The restoration of the Cotswolds Canals has taken a vital step forward following the completion of a years-long project.
THE Cotswold Canals Trust is celebrating the completion of Weymoor Bridge, a vital crossing point in the ongoing restoration of the Cotswold Canals, thanks to the tireless efforts of Waterways Recovery Group (WRG) volunteers.
The new bridge, a conventional-looking red brick hump-back design, blends heritage with modern engineering. While sympathetic to the original structure’s style, this version has been built to handle 44-tonne vehicles – a remarkable improvement on the original structure’s three-tonne capacity.
The journey to rebuild it began in 2014, when groundworks were laid and the steel centring installed. This temporary structure supported the construction of the brick arch and marked the project’s first significant milestone. Progress paused in 2015 following a change in land ownership and work resumed in August 2019, when the asphalt roadway was completed, allowing the bridge to reopen to traffic. By summer 2020, the finishing touches were added as the coping stones were installed, bringing the bridge closer to its final form.
This summer, the project gained fresh momentum when WRG volunteers arrived for two back-to-back working holidays organised by the national charity.
Back at the Cotswold Canals Trust’s Eastern Depot, skilled volunteer carpenters have been creating all the specialist formwork needed for the Waterway Recovery Group. This formwork has been essential for pouring the concrete bases of the two new wing walls being built beneath the bridge. Specially designed sections have also been manufactured to allow the lower portions of the walls themselves to be cast at the same time as the bases, saving time and ensuring a high-quality finish. Weymoor Bridge sits near Latton Junction, where the canal once played a key role in connecting local communities.
Watch Court Above The Cut’s film on the project:
