1864: The Drought and the Canal

From the Wiltshire Independent, 20th October 1864

The water has become so low in the Wilts and Berks Canal that in many places it forms but a small stream down the middle of the Canal; traffic has been for some time past stopped.

Some portions of the Swindon Railway Works cannot be carried on many days longer for want of water. There is some talk of obtaining the water from the canal below the “locks” near Moredon, where there happens to be a better supply than on any other part of the canal, for the Rail Mills, and if this can be accomplished the works can be carried on for some little time longer, but should this fail there will, we fear, be no alternative but to close some portions of the works.

Some idea of the quantity of water required for these works may be gathered from the fact that one night during last week the water in the canal, from which the chief supply is obtained, was reduced three inches.