Graeme Wall wrote:
> In message <6ictvnFq7opbU1@
mid.individual.net>
> John Williamson
btinternet.com> wrote:
> >> Graeme Wall wrote:
>>> In message
bt.com>
>>> "Brimstone" yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>>> [snip]
>>> The hill in question is long and steep, not really practical for a canal
>>> even in their heyday.
>>>
>> You are forgetting that the Kennet & Avon canal runs close by to Worton
>> Grange brewery, & that it is connected to the Thames.
>
> That's near as in over a mile away and 100 ft or more lower, I think you've
> got the wrong brewery, or the wrong grange.
>
Big place, next to the M4 junction 11? On the south western edge of the
Worton Grange industrial estate? Used to be the biggest brewery in
Europe when it was built? OK, I was guessing the distance from memory,
I've just got home & checked & it's just over a mile in a straight line
according to my map.
The silos are elevated about 20 feet above the motorway on a small area
of raised ground, from what I remember last time I drove past. The site
slopes down from the silos to a stream. The motorway is about 8 feet
above the stream. Looking at the 1:25000 OS map of the area, there's a
stream already following a route from the western edge of the brewery
site to the canal that could probably be canalised with not too much
effort, and it would also be close enough along its route for internal
factory transport to serve the rest of the estate. The stream is a
couple of kilometres long, shortest straight line's less. Still not a
major distance to dig a trench that size. A dozen or so lads with a
couple of JCB tracked diggers & dump trucks could dig it easily in a
couple of months. 40,000 tonnes of spoil to move, roughly, & use it to
fill in part of a nearby gravel pit to make a new factory site or make
embankments if needed.The OS map shows a level difference from the canal
of less than 10 metres, probably less than 5 metres.
> Worton Grange is on the highest part of the Downs for some miles in either
> direction. Now has it's own wind turbine.
>
Which is quite tall, & stands on ground about 20 feet above motorway level.
Just on the edge of the brewery complex, on the far side of the stream,
between it & the sports stadium is an ornamental lake at local water
table level (ex gravel pit), already connected to the canal by a stream.
That's another reasonably level & easy to modify connection to the site.
According to Google Earth & the Ordnance Survey, anyway.
It's a bit of a moot point if it's closing down, though.
--
Tciao for Now!
John.
