The Wey & Arun Canal Trust has recently appointed Eur Ing John Talbot, BSc, MSc, CEnv, CEng, FICE, CSci, CGeol, FGS as Chief Engineer to the Trust.

John has over 45 years experience in civil engineering, currently as a Chartered Engineer, Geotechnical Adviser and Chartered Geologist. In his long career he has worked for some of the best-known names in engineering consultancy, involved in projects on canals, rivers, dams, inland marinas, ports and harbours in the UK and worldwide. This long experience includes environmental and geotechnical responsibilities, which will fit ideally in the challenges faced by WACT in extending the current navigable section and re-linking the canal with the existing waterways network.

Announcing John's appointment, WACT Chairman Sally Schupke said, "I am of course delighted to welcome John Talbot to this role. We needed this position to be filled by a currently practising or recently retired chartered civil engineer, who has the qualifications and experience to provide an overview of all our engineering projects from an engineering, environmental and commercial stance. We need somebody to be involved at the design and planning stages and to provide our restoration teams with a well-informed second opinion on the many tasks ahead."

"It is invariably better to be proactive rather than reactive to situations," responded John Talbot. "It is always cheaper to design well to avoid disasters than to try and repair an inadequate job that has failed."

John is reinstating the Trust's former Engineering Group, which will work closely with WACT's Restoration Group and Council of Management and he looks forward to being able to pass on his experience to the various project managers. In this he wants to help WACT, while restoring a 19th century waterway, implement best practice in the many technical, planning, and ecological requirements that have become part of engineering life in the 21st century.

Note for editors:
The Wey & Arun Canal, "London's lost route to the sea" was originally opened in 1816 between the River Wey at Shalford, near Guildford, and Pallingham, near Pulborough, the head of navigation of the River Arun. It closed in 1871, due to railway competition. Since the 1970s the 23-mile waterway has been the subject of a campaign by volunteers to restore the route to navigation. Work has been undertaken in a number of locations, most notably the stretch near the Sussex/Surrey border at Loxwood. Over two miles in length, this includes four working locks, two public road crossings, an aqueduct, two farm bridges, and numerous minor works, all built or rebuilt through voluntary effort. Boat trips are available on this stretch, onboard several craft, including the new 60-seater electric Wiggonholt.

Further information can be obtained from the Wey and Arun Trust's Public Relations Officer: Sally Schupke (01483 560543): e-mail: pr@weyandarun.co.uk.

For general information on the work of the Wey and Arun Canal Trust, please telephone the Trust office on 01403 752403.