Shropshire Union Canal receives £14,600 fund for repairs

The Shropshire Union Canal Society has expressed its gratitude for a substantial grant of £14,600, generously awarded by the Association for Industrial Archaeology (AIA).

This financial support will contribute to the restoration efforts on the historic tramway wharf at Crickheath.

Tom Fulda, Shropshire Union Canal Society project manager, said: “We are very grateful for this generous grant.

"It will substantially help the project with the cost of plant hire, volunteer welfare and materials as well as promoting the work of the Association for Industrial Archaeology, the national society for industrial heritage, which has supported the study, preservation and presentation of many sites since the 70s.”

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The canal wharf, an integral part of Shropshire's industrial heritage, once served as the terminal point for a horse-drawn tramway extending two-and-a-half miles from the limestone quarries at Porth-y-waen.

Restoration work aims to preserve this remarkable structure in its original form.

Expertise from the Dry Stone Walling Association is being enlisted to ensure durable and high-quality repairs.

The distinctive wall is crowned with substantial copings made of buff and yellow sandstone/gritstone, which once supported tramway rails and wagons.

AIA sign and wall (Image: Shropshire Union Canal Society)

These wagons facilitated the transfer of limestone into moored narrowboats.

The AIA champions the study and appreciation of industrial archaeology through various awards and grants, actively engaging early-career enthusiasts.

The organization's support for the tramway wharf's restoration highlights the significance of preserving industrial heritage.

In 1860, the Oswestry & Newtown Railway (later the Cambrian Railway) opened a line to Pool Quay, necessitating the construction of a bridge to carry the tramway over the railway near Llynclys Station.

Subsequently, a branch line from the railway to Porthywaen was established.

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Over the ensuing four decades, the tramway's infrastructure evolved as quarry operations shifted.

However, it coexisted harmoniously with the railway until canal maintenance deteriorated, eventually leading to its closure.

The tramway's lines were dismantled in 1939, marking the end of an era.

Though the tramway's ultimate fate may appear somewhat melancholic, its successful trading history spanning 130 years is a testament to its enduring significance.