It's the Minor things in Life
that can cause the Major Problems
(especially if you ignore them)
For example: the
Wilts & Berks Canal Restoration. But what about all those other little problems. Like the approximately fifty crossings of public highways? And these are just on the main line. So far no road carrying traffic has been crossed, either over or under, by the restored canal. (Only at Purton Road, on the North Wilts, has a navigable culvert been built during a road re-alignment project). Looking at the list the immensity of the project becomes obvious.
Therefore it is surprising that more attention is, apparently, not being paid to
these crossings. Comments taken from various reports and surveys. AH = Allen Harris SW = Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick OA = Ove Arup
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Semington to the River Thames |
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Click for |
OS |
Location |
Comment |
|
Semington Junction via Melksham to Woodrow House Farm |
None of the original route will be used, so not part of this survey. Bridges will be built by developers. |
|
ST |
Bowden Hill (Bell Inn) |
Steep hill from Lacock to A342 |
|
ST |
Rey Mill Bridge |
"Original lift bridge removed and infilled. Replace with new fixed road bridge." SW 1998 |
|
ST |
A4 London Road |
Chippenham to Calne road. |
|
ST |
Studley Road Bridge |
"Place canal in culvert under road." AH 1994 |
|
ST |
Stanley Bridge |
"Place canal in culvert under road." AH 1994 |
|
ST |
Bremhill Wick Bridge |
"The original Wick Arch Bridge is infilled and the canal bed piped. New fixed bridge required it will need a slight rise in the road to achieve this, but this should not be a problem." SW 1998 |
|
ST |
Charlcutt Hill |
"Bridge removed and canal
culverted via 3x30" pipes. Fixed bridge required, road to be raised
slightly." SW 1998 |
|
ST |
Foxham |
"Original bridge removed and culverted. New bridge required with regrading of approaches. Also regrading of access to Cadenham Manor, private residences and Foxham Lock." SW 1998 |
|
ST |
Dauntsey Lock |
Missed opportunity when road was closed for adjacent
railway bridge alterations. |
|
SU |
Waite Hill Farm |
"Bridge removed and canal bed
culverted. New farm accommodation bridge required with regrading of
approaches." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Bowd's Lane |
"Originally
a lift bridge spanning the lock chamber, Bowd's Lane now crosses
Lock 2 on infill. Provide new fixed bridge integral with Lock 2
restoration." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Trow lane |
Bridge site is on a slope with visible canal either
side, so should not be too much of a problem. |
|
SU 03555 81411 |
Tockenham Road Bridge |
"Infilled and canal bed culverted.
Road at high level over bed. Provide new canal culvert under road." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
A3102 |
Possible diversion |
|
SU 05641 81545 |
Hunts Mill Bridge | "No trace visible. Road bridge required, clearance adequate." SW 1998 | |
SU |
Station Road, Templars Firs |
"The original canal line is
incorporated into gardens of properties along Dunnington Road for a
length of about 200 metres." "Original bridge removed, no trace. Build new fixed bridge on diverted canal route, minor regrading of approaches." "The original alignment is incorporated into the end of gardens and garages of the Templars Firs estate a length of some 250 metres. A new alignment is proposed just south of the original, through the Council Depot." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Binknoll Lane |
"Original bridge demolished. Road at high level. Provide new skew bridge with regrading of approaches and alignment improvements." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Hay Lane |
New route will need to cross the T-junction so it can go north towards M4. Might be part of road re-alignment; possibly may need two bridges. |
|
SU |
M4 |
New tunnel, site to be identified. |
|
|
M4 to Marlborough Road |
Covered by Wichelstowe development. |
|
SU 15038 82241 |
Marlborough Road | New route. | |
SU |
Coate Water - Nightingale Cottages |
New route. |
|
SU |
Day House Lane |
New route |
|
SU |
A419 |
New route |
|
SU |
B4192 |
New route |
|
SU |
Pack Hill |
New route |
|
SU |
Inlands Farm |
New route |
|
SU |
Wanborough Road |
New route |
|
SU |
Acorn Railway Bridge |
"Existing skew bridge under the GWR in good condition. However, the A420 now uses the canal arch. Allow for a thrust bored canal culvert east of original line. Canal to approach square." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Bourton Road |
Possible diversion |
|
SU |
B4100 Station Road |
Still standing. In good condition and still in use. |
|
SU |
Stainswick Lane |
"Original
lift bridge removed, infilled and culverted. A slight hump in the
road is still visible. New development in close proximity to canal
crossing point, also access to grain storage shed. Provide new
bridge with regrading of approaches plus access to grain store." |
|
SU |
Bowles Bridge |
"Road rises at original crossing point; original bridge (a lift bridge) lost. Provide new fixed bridge and regrade approaches." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Old Wharf road |
"Infilled. Provide new bridge slightly to south of original, regrade approaches." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Railway bridge near Longcot |
"There are no signs of the original skew railway bridge, which is likely to have been demolished and infilled. Allow for a new thrust bored canal culvert slightly to the north east." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Wharf Farm, Uffington |
"Road
rises at original crossing point. New bridge with minor regrading of
approaches." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Baulking Road |
"Bridge levelled, parapet about ground level. Road rises at original crossing point. New bridge required with slight regrading of approaches." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Kingston Common Bridge |
"Levelled and infilled, but road rises at original crossing point. Skew bridge required with regrading of approaches and alignment improvements; also regrading of farm access." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Broadleaze Farm |
"Infilled and levelled. May be culverted. New bridge required with regrading of approaches and farm access." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Childrey New Road |
"Original bridge levelled, infilled and culverted. Road rises at original crossing point. Allow for new bridge with regrading of approaches and alignment improvements. Also regrade access to farm and stud farm." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Silver Lane, West Challow |
"Infilled and culverted. Original crossing on sharp right and left hand bends. Provide new bridge with regrading of approaches and alignment improvements, also regrading of farm access." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Cornhill Lane |
Originally a lift bridge. The lane is now used by 4X4 vehicles. |
|
SU |
East Challow A417 |
"Original bridge demolished and
infilled. Road rises at original crossing point. Road to be raised
by about 0.6 metres to achieve clearance (in combination with new
lock)." SW 1998 |
|
SU |
Mably Way |
Diversion
due to housing development. |
|
SU |
A338 Grove |
"Infilled
and levelled. Provide new bridge with minor regrading of approaches.
Also regrading of farm access and remodelling of road junction." SW
1998 |
|
SU |
Grove Park Drive |
"Infilled and culverted, some large trees. Steep hump on bend. Provide new bridge with regrading of approaches." SW 1998 |
|
SU 42651 91501 |
Ardington Railway bridge | "Bridge opening narrowed and canal culverted. The adjacent farm access could be used for the canal: there is an alterative farm access 80 metres to the west." SW 1998 | |
SU |
Cow Common |
"Originally a stone arch bridge, demolished in 1965 and infilled. New bridge required, regrade approaches, regrade and realign farm access." SW 1998 |
|
|
A34 |
Diversion |
|
|
B4017 |
Diversion "New bridge with regrading of approaches to raise by approx l metre." SW 1998 "B4017 also significant crossing - will maybe need to keep open or divert onto A34 during construction." OA 2003 |
Maps courtesy of Google Maps
Satellite images courtesy of
Google Earth
It can be seen from the above listing that there is an enormous task ahead in providing a continuous line for the canal. These are only the crossing points identified as needing all the planning rigmarole associated with Councils, Highways, and Services (Electricity, Gas, Water, Drainage, Telecoms etc.). There are many other places where farm accommodation bridges, footpath bridges, rights of way bridges will have to be provided. But these will be relatively easy. Also worth noting is that building locks and excavating and re-profiling the canal bed as well as re-instating the towpaths is straightforward once landowner permission (i.e. leases) is obtained. It is the crossing of public highways that needs to be concentrated upon! It could be looked upon as a 'chicken and egg' situation. Why bother with a bridge until the canal is re-instated either side of the road, or why bother with the canal until the bridge is built. The answer is: do both together. |
Other comments of interest. |
|
A34 Crossing Methods |
OA 2004 |
A drop lock allows for the gravitational water feed of the canal to
be unrestricted when the lock is not in operation by simply leaving
the gates open. For a sump pound a bypass pipe would be required
through which all of the water demand of the downstream canal would
have to pass. There is a risk that maintenance and clogging issues
of the by-pass pipe could interfere with the canal supply. There is
currently only one existing drop lock in the world. It is the
Dalmuir drop lock on the Forth & Clyde Canal. This lock was
installed in 2000 to overcome exactly the same constraints as found
at East Challow. |
OA 2014 |