Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
flamingos to trumpeter swans. These birds generally prefer not to use the canal. Canoe safaris
allow a closer look.
Although the canal follows the River Severn closely, there is only one point where it is
clearly visible from the canal, beyond where an overflow weir allows excess water to dis-
charge into the estuary immediately alongside. Here, there are fine views across Waveridge
Sand to the Forest of Dean, which is now close on the opposite shore.
Its embankment was shored up with 81 sunken wood, steel and concrete vessels, 30 of
which are still visible. The largest ship graveyard in the British Isles, some of these Purton
Hulks are of historical value and they have each been supplied by the Friends of Purton with
a small plaque giving its details; an excellent, informal, open-air exhibition. One was an IRA
gun runner until it was captured in 1921 by the Royal Navy. Seven of the 39 stemhead fer-
roconcrete barges are here, Britain's largest collection, precursors for the Mulberry Harbour
units.
King
is a rare composite wood and steel vessel that shows how construction methods
changed. Kennet barge
Harriett
is a scheduled ancient monument but most boats have no
protection at all, unlike every blade of grass in the surrounding Site of Special Scientific In-
terest.
Ponds on the left of the canal were used at one time for storing complete tree trunks, keep-
ing them afloat until they were required by the various timberyards.
The canal divides at Sharpness. The arm to the right, now used for moorings below a wall
that is the remains of a coal tip loader adjacent to former pleasure grounds, was the origin-
al connection with the estuary, the end basin having been tidal. From 1939 to 1966 the TS
Vindicatrix
was moored here to train young men for the merchant navy, thousands of seamen
identifying themselves as Vindi Boys. The lock is now disused beside the listed dock keep-
er's cottage of 1856, used as a rescue base, and all traffic is routed through the docks.
Gloucester Docks with its warehouses, including the one that houses the Gloucester Waterways Mu-
seum
.
These docks, covering 12ha of water, handle 500,000 tonnes of freight annually and are
one of the leading sources of revenue for the Canal & River Trust's Freight Services Division.
Timber has been a major commodity, the first timberyard belonging to the Canal & River
Trust, but there are also more of the seven-storey brick warehouses with concrete silos reach-
ing up to twice their height. A dry dock is available and narrowboats are constructed although
these look totally lost among the shipping moored here. Shipping line agents occupy portable
cabins and even the Customs & Excise office looks transitory.
