Stuck on the Weaver

Published: Wednesday, 13 June 2018

AT PRESENT there is no way boats cruising the Weaver are able to get off!

an Opening320For the Anderton Boat Lift is once again out of action, so with Weston Marsh Lock also broken there is no escape from the river either up on to the Trent & Mersey or for those intrepid boaters who dare, escape on to the Manchester Ship Canal either, Keith Gudgin reminds us.

Failed

Every since it first reopened the Anderton Boat Lift has given trouble. We were on the first boat that went up with passengers—the Press, and when it arrived at the top there were red faces as the gate would not open and allow the boat out to turn around and descend.  So after a while whilst the engineers scurried about trying in vain to fix it, down it went.

This was on the 26th March 2002, with an army band playing and flutterfetti flying for the joyous occasion of the Victorian structure again being in working condition, but alas it wasn't; the £7 millions spent on the restoration failed to get it working properly and this proved an omen for the lift as time after time it has failed to perform.

an flutterfetti320Boat waiting

At the moment boats are waiting to both go down and come up, with Canal & River Trust telling the lift is unavailable for boat passage until further notice. 

The number of boats waiting to use the lift is increasing, but the pre-booked boats will take precedence for passage when the lift is eventually repaired.

As with Weston March Lock there is no definite date when the lift will be repaired and open for passage.