Big Dig 40 will both mark the 40th anniversary and promote the ongoing campaign to fully reopen the canal.

The weekend will be co-ordinated by the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust (MWRT) and will involve the groups involved in the restoration project - Friends of the Montgomery Canal, (FoMC) Inland Waterways Association (IWA), Shropshire Union Canal Society (SUCS), Waterway Recovery Group (WRG) and British Waterways (BW).

At 12 noon on the Saturday WRG and IWA will be replacing the commemorative stone at the Graham Palmer Lock - below Welsh Frankton on the section linked to the main waterway network.

During Saturday afternoon FoMC and IWA are organising a procession of boats in Welshpool, including steam-powered craft, which will carry VIPs. A commemorative plaque will be unveiled at Welshpool Town Lock at approximately 3.30pm.

Throughout Saturday there will be canalside attractions and boat trips for the public in Welshpool, also displays of historic and promotional items about the Big Dig, the canal and the restoration, including a presentation about the scheme by British Waterways.

On both days SUCS will have a major work party continuing its ongoing channel reconstruction along the unrestored dry section south of Redwith Bridge to Crickheath Wharf; with VIPs visiting the work site at 12 noon on the Sunday.

Also during the whole weekend, further down the un-navigable section at Waen Wen and Pant, WRG will have a major national work party, with volunteers from all over Britain clearing a further dry channel section of vegetation and obstructions.

This will be one of the biggest weekend events we have organised in recent years on the Montgomery Canal.

It will not only pay tribute to those pioneer volunteers who worked on the Big Dig at Welshpool 40 years ago but demonstrate progress on the restoration and the determination of all those involved to see the full restoration of this magnificent waterway and demonstrate its potential as an international tourist attraction."

Article written by Michael Limbrey