Kent and East Sussex Canal Restoration Group

Xmas Party Wilts and Berks Canal

December 2005

Report by Rowena Gaskell
Pictures Ian Williamson

The Christmas dig this year was held on the Wilts and Berks working on the Seven Locks site, also the site for the October Camp and with each of the locks at a different stage of restoration. Accommodation was at the Youth Centre in the middle of a roundabout and I circled it the wrong way on foot before finding the door!

By the time I arrived people had a glass in their hand and it seemed rude not to join in. This was fine until it was announced that we had already demolished one barrel and there was only one more for the Saturday night. However this was not a reason to stop and the proceedings migrated to the side room with a pool table and continued for some time.  

The waft of breakfast implied it must be time to get up although the sound of heavy rain on the roof didn’t make moving a tempting prospect. However the weather improved just as we set off for site but it remained wet all morning. The work was spread across several of the locks in the flight. Between the road and Lock One large trees were being take out by the chainsawers.

At Lock Two the stumps which were left from the October Camp had to be taken out and burnt. It took until tea break to get the fire started and although we didn’t resort to any inflammatory means we did burn several celebrities!

Nothing could be done to the wing walls of Lock Three due to the weather but between Locks Three and Four hedge laying was continued.

On the off side at Lock Four scrub bashing was taking out a collection of small trees. There was also a stream in the way which proved to be deeper than boot height.

Despite the teamwork of the trees holding each other up, Bob was used to demolish more than everyone else.

As the light went we regrouped and returned to the accommodation. As people became more civilised beer was begun and a minibus run for alternatives was arranged. Soon after it had to be a run for beer as the barrel looked in danger of running out before the festivities had begun.

The theme for the party was Mad Hatters and a wide range of styles emerged. A spectacular Christmas dinner was served with choices at every stage. Before pudding there was a short interval for the Hat Parade. Prizes were awarded for a range of categories and the winner was Alan (Welsh) with a wonderful interpretation of ‘The LWRG/KESCRG, Christmas, Party, at Seven Locks, on the Wilts and Berks, Canal, in Chippenham’.

The entertainment continued after pudding with a hat based quiz, list as many hats as possible, a velcro hat game, junk modelling and the finally the doff off! Once again there was a migration to the side room where singing took place into the wee small hours. 

Sunday breakfast arrived earlier than expected and included a reincarnation of the left overs into bubble and squeak which was rather heavy on the sprouts! Eventually we reached site and continued where we left off.

At Lock Two the fire took little persuasion and we tested its ability to devour tree stumps. These were being supplied by a team using up to three tirfors.

At Lock Four the remaining trees were felled and burnt. Then there was essential fire watching and marshmallow eating. Once the tin of Quality Street had been eaten we could return to the accommodation and then into the darkness.

And for those of you who have managed to get this far the picture on the pictures home page for this report is George 'Bungle' Eycott presenting a cheque to our chairman Ian Williamson for matched funding from Vodaphone for our efforts at the Wendover Festival.