Supporting the
East
Vale Branch
of the
Wilts & Berks Canal Trust
|
Dates for your Diary |
|||
|
|
Date | Place | Contact |
| Next Scheduled Work Party | Saturday 12th July. | Childrey New Road. | Bob 01 235
769469 bob.airey@tiscali.co.uk |
| Next Branch Meeting | Wednesday 6th August. | British Legion
Club, East Hanney 20.00 hrs (Everyone welcome). |
Brian 01 235 763 072 |
| Aunt Sally Grand Challenge | Friday 11th July | The Chequers
public house, Charney Bassett Tickets £11 including choice of meal. |
Phillip Logue 01 488 670097 |
Jubilee Junction officially opened 30-08-06
(click image for pictures)
August 30th Wilts & Berks rejoins the Waterway Network
Martin Buckland's Dragonfly report on the Jubilee Junction Project.
An Interesting Read
Parliamentary debate on
the Waterways
Tuesday 11th December 2007
New Abingdon Junction gets Go-Ahead
Follow links below to check progress
Diamond Jubilee Grant Press Release
February 2006 - Work begins at the Junction.
Grand
Opening
Martin Buckland with some of the team
Richard's view of the canal.
(Click image to stroll from Grove to Abingdon)
What has attracted their attention?
(Click here to see what is going on in Childrey)
Planting the willow seat at Childrey Wharf
Rachel
(one of East
Vale's most enthusiastic workers) maintains a photographic diary of the branch's
work parties.
Open the pages for some marvellous pictures and Rachel's commentary in her own
inimitable style.
Click here to open.
There was a time, over a century ago, when narrowboats still traded from Wantage wharf. This wharf was at the end of a short arm off of the Wilts & Berks Canal. To the east was Abingdon and the River Thames, to the west Semington and the Kennet & Avon Canal. Beyond these two junctions there was another 4000 miles of inland waterways. The main line was opened in 1810 but it was more than a year before the Wantage branch was completed (the actual date is uncertain). The canal was never very prosperous and following years of decay culminating with the collapse of Stanley Aqueduct in 1901 trade was practically non-existent. Yielding to pressure from Swindon and Abingdon the canal was officially abandoned in 1914.
For over sixty years the canal slowly disappeared due to the ravages of nature and the deliberate destruction by man. Fortunately the canal was mainly rural and this was to be its eventual salvation. In 1977 a society, the Wilts & Berks Canal Amenity Group (W&BCAG) was formed to preserve the remains of the canal and its infrastructure. Ten years later the aim of the society changed to one of full restoration. At the AGM, October 2001, the name was changed to the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust (W&BCT). The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust now has nine branches, one of which (known as East Vale) looks after several miles of the canal from Childrey to Abingdon.
Read the Branch Chairman's quarterly reports
EA acknowledge W&B Canal with signs
at Abingdon.
Click on image for larger picture.
In recent years major advances have been made towards full restoration. This includes the 1991 Waterway Recovery Group Anniversary Big Dig (at Wantage), coverage in a BBC documentary, hosting the 1998 IWA National Trailboat Festival at Wootton Bassett, the purchase and renovation of the canal and cottages at Dauntsey by the new Wilts & Berks Canal Company, the forming of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, the favourable results of a Feasibility Study and several major projects started with money from diverse sources.
Membership of Trust is now (JULY 2007) over 2000. Although this is an impressive figure, when the active members are divided between the nine branches and the Council of Management it means that there are never enough people available for the tasks in hand. Nevertheless considerable progress is being made.
The restoration of the Wilts & Berks Canal will mean that the Wessex Waterway Network is complete. This will open up several more cruising rings for boats, and many more opportunities for ramblers, fishermen, bird watchers, cyclists, photographers and those just out to enjoy a day in the country. The restored canal will generate new business's and jobs within the areas through which it passes.
