THE Canal & River Trust recently emptied Pontcysyllte Aqueduct of water to check that the 307m long structure is in good working order.
Nicknamed the ‘stream in the sky’, the aqueduct was built in 1805 by Thomas Telford to carry the Llangollen Canal across the Dee Valley 38m below and was granted World Heritage Status in 2009. CRT engineer Sally Boddy said: “It’s the engineer’s job to be the voice of the aqueduct, to spot any things that might be causing it damage or may need fixing in years ahead. Draining Pontcysyllte Aqueduct for inspection helps us to make sure it is in good condition and to plan any future works that will need doing.”
Formed of a cast iron trough, supported by iron arched ribs and carried on 18 stone pillars, the aqueduct boasts more than 11,000 bolts. While the aqueduct is inspected regularly from the towpath, completely emptying the water allowed the engineers to inspect areas that are normally hidden. This included looking at the underside of the towpath, as well as the caulking of still-watertight joints along the cast iron trough which were sealed more than two centuries ago with Welsh flannel dipped in boiling sugar.
The inspection was part of a wider m a i n t e n a n c e programme for the aqueduct. Since Christmas, a team from the Canal & River Trust has been working alongside specialist blacksmiths to carry out routine maintenance of the parapets. Emptying the aqueduct took a lot of planning as the canal carries a daily water supply that feeds more than 70,000 homes and businesses in Cheshire. The trust worked with United Utilities, which put in place a bypass to continue supplying water from the River Dee.
More than £185,000 had to be raised by the trust to carry out the works at the UNESCO World Heritage Site. A crowdfunding campaign is being run to raise £10,000 towards the cost: https://bit.ly/Ponty_Aqueduct
