At long last work is underway. The contractor, SJB Construction Services Ltd, has created an access road, laid the cable ducting in the Visitor Centre Garden and started work on the connection with the outflow pipe.
The Victorians left us with a brick built stilling chamber that was designed to last.
The engineer’s instructions were to partially demolish by hand but despite more than 150 years in the water hands and even a hammer drill made no impression.
A large hydraulic hammer was needed, as it was for the man hole built about the same time.
Finally after much digging and careful measurement of heights we have a hole but there is a solid base to build on.
Next is a concrete base, thrust block and pipework.