Piling on the agony

Published: Thursday, 23 August 2018

THE Canal & River Trust is piling on the agony indeed, telling of three more waterway closures and three that are closed and will remain so!

Marsh Lock on the Weaver that failed on the 2nd June has had no work done and is still under investigation with the navigation listed as closed, Keith Gudgin tells us.

Marple Flight

Nothing has been done to stabilise the movement of Lock 11 on the Marple Flight on the Peak Forest Canal, that has moved yet again with it being too narrow to allow boats so is closed. We are told that jacking the walls back would take two weeks, but that would coincide with closing the Marple and Bosley flights to save water on the Peak Forest Canal, so it is not being undertaken.

Piling on the agony the Middlewich Branch is still closed and will be until possibly Christmas, but we are told no one is holding their breath!

Stoppages

Adding to the very long list of present stoppages the Top Lock on the Titford Canal has failed so is closed owing to an attempt to prevent leakage.

The Tame Valley Canal is closed at Perry Barr Lock (10) that has failed and requires repair, and will not be open until the 26th October.

The third canal just reported to be closed is the Walsall Canal at Lock 7 with its junction with the Wyrley & Essington, but the closure is not until the 1st October but will take a month to repair until the 2nd November.

We are no longer aware of the number of waterways now closed.