Wheaton Aston embankment is shut..

Moored Wheaton Aston, Shropshire Union Canal

I’m not too sure about this….

Today they block off the canal.. the reason for our determination to get past last month.  Instead of dewatering the whole of the embankment they have decided to use a shovel machine to take earth out of that container and dump it in the canal!

A bank they have made.  I spoke to the chap on the tug in front “What is going to happen to all the water then?” says I.. “Eh?” says he.. “Well the Shroppie has one hell of a flow on it you know” “Does it?” “Well yes, it is pouring down the bywater at the lock”.. “Oh, ….well I expect they will get a pump out and take it away”.

120 mtrs of piling they are doing putting a dam either end of that.  I did try to contact BW today to ask where the pumps were but couldn’t get to talk to anyone.

At Shebdon Embankment when they had a breach last year, they pumped the water ‘downhill’ through pipes I believe, but there is no pumping equipment at this site.

If the water runs down against that bank thing then it will overflow the towpaths and pour into the fields on each side.. I do hope the pumping equipment turns up tomorrow! We will loosen our ropes just in case it doesn’t