The canal needs your support

reopening of the next length - and to appeal for your support to go further...

Now there are just two miles of dry canal in Shropshire from the new limit of navigation (since the recent reopening) at Crickheath to just short of the Welsh border at Llanymynech. The main task is to make it hold water again. Shropshire Union Canal Society (SUCS) volunteers have already begun clearing and re-profiling the section to Schoolhouse Bridge – the ‘Crickheath South’ project. You can read more about their work on pages 28-30.

The Restore the Montgomery Canal! appeal for Schoolhouse Bridge was supported by many generous donors far and wide. Now a new Public Appeal has been launched with a target of £250,000 to help restoration towards the Welsh border at Llanymynech. We already have £50,000 towards that target. You will find a leaflet reproduced as pages 41-44 at the back of this electronic version of Navvies.

Why support the Montgomery Canal?

· Multi-million pound support from the UK Governments means the Welshpool section could reach the Shropshire border in the next few years. So reopening those two miles of dry canal in Shropshire would reconnect the English and Welsh lengths and make 26 miles of continuously navigable waterway from Welsh Frankton to Refail.

· County Councils in Powys and Shropshire, and local MPs , keen to see the canal open, help with any opportunities for Government grants.

· Apart from those two miles in Shropshire, the canal to Welshpool and beyond is in water with no water supply issues.

· Apart from the last couple of miles into Newtown, the canal is all owned by the Canal & River Trust so there will be no need for tricky land ownership negotia-

Reopened Queen’s Head to Gronwen Bridge 2003

Llangollen Canal

Weston Arm

Aston Locks

Pant

Llanymynech

Carreghofa Locks (restored 1986)

Reopened Frankton to Queen’s Head 1996 Restored trip-boat length at Llanymynech

Arddleen

Burgedin Locks

WalesEngland

School House Bridge under construction

Welshpool

Berriew

Refail

Garthmyl

Crickheath Newtown

4 road blockages : 2 funded for reopening

12 mile isolated restored navigable length from Arddleen through Welshpool to Refail. Reopend in stages from 1970s to 2000

3 locks restored 2006 but road blockages remain south of Refail

Final length into Newtown obstructed by sewer in canal bed, terminus basin built on, possibility of diversion to new terminus tions, and all the locks have been restored.

· The canal’s collection of structures – one of the best – tells the story of its life as a working canal.