Saturday 3rd October

Our western correspondent, Jes Mania reports...............

Today a small, but perfectly  formed gang assembled at Medstead, with a number of the other gang members being on an away day to the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Railway. With a one train service in operation and no one wishing to wait 2 hours at Alton, the six of us, Ian, Pete, Brian, Adrian N, Martin W, and Jim departed for Alresford. A glorious morning developed and at Alresford nearly all of us enjoyed a breakfast in the usual manner.

Upon returning to Medstead, Pete and Brian left for other duties and the four remaining members of the gang walked down the Shrave to clear 55a culvert, and the surrounding run off area's.

After lunch and returning to base, we cleared up some arisings from the 4ft after the recent bank (tree) clearance work, and also carried out some dry stone wall repairs! A left over from the BR days when stone was brought into the shrave to help shore up the banks. One good example remains and we undertook some repairs.

In the late afternoon three gang members took advantage and filled their cars/vans with wood from the growing wood pile. This was I might add, for their own consumption! A very good day all round.