West
Vale Branch |
The Jubilee Festivities are now only a memory, but judging by the good turn out of intrepid walkers, were enjoyed by everyone. Hopefully the towpath and the Canalside Park were found to be in good order by those attending.
At Steppingstone Bridge we have really made good progress with all four wing walls being uncovered from the 1950s backfilling. The very good state that they appear in must be due to the quality of workmanship that went into the original structure nearly 200 years ago. From our excavations we have deduced that the walls are, from the outside, 3 courses of brick, one of stone, and a final course of brick! (Built to last!) For those who have visited the site over the past weeks will have seen that on the south side there are two large Ash stumps that need to be removed before any more progress can be made. Hopefully these will have gone by the time this is read.
We are still discussing with Oxfordshire Environment Department on the actual closure of the Bridleway at the bridge site, and any relevant costs. The diversion is now being regularly used and is not cutting up too bad. We expect to put some membrane and hard core down in the copse during July and August, well before the winter is upon us again.
Planning applications have been submitted for a culvert at the Tuckmill Brook crossing and plans sent to The Environmental Agency for assessment. (Total cost of these two activities alone is £400). Assuming that we gain the relevant permissions, we hope to start fund raising for this later in the year, to enable work to begin in the summer 2003. We expect this to cost in the order of £20,000.
For more information or to volunteer assistance please come along to one of our meetings held in the Shrivenham Bowls Club, Martens Road, on the second Wednesday of every month at 8 p.m. You will be made very welcome. For those with a computer and Internet access please visit our Branch Web Site at www.westvalecanal.fsnet.co.uk.
Orph Mable - Branch Project Co-ordinator
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