Removing fallen crack willow, clearing out undergrowth, dredging, building and fencing work - believe me, if you are to be an active member of the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust you have to be keen, own some stout wellies, and be dedicated to the vision of a restored waterway through the very heart of the Vale!

I met with members of the East Vale Branch of the trust as they gathered for a work party on the Stockham section of the canal that runs between East Challow and Grove.

Having lived my pre-teenage years just twenty yards from the former course of the Swindon section of the canal on what is now Fleming Way running west from Swindon’s Magic Roundabout, I was keen to find out just how realistic is the trust’s vision of achieving a fully restored navigable passage by the year 2015.

The original course of the canal, built between 1895 and 1910, connected the Kennet and Avon Canal at Semington, near Trowbridge, with the River Thames at Abingdon, a total of 51 miles plus branches to Chippenham, Calne, Longcot and Wantage. The branch to Wantage was of immense value to the town, bringing building and road stone, and coal from Somerset. The canal later contributed to its own downfall by transporting construction materials for the nearby Great Western Railway.

The East Vale branch of the trust covers the section between Childrey New Road and the River Thames at Abingdon. There are some major engineering challenges that lie ahead along this section, not least of which will be the crossing of the A338, the A34, and a way around, or across, the proposed Thames Water Reservoir if it ever comes to pass.

Team member Rachel explained that the full route of the canal is now protected under the current local plan, although much of its length remains in private hands with ‘licences to work’ granted by supportive landowners.

Some sections of the towpath (generally running on the north bank of the canal) are public footpaths whilst other sections are designated as ‘permissive paths’ with access granted, but right of way retained by the landowner.

  Four hundred yards of the Stockham section are now owned by the trust, ‘purchased’ from the previous landowner for just the cost of the legal fees for transferring ownership. This is typical of the goodwill the trust enjoys with local landowners and residents who are willing to provide access to the waterway, and allow work party parking in village hall car parks. Landowners have welcomed the clearance and fencing works undertaken for free by branch members and it is this shared appreciation for the resulting amenity that has contributed to the success of the restoration project to date.

  Much of the East Vale section is now in water, but not yet   at the   intended final level. When you see a completed stretch, then you begin to believe that the ‘2015 vision’ is real. Indeed, progress has been so positive that the original target date of 2020 has been brought forward!

Typical of recent restoration work has been the re-building of    Childrey Wharf, a 100 yard long structure that during its working life probably served the nearby brick and tile kilns and coal yards.

Clearly, there is still much work ahead. Funding is a limiting factor, but generous corporate donations, council grants, and lottery awards (for the major projects) have supplemented the income from membership fees and private donations.

Major works still to be tackled on the local sections include bridges over Childrey New Road, West Challow (to Childrey) footpath, and the crossing at West Challow’s Silver Lane.

East Vale branch work parties meet on the second and fourth Saturday of each month and work to a master plan devised by long-standing member and work party organiser for the branch Roy Murrell, who was recently awarded the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust’s Tony Davy Trophy in recognition of his long and valuable contribution to the work of the trust.

It is obvious that the East Vale team members take a great deal of delight in their work, and enjoy much friendly banter and an enviable camaraderie.

Annual membership of the trust costs just £10.60 per adult, £15.75 per couple. ‘Armchair’ members are just as welcome as ‘working’ members! A quarterly newsletter ‘Dragonfly’ keeps members updated with restoration progress along the route of the canal.

Further details of the trust’s aims, events, activities and membership can be found on their web-site:

www.wilts-berks-canal.org.uk               

Do take a look; my thanks to Rachel and the rest of the team for their help in the preparation of this article.

-Martin Spackman-