January News
ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT by Tony Nicholls - 25th January 2023
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A dull, damp day today for our Rosemoor session but thankfully several degrees warmer than it was for yesterday’s working party at Sea Lock where the temperature was below zero for most of the morning and the ground frozen solid. As has been the pattern for the last few weeks, we are devoting all our resources to the ongoing restoration of the tucking mill. We have virtually completed the re-build of the foundations of the lower wall of the mill with just some ‘cosmetic’ finishing off to be done. The south western corner of the building has also been fully repaired. We think there may have been a doorway in this corner so we have tried to indicate this by laying some flat slabs to form a threshold. We are also trying to rebuild the upper wall of the mill race to secure the earth bank behind. It seems that the shape of the channel here has been altered in the past so we are having to speculate about its exact form. Last week we were concerned to see several rivulets of water issuing from the earth bank but this week, with the water level of the canal having dropped, we were pleased to see that the flow had stopped. Having looked at the wall in the upper basin above the sluice we can see that there are a number of places where the mortar has degraded allowing ingress of water. We think this is the source of the leaks and we intend to re-point the stonework here next week. Elsewhere, we continued to dig out the ground near what we believe was a former smelting pit as this is an ongoing area of interest but, sadly, no further significant features have been revealed thus far. Working parties are held every Wednesday morning, meeting in the main car park at RHS Rosemoor, Torrington at 9.30am. Please contact Project Manager, Ian Harrison (tel.01237- 475707) for more information. |
South western corner of tucking mill
Rebuilding wall of mill race
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Digging out near smelting pit
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View of tucking mill from above
WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS (Not the Beatles!) - Sea Lock report by Adrian Wills - 24th January 2023
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Another very productive day at Sea Lock. Michael and Tony continued clearing invasive vegetation from across the top of the upper wharf wall and have virtually reached its end. Needless to say, there is still an enormous amount of ivy and roots to be removed before any attempt to rebuild can be considered.
Steve continued practising his sword dancing in the middle trench between the uprights of the interpretation loft. By the time we complete constructing the ring-beam foundations around the base of the loft he should just about be ready to enter the Highland Games. Nick resumed digging for gold between the next two uprights. Sadly, he found none or at least he didn’t admit to it. However, he did dig out a considerable amount of rubble and dirt. In the meantime, I cut rebar and tie-wires to lengths that Steve required to connect the welded framework to studs, which he had bonded into the exposed canal wall and the foundation blocks. |
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At mid-morning, following a break for coffee, the five of us gathered on the end of the wall, which we had more or less completed, for a little celebratory drink. CHEERS!
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After lunch, by which time Nick had completed digging out the next section of trench and Steve had wired together all the required joints, we began the process of filling the middle trench with its first layer of concrete. We had previously decided to fill the trenches in two batches simply because trying to fill each section to the finished level in one go would take so much time and energy.
The alternative solution was to dig out all of the trenches between the 10 uprights and bring in a lorry load of concrete but we were concerned about the stability of the building if this method was adopted. Digging trenches and refilling them as quickly as we can as considered to be a safer option. |
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When it was finally time to go home the middle trench was filled with concrete to its first level and Nick’s trench was ready to receive its steelwork. Once again, the weather had been kind to us, although a little chilly, and we were well pleased with our progress.
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ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT by Tony Nicholls - 18th January 2023
It was good to have a drier day for this week’s working party after the torrential rain, thunder and lightning of last week. Given the apocalyptic conditions, the excavator driver achieved a tremendous amount in the time he had and is to be congratulated.
It was good to have a drier day for this week’s working party after the torrential rain, thunder and lightning of last week. Given the apocalyptic conditions, the excavator driver achieved a tremendous amount in the time he had and is to be congratulated.
Profiling ground at base of tucking mill
Reprofiling completed
View of upper and lower basins
Two hardy team members stayed on for the afternoon last week to supervise the final landscaping around the tucking mill site. This involved levelling of the tow path and surrounding area and profiling the ground at the base of the tucking mill. This has been done very sensitively and has revealed much of the lower external wall. We are continuing with the re-build of this wall which has been raised by 2-3 courses of stone along its length to a uniform height. All that remains is for this to be carefully infilled with stone. We are also making progress with repairing the southern wall of the mill although this is slightly more complicated as we have to tie the stonework into the badly damaged corner of the structure. However, we now have an exciting vision of what the building will look like when the restoration is complete.
Re-built external wall showing exposed foundations
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Rebuilding corner of tucking mill
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(Footnote: the recent torrential rain seems to have persuaded the Rolle duck to take to the water.once more. We are not sure how this happened but he (or she) was happily bobbing about in the lower basin when we arrived!)
Working parties are held every Wednesday morning, meeting in the main car park at RHS Rosemoor, Torrington at 9.30am. Please contact Project Manager, Ian Harrison (tel.01237- 475707) for more information.
GETTING TO THE BOTTOM OF THINGS! - Sea Lock report by Adrian Wills - 18th January 2023
It was a bright, dry and sunny morning on Tuesday 17th January 2023, although a little chilly, when I was joined by Steve, Nick and shortly after, Michael and Tony, at Sea Lock. Frost was still glistening on the ground around us, but the signs were good for working out of doors.
Michael and Tony collected long-handled billhooks and loppers in order to attack and remove some of the invasive vegetation growing along the upper wharf wall. This section of wall is in a very poor condition and will require massive effort to rebuild and restore it to its original state but at least we’ve made a start!
It was a bright, dry and sunny morning on Tuesday 17th January 2023, although a little chilly, when I was joined by Steve, Nick and shortly after, Michael and Tony, at Sea Lock. Frost was still glistening on the ground around us, but the signs were good for working out of doors.
Michael and Tony collected long-handled billhooks and loppers in order to attack and remove some of the invasive vegetation growing along the upper wharf wall. This section of wall is in a very poor condition and will require massive effort to rebuild and restore it to its original state but at least we’ve made a start!
Steve, Nick and I continued where we left off the previous Tuesday in trying to stabilize the foundations of the interpretation loft. Nick resumed digging out the trench between the middle uprights and I laid in place the framework of rebars, which my neighbour John had previously assembled. Steve drilled holes in the concrete blocks supporting the building as well as the exposed side of the wharf wall. I spent time cutting to length studs of rebar, which were going to be set into these holes and then tied to the metal framework.
These studs were bonded into the holes using injectable resin which sets very fast and is extremely strong. By now, it was time for a coffee break and after this Steve began the arduous process of tying the studs to the framework using flexible wire designed especially for the purpose.
This was not an easy or comfortable task since it meant Steve having to stand in the trench, placing his feet in the spaces between the rebars, something similar to Scottish sword dancing, and then having to bend over awkwardly in order to reach the places where rebars had to be wired together. Eventually all was secured and we began mixing concrete. I had 10 tons of concrete ballast delivered the day before and had a good supply of cement in stock.
These studs were bonded into the holes using injectable resin which sets very fast and is extremely strong. By now, it was time for a coffee break and after this Steve began the arduous process of tying the studs to the framework using flexible wire designed especially for the purpose.
This was not an easy or comfortable task since it meant Steve having to stand in the trench, placing his feet in the spaces between the rebars, something similar to Scottish sword dancing, and then having to bend over awkwardly in order to reach the places where rebars had to be wired together. Eventually all was secured and we began mixing concrete. I had 10 tons of concrete ballast delivered the day before and had a good supply of cement in stock.
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By the time they left, Michael and Tony had cleared a considerable amount of growth from along the top of the wharf wall, which is now looking a lot better.
Having started mixing concrete I began to doubt the wisdom in starting since it was going to take quite some time to lay the amount we wanted to get into the trench as a first course. It was getting on in the day and the temperature was falling fast. However, we cracked on and successfully achieved our goal with time to spare. We cleaned up our tools, put everything away and wandered home feeling very satisfied with what we had managed to get done.
Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go!
Having started mixing concrete I began to doubt the wisdom in starting since it was going to take quite some time to lay the amount we wanted to get into the trench as a first course. It was getting on in the day and the temperature was falling fast. However, we cracked on and successfully achieved our goal with time to spare. We cleaned up our tools, put everything away and wandered home feeling very satisfied with what we had managed to get done.
Unfortunately, there is still a long way to go!
LISTING TO STARBOARD - Sea Lock report by Adrian Wills - 15th January 2023
Work to rebuild the middle wharf wall at Sea Lock is all but finished bar some repointing of gaps in the masonry along its base. The excessively wet weather we have been experiencing recently has resulted in an awful lot of water flowing through this section of canal so finishing this repointing has been put on hold.
Work to rebuild the middle wharf wall at Sea Lock is all but finished bar some repointing of gaps in the masonry along its base. The excessively wet weather we have been experiencing recently has resulted in an awful lot of water flowing through this section of canal so finishing this repointing has been put on hold.
Just before Christmas I dismantled what scaffolding was still standing and left the poles and boards stacked on the top of the wall. More or less at this same time I had had 10tons of crushed stone delivered which, over the following few days, I spread across the top of the tow path and levelled the surface where we had been working. I am very pleased with the results.
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On Tuesday January 10th, 2023, I was joined by Steve, Nick, Michael and Tony, who had enjoyed a well-earned break. Michael and Tony spent the morning removing the dismantled scaffolding and putting it away in the storage shed.
Steve, Nick and I spent some time pondering a problem which has been vexing me for quite some time. Unfortunately, the interpretation loft, standing alongside the lower wharf, has been showing signs of subsidence. The ground on which this building sits is all made-up and has settled quite considerably along the canal side and the building has started to lean to that side. After a lot of ‘umming’ and ‘ahhing’ we concluded that the simplest solution was to dig around the concrete pads that the building stands on and construct a concrete ring-beam around them. Once this has set-hard the building can be jacked up and relevelled. By the end of the day, we had dug out a considerable amount of material from between 2 of the uprights and a trench created. On Friday 13th I had 50 x 6m lengths of 10mm rebar (Reinforcing steel rods) delivered, which are needed to reinforce the planned ring-beam. The following day I cut some of these rebars to length and bent them into squares whilst my neighbour, John, welded them together to make a steel framework which will be set into the trench, fixed to the original foundations and wharf wall, and then infilled with concrete. This process will need to be repeated nine more times, between each of the 10 wooden pillars on which the loft stands. This is going to be a long, slow and arduous task but hopefully will solve the problem once and for all. |
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ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT by Tony Nicholls - 11th January 2023
There was a tangible sense of anticipation at the Rosemoor site this week as we awaited the arrival of an 8 ton excavator to commence work in the area around the upper basin and the tucking mill. The excavator had been hired to carry out two key tasks (i) to remove vegetation and tree stumps around the tow path and (ii) to remove spoil from the bottom of the tucking mill and re-profile the ground to provide a level access.
There was a tangible sense of anticipation at the Rosemoor site this week as we awaited the arrival of an 8 ton excavator to commence work in the area around the upper basin and the tucking mill. The excavator had been hired to carry out two key tasks (i) to remove vegetation and tree stumps around the tow path and (ii) to remove spoil from the bottom of the tucking mill and re-profile the ground to provide a level access.
We watched the machine at work with a certain degree of envy, observing how quickly the landscape was transformed – something which would have taken us many months of hard manual labour to achieve. By lunchtime, the towpath had been levelled and a number of tree stumps successfully removed. Our plan is to sow grass seed in this area in the Spring to create a pleasant viewing spot for the upper basin. When we broke for lunch, work in this area had been pretty much completed and the operator was turning his attention to the tucking mill. An update on this will appear in next week’s report.
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While the machine was at work, the team carried out some much-needed clearing on the tow path beyond the lower basin. We have not worked on this area for some considerable time and we were pleased to find the towpath in reasonably good condition. We reflected on how good it would be to see this section of the canal cleared and back in water- just one more potential project for the future perhaps?
Clearing the towpath
Towpath looking towards Rosemoor
Working parties are held every Wednesday morning, meeting in the main car park at RHS Rosemoor, Torrington at 9.30am. Please contact Project Manager, Ian Harrison (tel.01237- 475707) for more information.