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Restoring the Lift
Foxton Locks Partnership ~ £2.8 million HLF Project
This account can only supply a small snapshot of the project so far. A site visit is the only way to appreciate the true impact of the works, and to see what a wonderful place Foxton is for a grand day out.
History
Back in 1980, when the Foxton Inclined Plane Trust (FIPT) was formed, few people had ever heard of the the lift, let alone dreamed of rebuilding it. However the early members of the FIPT did dream and now that dream has taken steps towards reality. The FIPT joined the Foxton Locks Partnership when it was formed in 1996 and has been an active member ever since. The Partnership is fully committed to the long term vision of a fully working Inclined Plane.
During the intervening years, visitor numbers at Foxton declined, partly due to competition from Sunday trading and partly lottery funded attractions. The site began to look tired and tatty. After several years of debate, proposals, planning and delay, the Partnership managed to secure a Heritage Lottery grant of £1.78m and have also raised the match funding to create a £2.8m project. The Partnership have contributed to other works and extra projects over the last few years, and Foxton is alive once more.
Recent works have included:
- Restoration of the top lock cottage to its 1900 appearance;
- Construction of two new pubs and other facilities beside the bottom basin;
- Creation of a new access road;
- Creation of a new short stay car park;
- Refurbishment of the toilet facilities in the long stay car park.
The long stay car park, previously owned and operated by Leicestershire County Council (a member of the Partnership) has been transferred to British Waterways as part of the match funding.
Phase I of the works comprised:
- Removal by volunteers of the trees from the Inclined Plane;
- Planting by volunteers, including local schools, of 2,500 new trees and hedging plants, to replace the trees which were removed;
- Dredging of the top arm which formerly led to the lift;
- Draining, dredging and inspection of the bottom dock.
The second phase of the Heritage Lottery Project, which is nearing completion, includes:
Now Complete
- Re-watering the upper canal, which had been derelict for nearly 100 years;
- Restoring the stop lock to working order;
- Draining the bottom dock and repairing the waterway walls;
- Installing a replica swing bridge over the Harborough Arm of the canal (improving access to the site);
- Re-grading the paths, covering them with a durable bonded surface and adding directional signs, making access easier for all visitors;
- Designing and installing a new footbridge over the top arm;
- Installation of a new observation point, overlooking the Inclined Plane, giving spectacular views of the surrounding countryside
Work under way
- Improving site interpretation. An Interpretation Officer has been funded, promoting the site's heritage and environmental importance. Works will include a variety of leaflets, panels, guided walks, and more permanent structures.
As site owner, British Waterways is leading the project and dealing directly with all aspects of the works. There has, however, been constant discussion within the Partnership and a considerable amount of public consultation.
The Project would not have got off the ground without the considerable expertise of members of the Partnership, in particular British Waterways and Harborough District Council. When it is complete, the site will be much enhanced, with the Inclined Plane better interpreted and in a stable condition. The FIPT is grateful for all of the contributions towards the successful completion of the project.
The Foxton Inclined Plane Trust has contributed £20,000 to the project and is now raising money towards an engineering study, which is essential for further progress towards a working Inclined Plane Lift.
Paths and access improvements
All of the paths on site have been re-graded and resurfaced, slopes and ramps are not as steep, making access better for all and the new surface doesn't get washed away with the first storm. A push tug and hopper delivered local Mountsorrel Granite to the top lock to resurface the paths. There is evidence that this material was used on site in the past. Mountsorrel is alongside the River Soar, and material would have come to site by boat. Sadly, modern day economics mean that it must now be delivered to site by lorry.
The paths were sprayed with a resin to bond the surface and this was covered with granite chippings giving a uniform finish to all of the paths which has proved to be substantial enough to withstand the 2007 storms. Many of the paths are now suitable for wheelchair users.
Bottom Dock
The bottom dock of the incline was dredged to its original depth, thus necessitating the use of several long reach diggers, and some big dumper trucks. The mud was sifted to remove unwanted debris before being spread on a local field. The waterway walls were repaired as was a land slip on the west bank of the entrance waterway. The wooden staging which separated the northern dock from the entrance to the southern dock has been fully restored using green oak. This structure is much more substantial than its description suggests, and its above water view indicates. It had to be solid enough to withstand the knocks given it by loaded working boats and it formed the bottom 'wall' when the lift's tank had descended into the water.
The waterway walls have been pointed with a special mortar mix approved by English Heritage. This is an important part of the works even though it is far less dramatic than other parts of the job. Above the workmen you can see the original granite copings on the left and inappropriate concrete blocks on the right. The copings have been renewed with stone. New service bollards have been installed to provide water, electricity and telephone to residential moorers.
The Incline
The Inclined Plane had become seriously overgrown with some fairly tall trees since it was abandoned in 1928. The growth was of poor quality because it was growing in the concrete and stone remains of the lift. English Heritage were particularly concerned and asked British Waterways to remove the growth, which was putting the 'ancient monument' at risk. The trees on the lower incline were removed by volunteers from the Waterway Recovery Group in particular the Forestry Group. In total some 60 trees were removed, and replaced by 2500 trees and hedging plants elsewhere on site. WRG have been working on site for many years, Essex WRG have been coming twice a year and their efforts were rewarded with training in the use of wood chippers and other mechanical devices. Skills which will be used on other site
s. The tree planting was carried out by local schools and members of the public, some of this planting has failed and the trees which have died will be replaced.
Further work will be done to improve the appearance of the incline. This work is in the planning stage which includes consultation with English Heritage. The work will make the bottom half of the incline look at least as good as the top and may well improve the entire incline face.
The Top Arm
The arm was finally abandoned in 1928 when the lift was scrapped. it was left to nature until the formation of the Trust in 1980, when the FIPT started to clear it. It had to be cleared several times over the years, this meant that no big trees were allowed to grow, making the restoration easier.
The arm has been cleaned out and the 'profile' returned to its original shape. This would have taken a couple of hundred men and a couple of months to achieve in the the Victorian era. Modern machines did it in under a week. Badgers had undermined the embankment which the canal sits on, this meant providing a temporary new home for the badgers before large steel piling was driven in to strengthen the bank.
The pilling was one and a half times the height of a double decker bus before it was driven in, and every inch is now in the ground. The channel was lined with stone and concrete before a giant pond liner was fitted. The canal is being covered by a layer of sand, and then a layer of white felt to protect the liner. The giant pond liner is then laid out and welded together to form a waterproof membrane. The traditional method of using clay is time consuming and expensive but was used to provide the joint between the old and the new.
At the southern end of this section was a set of stop gates to prevent flooding in case of a 'breach' in the bank or a problem with the lift. The brickwork was in good condition apart from the top couple of feet which had been exposed to the elements. The brickwork was restored by volunteers from British Waterways, and the new gates made with the aid of a donation. By Easter 2007 the canal was once again ready for water.
Swing Bridge & Observation Platform
A new observation platform has been installed overlooking the Inclined Plane and offering superb views of the surrounding countryside.
Interpretation
The final part of the project will be the interpretation of the site. This is in the design stages and will include high quality materials telling the site's history in a fun way. The top lock cottage and stables will have information and educational items on display and will be open to everyone.
The Future
The work doesn't stop here. The Partnership are already planning for the future, those plans will be for full restoration. The next step is to fund a study into the actual restoration, how will it be achieved, health & safety, what to do with extra visitors, and where will the money come from. If you wish to support the restoration please join the Foxton Inclined Plane Trust.
| Trust Membership |
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Foxton Inclined Plane Trust, a registered Charity |
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