Stuck in Factory Lock

BOATERS are complaining that the bottom gate of a lock is leaking so much that it is impossible to get the water level to be able to open the top gate and they are stuck in the lock.

Helen Brooks with her partner is one of the boaters who had to call on the help of yet another boater to force open the top gate of Lock 3 of the Factory Locks on the New Main Line at Tipton so they could get the boat out of the lock, telling us:

Pouring out

"Water is pouring out of the bottom lock gate that is in such a poor state of repair that you can see it bulging, and the lock took ages to fill, but even with the paddles wide open on the top gate we could not get the water level.

"If you know the locks, you will know there are few walkers, but luckily there was a boat moored so we went for his help"

Working on a solution

Our Keith Gudgin tells us that Canal & River Trust is aware of this but the only advice it gives is to make sure the pound above is full before attempting to leave the lock, otherwise you could be caught on the cill, and that it is 'working on a solution'.