WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE 'FAR EAST'?
by Jon P
Could you please post the following update with the attached photos interspersed? Thanks.
A lot of people are puzzled about what goes on in the far east – of the canal route, that is. Some may even wonder if anything exists! The Thursday evening group continues to ‘plough a lonely furrow’, and we’ve been working on the previously
restored Eisey Lock, near to the CCT Eastern Depot at Alex Farm. The Lock was restored between 2008 and 2011, with later work to completely rebuild the spill weir. We’re continuing the work on the spill weir and the associated bypass culvert. We’ve also
taken advantage of our time at the Lock to paint the lock ladders and install timber jack posts for the ground paddles.
On the spill weir, several new stones had to be located to create the weir crest. We also have had to rake out and re-point all of the stonework in lime mortar. The 2ft diameter brick bypass culvert has been investigated and found to
be fairly full of soil, gravel and collapsed brickwork, so we need to devise a method to clear around 100ft of pipe. At the outfall end, we’ve removed a concrete ‘dam’ and constructed a new ‘roof’ for the culvert. Several blow holes have also been found
along the route of the culvert.
The softwood jack posts were kindly made by CCT’s Eastern Depot using reclaimed timber and remove a hazard created by holes in the lock side grass surface. At this stage, they’re purely decorative, as the canal above the canal above the
Lock remains completely dry.
The lock ladders were installed after restoration, as the lock holds between 1.5 to 2m depth of water. They were modified and painted in primer by CCT’s Western Depot, then painted black before installation. Painting the handrails in
white has completed the scene at Eisey.
Why not come and join us from 5pm each Thursday between Easter and the end of October?