Not looking too good for the Mon & Brec

IT STARTED with a tree blown down in a recent storm at Cross Oak near the northern end of the Mon & Brec.

Unfortunately this fell on a culvert that damaged its structure, it was discovered whilst the tree was being cleared, closing the waterway, Keith Gudgin reports

CCTV investigation

A CCTV investigation of the culvert between bridges 148 and 149 confirmed damage to its structure and the knowledge that if not repaired would result in significant leakage from the canal as well as increasing the likelihood of the culvert being blocked.

So it has been decided that repair works are to be undertaken before this section of the canal, that has been drained to allow inspection, can be refilled.

It is expected that contractors will be on site today, Monday, to ascertain the amount of work required to rebuild the damaged section of the culvert, the trust explaining that this will cause a delay to reopening this section of the navigation telling: 'but due to the reactive nature of this work we do not have a works programme at this time'. We will however update this notice as soon as the programme of work is confirmed.

Hire company cut-off

This means Cambrian Cruisers at Brecon, the northern end of the waterway, some six miles from the stoppage is now cut-off. Added to this the drained waterway means that the supply of water below the damaged culvert is also cut-off, with it being told that this will prevent the ability to restore normal water levels downstream, although measures are already in place to minimise this effect.

The real problem these days is that damaged culverts are taking many weeks to repair. The one at Hebden Bridge on the Rochdale taking six weeks and the one on the Shropshire Union at Audlem taking eight weeks.