Historic crane returns as part of £420k project

A historic crane has returned to its home on a canal's waterfront after undergoing specialist conservation work.

The crane has been reinstated at its home in the wharf alongside the Kennet and Avon Canal as part of a £420,000 project to complete Newbury's new Peace Garden area.

West Berkshire Council said the wood had been treated and preserved, while the ironwork had been cleaned, repaired and freshly repainted.

"The crane once again stands as a reminder of Newbury's canal heritage and an important feature of the wharf," it added.

Most of the project was finished last year, but during construction structural issues were found with the south river bank.

Lib Dem councillor Justin Pemberton said: "The wharf is a very special area down by the canal in Newbury, just as you enter Newbury, where the bus station is.

"The wharf itself is also quite a historic part of the town, and I think it's fair to say that for lots of years, it hasn't really lived up to its potential.

"What we're trying do is we're trying to create a much more attractive and usable space for residents, for visitors, whilst retaining the historic character of the wharf."

He said the project was also about bringing the history to life, highlighting the Kennet Navigation, which opened in 1723.

"It established Newbury as an important centre for transporting goods by water and then later than that it became an important place for handling goods and materials, and I think it's an underused part of the town," he said.

"The crane itself is one of the relatively few surviving reminders of that industrial history."

He said the crane restoration was "worth the money", adding: "I think what we're starting to see now is just how special this waterfront is."