The work

Volunteers at this Canal Camp will take part in the repair and conservation of an extraordinary heritage waterway structure in West London at the Hanwell Flight of Locks on the Grand Union Canal. Built in the early 19th century, this flight incorporates rare and innovative side-ponds, early water-saving devices designed to reduce the amount of water needed each time a lock is operated. The camp focuses on conservation repairs to the side-ponds at Locks 94 and 95, including work to retaining walls, weir walls, paddles and paddle chambers, as well as a partial rebuild of a failing quadrant retaining wall. Most of the work will involve repairing and rebuilding brickwork. Training and guidance will be provided, so that volunteers can learn or improve bricklaying or conservation experience. This is a chance to learn traditional restoration skills while contributing to the care of a nationally important structure.

WRG will be working with the Canal and River Trust, which has cleared and dredged the two side-ponds to allow us access to the bottom of the walls. Standing water will be drained off.

The reason

The Hanwell Flight has been on the statutory Heritage at Risk Register since 2009. Years of declining use, combined with invasive vegetation and structural deterioration, have left these remarkable features vulnerable. Restoring the side-ponds is crucial to secure the long-term future of the site and enable its removal from the Register. Beyond heritage protection, the project responds to water management challenges that are increasingly relevant today. Improving the condition and understanding of these structures supports greater climate resilience across the canal network, while safeguarding an irreplaceable part of Britain’s industrial past.

The restoration

The Hanwell side-ponds are among the most impressive on the UK waterways network. While some locks feature paired side-ponds, Locks 94 and 95 have rare triple side-pond arrangements, the largest of their kind. Nearby, Lock 92 contains what may be a unique structure: seven interconnecting subterranean barrel vaults, hidden beneath the landscape and linked to the lock chamber by concealed culverts. This project forms part of a wider programme to revitalise the Grand Union Canal as a shared national asset. As part of the UK Waterways Network, its restoration benefits everyone by improving environmental quality, access to heritage, and community wellbeing. Volunteers will be contributing not only to the repair of brick and stone, but to a lasting legacy of conservation, learning and stewardship, ensuring these remarkable structures can be understood, appreciated and protected for generations to come.