IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Charles Henry Road, DROITWICH, WR9 8QQ

I hadn't been this way for a few weeks and was surprised to see that work had finally started on re-instating this section of the Droitwich Junction Canal. This is being undertaken by contractors with lots of kit and on-site security. The lock between the canal and the River Salwarpe will be very close to the site offices. I must try to keep an eye on this.

Initial site clearance work has started on the restoration of this length of the canal into Droitwich. Tree clearance has taken place now so as to avoid disturbance to nesting creatures later in the year. Construction work is due to commence in mid 2007.

Initial site clearance work has started on the restoration of this length of the canal into Droitwich. Tree clearance has taken place now so as to avoid disturbance to nesting creatures later in the year. The canal originally continued to the left in to Droitwich parallel to the River Salwarpe. The restoration will see a lock constructed at this point and the canal will go into the River Salwarpe to pass under the bridge just visible behind the car in the picture and avoid buildings constructed on the old canal alignment.

The River Salwarpe is in the foreground and the sheet piling is part of the new canal. This must be very close to the new lock in to the Salwarpe. There will be a short stretch of navigable river between the two canals. The original lock is under a building and the chamber can still be entered.

The footpath continues on the left and eventually leads to a modern housing estate, coming out on Mayflower Road. Image

The structure in the foreground was long a mystery to me but Peter Lee's website - http://www.leepd60.110mb.com/ - has explained all. This is the bywash weir that supplies water to a long pipeline that connects the Junction Canal to the Barge Canal and bypasses the canalised section of the River Salwarpe. This apparently preserves water quality in the Salwarpe. Immediately next to the weir is the newly formed cut and there is a mooring wharf to the left of the weir. In the left background with bright orange netting is the nearly completed lock No. 7.

Lock No. 7 - the bottom gates are in. Although the chamber is in water, the cut only just extends left out of picture and there is still no final connection to the Salwarpe - a nearly finished canal but going nowhere yet.

- There will be the connection between the Droitwich Junction Canal and the river Salwarpe. Lock No. 7 is all finished with nowhere to go. There is currently an overflow back into the river but eventually the river will be canalised and the lock will lead into it.

The earth bank in to the river allows access for the heavy plant. The pipe in the foreground is taking the river around the dewatered section. The two white boxes are mobile generators providing power for the pumps.

This is nearly finished and the top gate is lying loose in the chamber. The blue brick capping is largely laid and the cut to the right has been completed to profile. I moved to Droitwich in the late 1970s and the restoration of the canal has been in the planning since at least then.