The historic timber jetty plays a vital role guiding ships and barges into West India Lock, absorbing the impact from vessels and protecting the stone dock walls. The jetty was last repaired over 25 years ago, and it is anticipated that these works will lengthen the life of the structure for at least another 25 years.
Specialist engineers are working on-site with a ‘spider crane', which helps them to access the tight spaces within the jetty and carry out the timber repair and replacement works. Around 110 tonnes of FSC accredited, sustainable timber will be used in the works - the equivalent weight of a blue whale, the largest living animal in the world today.
The works are expected to be completed in mid-January 2014 and are part of our programme to repair and restore hundreds of historic waterway structures including iconic lock flights and bridges, as part of its five-month, £45 million programme of work to look after 2,000 miles of canals and rivers across England and Wales.
