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This £101,000 project will see the restoration
of the Northern Section of Crickheath Wharf,
near Oswestry, on the dry section of the
Montgomery Canal in Shropshire. The wharf is an
important historical site, once receiving large
quantities of limestone, by mineral tramway from
Porth-y-waen Quarry, near Llynclys. The project
will also create a picnic area linked to a new
lay-by proposed by Shropshire Highways and carry
out towpath improvement works, encouraging more
walkers and other visitors to the area.
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Looking south from Br. 85 Dec 2005
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Looking north from Br. 85 Dec 2005
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The
importance of the Crickheath Project is that it will provide
the boat turning point for the next section of the
Montgomery Canal from Gronwen to Redwith which is being
restored and put into water by British Waterways.
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Looking north through Br. 85 Dec 2005
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The
Society had a preliminary workparty at Crickheath in
February 2006 to clear the canal sufficiently for an
engineering inspection to be carried out. This has revealed
that much more work is necessary than had originally been
expected as not only do walls need to be rebuilt but the
canal bed itself will need to be waterproofed too.
Fortunately this will not involve our volunteers in clay
puddling as it is proposed to use a bentonite matting which
serves the same purpose. |
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Work
party clearing base camp Feb 2006
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Work
party briefing Feb 2006
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Due to
the length of the site and the amount of work involved the
project will be divided into two separate phases, I and II.
Phase I will be the work north of bridge 85 which will
include the winding hole and will be completed before work
starts on Phase II which will be the work to the south of
Bridge 85 and include the Wharf itself. |
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Clearing the bridge hole Feb 2006
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Towpath retaining wall
uncovered Feb 2006
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The Society are pleased to acknowledge the
receipt of an Heritage Lottery Fund Grant of £50,000 towards
the costs of the Phase I Crickheath Project. This means that
we now have sufficient funding to take the project through
to completion as the IWA have also given us a grant of £3000
and we have had a private contribution of £1000. Much of the
balance will be accounted for as volunteer labour which will
be a major contribution to the project.
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