The charity making life better by water
Making life better by water
Hot off the press, it’s our Regional Round Up, bringing you the latest news from a canal near you. This time, we’re looking at some vital repair works, a daring art installation, and an accident blackspot.
Last month, visitors enjoyed a rare behind-the-scenes look at some essential works at Toddbrook Reservoir, in Derbyshire. Repairs have been ongoing over the last couple of years, after damage to the dam auxiliary spillway.
Located near Whaley Bridge in Derbyshire, Toddbrook Reservoir is a feeder for the Peak Forest and Macclesfield canals. Following unprecedented storms in the summer of 2019, the reservoir has been closed for repairs. However, construction is now well underway, and we’ve excavated more than 15,000 tonnes of soil and installed hundreds of piles to support the new spillway. This will eventually carry Toddbrook stream and any overflow from the reservoir down through Memorial Park and out into the River Goyt.
On Friday 19 and Saturday 20 July, visitors got to see the work in progress, with a one-hour guided tour of the site and an update from project engineers. Dilwyn Parry, project manager says: “Many thanks to residents for their continuing patience. We are now expecting the project to be complete by the end of 2025. The reservoir should refill naturally over that winter, so by spring 2026 it should be available again for public sailing, angling and other recreational activities.”
A unique floating sculpture in the form of a ‘loop-de-loop’ has been given the go-ahead on the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal. The elaborate artwork, creation of internationally renowned artist, Alex Chinneck, will be installed on Tinsley Flight, close to Tinsley Marina in Sheffield.
Sheffield is a city shaped by its canals. Once the lifeblood of industry, today, they’re a haven for wildlife, and enjoyed by walkers, cyclists and paddlers. The ambitious sculpture, due to be installed between locks 4 and 5 of the Sheffield & Tinsley Canal, will breathe new life into the area, adding to the existing art trail.
As Sean McGinley, our regional director for Yorkshire & North East, explains: “We’re very excited to deliver our third artwork for Tinsley. At a time when keeping our amazing canals alive for future generations to enjoy is more important than ever, Alex’s remarkable floating sculpture will help to bring new interest and focus to the canal.”
The finished piece, sculpted from rolled steel into a ‘loop-de-loop’, will depict a full-sized canal boat and feature signwriting and traditional canal boat colours, celebrating Tinsley’s rich history and Sheffield’s iconic waterways. Artist, Alex, has been working in and around Sheffield for several years, creating multiple artworks across Tinsley. Visitors will be able to see his latest vision on the canal later this year.
A centuries-old hump-back bridge in Derbyshire is at the centre of a hit-and-run investigation after a vehicle collided with the parapet, before speeding away from the scene. Astonishingly, it’s the sixteenth time in 20 years that Barrow Bridge, on the Trent & Mersey Canal, has been hit by a car or an HGV. And it’s a growing problem across our network .
Built more than 250 years ago to allow horse-drawn carts to cross the canal, Barrow Bridge is one of many historic hump-back bridges spanning our network. Over the years, as traffic has increased, accidents have been on the rise. In this latest incident, the vehicle, believed to be an HGV, caused major damage to the parapet, knocking brickwork into the canal below.
It took our team four weeks to recover the bricks and rebuild the bridge, at a cost of £100,000. And it’s the tip of the iceberg. At a time when the cost of caring for our ageing network is escalating, we’re spending over £1 million a year to repair historic canal bridges after they’ve been damaged by road traffic.
“It’s hugely frustrating that we’re having to divert time and money into repairs such as this,” says Linny Beaumont, our regional director. “If motorists just slowed down a bit and paid a bit more attention, they would save themselves and us a lot of cost and aggravation.”
Thankfully, Barrow Bridge has now been reopened to traffic. We are liaising with the local highways authority to explore ways to prevent this happening in future, perhaps to include a weight restriction. In the meantime, we hope drivers take care crossing the bridge.
Last Edited: 02 August 2024
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