Entry: 2nd February 2020
With brickwork of Lock 14 to full height, work has focused on the coping stones and the myriad of jobs around the periphery of the lock.
There has been a delay in providing the anchor blocks; the quarry having encountered a poor seam, as mentioned in the previous post. These are still not on site.
In the initial part of the Lock 14 works, a bywash was provided – largely by volunteers of the Waterway Recovery Group. This bywash was required allow canal water to bypass the lock, once the dams were in place to isolate it before work could begin. This bywash was a feat of engineering in itself, as it circumnavigated the works by a wide berth. This bywash was temporary. With the lock chamber largely finished, volunteers are working to provide the permanent bywash, by a more direct route closer to the lock.
Lock approach walls are being restored/extended. Ground paddle drop chambers and ‘letter box’ culverts restored. Archaeologists from Mercian Archaeology have been on site, recording and overseeing the removal of the original wooden cills and forebays.
Underfoot conditions on site have been challenging for many weeks, due to prolonged wet weather.
Lock gates are scheduled to be fitted at the end of May.
Contractor Squires, have dredged the section above Lock 14, as far as Stenwith Bridge (60). Squires previously dredged from Bridge 60 to L15 and along the Half Mile Pound. So we have a dredged section from L16 through to L14.
The Community element of the project is continuing after the Christmas/New Year break, with talks to groups, a Learning Team visit to Harby School with activities to compliment their project about bridges. Our Events Team have a full program planned again for the coming year.
