The removal of this embankment was a huge undertaking for a comparatively small volunteer workforce, but after a good deal of soul searching and navel gazing we go stuck in.
The enormity of the task will become apparent: An excavator was hired from British Waterways, and three big dumpers obtained from a plant hire firm. The Waterway Recovery Group were also on site, primarily working on Lock 18 – but they assisted in breaking up the concrete culverts in the embankment.
This was a real team effort; local farmers assisted by carting away the spoil – 10 tons at a time – 600 tons a day – the whole operation taking 3 weeks!
Job done – another obstacle out of the way – another step towards full navigation!
Interesting fact: The wooden trestle bridge was still in the embankment – some of the recovered timber was used in the construction of Casthorpe Bridle Bridge.
