BASINGSTOKE CANAL PHOTO GUIDE

THROUGH ASH VALE

    
Views of Mytchett Place Bridge

Before and after views from Mytchett Lake bridge. The first one is 2002, whilst the other is 1981 when it had steel railings and the canal was not in use, as evidenced by the shallow, weedy channel. The bridge was rebuilt ten years later in 1991.

    
View from Mytchett Lake Bridge - 2002 and 1981

Mytchett Lake is the larget of all the flashes on the Basingstoke Canal, but boats are not allowed beyond the offical navigation channel and a wire fence (not easy to see on the pictures) prevents warring boats.

Deepmans Footbridge, near Mytchett Place. This links a house on the far side to civilsation. This is the state I found it in October 2002 - virtually demolished - this bizarre mix of wood, steel and cables is nothing like the former timber footbridge represented in this picture (below left) from Waterways World March 1990. (Used by permission of Waterways World.)

Ash Vale bridge is a motley affair. Its rather in need of attention. The bridge is a rare example of a railway and road sharing the same crossing, although thie road in this particular example doesnt really go anywhere.

Ash Vale Warehouse & wharf with notice

Above: This must be the only place where one can find a notice that existed from the days when the New Basingstoke Canal Company existed (1949 to 1964) Although it is mainly ineligible, it does talk about the warehouse here in connection with the canal by laws, and warns people not to damage the banks or throw things in the canal! Someone has put up a notice saying that this warehouse was built in 1897. The warehouse is actually where Alec Harmsworth - the son of Alfred Harmsworth - had his barge building and repair business from 1923 to 1947. 18 barges were built here, and repairs were done on the opposite bank of the canal.

Great Bottom Flash. There were once a collection of sunken boats visible here, but nowdays the only ones are two steel barges scuttled and made into landing stages form which local people are able to fish without interuption from any boats that may passs by. The flash is a wildlife haven, where dragonflies and the Great Crested Grebe can be seen.

    
Ash Vale Wharf and bridge

Ash Railway (or Black) Bridge

This is Ash railway bridge (in fact there are three different Ash railway bridges but thankfully this one does have an alternative name - Black Bridge - so named after the nearby Blackwater River. The train is a Virgin Voyager en route for Brighton via Guildford and Redhill.Beyond the bridge the impressive Ash embankment begins and soon the canal comes to the new aqueduct that crosses the new relief road running through the Blackwater valley.