Devilish job on the ‘hell hole’
HEAVY rain followed by very strong winds added to the difficulty of recent weekend work on Montgomery Canal restoration at Crickheath.
But despite the elements Shropshire Union Canal Society volunteers continued with the fortnightly programme and a considerable amount of progress was achieved at both ends of the 330 metres of channel with strict social distancing and sanitisation practice being the norm.
The activity at the Crickheath end involved continued installation of 100 metres of land drain, which is essential, to enable unwanted water to be rapidly pumped away when the detailed work in the channel begins.
At the other end, 330 metres east, activity entailed reducing the boggy area there, which has been christened the ‘hell hole’, by levelling it and then laying blankets of geotextile grid, which are then stabilised with grout and covered with stone.
Two areas of the towpath have suffered considerable subsidence since the canal was first constructed. These will have to be built up a metre higher than the finished level and then be weighted down by a considerable number of water-filled IBCs – Intermediate Bulk Containers – for six months, to allow this compaction to take place.
A third task was to install seven short sections of upright pipe on both sides of the channel which will serve as exact reference points to house a laser level measuring staff so that regular, precise monitoring can take place to determine the progress of compaction.