West Essex Working Party
9.45 am on a cold, wet, morning as the remains of storm Gareth rasp the countryside and a forecast of 100% chance of a rainstorm at midday; an assortment of cars and vans congregate in a small car park in Epping Green.
Ten Ramblers, one woman, nine men are sorted into two groups by Brian who has researched and planned the work for the day…yes work, for this group of Ramblers have not assembled for a walk - they are here like hundreds of othersacross the country to maintain sections of our Public Rights of Way network.
One group is to undertake a massive clearance and install waymarkers about 200metres away from the car park. The second group has to drive for a mile down a narrow lane to a point where Essex Council has arranged for the components for a replacement footbridge to be dumped.
The bridge, which is to be replaced, at first glance looks as good as many others. It has one or two slats missing which, to my untutored eye, could have been renewed. It is only when the dismantlement begins that the rotten main-bearers are revealed. Serviceable parts are stacked for transport and reuse, rubbish is piled for later collection. Planks provide the temporary means to cross the ditch and support the workers as they reconstruct the bridge.
First the seatings which will house the new planks are dug out on either side then the main-bearers are put in with boxed ends. Everyone seems to know exactly what to do and the operation has something of the air of a highly organised ritual, punctuated by the casual humour which is characteristic of people who have built friendships out of close working.
Brian flits by car between the groups. He offers advice and ensures that everything is going to plan. He knows both sites well, having visited to plan the work and organise the parking and delivery of material. Back with the clearance group he notes that most of the 300m of field edge has been cleared using the brush-cutters and now three of the team are engaged in trimming back the hedgerow. A waymarker post, with its top section painted yellow, is carried to the end of the stretch, a hole is dug using a double-digger (rather like a massive daffodil planter) which is rammed into the ground and pulled out with soil. The post is lowered in to a good depth, stones and soil are tampered in to wedge it firmly and the familiar yellow waymarker discs are nailed on.
Back at the bridge, the workers have had a coffee break with the storm still waging. The wooden structure is now complete. All that remains is for the metal handrails to be mounted, another waymarker to be installed and the vegetation around the site to be trimmed.
Both teams managed to finish by around 12.30, just as the rain and wind strength was peaking.
In some respects, there was nothing special about this Tuesday – every week a working party from West Essex Ramblers goes out and does similar work which may also include installing gates and steps.In an average year it puts in about 200 waymarkers, up to 20 bridges and clears about 20 km of pathways. Brian Smith surveys the sites, negotiates with the Council to supply the materials and generally facilitates the work. He has been doing this work for 12 years and has been more responsible than anyone else for the quality of footpaths and ease of access in the Epping Forest District Area.
Len Banister