Small Straw Bale Build for TV in Shropshire

For twenty four hours, over 15th and 16th October 2003, some brave volunteers helped build a small straw bale "holiday retreat" in the heart of the beautiful Shropshire countryside.

"Chug" Tugby from the UK's Straw Bale Building Association was our resident expert, and all round good bloke. Without Chug we would have been in a sorry state.

We were filmed whilst building for a programme in the "Home Wasn't Built in a Day" series. This series was first shown on UKStyle in October and November. Richard Uridge was the director for ACP Television.

These pictures are not comprehensive but will give you some idea of what went on. The photographer had to sleep, so there is a gap in the timeline. Kudos to the carpenters who worked through the cold of the night to get the roof on, put on a verandah, and clad half of the inside. If anyone who was there on the build would like a cd of all 129 pictures, please email.

You can also see some more photos by Mark here.
   
High Res
Low Res
15.10.2003 11:14 Site after unloading bales and telegraph poles
15.10.2003 11:14 Readying the telegraph poles on bales
15.10.2003 11:15 Stacked bales and small cut off bits of telegraph pole
15.10.2003 11:15 Richard and Chug moving smaller bits of cut off telegraph pole
15.10.2003 11:15 Removing nails and other hardware from the telegraph poles
15.10.2003 11:31 Putting a small bit of pole into a freshly bored hole
15.10.2003 11:33 Pole safely in the hole
15.10.2003 11:36 Toting bales
15.10.2003 12:56 Checking position of pole relative to other poles
15.10.2003 13:12 Hole being bored, excess soil removed from around hole with shovel
15.10.2003 13:13 Drilling posts
15.10.2003 13:16 Raising large telegraph pole into hole
15.10.2003 13:47 Putting outside joists on to short poles
15.10.2003 13:48 Sawing off ends of joists
15.10.2003 14:13 Levelling short poles with chainsaw
15.10.2003 15:02 Joining joists with joist hangers
15.10.2003 15:17 Joist and hole drilling activity
15.10.2003 16:05 Plywood floorboards going into position
15.10.2003 16:05 Nailing joist hangers into place
15.10.2003 16:27 Covering with plywood floorboards
15.10.2003 16:27 B-yew-ti-full Shropshire countryside - eventual view from "retreat"
15.10.2003 17:17 First bale being placed
15.10.2003 18:01 Two courses high
15.10.2003 18:01 One to two courses high with door frame propped up in place
15.10.2003 18:14 Third course being reached
15.10.2003 18:14 Sunset
15.10.2003 18:27 First window frame being put into position
15.10.2003 18:27 Window frame being aligned
15.10.2003 18:27 Getting darker
15.10.2003 18:33 Richard in bucket of front end loader checking out telegraph pole for cutting
15.10.2003 18:33 Richard aloft
15.10.2003 19:43 Bales getting higher
15.10.2003 19:45 Side window being placed
15.10.2003 20:12 Side window with bale holders on top being placed
15.10.2003 20:15 Bales going around window
15.10.2003 20:17 Bales getting higher still
15.10.2003 20:51 Looking out of "retreat", first window in frame
15.10.2003 20:55 String to mark slope of roof
15.10.2003 21:36 Sawing off excess telegraph pole, ready for roof
16.10.2003 07:10 Morning; roof is on, walls are up 283kb 33kb
16.10.2003 07:24 Front; windows and door in place 301kb 40kb
16.10.2003 07:24 Side view 330kb 39kb
16.10.2003 07:39 Sunrise 349kb 38kb
16.10.2003 07:41 Inside; clad in hardboard 273kb 33kb
16.10.2003 07:41 Inside; not clad 303kb 40kb
16.10.2003 08:23 Door handle going on 320kb 40kb
16.10.2003 08:38 Back view 327kb 39kb
16.10.2003 08:41 Side view 333kb 38kb
16.10.2003 08:42 Front: tidied up, with rustic embellishment to verandah being fashioned 330kb 40kb
16.10.2003 09:09 Crew, presenter and Chris, man with a digger 325kb 39kb
16.10.2003 09:35 Window with cladding 305kb 28kb
16.10.2003 09:35 Inside; window with straw bales on top 333kb 40kb
16.10.2003 09:35 Cladded wall meeting roof 297kb 37kb
16.10.2003 09:35 Un-cladded wall meeting roof 317kb 40kb
16.10.2003 09:36 Inside, looking out 328kb 40kb
16.10.2003 10:15 Leaving 364kb 34kb
16.10.2003 10:16 Little house in the Shropshire countryside 314kb 36kb

 

© Fiona Riches 27 November, 2003 17:44