Here is an interesting diary of events, compiled by Kevin Belcher, on the first two weeks of the new green build.
There is now a link to the construction company FineTurf under the “Links” tab
Day 1
Tuesday 4th December 2012 – 7.30am
Just over a week later than anticipated, due to ‘a little light rain’, ducks on the new ‘lake’ and a decision to delay the start for fear of claims for trenchfoot, Fineturf contractors arrived smack on 7.30am to survey the scene. The digger and dumper trucks were quickly off-loaded. An hour or so of head-scratching, looking at plans, the ubiquitous cup of tea, agreement of what was to be done and where and the decision was made to start. A few pegs were placed at the corners, everything was lined up and marked. Then the ceremonial spade was quickly hoisted away and the real work commenced. All the turf was stripped on day 1.
Day 2
Wednesday 5th December 2012
As dawn broke, we were greeted by a small snow flurry. This quite quickly disappeared and the machinery went to work on stripping back the topsoil to a depth of between 6-10 inches leaving a clean and reasonably flat subsoil. In the process the old field drainage runs became visible. It was no magnificent crop circle but a small pattern did emerge. No sign of any treasures as yet, but we live in hope of a £1 million artefact viagra aus kanada.
Day 3
Thursday 6th December 2012
Temperature had dropped overnight and a sharp frost was visible on the ground, but the effort was to help the sticky clay and the next layer of subsoil was scooped away, taking the level down to roughly 2 foot under the highest point. The banks were starting to be formed from the dug out soil and the old clay drains layer was reached. As expected they were broken and silted up, but thankfully we have no puddles appearing.
Day 4
Friday 7th December 2012
Snow one day, frost the next, and now an icy blast from northerly gales. The work was limited today, but the banks were squared off and some of the diagonal drainage runs were expertly carved ready for the plastic drainage pipes to be put in. The mound of earth put nearby, made from the surface clearing, now resembles a mini mountain range, but the wagtails are loving their new adventure playground. An estimated 500-600 tonnes has been moved this week in eager anticipation of about 20 lorry loads of gravel to be put back in next week. It will be a busy little road!
Day 5
Monday 10th December 2012
A new week and with the main dig effectively complete, the drainage runs were finished and plastic piepwork installed. The gravel lorries then started to arrive and were expertly reversed to within a couple of inches of the edge of the green. Then the trailers were raised and their 20 ton loads were tipped at the side of the green ready to spread out. The concrete blockwork for the water tank base was also laid by Kevin, David Williams and John Meager and we hoped that the mortar mix wouldn’t freeze out over night.
Day 6
Tuesday 11th December 2012
A cold day saw most of the remaining gravel delivered and spread out across the green. Some more shaping work took place on the banks to level out towards the boundary fences. An exploratory trench was dug by the football clubhouse to find the water supply pipe to connect the watering system to – but only the electricity supply was found. Divining rods have been called for! John Richardson and Kevin visited the ‘old’ green and called on Mark (Contractor) to lend a hand with his massive Stilsons pipe wrench to loosen the conectors on the tank in order to drain it. Some paving slabs were lifted to bring back to lay before the tank goes in its new position.
Day 7
Wednesday 12th December 2012
Yikes! The frost returned with a vengeance and there was a dusting of snow over the green. The air was crisp to start with and the trees were white all over as if dipped in icing sugar. However the clean washed gravel, with its golden hue on the green looked warm and inviting as it was spread and then laser levelled all over. All the concrete ditch channels arrived today and were stacked along one edge ready for layng.
Day 8
Thursday 13th December 2012
More laser levelling and the start of laying the channels! Hopefully the temperature won’t fall below -2° or the concrete might ‘go off’. The green is beginning to take shape. Slabs were also being laid on the concrete blocks ready for the arrival of the Water Tank, scheduled for Sunday. At the end of the day one and a half sides of the ditch channeles were laid before poor light stopped play.
Day 9
Friday 14th December 2012
A complete washout. Torrents of rain overnight caused severe problems. Constant rain together with the cold wind meant that it was impossible to lay any concrete. So, the channels were placed around the edges of the green ready for installation next week and we all had an early finish.
Day 10
Monday 17th December 2012
A bright start to the week. The ditch channel laying continued as 20 tonne lorries arrived with the precious rootzone throughout the day. A fine 70/30 sand/soil mixture that created a mini mountain on the newly levelled gravel. A trench was also dug for the water supply to the tank and then onward to the green for water and cabling, but this was heavy going for the mini-digger, negotiating old pipes and rubble in the thick clay.
Day 11
Tuesday 18th December 2012
More heavy rain overnight caused a river to appear in the newly dug trench. However, a bright day allowed for the ditch channels to be completed on three and a half sides and the rootzone was spread evenly over the green.
Day 12
Wednesday 19th December 2012
The final loads of rootzone arrived and were spread around the green right up to the ditch channels. The watering system was also laid around the green and pipework installed for the water supply on what was a pretty poor day weather wise.
Day 13
Thursday 20th December 2012
A thoroughly wet day from start to finish. The final few ditch channels were laid, the rootzone was laser levelled and the cabling and pipework for the watering system around the green was completed, despite a torrent of water running along the connecting trench when it was cut through. The round, deep concrete soakaway was installed and plumbed in along with a final drainage pipe to connect the system to the current land drains.
Day 14
Friday 21st December 2012
The sun made an apperance again for the clear up. Levelling of bank surrounds was completed, together with shaping of the spare soil mound to the side of the main club. Then tidying up, loading up of the equipment, backfilling of some of the water pipe trench so that the groundmans tractor could be extracated from its marooned existence and final scraping of the mud off the driveway before locking up for the Christmas break. A return to fertilise and seed the green is due early Spring to complete Stage 1 of the Clubs’ development plans.
