Working
Week 2006 May 29 - June 2Report by Chris Grimmett - click here
for all the photos!(Most photos by Chris Grimmett, [GJC] by Graham Christian
and [GA] by Geoff AmabilinoThe 2006 Working Week had as its main objective
to start the long awaited upgrading of the shower facilities. As ever, there were
numerous other tasks for the week, many of which were achieved although reduced
numbers of people limited to some degree what could be done. Friday
Proceedings
began with the delivery of the mini-digger, materials, and critically - the beer.
Ian Alderman got stuck in with the digger immediately [01_Friday_GJC],
starting his project for the week, extending the dry stone walling at the end
of the car park. Saturday
On Saturday, Clark Friend set to by
trashing the non-essential portions of the Gents shower room [02_Saturday_02]
while Allan Richardson made an attempt on the world record for the number of chairs
in a dumper truck [02_Saturday_05]. The weather was
foul but the forecast indicated it would clear up. As usual, the sun was shining
not many miles away in either direction, but the Penwyllt micro-climate persisted.
A small piece of Club history was made that evening when the last shower was taken
in the old Gents (by the old gents) [02_Saturday_06]. Sunday
As
more people arrived, the Working Week proper really got under way. Clark completed
his lifestyle conversion from academic to vandal by destroying the remains of
the Gents showers [03_Sunday_06], meanwhile the locker
room above started to come apart under an assault from Allan and others. Removal
of the ceiling revealed that the loft space above had been filled with massive
quantities of very useful items that might come in handy one day. These included
the proverbial kitchen sink [03_Sunday_20]. A great
deal of time was spent losing the loft contents, mostly in the direction of the
bonfire area on Kershaw Terrace.
By this time, the dry walling team had flattened
the ground and started on the trench for the wall [03_Sunday_13].
In the showers porch area, the old windows were removed [03_Sunday_10]
in readiness for the installation of double glazed units. This area was also to
be fitted out with toilets and wash basins for use by people camping at the Club.
The locker room walls now revealed the extent of the movement by the rear wall
of the cottages [03_Sunday_26].
Outside, Iain
Miller and John Lister dug the new silt trap as part of the exercise to prevent
the soakaways blocking [03_Sunday_17]. Inside, Sandra
Barker's dog played its part in the Working Week as a mobile beer recovery unit
on the small common room floor [03_Sunday_29]. Lastly,
Brian Clipstone christened the temporary Gents showers now situated in the washdown
area of the changing rooms [03_Sunday_18]. Monday
The
priority for the day was the removal of the old Gents showers floor and it was
liberally drilled with 12mm diameter holes to facilitate this [04_Monday_01].
To everybody's disappointment, the planned method of concrete removal failed dismally
[04_Monday_09] and we were forced to revert to traditional
methods [04_Monday_14]. The expected improvement
in the weather had still not materialised and various workers found cowering away
from the rain [04_Monday_10] had to be forced back
to their labours by the Führer. Phil Buckberry started work on the new wooden
bunks for Ladies Overflow [04_Monday_18] and Clark
unbricked the locker room fireplace [04_Monday_21]
and it was decided to keep this wall as open blockwork rather than dry line it.
Nick Davies carried on with the filthy task of removing plaster from the locker
room wall [04_Monday_22], assisted by Ruth Buckberry
[04_Monday_23]. Tuesday
Progress
on the shower floor remained slow and difficult [05_Tuesday_03],
so more labour in the form of Harvey Lomas and Pete Hobson was brought in to assist
[05_Tuesday_01],. The problem appeared to be a 12" thick layer of
Grey Galpinite formulated from a cunning blend of limestone dust and cement, with
a hardness somewhere off the scale. With no Gents shower drain to clear out, the
two witches present this year had to resort to making good the gaps behind the
skirting boards in Married, but not before they had mixed far too much material
than they really needed [05_Tuesday_09]. The No.1
loft was emptied of yet more very handy rubbish [05_Tuesday_13],
Dave Edwards progressed with the bunk ladders [05_Tuesday_11],
and the weather improved to the point where tea breaks could be taken outside
and in the sun [05_Tuesday_05]. Wednesday
As
the locker room floor/shower room ceiling came out, the true extent of woodworm
infestation became apparent [06_Wednesday_19]. It
is amazing that gentlemen in the showers below had not been flattened by falling
tackle lockers before now. As the old wood came out, the new joists were put in
[06_Wednesday_16] and the new floorboards temporarily laid [06_Wednesday_21].
Outside, Iain and Simon Amatt continued work on the silt trap [06_Wednesday_12].
More general painting work was carried out [06_Wednesday_GA].
Thursday
The silt trap developed walls [07_Thursday_01],
the glazier finished off repairs to the workshop window inflicted during the Rescue
break-in [07_Thursday_04] and Brian decided to run
his own stall selling knackered Oldham charging equipment [07_Thursday_10].
The arrival of Gary Vaughan, Paul Meredith and Gary Nevitt was very welcome as
many of the workers were beginning to slow down and those who had been trying
to remove the shower floor were unfit for further service. Such was the work rate
of the new arrivals, it became necessary to ship in more raw materials [07_Thursday_06],
and soon afterwards, the shower floor began to go back in its new form [07_Thursday_11].
Gary N. gave a fine demonstration of how to feed two cement mixers simultaneously
[07_Thursday_17], and by nightfall they had most
of the concrete in [07_Thursday_23]. The heap of
scrap metal rubbish thrown out of the lofts had by now reached massive proportions
[07_Thursday_16] and even Brian did not complain
that it was going. Meanwhile, the continuing fine weather enabled Andy Dobson,
Clark et al. to make good and replace some of our less distinguished posts and
wire [07_Thursday_25]. Ian refined his dry walling
skills but on occasions had to resort to using non-traditional methods [07_Thursday_22].
Thursday night was curry night [07_Thursday_18];
Dave Dobson seemed more intent on dealing with spaghetti [07_Thursday_24], Friday
With
the Gents showers floor about as far as it had been planned to go, attention focussed
on the conversion of the porch to toilets. Allan had already put together the
partition and doors; Clark set to with the paint [08_Friday_10],
while Dan Sullivan did the varnishing. The showers people covered their still
wet floor and made more mess by derendering the walls [08_Friday_13].
Outside, the silt trap reached completion [08_Friday_12].
Graham Christian completed his work up the hill constructing a new cover for one
of the water supply drain valves [08_Friday_GJC1]
and with assistance from Dan and Pete Hobson, ferried metalwork for the top water
tank up the hill valves [08_Friday_GJC2].
It
became obvious that we were running out of sand for various jobs, and we could
not get a delivery for several days, a series of phone calls to various club members,
local farmers etc for a trailer capable of carrying a 1 ton bag of sand drew a
blank, until we rang Laurie Galpin, who turned up with his 4wd and large trailer
and saved the day.
[GJC_p6020193]
Saturday
Ian finished
his wall [09_Saturday_07], Sam installed the heating
for the new toilets (yes, radiators !) [09_Saturday_05],
and the toilet pans were fitted [09_Saturday_10].
In the showers, the walls were partly rendered [09_Saturday_12],
and upstairs, Phil completed the new bunks in Ladies Overflow [09_Saturday_13]
and Dave fixed his new bunk ladders. Paul passed his dumper driving test
[09_Saturday_02].The scrap man turned up, with his
wife to stop him lifting as he had just had an operation, we helped him overload
his vehicle, and he said he would come back for the rest. [GJC_6020186]
Sunday
All
the mess had to be cleared up as many jobs as possible finished off. One of the
charging racks displaced from the showers porch was reinstated in the main porch
[10_Sunday_01], their place being taken by a pair
of basins [10_Sunday_03]. The new toilets were completed
[10_Sunday_04], and fully tested with 1s and 2s,
both in series and parallel.
In summary, the fundamental work on the
gents showers was achieved; the floor went in, the roof was replaced and more
work is planned over the rest of this year so that the project does not carry
on for ever. The locker room upstairs was cleared out but requires some more work
before being put back into operation. The porch area in the showers cottages was
fitted with two toilets, two wash basins and double glazed window units. Most
of the heavily used areas of the Club saw a coat of paint. Effluent treatment
was improved by the installation of a trap to prevent the frequent blocking of
the soakaway with kitchen grease and other nasties. The programme for replacement
of the old metal bunks went to the next stage as Ladies Overflow was fitted out
with 9 wooden bunks. The car parking area was extended and that corner tidied
up by the building of a dry stone wall.
Thanks as ever go to all those
who turned up to assist and who did not get a specific mention above. In addition
to the main jobs, they did a whole load of smaller ones, all of which helped to
keep the place going for another year. Especially welcome were those who had either
not been to the Working Week before, or who had taken a few years off. An honourable
mention is of course due to the Dragons who kept the workforce fed and watered
throughout. Thanks also to Rescue for the use of the garage as a workshop
and general dumping ground.
At least the dreaded clipboard can be put
away now until after the new year when once again, the planning process for Working
Week will get under way. We hope to see you there.
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