Didcot Railway Centre received a visit from representatives of the Canal and River Trust to collect waste from steam locomotives yesterday (Monday, February 5).

Matt Hudson and Roger Jones of the trust arranged to collect the waste ash from steam locomotives in bags as it is used to seal water leaks around the edges of lock gates.

Mr Jones said: “You pour the ash in where the gate is leaking and it seals like magic. We’d like to thank everyone at Didcot Railway Centre for allowing us on site to help with this valuable work.”

He also shared that water leaks in the canal are expensive, with the trust facing costs of £600 an hour to run electric pumps to keep the canal full.

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Volunteer and photographer at the railway's centre Frank Dumbleton said: “It is gratifying to learn that ash from Great Western Railway locomotives is assisting the Kennet and Avon Canal to reduce its costs.

“The GWR owned the canal, which allows navigation from Reading to Bath, from 1851 and did its best to run the business down.

“In 1926 the railway applied to abandon it but the Minister of Transport refused permission and the railway remained the owner until nationalisation in 1948 when the canal was transferred to the British Transport Commission.

“The canal is now part of the 2,000 mile network of rivers and canals owned by the Canal & River Trust, which is a charity.”