Mr Fruit explained how to prune fruit trees to get the best shape in the future

Mr Fruit checking up on some of the pruning carried out by the volunteers

Wapley Bushes Conservation Group were very pleased by the turnout for their Fruit Tree Pruning Workshop at Wapley on 15 February. Twenty people attended, representing eight environmental groups from across South Gloucestershire and a number of private landowners,

The workshop was run by “Mr Fruit” Graham White who has advised the Conservation Group and Dodington Parish Council ever since they planted the “Orchard For The Future” on Wapley Common in March 2011.

“We were very glad to offer this training opportunity to other groups like ourselves” said Cllr Paul Hulbert, who is a regular volunteer at the Nature Reserve. “This area used to have a lot of small orchards, but most have been lost. We’re keen to get lots of community orchards started again, and we need to spread the skills needed to maintain them”

Wapley Bushes Conservation Group’s next practical event will be a woodland work morning and spring clean on Saturday 14 March from 10.00 am to enhance the biodiversity of this precious nature reserve.

“Everyone is welcome” said Cllr Hulbert. “Please wear stout footwear, but we will provide the tools. We shall be meeting at the Shire Way entrance to the woodland, south Yate, BS37 8US”

The workshop tutor will be local fruit tree expert Mr Graham White. Advance booking is not required – just turn up on the day. The meeting place is the southern Besom Lane entrance to Wapley Bushes Local Nature Reserve, Besom Lane, Westerleigh, South Gloucestershire, BS37 8RW, starting at 10am.

Local people will have seen the concrete path sections being placed on the ramp down from the bridge towards Shire Way. It’s now time for the concrete sections to be put in on the other ramp, towards Wapley Common.

This is rather little more complicated, and will involve a 3.4 metre wide caterpillar track vehicle (effectively a digger without the bucket) being brought in along the Common roadway. Steel plates, track mats and bog mats will be used as applicable to spread the load. It will take most of a day to get this large vehicle over the Common into position.

The prefabricated concrete sections will be transported across the Common on a trailer, pulled by a tractor, which will distribute the weight and reduce the risk of damage to the tarmac pathway. The sections will be brought in individually as they are needed.

Dodington Parish Council and Wapley Conservation Group met the contractors Murphy this afternoon and talked through the process in detail. Public safety issues were discussed thoroughly, including what would happen if we have significant snowfall – if the children are off school and come over to Wapley to go sledging, the contractors appreciate that they will have to suspend particular parts of their work.

This phase of the work is expected to take a week to two weeks, starting shortly.

Come and join this woodland work day on Sunday 25 January from 10 am until 12 noon.

Meet at the Melrose Close entrance to the woodland, gloves and tools are provided. Activities may include scrub clearance, coppicing, planting and general woodland maintenance – please see the Ridge Wood website for more details

Work days are a fantastic way to make a practical contribution to the future of this important local nature reserve, and are great fun. New volunteers are always welcome. No need to book, just turn up.

The side panels were added to the replacement Sergeants Farm Bridge last night, and the very large crane has now left site.

Presumably the next step will be to establish the bridge deck, and then build up the approach ramps.

Work is anticipated to take until some time in March to complete.

The support beams for the new bridge were put into place the night before last, so you can now see the increased clearance that will be needed for the overhead electric cables.

The new support beams rest on the century-old supporting piers

Trains are running regularly under the partly constructed bridge

Work on the Wapley bridge came to a halt last night due to the wind and rain – it would have been unsafe to lift the new bridge sections in. We don’t yet know the new timing for this but we’re guessing next week, maybe New Year’s Eve / New Year’s Day.

Update 28 December – they’ve lifted the new bridge beams in! Picture to follow.

A train thunders past the gap and the crane. Parts of the new bridge are on the lorry on the right.

The gap, with the left-hand support being built up with concrete to the new height.

The support beams for the new bridge waiting on the lorry.

… and they weren’t joking! The Big Lift should start around 8.30 or 9.00 am on Boxing Day morning.