Phase 1B Restoration Connecting and Stonehouse to the rest of the waterway network

Phase 1B is the 4 mile gap between the recently Westfield Bridge remains intact, however. restored at the Ocean, Stonehouse and Further downstream a new will be the rest of the connected network at Saul constructed to lower the canal to 1m below the Junction on the Gloucester & Canal. level of the nearby River Frome. A new cut will This section of the Stroudwater Navigation be necessary to link the canal to an existing closed in 1954 and over the subsequent years bridge under the M5 which will provide the structures deteriorated and 1 mile of the canal means to pass under the motorway and thence was obliterated by the construction of the M5 to the A38. and its slip roads.

The intention is for the canal to share the existing bridge beneath the M5. This is a wide but low bridge which only provides 1.5m of headroom over the river. Increased headroom of 1m will be provided by the construction of a concrete channel (separated from the river) Ocean Railway Bridge to Meadow Mill which constitutes one of the more interesting technical challenges of Phase 1B. Moving westwards from the Ocean the first major blockage is where the Ocean Railway The canal will then continue in its new cut until Bridge was replaced by an embankment in the reaching the A38 where another new lock and late 1960’s. CCT’s technical volunteers are two road bridges will be required so that the currently working with Network Rail to finalise canal can pass diagonally across the the design and cost of a new bridge. A short roundabout that connects the A38 to the A 419. distance downstream the Bonds Mill lift bridge will also need replacing. It is expected that the ‘missing mile’ will provide significant opportunities for volunteer The next mile of the canal from Bond Mill to input particularly in the restoration of Westfield Meadow Mill is essentially intact and has Lock, the construction of two new locks and benefited from significant volunteer restoration digging the new canal cut. work over the past 25 years. Newtown and Blunder locks have been restored and are open to navigation. The chambers of nearby Pike & Dock locks have also been largely restored and after some additional work will be ready for re- gating. Pike Bridge, which is located between these two locks, was demolished in 1969 but rebuilt in 2005.

Meadow Mill to A38 – the ‘missing mile’

This section of the canal was more or less obliterated when the M5 was built. An aqueduct will have to be built to carry the canal over the Oldbury Brook. This will link up with a restored Westfield Bridge at the start of the missing mile Westfield Lock which was blown up when the M5 was built.

A38 to Saul Junction

The stretch from the A38 to Lockham Aqueduct will require an oil pipeline to be lowered and a new bridge at Stonepitts. Between Lockham and the largely restored Whitminster Lock the canal and the River Frome share the same channel. The remaining 750m of canal between Whitminster Lock 750m and Saul Junction are owned by the Canal & River Trust. The first 350m are not open to navigation being obstructed by Walk Bridge. Beyond Walk Bridge the Stroudwater Navigation is fully navigable to Saul Junction. It is intended that Walk Bridge will be replaced by a high level fixed bridge.

Additional Information Walk Bridge near Saul Junction

The Stroudwater Canal, which was completed in 1779, and the opening of the Thames & Severn Canal in 1789 together formed the first inland waterway link across the south of England. Collectively known as the Cotswold , their restoration is now a national priority with wide ranging outputs including recreation, regeneration, heritage, education and wildlife habitat benefits.

The Cotswold Canals Partnership, which includes Stroud District Council, Cotswold District Council, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire County Councils, , Natural England, The Canal & River Trust, IWA, and other organisations, aims to restore these waterways to connect once again the Rivers Thames and Severn. The Partnership was awarded a Heritage Lottery Fund grant of £13 million as part of an overall funding package of £20m to restore 6 miles of canal centered on Stroud (Phase 1A). This work, originally managed by Bristish Waterways and then by Stroud District Council, should complete this year.

CCT would be the first canal society to be trusted with a large HLF grant thus setting a useful precedent not only for Phase 2 and later phases of the Cotswold Canals project but also for similar canal projects.

The Phase 1B HLF bid draws extensively on wider community involvement and will include a range of benefits and deliverables far wider than the canal restoration itself. There will be wildlife benefits, work to make the original canal company archives more available, education projects and lots of ways for people to get involved. www.cotswoldcanals.com