Porridge for breakfast this morning, then we set off for Snarestone and the canal terminus. Just before Snarestone tunnel we passed Maffi on “Milly M”. We arrived at the terminus, winded and pulled into the service area for water and toilet emptying. We moved down to the 48hr moorings, and as we were mooring up Maffi and Molly came along the towpath and we chatted for a while, saying our farewells as he is heading off to Coventry for the weekend, so we may not see him again for a while.
After lunch we set off to walk along the line of the canal which is to be restored. The new swing bridge was the terminus of the canal when we were last here in 2008.
The restoration has moved on from the original terminus.
Work was in progress with the canal bed being dug out, which had been filled in with coal mine spoil. Because of the work in progress we had to divert onto Quarry Lane.
This is the pump house, for the water company, not sure why it is here, but I think it is now a private house, possibly.
We re-joined the canal course just the other side of the pump house and waterworks house. This was looking back at the work in progress from the other side. A dumper truck was using this route to travel to the dump site further along the route.
This was further along the route again looking back, the ruts created by the dumper truck are getting quite deep!
This is the area where the dumper truck is depositing the spoil, I think this will grow into quite a large heap by the time they have cleared all the spoil in this area.
This is again looking back from further along, with the spoil dump on the right of the picture. Just beyond the way marker is where an aqueduct once stood carrying the canal over Gilwiskaw Brook.
At this point is an area used for tank driving events. It is on the old line of the canal, but before reaching this point the restored canal will be rerouted around here.
This is the road bridge over the Gilwiskaw Brook looking towards where the aqueduct was. To the right of the picture can be seen the waymark seen previously and indicates the height of the canal above that of the road. There is quite a serious embankment here, and will give an amazing view for canal travellers once it is reopened.
From the brook we returned along the road to where it was joined by Quarry Lane. This is Quarry Lane looking towards the present terminus of the canal, with the pump house chimney just in view.
We both look forward to one day travelling along this section of canal when it is restored. Talking to representatives of the Ashby Canal Association at the terminus, they have enough funding for next year to pay for the restoration work to be carried right through to the brook, which is great news.
Keith
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