“In what promised to be a full-on work party with a tense finish, we crossed the line with hours to spare”, said project manager, Tom Fulda, “The challenge? To complete all the channel works and construct a temporary dam in Phase 1A before it fills with water over winter”.
But first, some great news from Shropshire Council who administer the grant funding the project till March next year. As the project is below budget and ahead of schedule, the remaining budget will be used to achieve more restoration over the next six months. Work has therefore started on a further 130 metres of channel continuing towards Schoolhouse Bridge.
Last year, activity in Phase 1A was still possible in November with the aid of much pumping. But then the task was working on the wharf wall away from the channel bed. Now, the remaining activity in 1A was working in the bed itself. With such a wet 2024 it was expected this month’s work party would be the last opportunity to do so…and there was much to do.
For the work party to hit the ground running on Friday, five volunteers attended the day before to complete a wide variety of preparation activities including a modest amount of pumping the site free of water (but not mud!), unloading several deliveries and preparing cut lengths of the different liners then placing them in the correct location along the channel ready for use.
The work party was blessed with high volunteer numbers throughout – 30 on Friday including a group from Canal & River Trust eager to roll their sleeves up. By Saturday lunchtime, 25 metres of channel had been lined and blocked up to the position of the temporary clay dam marking the southern limit of this section. Construction of the dam started after lunch and was completed by the end of the day.
Thanks to the high numbers of volunteers, a variety of other tasks were undertaken concurrent with the channel lining work:
- Installing a drain to connect the Phase 1B section previously completed past the farm crossing to the Phase 1A section.
- Further towpath works in Phase 1A.
- Weed clearance in Phase 1B around the hedging whips planted last winter and also the hedge-laying area.
Sunday morning saw the final connection of the drain through the dam. By lunchtime, lining and blocking had been extended up the face of the dam and the job was complete – with hours to spare! Following rainfall on Sunday evening, the channel is already starting to fill. Sunday also saw continued construction of the towpath which progressed so far that all available aggregate was used up.
The work party finished with a feeling of great satisfaction all round. Not just with what had been achieved over the three days but also for recognition received on Friday for completion of the wharf wall restoration a few weeks earlier. A topping out ceremony was held with wallers John and Paul as guests of honour and Councillor Martin Bennett expressing the appreciation of the local community. Rather than ubiquitous champagne, the wall was doused with Navigation Pale Ale – the official beer of the Shropshire Union Canal Society.
We are always looking for new volunteers and members. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer should see shropshireunion.org.uk/work-party-schedule for details of dates and contacts. Please encourage family, friends and colleagues to become members of the society – please see shropshireunion.org.uk/membership for details of how to join. Note that you can join online and pay your subs online.
Picture credit: Shropshire Union Canal Society.