Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, turns first sod in Melksham Link Canal
Archive - Originally posted on "The Horse's Mouth" - 2010-09-09 05:43:07 - Graham Ellis
The Wilts and Berks Canal opened 200 years ago ... but only survived for just over a hundred years, as carriage of good moved away to rail and then back to road, from where the canal had taken it in the first place.
But with canals now being a popular leisure time magnet - drawing people to cycle, to walk, to fish, and to look - as well as to travel on boats - now is the time for this canal to be re-opened ... all the way from the Kennet and Avon canal junction at Semington up to Abingdon on the Thames.
Yesterday, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall visited Semington. There, she watched the "Barbara McLellan" arrive on the Kennet and Avon with the VIP group, named the new Wilts and Berks trip boat (that will be used on sections already restored) as "The Dragonfly", and cut the first sod for the new Melksham Link, which will reconnect the existing Kennet and Avon Canal at Semington to the river Avon near Melksham, as the end step in a chain all the way to Abingdon. Through Melksham, alas, the original canalbed has been built over, and so a new route is needed - for the vast majority of the route, the old bed is still available.
Lisa journeyed on the Barbara McLennan yesterday as part of the "VIP" group in her role with the Chamber of Commerce, and put together this video.
The Canal Link has the full support of the Chamber of Commerce, and is enthusiastically welcomed by the tourist information, town traders, and indeed the wider community. At the current time, we're just coming towards the end of a consultation / planning / discussion stage (royal "we" - the town / CAP) which has explained the plans to the community, generated suggestions, concerns, and shown us just how well the link will fit in, and how carefully evaluated and considered the route is. I'm sure it will be a great success