Site design and build: Nick Cooke
Melton and Oakham Waterways Society
Registered charity number: 1078752
4th August 2014
Hi everyone As there has been a lot happening recently, I thought we could all benefit from one or two updates, as some may have been on holiday etc in the last few weeks. Yesterday we had a five man work party, where we continued to make the island at the swimming baths smaller, and forge a passage for the boat around the corner. In attempting to remove the last two tree stumps, we succeeded in breaking the Turfer winch shearpin (again) which I have taken home and repaired by making another pin. I have also made a spare which I will deposit in the toolbox. The problem is we are too enthusiastic!, which is compounded by having to use an ill-fitting scaffolding tube instead of the correct handle which is buried somewhere in the garage at Sysonby. The boat engine oil is down a little, and must be topped up before further use (Q8 oil bottle next to diesel cans). Likewise following a leak on one of the pipes (front right, 90 degree joint on arm end) we may be down on hydraulic oil, which I suggest the next users check before going out. (Richard,
do we have any hydraulic for top up?). It
wouldn’t hurt to go round all the joints with a
spanner (in toolbox) just to check for tightness.
Big thank you to Shaun who has made some
bolt on teeth, utilising the existing drainage
holes in the bucket. They, and the fitting bolts
have been left on board (spanner required)
Despite these useful looking extras the seven
(yes, seven now revealed) posts continue to
stand firm. Even the police got involved, but I’ll
let Shaun and Brian tell you about that!
Shaun and Brian also unearthed a lock gate
(attached photos) which has now thrown our
guillotine gate theory out of the window! Was it
perhaps one of a pair in a wall spanning the cut?
If it wasn’t used at this site why bother to take it
there to dump it! The nearest locks were up on
the Oakham or downstream at Eye Kettleby so
why was there a lock gate left here? Hmmmm
strange .....
(More on History Page)
Hope you are all having a good summer.
Regards,
Mick
Sunday 18th May 2014
Hi everyone,
Can I just say a big thank you to all those who
have made this week’s work parties the most
productive since we have had Mole in use.
Wednesday saw Peter Samways doing a bit of
training down on the canal cut, where patches of
troublesome reeds have been removed.
Forward to Saturday when the “men with the
muscles” Shaun and Brian finally got rid of the
large post adjacent the “swimming baths island”
which had caused us so much trouble. This
made the job of the Sunday crew, myself, Dave
and Gavin so much easier and we have
established a nice line about 6 feet from the wall
for about half the length of the island. We have
left a post in to show the next crew where we got
to, and if they can maintain a similar width and
line, around to the bridge, it will end up looking
very neat. I don’t think that, with the amount of
material we have to remove making the island
any thinner will be possible, taking into account
what we will dredge out of the riverbed too.
Thanks again lads,
Mick
PS. Shaun and Brian had a problem fitting the
bucket hoses because of residual pressure
remaining in the pipes, so could I ask all crews to
turn the valve nearest the engine away from the
engine and fiddle the two bucket controls to
dissipate the pressure out of the lines before
attempting to disconnect them. This makes the
job so much easier both for disconnection and
Work Party Reports
These are listed with the latest date at the top. Please email me with your contribution. Photos are good.
