April News
ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT by Tony Nicholls - 26th April 2023
We were rather low on numbers this week but were able to make reasonable progress in a several areas.
In the upper basin we continued the laborious task of removing the wooden dividers from the concrete capping. These have stuck so firmly to the concrete that the only feasible method of removal is by chiselling them out a bit at a time – a time-consuming process. Once this is done, the individual coping stones will be pointed in. The final three sections of coping were filled and the wooden former will be removed next week. We are still debating whether to cap off the eastern wall of the basin.
We were rather low on numbers this week but were able to make reasonable progress in a several areas.
In the upper basin we continued the laborious task of removing the wooden dividers from the concrete capping. These have stuck so firmly to the concrete that the only feasible method of removal is by chiselling them out a bit at a time – a time-consuming process. Once this is done, the individual coping stones will be pointed in. The final three sections of coping were filled and the wooden former will be removed next week. We are still debating whether to cap off the eastern wall of the basin.
Removing the dividers
Final sections of capping
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Laying the wooden support
We have reached a critical point in the restoration of the tucking mill as we try to recreate the wooden base of the tucking machinery. There are large grooves in the floor of the lower chamber which we believe would once have housed substantial timber beams supporting the hammer mechanism. Fortunately, we had some baulks of timber stored in the lime kiln which were the right size and laid these in position. The precise arrangement of the wooden frame is a matter of conjecture but we feel reasonably sure that this would have been the original purpose of the grooves in the floor. We believe the drive and gearing from the waterwheel would have been located close by and, as we rebuild the mill wall, we are trying to ensure that we preserve the gaps in the original masonry which would have housed the main drive shaft.
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Re-built section of mill wall
We also managed to mow the ‘lawn’ in front of the lime kiln which has been rather neglected of late. The end result – whilst not perhaps of Wimbledon quality – is a huge improvement!
Mowing the 'lawn'
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.
LIKE LONDON BUSES - Sea Lock musings from Adrian Wills - 27th April 2023
It is always a great pleasure to take an early morning stroll to the bottom of my field where the site of Sea Lock is. On my way down, I throw a bucket full of whole wheat to feed my five geese and any wild ducks who choose to join us. Frequently quite a few! Over the past few years, a pair of Mandarin ducks have been seen in various different places on the canal and outside on the River Torridge. These handsome birds, the males especially, are very timid and take flight at the slightest provocation.
This morning I was delighted to see not one nor two, but five Mandarin Drakes on the canal near my house. Two were on the water which promptly took flight but the other three were standing on a semi-submerged fallen branch, looking for all the world like three high-fashion models on a catwalk.
Although they were very aware of my presence, they did allow me to get close enough to take a couple of pictures of them (not very good focus!) before they duly set off for other places.
Hopefully, they will return and I assume that there were no females accompanying them due to them probably nesting somewhere.
It is always a great pleasure to take an early morning stroll to the bottom of my field where the site of Sea Lock is. On my way down, I throw a bucket full of whole wheat to feed my five geese and any wild ducks who choose to join us. Frequently quite a few! Over the past few years, a pair of Mandarin ducks have been seen in various different places on the canal and outside on the River Torridge. These handsome birds, the males especially, are very timid and take flight at the slightest provocation.
This morning I was delighted to see not one nor two, but five Mandarin Drakes on the canal near my house. Two were on the water which promptly took flight but the other three were standing on a semi-submerged fallen branch, looking for all the world like three high-fashion models on a catwalk.
Although they were very aware of my presence, they did allow me to get close enough to take a couple of pictures of them (not very good focus!) before they duly set off for other places.
Hopefully, they will return and I assume that there were no females accompanying them due to them probably nesting somewhere.
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LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL - Sea Lock report by Adrian Wills - 26th April 2023
Only three of us working at Sea Lock on Tuesday (25.04.23) but, never-the-less a great deal was achieved and the progress made is clear to see.
Initially Nick continued practising how to mix concrete. He’s getting quite good at it now! Steve spent much of the day down on his knees, not praying but laying and floating off the concrete in the section of shuttered trench that I had managed to construct a few days before.
Only three of us working at Sea Lock on Tuesday (25.04.23) but, never-the-less a great deal was achieved and the progress made is clear to see.
Initially Nick continued practising how to mix concrete. He’s getting quite good at it now! Steve spent much of the day down on his knees, not praying but laying and floating off the concrete in the section of shuttered trench that I had managed to construct a few days before.
I spent time trundling the mixes of concrete from Nick to Steve. Nick was trying to get his own back on me by filling the wheelbarrows with larger and larger loads, which I often struggled to move. This was not helped by the fact that I had missed out on breakfast that morning as a result of having to rush down to the site earlier, in order to receive delivery of another 10 ton load of concrete ballast, by which time Steve and Nick had arrived.
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There is still one section of the ring beam waiting to be filled but this will require a considerable amount of concrete (and therefore cement) but we didn’t have sufficient in stock for that task hence returning to paving which required far less concrete.
Before the slabs could be laid, some excavation was required to provide a satisfactory foundation for them. I started up the Kubota tractor and attempted to use the backhoe for the excavation, but it transpired that it was actually easier to dig out the area manually using shovels and mattocks.
Before the slabs could be laid, some excavation was required to provide a satisfactory foundation for them. I started up the Kubota tractor and attempted to use the backhoe for the excavation, but it transpired that it was actually easier to dig out the area manually using shovels and mattocks.
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The weather had been very kind to us during our day’s work. It was bright, dry, sunny and at times really quite warm. However, there was still a ‘cheeky’, cold breeze blowing occasionally but at least that helped speed up the setting of the concrete. Apart from the last section of ring beam to fill, the next task is to prepare the space where the new staircase is to be constructed, but that’s for another day. |
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ROLLE CANAL SOCIETY A.G.M. - 23rd April at R.H.S. Rosemoor
The Rolle Canal & Northern Devon Waterways Society Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday 23rd April at the Learning Centre, R.H.S. Rosemoor at 2pm.
Prior to the meeting, there will be a presentation by Mike Guegan, Chairman of the North Devon Maritime Museum.
Everyone welcome!
The Rolle Canal & Northern Devon Waterways Society Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday 23rd April at the Learning Centre, R.H.S. Rosemoor at 2pm.
Prior to the meeting, there will be a presentation by Mike Guegan, Chairman of the North Devon Maritime Museum.
Everyone welcome!
Click here for - Minutes of Previous Meeting 2022 and Agenda 2023
ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT by Tony Nicholls - 19th April 2023
Last week’s working party was cancelled in view of the dire weather caused by Storm Noa – a sensible decision as working conditions would have been dangerous. We resumed this week with a slightly depleted team and spent the morning working on the capping on the upper basin wall.
Last week’s working party was cancelled in view of the dire weather caused by Storm Noa – a sensible decision as working conditions would have been dangerous. We resumed this week with a slightly depleted team and spent the morning working on the capping on the upper basin wall.
Filled sections of former
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Completed capping
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After a fairly intense session of concrete mixing we managed to fill a further ten sections of the formwork before our supply of aggregate ran out. We have experienced some difficulty removing the wooden dividers from the capping. Despite applying a releasing agent to the dividers, these seem to have expanded to the point where they are well and truly stuck and have had to be chipped out with a chisel. Next week we hope to fill the remaining sections of the formwork before turning our attention to the eastern wall of the basin.
Removing the dividers
Aerial view of capped wall
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.
ANYONE FOR HOPSCOTCH? - Sea Lock report by Adrian Wills - 19th April 2023
Having managed to construct some more shuttering around the ring beam foundation over the previous few days, enabled Steve and Nick to get straight on with mixing and laying yet more concrete on Tuesday morning (18.04.23) at Sea Lock. By mid-day they had filled that section and turned their attention to laying more of the salvaged paving slabs, started a couple of weeks ago.
Having managed to construct some more shuttering around the ring beam foundation over the previous few days, enabled Steve and Nick to get straight on with mixing and laying yet more concrete on Tuesday morning (18.04.23) at Sea Lock. By mid-day they had filled that section and turned their attention to laying more of the salvaged paving slabs, started a couple of weeks ago.
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Tony had arrived and spent time tidying away scaffold clips which he and Michael had de-rusted and lubricated a while ago. He then, armed with a dustpan, square-edged bucket-trowel and brush, removed debris I had created when straightening up the edges of the remaining sections of trench to be filled. Removing this debris is not easy because of having to work around and underneath the small spaces between the rebars standing proud of the concrete below. Once he had finished that task, he and I began to fix into place the shuttering framework for the last two sections. So far, trying to get all the shuttering levels correct has been working surprisingly well although very time consuming. |
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Whilst Steve was laying the paving slabs, Nick was dividing himself between mixing concrete and cutting the slabs to required sizes using the big diamond bladed, disc cutter. By way of a change, it was not me making a lot of noise and creating clouds of dust!
By 3.00 o’clock we had completed what we had intended to do. The paved section of floor looks great! It now only requires some grouting between the slabs to finish it. It will make the space much more usable.
This once very daunting task, thanks especially to all the hard work of Steve, Nick and John, has progressed remarkably quickly and is rapidly reaching its very satisfying conclusion. Completion of this task will come with great relief to Steve and Nick because I suspect they are beginning to experience recurring dreams of endlessly mixing concrete!
This once very daunting task, thanks especially to all the hard work of Steve, Nick and John, has progressed remarkably quickly and is rapidly reaching its very satisfying conclusion. Completion of this task will come with great relief to Steve and Nick because I suspect they are beginning to experience recurring dreams of endlessly mixing concrete!
WHILE THE CAT'S AWAY (Alternate title) CARRY ON REGARDLESS - Sea Lock report by Adrian Wills - 15th April 2023
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Having to be in Taunton, meant that I would be unable to work at Sea Lock on Tuesday (11.04.23). However, this did not deter Steve and Nick (the mice?) from turning up and getting on without me. The weather over the Easter weekend had been quite nice, sunny and dry despite a rather cool wind blowing. In the Taunton area, however, Tuesday proved to be a very wet day, with the wind picking up quite viciously. How conditions at Sea Lock were on that day I did not know but I was very pleased on returning home to find that Steve and Nick had managed to mix, lay and fill with concrete a couple of sections of trench which I had managed to surround with shuttering before going away. Judging from the quantity of cement and ballast that has disappeared from the stock piles, they must have worked extremely hard and fast to have achieved what they did because I now understand that the weather became very wet and unpleasant for them towards the afternoon. I’m hoping that this period of cold and wet weather is going to finish very soon so that I can construct more shuttering in time for next Tuesday’s planned work, just to keep them out of mischief once again. PS Thanks to Steve for the pictures. |
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ROSEMOOR RESTORATION REPORT by Ian Harrison - 5th April 2023
Despite challenging weather and being somewhat down on numbers we made good progress on 3 fronts:
Despite challenging weather and being somewhat down on numbers we made good progress on 3 fronts:
- Stonework to the spillway.
- Reinstatement to the floor of the tucking mill.
- Construction of the shuttering for the last big section of coping stones for the "Upper Basin" wall.
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HI HO, HI HO! A PAVING WE WILL GO! - Sea Lock report by Adrian Wills - 5th April 2023
Only three of us worked at Sea Lock on Tuesday (04.04.23). The day started off quite chilly and there had been a frost overnight, but the sun was shining in a clear, blue sky and the temperature began to rise steadily. Nick, on autopilot, continued beating the cement mixer into submission whilst Steve filled and floated level the barrowful’s of concrete Nick had shovelled into the shuttered trenches. Despite never complaining, Nick makes Herculean effort to keep sufficient concrete ready for laying.
Only three of us worked at Sea Lock on Tuesday (04.04.23). The day started off quite chilly and there had been a frost overnight, but the sun was shining in a clear, blue sky and the temperature began to rise steadily. Nick, on autopilot, continued beating the cement mixer into submission whilst Steve filled and floated level the barrowful’s of concrete Nick had shovelled into the shuttered trenches. Despite never complaining, Nick makes Herculean effort to keep sufficient concrete ready for laying.
Within a short time, him and Steve had filled the sections of trenches that I had constructed shuttering around during previous days. We have reached a point where half of the ring-beam trenches are now filled to their finished level. I now have to get organised and complete shuttering the remaining trenches for next week’s scheduled work.
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Since there was no more shuttering ready for filling, we turned our attention to laying paving slabs. Some of them had to be cut to size and that job fell to me. Initially my big petrol-driven angle-grinder refused to start, much to my frustration. Steve then had a go at it and following Nick’s lead, frightened it into submission. Due to yet another senior citizen moment on my part, I had tried to start it with the choke lever in the wrong position. Steve did agree with me that the symbols on the side of the machine were not very clear but perhaps he was just being kind to an old man. I then spent time disturbing the neighbours and wild life by making lots of noise and creating clouds of dust. |
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Once Steve started actually laying the slabs there was far less urgency for Nick to mix concrete. Only a thin bedding of it was required for the slabs of a much leaner mix than for the main foundations. Nick was able to have moments of time spent doing nothing (!) while Steve was slab laying, so he then lent me a hand in moving the slabs to where they were required. I was very grateful for this, since they are very heavy, as is the angle grinder.
(I’m not after sympathy, honest injuns!)
(I’m not after sympathy, honest injuns!)
Tuesday turned out to be a very short working day. The weather was kind to us, allowing us to crack on, and at long last, beginning to dry out the mud on the site.
By around 2pm we had completed laying concrete and as many paving slabs as we could, so we packed up, cleaned and tidied our tools away and made an early retreat for home. What progress was made though!
By around 2pm we had completed laying concrete and as many paving slabs as we could, so we packed up, cleaned and tidied our tools away and made an early retreat for home. What progress was made though!
