  We present VLBI and MERLIN data at 1.66 and 4.99 GHz on the central component
coincident with the nucleus of the giant radio galaxy, 3C236. The nuclear radio
structure is composed of two complexes of emission which are resolved on scales
from 1 milli-arcsec (mas) to 1 arcsec. Oscillations with an amplitude of about
5 degrees can be seen in the compact radio structure. Spectral index
distributions are plotted at angular resolutions of 10 and 25 mas and allow us
to identify the core component in the south-east emission complex.
Re-examination of the HST WFPC-2 image of 3C236 by de Koff et al. (2000), shows
that the normal to the dust disk in the nucleus is ~30 degrees from the plane
of the sky and within 12 degrees of parallel to the overall orientation of the
radio source. We suggest that the radio axis is also at an angle of ~30 degrees
to the plane of the sky and that the north-west jet is on the approaching side.
This orientation implies an overall size of 4.5 Mpc (H_o = 75 km/s/Mpc, q_o =
0.5) for 3C236. The coincidence of a dust feature and the south-east compact
jet, within the astrometric errors, leads us to suggest that the dust may be in
the form of a cloud encountered by the jet in the first ~400 pc of its journey
out from the nucleus. One-sided emission at 5 GHz on 1 mas scales would suggest
that the jets are ejected initially at <= 35 degrees to the line of sight, but
this is difficult to reconcile with the obvious orientation stability of the
jet system as a whole. Free-free absorption of the counter-jet may be an
alternative explanation for the one-sideness.
