Ken and Frank H working as a pair today on one of Mick C's 'challenges'!
The location was the Calderdale Way on Todmorden Edge just above Buckley Woods. The task was to sort out a damaged gateway. Here's are a couple of pictures before work started:
Up-slope view of the original gateway:
The hinge-post is sound as are the two cross-pieces and the hinges. One paling is missing and the others are in various stages of decay ranging from minor to near terminal!
Down-slope view of the original gateway:
The gate is out of true - it sags! Short wooden palings have been nailed or tied with twine to block gaps in the gate. A paling is missing.
The left hand gatepost (the 'latch-post') is not the wooden post leaning to the left but a cast iron post. Its top is just visible above the gate paling. This iron post is sound and immovable. Unfortunately it is not vertical! Fragments of old timber, rusted nails and bent screws were present in abundance!
Almost every piece of timber that was structurally significant in this gate or the derelict 'fence' was also rotten! Mmm!
Work progressed (slowly ... with much swearing):
Gate taken off hinge post. All useless timbers, rusty nails, bent screws and redundant twine removed. Palings re-positioned so those in best condition would bear the most load and an extra paling was created from scrap fencing to complete the gate.
A diagonal brace was added (see next picture) to help prevent any sagging when the gate is re-hung.
Down-slope view of the repaired gate
Diagonal brace is in place. The gate swings to shut against the cast iron post (not visible in picture).
There is still the problem of the derelict short section of fencing. It has two posts both of which have rotted through at ground level.
The next picture shows the outcome.
Finished job. Re-furbished gate now horizontal with a loop of blue cord as a fastening.
Old fencing has been recycled to provide the low post and its diagonal brace. The field edge stock fencing has been re-tensioned to the low post and a barbed-wire strand re-fixed.
Most of the stock fence posts (further to the left of picture) really need replacing but the gateway is now user friendly and stockproof.
In between working on this task, Ken went further down the path to fix a bench. Here are the pictures:
It was a long day that tested Ken and Frank's ingenuity. Fortunately (despite the dreadful forecast) it was sunny all day ... otherwise the swearing would have been worse!
Work funded by Todmorden Town Council
