Interesting day at Marsworth

THE Open Day at Marsworth Locks on the Grand Union Canal was a good idea, and enjoyed by many, Tug Wilson writes.

My Wife and I visited the Canal & River Trust's Open Day on the Grand Union Canal at Marsworth on the 13th January. Being boaters, we are familiar with locks and their surroundings, however, the chance to see and enter a drained lock was too good an opportunity to pass up.

Fascinating

It was fascinating to view parts of the structure which you never get an opportunity to see, for example the ground paddle sluice's and the chambers where they enter and fill the lock.

Canal & River Trust had fielded a team consisting of members of staff and volunteers, who were friendly and knowledgeable, not just about the lock workings, but about the area in general, e.g. the reservoirs, and how there were once parallel locks, which is something which I didn't know!

Vanished lock

Once in the emptied lock chamber, one could see where the feed to the side pounds would have gone off, and also the inter-connection to the now vanished parallel lock. An ancient elm paddle which had been found during the works was on display complete with signal crayfish!

For those who did not want to venture into the lock or were without the required wellies, there were a selection of lock components on display, complete with a member of CaRT who described their purpose.

It is interesting to see how the silt builds up, and where it is scoured out, presumably by the currents which flow during lock operation, equally disappointing are the reflections of modern life with the presence of the requisite car tyres and shopping trolleys.

We had an excellent day, so well done CaRT, and to show our appreciation, we took out a Friends membership.