SECTION N1

RUSHEY PLATT

SWINDON CROSS TO WOOTTON BASSETT ROAD BRIDGE

NEW LINE: DAVE MACK ROUTE E

STATUS
This section lies within the planned Front Garden development area of Swindom.
It is unlikely that the Canal will be built along the precise line defined here, and it may leave the Main Line at a completely different point.

Length: 1090yds; 1.0km
O.S. Reference: 137833 to 133840
Water Level height A.O.D.: 99.1/95/92m. (5 locks)
Features:
  • Swindon Cross 137833
  • Rushey Platt Top Lock 136833
  • Rushey Platt No. 2 Lock 136834
  • Cycle Track Bridge (Bridge 1) 133837
  • Rushey Platt No. 3 Lock 133837
  • Rushey Platt No. 4 Lock 132838
  • GWR Bridge (Bridge 2) 132839
  • Spillwier 132839
  • Rushey Platt Bottom Lock 132839
  • Wootton Bassett Road Bridge (Bridge 3) 133840
Map

 

DESCRIPTION

The Canal leaves the Moredon Spur on a fairly high embankment and immediately enters Rushey Platt Top Lock, itself heavily embanked. The Canal turns north in a wide pound, and there is another lock.
Crossing under an 11kV electric cable on wooden posts.
The Canal now runs alongside the Midland and South West Joint Railway's embankment, which now carries a cyclepath; close to the 95m contour; the land here slopes down from the foot of the embankment to the River Ray, running more or less parallel, about 50 yds. away at the closest.
Approaching the railway, the cyclepath comes down off the embankment and crosses the Canal on a new bridge, following the Canal for about 200 metres until it rejoins its former route to the west, alongside the GWR embankment.
Two locks then take the Canal down to a lower level, and under the GWR in a thrust-bored tunnel.
In this view, taken from the path along the top of the railway embankment, the structure that can be seen in the centre of the picture is the culvert for the River Ray; the Canal culvert will be to the left of this, and the site of the two locks is between the river and the path.
Railway crossing. 32kB
Scrubby area
 The Canal emerges in the scrubby area behind the overflow carpark of the Mannington Trading Estate, and turns right to pass the carpark and a pylon.
A further lock, provisionally named Rushey Platt Bottom, lowers the Canal a further distance before the existing bridge under the Wootton Bassett Road.
The picture shows the line of the Canal past the carpark, and the probable site of the lock.

WATER SUPPLIES

None on this section. Water will have to be supplied by lockage from the summit pound.

RIGHTS OF WAY

The line of the Canal can be followed by walking along the cycleway northwards from Skew Bridge, on the old railway line.
The cycleway descends some way before the GWR crossing, and crosses the line of the Canal, before going under the railway further to the west.
Follow the path, which soon becomes a road, through here and turn right at the end; a little further on the Canal line comes under the railway embankment and passes the overflow carpark on the right, before passing under Wootton Bassett Road.
It is normally possible to cross under the road under the bridge.

HOSTELRIES

I am not aware of any in the vicinity.

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Updated 9.11.2004