Progress Wendover Arm

Wendover Canal Trust’s work on lining the dry section continues, while the finishing touches are added to the new narrows and stop plank location

The Wendover Canal Trust’s two-week October work party started on 7th October. The plan was to spend the first week completing the work at the Narrows (being built just beyond the end of the currently navigable length near Tringford, to mark the limit for widebeam craft and to provide a stop-plank location for temporarily draining lengths for future maintenance) and to prepare for laying Bentomat bentonite waterproof lining. Then the second week would be spent laying Bentomat and continuing the longrunning task of lining the formerly dry section of canal from near Drayton Beauchamp back to Tringford which has currently reached a point near Bridge 4.

Bridge 4: The existing dilapidated fence was removed and new post and rail fencing completed to the towpath. The expansion joint in the base was cleaned out and polysulphide sealant installed.

Tip Clearance: The stockpile of ash from the former domestic rubbish tip site (in the infilled section of channel just beyond the limit of navigation) was disposed of off-site. Seven lorry loads of ash were taken away.

Canal Channel: Final canal bank profiling was carried out to the towpath and offside to allow 80m of Bentomat to be laid. The arising spoil was used as backfill on other parts of the site. 80m of Bentomat was then laid to each side of the channel. Concrete blockwork covering the Bentomat was started on both sides, but progress was hampered by the wet weather towards the end of the second week.

Narrows: The concrete corner coping ‘stones’ were cast, completing the Narrows walls. Backfill was placed behind the walls to bring the ground back to towpath level.

Work continued on from the Waterway Recovery Group BITM weekend and the towpath strengthening wall was completed. Once the blockwork mortar had cured backfilling both sides of the wall was undertaken.

The timber fenders were installed to the Narrows walls and the tops of the stainless steel stop plank channels were cut to profile.

Block Grab: A second-hand block grab that can be used on the 8 tonne and 13 tonne excavators was purchased. Some surface rust needs to be cleared and the steel painted. The rubber grips have been removed for cleaning and refixing.

Mikk Bradley