Wallbridge Lower Lock
Chris Clark reports:
The SDC led Tuesday volunteers are putting the finishing
touches to Wallbridge lower lock and its surrounds. The towpath is largely
complete and attention is now focussed on the off bank which does require some
TLC. A few coping stones need fixing in their final places by the lower gates
and the lockside needs the topping layers applied other heavy work. The bulk
materials need to be transferred to the offside which is now only accessible
via the lock gate. The solution has been found in the shape of one of CCT’s river barges, Delilah.
She is shown here in the lock which was full when this
picture was taken. The SDC volunteers will construct a temporary pathway across
the centre raised platform to allow them to bring bulk materials to the off
bank safely as well as all the tools required.
Delilah was lying below Ryeford locks and was towed by our
tug Goliath as far as Chestnut
Lane swing bridge. This is as close as the tug can
get to Wallbridge as she cannot pass over the gas main laid on the bottom of
the Stroudwater at this point. It fell to the small band of volunteers to bow
haul the barge through Chestnut
Lane and Lodgemore bridges and through the narrow
dredged channel between Lodgemore and Wallbridge into the lock. All this
accomplished in today’s inclement weather and adverse wind.
Well done boys!