Birmingham & Fazeley Canal breached

THE Birmingham & Fazeley Canal was closed on Friday (2nd July) with the long pound above Minworth Flight very low and unnavigable, after being breached.

It was caused by vandals who opened numerous paddles on the lock flight in an overnight attack, with the pressure of water taking part of the canal bank away, with water and silt  blocking the A38 trunk road, causing severe traffic disruption.

The breach is at Minworth Flight, not Curdworth Flight as published by British Waterways in its stoppage notice.

The waterway is breached between locks 1 and 2 of the Minworth Flight, which means the whole pound through Spaghetti Junction  is low and therefore closed.

Engineers are currently assessing the situation and the possible date for reopening will be given once the situation has been fully investigated.

Other locks closed

With the long pound being so low other connecting waterway locks are closed, including Perry Barr Flight on the Tame Valley Canal and Garrison Locks on the Grand Union.

And with Chasewater reservoir re-filling, the level could take a considerable length of time to get back to normal, but British Waterways state it will make every effort to re-open as much of the system as is possible as quickly as it can.

Boaters on the BCN Canals should  note there is no winding hole above Perry Barr Flight so if intending to cruise the Tame Valley Canal, they should not venture further than  the junction with the Rushall Canal.