Trial run for pontoon

Several volunteers had a great day at TyCoch today, the pontoon had it’s first outing when we took it waterside for a trial. Almost all the preparation, training and health and safety is now in place so we are nearly ready for launch.  

MBACT welcomes the news that Newport City Council is to commence works on the Crumlin Arm

MBACT welcomes the long awaited news that Newport City Council is to commence works on the Crumlin Arm of the canal north of Fourteen Locks to the Caerphilly CBC boundary at Harry Roberts Bridge.  MBACT have had regular meetings with NCC officers responsible for the canal and have always emphasised the importance of the canal to our members and the local community. Initially NCC plan to install bunds at several … Read more

MBACT Welcomes Chris Wyatt to the post of Torfaen Canal Co-ordinator  

MBACT views this post as crucial in achieving the ultimate aim of full canal restoration. Chris says he is very excited to be in post and looks forward to working on the canal project(s) with the various stakeholders including MBACT. His background is in project management, working within both the public and private sector. He is passionate about the canal and what it can provide to the community and further … Read more

MBACT at Cwmbran Big Event

Cwmbran Big Event was the first ‘outing’ for the Welfare Van and a display section of our new pontoon.

Gareth Davies, Clerk of Cwmbran Community Council, saw the section of pontoon which will be used to help clear vegetation from the offside of the canal in the Cwmbran area once the environmental restrictions allow.

The new welfare van was also present which will allow transport of the team to the work sites, and provide welfare facilities when we are working on remote sections.

Torfaen Council tackles offside vegetation

Torfaen offside cutting Dec 2023 copyright Mike Spoke

MBACT is delighted to see the work being undertaken between Five Locks Basin and Bridge 47 on the Mon & Brec Canal. Contractors have been appointed by Torfaen County Borough Council to cut back overgrown offside vegetation which was impeding navigation. The specialist contractors, who hail from Bridgwater, have been assisted using a paddle-wheeled boat equipped with cutting arm and rake, well suited for this sort of operation. The work … Read more

Hwb Camlas Ty Coch Canal Hub

Ty Coch Education 2013

MBACT Canalside Volunteer and Learning Hub MBACT is pleased to announce that we have received seed funding from the Torfaen Community Resilience Grant Scheme to set up a Canalside Volunteer and Learning Hub for canal related activities. We are working towards being an accredited centre offering nationally recognised courses in a variety of health and safety, environmental and heritage areas enabling volunteers with MBACT and other organisations to gain qualifications … Read more

New footbridge lifted into position by Cefn Top Lock 21

New footbridge is lifted into position next to lock 21 on the Crumlin Arm of the Mon and Brec canal

A new footbridge was lowered into place just below Cefn Top Lock 21 next to the Fourteen Locks Canal Centre on Monday 6th November 2023. The bridge is one small part of the work being done by Newport City Council (NCC) as part of its grant of £1.9m in funding from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund. The grant has been allocated by the Council to tackle the very long-standing … Read more

Long term funding risk for the Mon and Brec Canal

View of moored canal boats on the Mon and Brec canal at Goytre Wharf

As a canal Trust we focus our attention and efforts on the restoration of the non-navigable part of the Mon & Brec canal. However, we also work with our partners to ensure that the navigable part of the canal from Brecon to Five Locks is maintained and usable for boaters, other water users, cyclists, and walkers. We have frequent meetings with the owners of the navigable canal, the Canal and … Read more

Newport City Council to clear weed from the canal

Heavily overgrown canal north of Bettws Lane, the whole canal is covered in weed and undergrowth.

We have regular meetings with Newport City Council where we are able to support Newport City Council with advice and guidance and they are able to share their projects and work programme on the canal with us. The Council have shared with us that they intend to remove as much weed as possible from the navigation of the canal sometime during the forthcoming Autumn / Winter. They are currently exploring … Read more

Pontywaun slipway work completed

Pontywaun slipway after rebuild Aug 2023

We are pleased to report that the slipway at Pontywaun on the Crumlin Arm has been rebuilt by Caerphilly County Borough Council. As we previously reported the slipway had to be removed as part of the work to reline the canal in 2021. We have been discussing with the Council since then to re-instate the slipway to allow canoes, paddleboards, and trail boats to be launched into this section of … Read more