At last the final link is to be completed between the Droitwich Barge Canal leading West from Vines Park (in Droitwich Town)  to the Severn and the Droitwich Junction Canal leading East from Vines Park to Hanbury Junction on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal….

The link requires the short section of the River Salwarpe in Vines park to be converted to a canal. This is according to Wychavon District Council who state “Sunbury Engineering and Droitwich Garage, who are allowing our Contractor to utilise their land as a works compound at nil cost and have donated parts of their land to the Wychavon District Council to ensure the Project can go ahead.” See their announcement.

The Droitwich Canals Trust state “British Waterways hope to start work during the week commencing 18 October to convert the stretch of the River Salwarpe along Hanbury Road into the final link of the canal…..means that the canals can be fully opened in 2011“.

The 6 and 2 mile stretches of canal to be linked will provide a 21 mile cruising ring via Hanbury Junction on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal  – River Severn to Worcester –

Worcester and Birmingham Canal back to Hanbury Junction . Another crusing opportunity is North up the Severn to Stourport and then along the Staffordshire and Worcester to the BCN and back and northward.

This is a very important link and will provide owner and holiday cruisers with many more opportunities.

The photo above shows the exit of Lock 6 on the Barge Canal into the River Salwarpe in July 2008, and this is the start of the new link.

Soon to come is a photographic comparison of the Droitwich Barge Canal in 2008 and now. Please keep coming back to see this site…Why not subscribe to email notification of additions to the site, like this, by entering your email address in the box at the top of the left sidebar.

Geoff