Stroudwater and Thames & Severn Canals | Update 17a

[@michaelmiller641]

Thanks for that interesting update, Paul.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Michael! Glad you enjoyed (well, probably the wrong word for this one!) the video. Take care, Paul

[@DarylW426]

I like to see restoration efforts taking place and it's so important. But when there is an unfortunate accident it always seems innocent wildlife suffers. Thank you Paul for bringing attention to it.👍

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Daryl! Yes, it is a very unfortuate accident. I do hope things can be resolved to sort the wildlife out as a priority first. Thank you for watching and commenting. Cheers, Paul

[@ParkinsonsWalks]

Brilliant update Paul, where would we be without you. Ron

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Ron. Glad you enjoyed it. Hope all is OK with you. Take care, Paul

[@JimNicholls]

That looks like quite a problem, Paul, and I hope they can resolve it soon. You do a great job promoting awareness of what's happening with the canals, and I hope people appreciate it. I'd love to get involved in helping restore canals, but being 12,000 miles away means the commuting would be a bit too difficult. Watching your channel is the next best thing.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Jim - yes, indeed the capsize and subsequent leak is. Thanks for your kind offer - with the 12,000 miles between us I quite understand! Thanks for watching and commenting - hope to bring some more positive news soon. Take care, Paul

[@royedwards8713]

Hi Paul nice update 😀

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Roy! Hope you had a good weekend. Take care, Paul

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

Thank you for a very interesting update. Some good news on the 'missing mile' and potentially at Brimscombe. I do agree with you that it does look as if more could be done to minimize the hazard of the sunken dredger. Could they not pump the water out and refloat it? At a minimum it would greatly reduce any oil seepage.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Malcolm, Yes, I think that some sort of coffer dam is the plan here to remove the dredger - I think they still need to improve the ingress of the oil into The Ocean again first before that happens. They may be waiting for instructions from their insurers. I do think we should see good progress on the Missing Mile soon. Cheers, Paul

[@JanetWilson-f2f]

Thanks for the update Paul, sad about the wildlife l hope that issue will be resolved asap. Jan

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Jan. I am hoping for more news on this situation later this week, Thanks for watching and commenting. Take care, Paul

[@JessesGrandDaysOut]

Very interesting update Paul, very sad about the Bridgwater canal and the dredger, good news about the aqueduct though.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Jesse! I am hoping for more news later this week, Yes, the aqueduct and progress on the missing mile is indeed good news. Take care, Paul

[@carolinecleaveley-q1r]

thanks Paul. hope some better news about the dredger soon. caroline.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, same! I am hoping for more news very soon. Take care, Paul

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

The WRG groups were meant to build that aqueduct last year but couldn’t because of the local landowner, who I won’t name, so I’m surprised it’s gone out to design/tender.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, I understand that 'they' forbade access to the WRG for reasons that I didn't - I thought the immediate Stroudwater land was owned by the Stroud Valleys Canal Company still (since the Stroudwater was originally built - I think it is the oldest still surviving Canal Company in the world). I do, however, think it needed specialist input for engineering design, and hope work can start on building it soon. Cheers Stephen! Paul

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@ it’s the access tracks that are the problem they are owned by a local guy who owns the football club and the local green electric company. He throws his toys out the pram every time he doesn’t get his own way with planning and prevents access

[@Somersetmanwalking]

Great Update Paul, its always such a shame when our wild life suffers, lets hope they get it all sorted soon. Best wishes Darren👍

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Daz. Yes, it was heartbreaking to see, especially the oil on the swan too. I do hope it can be sorted soon. Take care, Paul

[@WanderingwithWatto]

Great video Paul. Like you I too don’t think there is enough being done to preserve / protect the wildlife in that area. Thanks for all of the info and also the good news too. 👍🏻🚶🏻‍♂️🚶‍♀️

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Watto! Yes, I think there might be some positive news coming this week - I will keep people updated on my Facebook Group and in the next update. Take care, Paul

[@michaelpilling9659]

Good Morning Paul and greetings from Poland A Very interesting video - a bit like the curates egg - good in parts. Good news about the aqueduct and Blackstones involvement but sad and bad news about the sunken dredger. Wild life is important and must be protected as much as possible. Oil spills on the other hand are extremely dangerous and environmentally damaging. Perhaps the attempted containment wasn't what it should be or the oil should have been removed as soon as it appeared on the surface of the water. environmental

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Michael. Although this was a short update, I personally found this an emotionally difficult video to make. I too find damage to wildlife upsetting - I tried to do it in a fair and as balanced way as possible. I really do hope that there will be some positive news about this tragedy soon. Certainly, some more needs to be done - and fast. Thank you for your comments and support, as always. Take care, Paul

[@davidberlanny3308]

Hi Paul, Thanks for the update, a real mixed bag well done for doing it in such an impartial way. I had been wondering if there would be any ramifications for these canals following the Bridgewater collapse. Fast work which is very positive to see, over time it will be improved upon I'm sure. I guess it's a problem for all heritage infrastructure. Terrible to see that poor Kingfisher and that Swan does look affected too. Maybe the only thing that can be done is to section that zone off and drain, maybe the dredger could then be dragged out. Another thought is that it could be righted, pumped out and refloated. It's a shame to see this step backwards. Thanks for taking the time to do this update, it can't have been easy to do. All the best!!

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you David. It was a difficult one to do, as you can imagine, but I think we will see good progress on the Missing Mile this year. I think you are right - needs to be some sort of coffer dam and water drain out. Take care, Paul

[@frankhobbs7695]

Another informative video. Sounds like an expensive job to recover the barge. I'm guessing it will be a cofferdam job. Leave it to the experts.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Yes, I was thinking that a cofferdam will be the only viable way, together with some specialist lifting or salvage equipment. I will keep everyone posted when I know more. Cheers, Paul

[@hvee4]

It is indeed a mixed bag as you say, but the good news is good news and hopefully work can start at both Brimscombe port and the missing mile, that would be fantastic, but the dredger is a big talking point and very controversial and contentious, I’ve absolutely no idea how they are going to get that out but I am guessing that the equipment that is needed is either on the way or has at least been booked for the extraction at the earliest possibility, the canal trust has done so much great work over the years to have public opinion turn against them is very unfortunate and I along with everyone else hopes this is resolved very quickly. Thanks once again for the update Paul 👍🏻

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Lee. Yes, the canal Trust (and its predecessors), and all the wonderful hardworking volunteers have done fantastic work over the years. I too am perturbed by the recent backlash at both the canal and the Trust, per se. I do think more needs to be done, before the dredger is removed, to protect the wildlife though, and I think that SVCC need to bring in some specialist help, like the GWT, or similar, to help them with this endeavour. I am guessing that the SVCC are waiting for the insurers of the dredger to work through the extraction of this vessel. It is indeed great news about both Brimscombe, and especially the Oldbury Aqueduct, and I am hopeful of following progress of the latter soon. Cheers, Paul

[@PaulSutton-o9n]

The capsized dredging barge is called Patricia. It's on the side facing out of the water. 'Otters" also use that stretch and have been fined by night vision camera very close, swimming and breaking the ice, on 10/01/25 10:30pm. They are protected by law and this neglect (lack of action to seal and cover the oil) is a very real threat to them as it is to al the other wildlife around there. Once the ice thaws and the wind picks up as it is predicted to do, the oil already leaked into the Ocean will inevitably spread further and wider. It can already be seen trapped in the ice. The dredger was coming through the tunnel after working further west.

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Paul - and thank you for clarifying the name of the dredger - I have seen her in action many times previously along the Stroudwater. Yes, I do understand the very real threat to the otters - and it is indeed a most troubling situation. Thanks again! I love your brilliant wildlife photography on Facebook. Take care, Paul

[@colin125gwr]

Thanks for the update Paul An awkward place to recover a boat I'm sure the ice isn't helping with the oil leak As the oil mops won't pick it up I am sure they're working on a plan behind the scenes to recover it .And I think the Canal and river Trust will be spending lots of money surveying embankments along the Canal network after the disaster at Little Bollington Which I'm sure will cost millions to fix if indeed they do fix it

[@westcountrywanderings]

Thank you Colin - and thanks for watching and commenting too. Yes, it is indeed a tricky location. It will need some kind of cofferdam and specialist recovery equipment. This canal isn't in the ownership of the CCT, but SVCC, Stroud Valleys Canal Company, the oldest Canal Company in the world. But, I think they have done some recent surveys, hence the Armco in place. Cheers, Paul

[@IamaDutch-Kiwi]

Accidents of this nature are disastrous for wildlife. The tasks the companies face are immense- with mixed results. There can only be losers when this sort of accident happens. Always good to be on top of these situations and bring them to people attention. I am sure the company involved will want closure too. They too incur losses and expenses - like I said, no winners all losers in this happening. 👍🇳🇱🙋‍♀🥝

[@uibhistach]

I presume, as you don’t know Patricia’s name you haven’t been in touch with the office for the Canal Company’s comment on the dredger accident?

[@westcountrywanderings]

I do know the dredger 'Patricia', as I have filmed her many times in my Cotswold Canals updates previously. I did not know when I filmed this that she was the dredger involved in the incident outlined here, as neither CCT nor SVCC released details. Several people have contacted me since including an eye witness to the entire tragedy. You can contact the SVCC here: [e-mail] Cheers, Paul