Last updated October 20, 2023

Work Party News

30 August 2023
When working on a section of enclosed path situated between Bubbenhall Wood and Weston Lane, part of Route A of Walk 7 of our 21 Circular Walks, a few weeks ago (see Work Party News 27 July 2023) it was established that one of the planks making up the footbridge at the start of that section had rotted through and had at one end fallen into the stream below.

Warwickshire County Council generously offered to provide the materials needed for the job. In fact they provided three new planks and the pegs to hold them in place. As soon as the materials became available this work party was organised to carry out the repairs, but first the logistical problem of getting the materials to the site had to be solved. Hand carrying three 3-metre timber sleepers across two fields and over two kissing gates was not practical and another solution needed to be found.

An approach was made to the farmer on whose land the site is located and he very kindly offered to take delivery of the materials and to transport them with his farm machinery to the site. With that arrangement in place the stage was all set.

When we arrived at the site we could see that the footbridge had further deteriorated since the last work party visit but unfortunately as yet there were no materials available. Some head scratching ensued while one member of the work party went off to try and find the farmer and the materials and the rest of us worked out a contingency plan. Learning that no materials had been delivered the decision was made to remove the rotten centre plank of the bridge and re-position the remaining two planks to sit side by side so that the bridge was at least safe.

In doing that it was discovered that the planks were held together by four large iron staples, and that the planks sat on a concrete plinth at each end. Having a flat stable platform on which to place the planks would make the job just that bit easier.
A phone call to our contact at Warwickshire County Council advising that the expected delivery had not been made moved things along a bit but we carried on with our Plan B just in case the materials didn’t turn up in time.
The rotten centre plank was easily removed and the two remaining planks were quickly re-positioned.

It was just then that the cavalry arrived in the form of a farm tractor carrying the required new materials. These were deposited such that they could be easily lifted and manhandled.

Because the new planks were longer than the original ones some soil excavation work was necessary to accommodate them.

Accompanied by some grunts and groans the new planks were manhandled into place and, using an assortment of crowbars, sledgehammers, spades, etc. were nudged into their final position.

Four wooden pegs, two at each end, were driven into the ground and screwed to the planks to help hold them in place. The ground at each end of the footbridge was then made good and compacted to complete a neat job.

By the time all the tools had been carried back to the cars it was getting on for lunchtime so the work party decided to go and quench their thirsts at the nearby Three Horseshoes in Bubbenhall.