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The BIG DIG!
1991
THEY did it! The Waterways Recovery Group (WRG) and
the Wilts & Berks Canal Amenity Group (WBCAG) organised the biggest 'Big Dig' in
the history of canal restoration. Nearly 1100 people turned up to a remote site
near Wantage just south of Oxford, on October12 & 13 1991 to celebrate the 21st
anniversary of the WRG in the only way they know how: they 'blitzed' a two-mile
stretch of densely overgrown canal bed. It was the largest group of navvies to
be assembled on a canal since the end of the industrial revolution. And it
represented the very best in the inland waterways movement. During the early
months of 1991 the WRG considered a handful of possible sites before selecting
part of the Seven Mile pound of the Wilts & Berks canal, which is now the
longest derelict canal In the country. The main line, linking the Thames at
Abingdon to the Kennet & Avon near Trowbridge is 52 miles long. There are also
15 miles of branches. The canal was formally abandoned by an Act of Parliament
in 1914 and ownership vested in the owners of the adjacent land. The WBCAG was
formed in 1977 and its first President, Jack Dalby, wrote the definitive work on
the canal. This very well-organised Group has a dynamic leadership and it is
not surprising that people have begun to flock to support this ambitious
restoration scheme.
Having chosen the two-mile length of canal for the 'Big Dig', the WBCAG
approached the landowners for permission to bring hundreds of work-hungry 'WRGers'
onto their land. They had an excellent response, with one exception - but more
about him later!
For nearly 6 months the WRG and WBCAG officers lived through a nightmare of
logistical planning: accommodation, food, transport, equipment, literature,
publicity and, of course, entertainment.
Finally the agony of planning and waiting was over - 800 souls descended on
Wantage on the Friday evening. Whilst they were settling into various local
schools, last minute details were being arranged. A small village hall in
Childrey was superbly transformed into a 'hospitality suite' for any member of
the public wanting information, and this was used as the base for the press and
visiting VIPs.
The Saturday morning weather forecast brought the all-important news that it
would be dry. With so much wood and undergrowth to clear, lighting fires was
essential. The other welcome start to the day was an excellent land large) piece
on the 'Big Dig' in The Times la tribute to the efforts of the Publicity
Officers of the WRG and WBCAG). With those encouragements the WRGers set to
work with a will. The earlier rain in the week ensured that the first hour or
so became a mini bonfire-lighting competition. By this time, scores of local
IWA and WBCAG members were turning-up. So too did the Mayor of Swindon.
Another VIP was also present, but not in the way you would expect. Tony Baldry,
junior minister at the Department of the Environment (whose responsibilities
include British Waterways) was hard at work on the western end of the site.
It was believed to be the first time in the history of the canal, railway or
motorway construction that a minister of the Crown had been one of a gang of
navvies! The navvy, once feared and despised, has now become a respected and
much-appreciated figure.
The pattern of work was quickly established. The hundreds of trees which had
grown in the bed of the canal were removed thus: first, the branches were cut
off; then the trunk was felled in true 'lumberjack' style; finally the roots
were pulled out by use of a 'tirfor', a mechanical device which by cranking a
handle tightens a steel hawser fixed around the stump. As the morning wore on,
the fires grew bigger - and the line of the canal was transformed into a
medieval vision of Hades as the smoke enveloped everyone. Coming across a
section where many of the tree trunks had been felled, I was struck by another
comparison. The sight reminded me of pictures I have seen of the First World
War battlefront.
With some relief I realised it was lunchtime and made my way to West Challow
village hall, the nearest of the three 'soup kitchens'. An excellent lunch was
served with efficiency and great good-humour by the WRVS. I was momentarily
caught in a time warp by the 'Ashtac' sign outside the hall. Prior to the Wilts
& Berks event, the WRG's 'Big Dig' on the Ashton and Lower Peak Forest canals in
1972 had been the biggest working part with 800 + volunteers.
Having collected my lunch, I strolled outside and joined a throng a people,
including one who had brought her wheel-barrow to provide a makeshift armchair.
I also bumped into the correspondent for the other inland waterways magazine.
Be assured that a friendly exchange ensued!
The overall spirit of the volunteers was remarkable. I had been expecting to
meet people from all corners of the UK, but had not anticipated such a range of
ages. At one end of the age spectrum, I met a senior citizen from nearby
Wootton Bassett (sporting a blue 'Big Dig 91' sweatshirt) and at the other end
of the spectrum, 12 venture scouts from Whitby (two of whom seemed perilously
perched in a tree that they were actually cutting down). I stumbled across
Peter Jackson, the IWAs South West chairman, working with a group from South
Wales in one of the more sparsely manned sections. He quietly told me that he
had been involved in restoration work for over 20 years. I also met a sizeable
group from the North West WRG, who reminisced about past working parties on the
Droitwich, Montgomery, Forth & Clyde, Ashton…..
As with the age range, so with experience. I met an astonishing number of
'first-timers'. Some, such as the committee of the Chelmsford IWA branch,
cheerfully admitted that they had had their arms twisted to be there. "Any
regrets?" I asked. "What do you think?" they replied. I saw what
they meant: the camaraderie and the sheer enthusiasm all around us spoke
volumes. I doubt you could have paid any of them to leave before their
appointed hour. Perhaps two young people colourfully attired in WRGs red
t-shirts and working hard at extracting roots summed up the attitude of many.
They live at opposite ends of the country, but "we're both committed to
canal restoration," said the young man. "I suppose," added his
friend, "that means we're both a bit mad."
And what of the objectionable landowner who refused permission to work on his
land? His action made physical communication along the site impossible on the
Saturday. Those who, like myself, needed to move from end-to-end had to make a
circuitous route. On Sunday morning, however, he made an inspection of the work
done on the adjacent parts of the canal bed and was so impressed with the
extraordinary achievement and the level of commitment of so many people that he
gave in and allowed work to start on his land!
If all this makes you feel you'd like to join a working party, then why not join
WRG or WBCAG and get stuck in? After all, you will have to wait another four
years before the WRG reaches its quarter century. I wonder where the 'WRGers'
will descend then? One thing is certain: they can look back at Wantage 91 with
pride.
Report by
Stuart Burt for Canal and Riverboat
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