Wendover Canal Trust Re-watering

On a blustery and cold November day volunteers from the Wendover Canal Trust (formerly the Wendover Arm  Trust) commenced re-watering of a further quarter mile section of the canal between the two footbridges. This is  another milestone for the Trust whose volunteers have worked tirelessly, sometimes in appalling weather, to  complete this new section which has not held water for over one hundred years.

‘Pulling the plug’ by the existing bund was carried out by both the oldest and newest volunteers to the Trust. Permission had to be obtained from the Canal & River Trust, the owners of the canal, and it has been estimated that  re-watering will take up to a fortnight. However this will not be to navigable depth and completion of the remaining  section linking up with the Phase 1 restoration at Little Tring will be necessary before boating is possible.

Removal of a major obstruction by way of an old tip at Little Tring will cost the Trust a very substantial sum and  funding for this work is being investigated and any contributions will be very welcome!

Whilst re-watering was in progress 7 scouts aged 11- 17, 3 scout leaders and 2 mothers, all braving the blizzard  conditions at the winding hole, planted 60 hedging along the back fence and weeded around last year’s trees. This was for their Community Service badge.

Photos: Main – Pulling the plug; Above 1 – Water trickles from existing re-watered section into new; 2 – Whitehouses (Old Pumping Station) before re-watering; 3 – Whitehouses taken 24 hours after re-watering commencement.