The aqueduct from West Hallington reservoir consistently suffered from leakage, and this was eventually solved by lining it with concrete, some time prior to 1911. In that year there was another problem when a water main burst at the reservoir. Soon afterwards, there was a partial collapse of the upstream end of the old tunnel, which conveyed water to Whittle Dean. A new shaft was constructed to gain access to the fault. Timber was then used to shore up the affected section, after which it was relined. In 1942 the company board looked at the possibility of constructing a third reservoir at Hallington, and some trial borings were made, but a report in June 1943 suggested that such a reservoir would only yield per day, and that a new reservoir at Kielder would be a better proposition. The company had obtained an Act of Parliament in 1938 for various works, including a pipeline from Barrasford to West Hallington, to enable water to be pumped from the North Tyne, and repairs to the Ryal tunnel and aqueduct. The Barrasford pipeline and pumping station were completed by autumn 1940. The Act had stipulated that all works should be completed by 1945, and with the end of the Second World War in sight, repairs to the tunnel and aqueduct were completed before the deadline passed.