New Semington Aqueduct facts for kids
Quick facts for kids New Semington Aqueduct |
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| Coordinates | 51°20′50″N 2°08′19″W / 51.3472°N 2.1387°W |
| OS grid reference | |
| Locale | Semington |
| Maintained by | British Waterways |
| Characteristics | |
| Total length | 30.3 metres (99 ft 5 in) |
| Traversable? | Yes |
| Towpaths | N side |
| History | |
| Opened | 2004 |
The New Semington Aqueduct is like a bridge that carries water instead of cars. It helps the Kennet and Avon Canal cross over the A350 road bypass near Semington in west Wiltshire, England. Even though new canals aren't built much anymore, new aqueducts like this one are sometimes needed when new roads are made or old ones are widened.
Why Was the Aqueduct Built?
This aqueduct was built as part of a big road project. The goal was to create a bypass road for the villages of Semington and Berryfield. A bypass helps traffic go around a town instead of through it, making things smoother.
The new road needed enough space to pass under the canal. So, engineers decided to build the road in a lower area, like a small valley. This made sure there was plenty of room for tall vehicles to drive underneath the aqueduct safely.
How Was It Constructed?
Building the New Semington Aqueduct was a clever process. To keep the canal open during construction, the water was temporarily moved. The canal was diverted to the south of its usual path for about 220 meters.
Since the towpath (a path next to the canal for walking or cycling) is on the north side, temporary bridges were put in place. This allowed people to keep using the towpath and stay away from the construction area.
The aqueduct was designed to be very strong. It has two separate channels for the canal water. Each channel is about 5.4 meters wide and 2 meters deep. Rubber fenders were added to the sides to protect the concrete from boats.
The towpath on the north side is wide and safe. There's also a similar area on the south side for maintenance workers. The whole structure used a lot of steel to make it strong. The entire bypass project, including the aqueduct, cost about £12 million.
Opening the Aqueduct
The New Semington Aqueduct officially opened on March 3, 2004. A representative from Wiltshire County Council, Fleur de Rhé-Philipe, helped open it. The design work was done by Ove Arup and Partners, and the construction was handled by Alfred McAlpine.
