GOING BEHIND THE SCENES AT SEEND LOCKS
The Canal & River Trust offered a different perspective on a familiar beauty spot when more than 350 people took a look below the water line at the new lock gates and repair works at Seend Locks on the Kennet & Avon Canal in the UK recently.
As well as experiencing the drained lock and seeing what is usually hidden under thousands of litres of water, there was a chance to chat with the team about the challenges and rewards of protecting and preserving the 200-year-old canal.
The flight of five locks, built near Seend Cleeve village, was constructed by renowned canal engineer John Rennie in the late 1700s. Originally a hive of activity with trade boats loaded with wool and ore, or stones from local quarries, the canal at Seend is now a haven for visitors and wildlife both on land and water.
MAJOR DREDGING TO START AT CHURCHILL’S BIRTHPLACE
The first dredge in 100 years of the Queen Pool Lake on the royal Blenheim Estate in Oxfordshire, England will be carried out by Land & Water, the UK marine civils contractor.
The work, which will take around nine months, will remove 300,000 m3 of silt - enough to fill the England football team’s national stadium, Wembley, to the brim - from the lake at Blenheim Palace, where Winston Churchill was born. It is now home to the 12th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough.
“The dredge is one of the most ambitious civil engineering projects undertaken here at Blenheim over the last 300 years,” said Roy Cox, Blenheim Estate’s director. ”It is vitally important to help ensure the long-term health of the lakes, surrounding waterways and parkland and the rich biodiversity that it supports as well as mitigating the risk of environmental damage.”
CONDOR JOINS FLYING FERRY CONSORTIUM
Condor Ferries has joined the Belfast Maritime Consortium and will operate a zero-emission commuter ferry service on Belfast Lough.
Beginning in 2024, the 30-minute ferry service from Bangor Marina to Belfast’s Titanic Quarter will act as a pilot scheme for the passenger ferries currently under development by the consortium, led by Artemis Technologies. The vessels will be powered by the Artemis eFoiler, enabling them to ’fly’ above the water, which produces minimal wake at high speed while using up to a reported 90% less energy than some conventional ferries.
“Belfast will get a glimpse of the future when the pilot service commences operation, but it is just the beginning,” said Dr Iain Percy, chief executive and founder of Artemis Technologies.
Photo: Belfast Maritime Consortium
Photo credit: Canal & River Trust
The Report • June 2022 • Issue 100 | 19
UK Marine News
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