Canal River Trust Task Force Day – August 2017

This month the Audlem volunteer lock keepers had the luxury of 2 new team members (Geoff and Harry) making a total number of 7 persons, this is including Jim Stretch our C & R T Team Leader for the day. After the days work brief, including the dynamic risk assessment for today's tasks it was off up the 'canal flight' to lock 10.

Jim took his C & R T work van loaded with the days equipment and tools on ahead to bridge 77, this in turn saved us a lot of time and energy pushing loaded wheel barrows.

The first task involved the 'cutting up' of a small tree just above lock 10 that had been hanging in the bramble covered bank and in danger of falling on to the towpath.

With the power tools supplied by C & R T and Jim's expertise it was soon 'job done' cleared and made safe.

We then went on up to the by- wash area just above lock 9 to clear overhanging brambles, again job completed. Our work pattern also involved the removal of some 'low overhanging branches' above the towpath in this area. Then on up to locks 8 to 7 to cut back the overgrown hedge that had grown over the tow path, again 'job done'. Whilst in the area of lock 8 we again cut back the undergrowth that was covering the lock by-wash. Finally we moved on up to lock 7 and the bridge 77 area to clear undergrowth which was affecting passing boat traffic from the bridge and by-wash area.

All areas were cleared of the waste vegetation created and 'great care was taken whilst carrying out the work operation'. All passing boat traffic was assisted through the various locks we were working on, all litter found was removed from site and the lock quadrants were cleared.

As a footnote 'all the doggie doo doo's found were highlighted with our 'bio-degradable marker system'.

Finally a word of thanks to Phil, one of our volunteers who lives in the village for his skills in painting lock 11 over the past few days.

Please find photographs of some of the days team having a rest and a well earned cuppa!

Derek Jones
Volunteer Lock Keeper / Lock Ranger

This article is from our news archive. As a result pictures or videos originally associated with it may have been removed and some of the content may no longer be accurate or relevant.