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Plug is pulled on
reservoir plan
Has it finally been decided?
A Day out (with the
workers) at Drayton Lock.
(click image for
pictures)
Jubilee
Junction now open
(click image for
pictures)
Diamond Jubilee
Grant Press Release
IWA HEAD OFFICE
BULLETIN – December 2005 – ISSUE No 107
February 2006 - Work begins at the Junction.
Rachel's pictures
Contractors start at Junction
Progress 1
Progress 2
Progress 3
BBC News Item
Breakthrough
Grand Opening
A special project report from Martin Buckland
Thames Water responds
to public feedback on reservoir design proposals....
 Read it
here.
The first 150 metres
You may be surprised to find
out that......
For nearly a hundred years
horse drawn narrow boats brought coal from the Somersetshire coalfields to the
towns of the Vale of the White Horse and on to the River Thames via it's
junction in ABINGDON.
This original cast iron bridge
has the inscription "Wilts and Berks Canal Company 1824",
but it is not over the canal. It is over a tributary of the Thames, the
River Ock. It was built by the Canal Company to provide access to the junction
and wharf.
The actual junction was about a
hundred yards down stream. The entrance is now blocked off, but still
quite obvious.
During the Summer of 2003, the
Environment Agency provided a sign to mark the site of a proposed new junction
for the canal with the river. This is about one mile downstream from the
original junction and opposite Culham Lock Cut. The sign was installed by
members of the
Wilts & Berks Canal Trust,
who are leading the restoration of the whole canal.
The sign immediately attracted
the attention of passing boats.
The canal was abandoned by Act
of Parliament in 1914 following years of decline.
For nearly seventy years it slowly disappeared from view.
In the towns, such as Abingdon, it was filled in and built over.
In the countryside some infilling took place but much of it was slowly
reclaimed
by nature
and lay hidden from view.
This was its salvation.
In 1977 a Group was formed.
The Wilts & Berks Canal Amenity Group determined to try to preserve and protect
the remains of the canal and promote areas for the public to enjoy.
The name of the Group eventually changed to the
Wilts & Berks Canal Trust, and
its object has become the full restoration of the canal to navigation.
[This is NOT an Official WBCT website, but
is run in support of the work of the East Vale Branch of the Trust which
includes Abingdon]
[All opinions and comments on these pages are solely those of the
authors and do not necessarily represent
the views of any of the organisations mentioned in these pages.]
Site Designed and Maintained by
SWS
© 2010
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Abingdon's Canal ! 
