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Kent and East Sussex Canal Restoration Group |
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Harry Potter and the Onslow Arms (or KESCRG on the Wey and Arun Canal 16th – 23rd July 2005)
As the scarlet Hogwarts Express pulled into Billingshurst Station for the umpteenth time that Saturday, muggles stared in surprise as yet more red T-shirted WRGies arrived (some a little late through no fault of their own!). GCW filled in for the thestrals (who were on a well deserved vacation) and transported all to Hogwarts (aka Kirdford Village Hall). If you are already confused by this report, Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince is currently available from all good retailers, go and buy it now before reading further. (6 copies turned up on camp all at once!)
Monday saw 64m³ of concrete
poured lovingly to create the last base.
Breakfast was at a far more
sensible hour the next morning (hint: can we have it like this
everyday next year Ian?). However final checks and packing were p.s. Hermione and Tonks would like to apologise if this report appears a little cryptic to anyone, however it is entirely your own fault for not having read any of the Harry Potter books yet.
And now the thank yous.... A great big thanks to all who took part in the KESCRG camp this year - was gutted not to be able to make it. As usual a hugely big thanks to the cooks, Maureen and Jenny who yet again defied the laws of physics to produce so much absolutely delicious food (so I'm told), a big thanks to Ian and Purple Steve - without you it wouldn't have happened, and also big thanks to Hermione and Tonks (Rosie and Lauren) for doing the write up again Will see you all next year.......?
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Upon
arrival, Dumbledore (Ian) and Harry (Purple Steve) welcomed all new
students, before showing us the safety video. The cooks (Maureen and
Jenny) had done themselves proud, with a delicious welcome feast
that was gratefully devoured before leaving to see the site: Loxwood
Lock and perhaps more importantly the Onslow Arms, where sadly
Madame Rosmerta’s mead was not available.
Upon
returning Harry Potter fans were disappointed to discover there
wasn’t time to finish the book before lights out.
The
sun was shining for the first day of term; the Comedy Carpentry
Class was not due to begin until Tuesday, so the bits of wood began
fooling about themselves with IKEA prep training- as they would
continue to do for the rest of the week. Under Professor Roy’s
leadership, Hermione, Tonks, Peeves and Dean (Rosie, Loz, Matt- well
we could have made you Malfoy- and Joe)
lowered
the reinforcing for the last concrete base, whilst being showered
with sparks from the stihl saw! Elsewhere Harry led a team who
prepared for the concrete pour the next day, profile boards were set
up, Lou and Brian started the bricklaying and melon was greatly
enjoyed at lunch.
That
evening was the first of many visits to the Foresters, where Luna
Lovegood (Dippy Claire), Hermione and Tonks discovered the delights
of the children’s swings and others the delights of Badger. In the
words of one wise wizard ‘Beer is everything a Badger should be…
brown, smelly and very, very tasty.’ And the amount of Badger
consumed of course had no effect on the decision to go to the park
and play football in pyjamas that night.
The
two foot vibrators were a success, as Harry said ‘After half an hour
on a vibrator, I was spent’. Dumbledore took Tonks on as the first
apprentice bricklayer, whilst the Weasley twins (Pablo and Michael)
learnt the fine art of mortar mixing. Wood (Luke), Peeves, Luna and
Hermione
were kept busy barrowing bricks, as unfortunately no one has
invented a spell for moving them quickly yet. As a parting gift,
Luna enlisted the help of Hermione and Peeves to conjure up ice
poles for the hard workers, which compensated nicely for the milk
(and phone) a certain assistant leader had forgotten.
Perhaps
he was distracted by remembering RFBs keys, which were in fact
supposed to be left behind at Hogwarts. 
By
Tuesday, the comedy carpentry class began earnestly contemplating
the construction of the “Great Ikea Flat pack”… whilst others
struggled (some more than others) with cumbersome concrete blocks
and mortar mixing. After a dinner of Maureen’s famous garlic (bread)
and lasagne, Ruth arrived by the Floo powder network (just look it
up!).
and
then we disembarked and walked to the newly restored aqueduct and
bridge.
By
Wednesday the bricklaying was speeding along as if by magic, Tonks
having been joined by Ginny and Hermione the previous day. Admired
by all, the walls were beginning to rival the Great Wall of China.
Block laying also continued apace and shuttering was completed in
anticipation of the concrete pour the next day. Large quantities of
cakes were quickly consumed by the hungry brickies (and everyone
else).
Work
was finished early so that we could soothe our aching limbs at the
swimming pool; the water was substantially blacker when we left,
however we were much cleaner so all was well!
The
backfill pour commenced early Thursday morning and as Professor
Flitwick (Mk 2) discovered ‘the worst thing was getting down to my
pants… and finding the concrete skid marks’. Other work on site
progressed smoothly under Dumbledore’s watchful eye.
Hagrid
(Eddie) was concerned about keeping the bricklayers moist, as Ginny
said ‘it keeps getting stiff so easily’. Broomsticks were not on the
kit list, so GCW transported a group of exhausted (but unbroken!)
students to see Batman Begins that evening.
An
early finish was planned for the last day of term, but sadly never
materialised. Block work and brick laying was completed, as was the
‘Great Ikea Flat pack’ (finally!), the second was left in a kit of
parts for next weeks campers, complete with
detailed instructions. Patrick and others filled in the holes in the
blocks with concrete, expertly mixed by Hagrid and Eric. Melon
consumption had now reached epic proportions, aided mainly by the
brickies. In keeping with WRGie tradition, the ready mix washout pit
had not
been
emptied and the concrete had set hard- luckily ‘demolition man’
(Luke) had expressed a wish to hit things with a mattock earlier,
now he got his chance… Maturity levels being high on this camp, the
big clean up resulted in a water fight- some drenched in orange
squash as well as muddy water.
To
make the most of a lovely summer evening, a barbecue was fitted in
around the beer run. While we ate Dumbledore and Jenny presented
awards, Ginny received the ‘Smiley Miley’ award, the Weasley Twins
the mortar mixing award, Flitwick the comedy chippy award, Eric
strangest sandwich and Peeves got the ‘helping hands’ award.
Tonks
was nominated for next years’ assistant leader after displaying
astonishing slave driver qualities, of which she should be very
proud. Giant Jenga made its much awaited entrance, the boys’ team
won (but only because the rules
had
been thrown out of the window). The cereal box game was also a
success with three amazingly bendy winners: Dean, McGonagall and
Flitwick.
completed on time (just) for the vans and kit to be delivered via
the double round robin to Wiltshire. It was with great sorrow that
we all passed through the barriers at platform 9¾ again.