All canals silt up, and ours are no exception.

But what a novel way to deal with it! 

Here, at Royal Wootton Bassett, this brilliant gadget, called a Truxor, just drives down the slipway and into the water!  

This was taken on the second of the three days it's spending there, largely to clear the underwater mound of small stones washed down by Hancock's water during the adjacent housing development, blocking the passage of our own dredger, 'Nelson'; also to clear the overgrowth of reeds more quickly than our work parties can manage. 

Templars Firs was dug out just over 20 years ago - silt needs clearing on average every 20 years or so; in general, passing boats keep the weeds & reeds down but sometimes more is needed.