The Rothen Group

Maintaining Britain's waterways - offering a wide range civil engineering and maintenance services with over 20 years industry experience.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

Check out the weed at speed!!😎🌿
One of our weed harvesters in London @canalrivertrust @CRTSouthEast recording their route along the canal.
#reedandweed #london #timelapse #timelapsetuesday #tugboattuesday #workingboat #canal #canalboat #canalandrivertrust #cleanercanals

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(2/2) With a warm and sunny spell forecast over the coming weeks, we’re fully prepared for the increase in aquatic weed growth and bloom activity that comes with it.
Looking forward to another busy season helping keep London’s waterways clear, safe, and navigable.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(1/2) Let the clearing commence!
We have officially started the 2026 weed season across the London waterways network.
Our boats are now positioned around the network & the team has already cleared the first patches of floating pennywort, floating weed & rubbish from key areas.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(3/3) We then had the delicate operation of breaking through into the round brick culvert without causing significant collapse or damage.
Works were completed successfully - see the photos below.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(2/3) Due to the remote location all materials and plant (including an 8t digger) had to be floated to site to lift the trench shoring and manhole rings into position.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(1/3) Need a tricky manhole installing? We are your team!
An old brick culvert which is still integral to water management along the Shropshire Union canal needed a new manhole constructing to facilitate safe inspection.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

After installing stop planks and dewatering we could undertake all timber and steel repairs to achieve tight seals and fully functioning gates.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

The never ending project! Works to Kegworth deep lock seemed never ending after freezing temperatures & then flooding disrupted the works programme by 2 months. Repairs were needed to repair the lock gates where significant leakages were noted from missing or rotten lock timbers.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

Up creek with a paddle! Dealing with dense vegetation and invasive species from water requires specialist kit & teams. These works will enable Paddle UK to keep on top of the invasive species, floating pennywort going forward.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(3/3) Full credit to the team for an excellent job in challenging circumstances! Check out the before & after photos.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(2/3) Over 5000 bricks were laid with heritage lime mortar and finished with a cast in situ concrete coper. Managing a busy towpath and moorings with significant access constraints meant floating plant was essential to help lift & store materials and plant during the works.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(1/3) Tight spot and 5000 bricks to move & lay by hand! A full canal wall rebuild was needed along a busy moorings. After dewatering with a horseshoe dam the collapsed masonry wall had to be broken out by hand before a new concrete footing installed.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(2/2) The green oak wood is full of character and can also provide a sustainable material for building projects. #GRD

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(1/2) What happens to old lock gates? After working with CRT to lift and change the old lock gates for new, the old gates are taken for recycling and upcycling. The gates are stripped down and turned into furniture, mantel pieces or planks for flooring.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(2/2) The boat has purpose built gate frames in the hold to carry the gates safely to meet stability calculations.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(1/2) Changing the Gate! Our 55ft hi-capacity crane boat with welfare was deployed to the Birmingham & Fazeley canal to change lock gates with CRT. The gates were loaded from Mancetter Wharf before being floated to site, with the old gates then collected for recycling.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(2/2) This involves using stop planks to drain down the lock & all associated temporary works including access, fencing, lifting etc. Our range of craft also helps provide stable working platforms, lifting assistance, welfare & material storage for works to be carried out safely.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

(1/2)
Our specialist lock teams have been supporting CRT with lock repairs during the busy stoppage season. From replacing collars, to repairing cills and strengthening existing lock gates we have the expertise to survey, source and then fit all parts of the locks.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

Piling with a soft edge! The bank was collapsing, taking the towpath with it, so L8 sheet piles were installed. This created a stable edge to rebuild the towpath. But, the ‘hard bank protection’ had a soft twist with the addition of steel brackets to hold pre planted coir rolls

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

Our NATO pontoons with 8t digger and specialist grab were deployed to remove a sunken boat from the Fossdyke canal. The NATO pontoon provided the perfect stable working platform with its hydraulic jack legs, for the team to break up and remove the boat from the canal.

[The Rothen Group @TheRothenGroup]

Our contracting teams have recently completed works to repair a concrete culvert & ditch along a busy footpath. The emergency works involved installing a temporary coffer dam ahead of casting new concrete aprons to several sections that had become undermined.