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DESCRIPTION
What Jack Dalby said in 1985.
"...apart from...the infilled Studley Bridge at 959722 and the embankment of the abandoned Calne branch railway nearby, is unfilled up to the junction with the Calne branch, 2.4 km away, just above Stanley Top Lock (960726). Just below Stanley Bottom Lock at 960724 are the sorry remains of the two-arched Stanley Aqueduct over the River Marden. The collapse of the south arch in 1901 was the final nail in the coffin of the W&B. Recently the other arch also showed signs of incipient collapse.
On the main line, 400 metres beyond the junction is the site of Stanley New Bridge at 959729."
From the road crossing that once was Studley Bridge, the bed is discernible
though heavily wooded until the disused railway crossing. This is
infilled and piped - a fairly large diameter pipe -and carries a nature
trail, which is predominantly a footpath. From here to Stanley Aqueduct,
the canal runs along the edge of a field. The field side is clear, and
there is a hedgerow along the other side, presumably the towpath hedge.
Stanley Aqueduct collapsed completely in 1997 and is in a very
sorry state indeed..
From here to Stanley Bottom Lock the bed runs through a strip of woodland.
It is moderately silted, and lightly overgrown, and still damp.
Stanley Bottom Lock is untouched and contains very little debris.
The walls are complete, including bull-nosed coping bricks, but the towpathside
wall leans inwards at an alarming angle. My theory is that this is due
to faulty bonding in the brickwork. This lock had a single bottom gate.
The bed up to Stanley Top Lock is again lightly wooded and damp.
Stanley Top Lock. The tail of the lock has been infilled and
piped, and carries a well-used farm crossing. Stanley Top Lock itself is
in fair condition though heavily overgrown with brambles. The lockside
contains an apiary. (towpath side). Up to Stanley Junction, the bed is
clearly discernible, but silted nearly to the top; definitely damp, with
reed growth.
Stanley Junction is believed to be an SSSI.
I have not explored from here to Stanley New Bridge.
Stanley New Bridge is on a steep hill. Headroom looks reasonable
but the approach to the bridge is heavily overgrown and has been subject
to tipping.
RESTORATION
The first length, 50 or 100 yards, is a straightforward "bash and dredge"
job.
Railway Bridge: There are indications that this was a slab bridge,
and that the abutments are substantially intact - i.e. that the original
headroom is preserved. It would be relatively easy to clear the bridgehole
and install a suitable deck. Up to Stanley Aqueduct the Canal wants little
more than a light dredging.
Stanley Aqueduct is a huge problem. Since it was the cause of the Canal's
demise, it should be symbolically rebuilt as original.
The Canal between here and the Bottom Lock presents no obvious problems
- a straightforward clearance and dredging job.
Stanley Bottom Lock will require serious demolition of the towpath
side chamber wall, which has split aboout 18" in from the face and is leaning
inwards. Probably a Kango job, but the coping bricks must be carefully
removed and stored first.
The Canal up to the Top Lock is again a straightforward clearance and
dredging job, though there may be some walling repairs, as it is in a fairly
deep cutting.
Stanley Top Lock The tail of the Top Lock has been infilled and will need digging out,
and the tail bridge re-instating. This must have been the turnover bridge
for the Calne Arm towpath, which at this point is on the south side (as
evidenced by Carpenter's Bridge). Presumably this was originally a brick
arch - we would have to provide a temporary girder crossing, perhaps across
the chamber, while we are rebuilding.
Stanley Top Lock is a straightforward re-building job, the extent of
which will be apparent when the overgrowth has been cleared. It contains
very little silt. The bed up to Stanley Junction is only lightly overgrown,
but heavily silted up.
Stanley New Bridge will presumably be either a navigable culvert or
a slab bridge.
WATER SUPPLIES
Unfortunately, Stanley Aqueduct is below the bottom lock; so no hope of
a feed from there.
The main supply on this section would be from the Calne Branch, until
the main line is complete.
HOSTELRIES
None in the immediate vicinity
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Walk Report - 25th April 1995.
Definite hump in the road where the bridge used to be.
There is an area of scalpings alongside the canal, on the west side, which is useful to park on.
The former railway bridge. The brickwork of the eastern abutment is visible in the track, and there is a hump where the western one used to be, so it is probably still there. There is a concrete headwall with at least one pipe through it.
The canal up to the aqueduct is more or less full depth and has water in the bottom. Reed growth in it.
North arch and the downstream portion of the southern arch have collapsed. Only the upstream arch ring of the southern arch is still standing.
It is no longer possible to cross the aqueduct.
In the north arch the river is blocked.
There are vehicle tracks going across the field to the River Marden, which suggests that we could transport materials to the aqueduct at least in summer, with permission.