like a Swiss Watch

by: Myron B.

You know you get one of those days when lots of things are planned and all are interdependent on each other to work. The Workboat Team had one of those today. Six boats all in close proximity and a lockside meeting. Also Weedie and a team from WD arranging removal of a pile of vegetation from the fish pass. What could possibly go wrong. Well er, actually nothing. It all went absolutely to plan.

Phase 1 was for some of us to meet at Delilah moored just below the gas main and bow haul it down through Dudbridge Lower. We were joined by Laurence, our H&S Director, coming out to help at the sharp end. Malcolm and David L. had brought up Margaret for later and also helped. Good, that’s what you need for bow hauling, lots of people. The first obstacle was expected to be the silt bank just above Foundry Lock, but it sailed over that and into the lock.  Ian from the council was already preparing the lock, so we were quickly into Dudbridge Lower.

Phase 2 was a vitally important meeting to decide how the Dredgers might remove the silt from the chamber of Dudbridge Lower. John S and Jon P were due to meet us lockside for this.  Bound to have to wait for them to turn up.  Nope, both arrived within 2 minutes of each other.  I’m glad to say that some very thorny operational and safety considerations were ironed out and a plan developed.

Phase 3.  Meanwhile Patricia had been carrying on dredging below the lock and just managed to fill the hopper as Delilah was ready to come out the lock.  Margaret grabbed the hopper and disappeared off to Langley’s field.  With those out of the way Delilah was gently and oh so skilfully manoeuvred out of the lock and passed a now moored Patricia. Alex and Brad now assisting.  It was moored at Wiggal’s Yard and swapped for an empty hopper that we just happened to have handy.  This was brought back to Patricia and the lads carried on dredging with hardly a pause.

Phase 4. Time to check out what else was happening in the flotilla. What was Weedie up to. As planned it was being used by Nick and John F to ferry out a load of vegetation from the fish pass and use its unique abilities to dispose of it. Buffers idea and it worked a treat. Dave and I joined him and Geoff in the fish pass, filling bins to pass to the Weedie team to load into the boat.  Hold on!  First bow hauling, now shovelling rubbish, hasn’t anyone told them I’m supposed to be management.  However, with six of us now the job and mechanisation to help, we soon broke the back of it.  We left after letting the Weedie crew know that they needed to be at Dudbridge Lower by 2:30 for passage or Weedie would be stuck in the upper reaches forever.

Phase 5. Passed Patricia digging away and back to the abandoned Delilah, where Dave and I met up with Margaret and crew to take Delilah to Harper’s Field.  A thoroughly pleasant trip, made particularly interesting by being joined at the locks by a Belgian family on holiday. They were totally fascinated by the whole process and of course, their offers to help were gratefully received on such a hot day. There were plenty of us to keep eye on them. Stroudwater Canal, international tourist destination of choice.  Four lock movements later we continued our idyllic journey. 

Phase 6. Delilah was deposited at Harper’s Field and then an every bit as lovely a return journey to return Margaret to her mooring at Ebley.  Time to check on Weedie, had she made it before the deadline. Yes, she’s now moored at Ebley, to be taken down to her home mooring at Boakes Drive on Wednesday. Margaret arrived bang on 4:00, which was when Dave and I needed to be there so we could get to the Ops and Dredger meeting at Brimscombe. Perfect!

That was my day, How was yours?

Harper's Field

by: Dave C.

A full on day of work was ahead of us as we assembled at Harper's Field. The news that the road roller wasn't coming due to the paperwork not being completed made morale drop as we realised it would be a day of mini-digger, shovels and rakes.  But before all that we had 2 VIP visitors to show around.  For those who have been wondering where the name Harper's Field came from, well it belongs to the Harper sisters Pat and Julie, and I had invited them down to see what we were doing to their field (I know it was a bit risky!), and helped by Reg we walked the field and showed them the plan, which they were both very impressed with.

Once the niceties were over we settled in for our first delivery on 20 tonnes of Type 1 hardcore.

And started using the mini-digger to spread it out

Having has a chat with the driver who express the opinion that, 'he wasn't going to do that again if the grass was wet' having struggled to get out when the lorry was empty, and a quick check with Cullimore HQ .  We decided we might as well go for it, and got agreement for 3 more deliveries, making 80 tonnes of stone to move.  Tonnes of stone then started to arrive thick and fast and say it was back breaking work for Les and Steve, as well as quick and efficient use of the digger by Andy, by the end of the day we got somewhere close.

Still lots to do but we are all hoping that the roller will turn up and we can put our rakes and shovels down for a bit.

Ham Mill update

by: Andy P.

Quite a few things have been happening over the last few weeks

Screw piles inserted and tied into the sheet piles. All sheet piles inserted.

The bank was weeded and was well received for which we got chocolate biscuits. The small dam inserted to make pumping out quicker.

Samson moved through the lock to start on another landing stage.

A very large and very heavy length of angle iron was sourced and cut at the depot and the now working forklift, put it onto the tipper for Roy and Royston to deliver.

A 5 man lift slowly lowered it on top of the sheet piles. More holes drilled, more brackets cut and more nuts and bolts used to connect it all together. Everything painted before the waters returned.

A pathway was hacked through at the back of the bungalow into the field where Duncan on BD carved a track all the way to Jubilee Bridge.

Lots of measurements, more measurements and checking before Rebar and wire mesh were bent and cut and all fitted and tied together behind the sheet piles. All gaps were filled.

A concrete pump arrived then the concrete and the hole was filled and levelled ready for the brickwork to go on top.

Project 'DNF' - No.5 Refit

Continuation with the Boom 'Transit' device progressed today.  A bit more grinding and welding has resulted in a finished item, which when tested, worked very well.  One particular attribute is that it can be safely deployed whilst stood on the front of the deck.

Probably looks quite confusing, try checking Monday's post.  The paint was wet and it could not be handled.  White stripes to be added.

Labour resources took a leap after lunch, from one to three!  This permitted the inside of the engine bay to receive a clean ready for some cosmetic painting.  Another little upgrade was to take the screw lid of the oil tank, which is a mighty large hexagon, shifted with a corresponding mighty spanner.  The cutting of a slot in the top and the inset welding of a piece of plate, which fingers can operate and has satisfyingly resulted in a far neater arrangement.

Delilah's Dawdlings: the best laid plans …

by: Dave I.

I'm sure that those of you paying full attention to the blog recall that a long time ago, Delilah went upstream, eventually making it all the way through Griffin Mill Lock.  Well, the good times have to end eventually, so she's been on the move and at work again.

A couple of weeks ago, a few sturdy lads (well, Workboat Team volunteers) set to in an attempt to bow-haul her downstream again.  But she wouldn't move: not stubbornness, but too much rainwater in her hold.  A quick trip to collect the 2" pump, a quick soaking of a couple of volunteers later, quite a lot of pumping, and she's floating again.  Attach ropes, and away we go.  Slowly, of course. Through Griffin Mill, through Bowbridge, and a joyous meeting with workpunt Stuart.  Cutting a long and interesting story short, it turns out a 2.3 HP outboard can tow Delilah, but gosh is it slow; and difficult to turn; and impossible to stop ... Luckily those sturdy lads were still holding the ropes and could keep everything under control.

Eventually we reached her new destination – in the cut behind Jewsons, above Wallbridge and below Dr Newton's Way.  She was to be used as a work platform as an overhanging willow was felled, so we left her to meet her new friends.

Re-visiting her after the tree had been felled ... wow, what a lot of tree you can get in a wide-beam barge: that was unexpected!  And isn't it interesting how much lower in the water she sits ... 

But, not daunted, she had a new destination – through Wallbridge locks, meet with tug Margaret, and down through Dudbridge en-route to Harper's Field.  But you'll have read about the fallen willow tree above Dudbridge Lock, so no tug coming upstream to meet her, and so we're bow-hauling again. 

Having gone through the Wallbridge locks with just a small problem of clearing debris behind the gate, there was a new challenge: with her new found added depth, it turns out she doesn't want to go very far.

She was 'encouraged' over the silt banks, under bridges, through the narrows, by lots of hard work. 

Plus, when she got really stuck, and while keeping careful watch on the upstream pounds, flushing a few locks-full of water downstream to help her over particularly difficult stretches. 

Of course, Chestnut Lane bridge wanted to add to the fun. 

But she cooperated after Reg told her who was boss. 

Finally, and with a very grateful crew, Delilah arrived at the fallen tree. 

There she's moored awaiting (hopefully) unloading and (perhaps) being used as a work platform for the team who will remove the fallen tree. Her trip through Dudbridge and arrival at Harper's Field will have to wait.

Project 'DNF' - No.5 Refit

A team of 1 today, so no communication issues!  Dredger Patricia has a transit latch to support the main boom when not in use.  We desire something like it for No.5.

One simple method we employed when the boat was lifted from the water was to insert a prop between the main boom ram body and the boom.  It acted as a wedge, albeit a poor and temporary one.  A better engineered solution would do the job.

The 80mm cylinder ram needs encasing, so a hinged face tube has been constructed to slip over the ram and act as a prop.  

A double flange at the top end is still needed to rest on the spacers on the main ram pivot pin.  The length of the assembly will determine the height of the main boom when parked, which will be set to the height of the cabin roof.