West
Vale Branch |
The warm June has certainly promoted weed growth in both the Canalside Park and along the towpaths. At one stage, before some serious grass cutting, the path between Stainswick Lane and Station road reminded us of a scene from the old film “African Queen”! It was tiring work as our ride-on mower was out of commission so we had to resort to brush cutters and push along mowers. There has been the odd spot of mischievousness in the park with some of our metal fence post stock being distributed around the park and we seem to have gained an old bath that is currently “sunk” at the bottom of the slipway! A couple of jobs for the next work-party. (As if we didn’t have enough!)
Steppingstone Lane Bridge was visited by our Trust Civil Engineer and Restoration Director in May to assess the “remains” and decide on the next step. Our engineer was firmly of the opinion that the bridge could be rebuilt based on the remaining bases, using the everything that was still intact. This was good news indeed. He is now developing the structural design for submission to Oxfordshire County Council Highways (Bridges Dept) in the very near future. Once accepted then rebuilding can begin! We have already been granted over £3,000 towards this work and will be able to make an initial purchase of soon. As the original base was constructed 200 years ago, lime mortar (not cement) was used to bind the bricks together and to ensure that the new bits will “work” with the existing, we shall have to use this too. We hope to train up on this at courses run by British Waterways. Sounds interesting doesn’t it?
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.org.uk.
Orph Mable - Branch Project Co-ordinator
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