End of March before Aston Lock opens

Published: Friday, 08 March 2019

THE Canal & River Trust tell that the broad Aston Lock on the Trent  & Mersey Canal will not be open this week as originally planned.

Being unable to complete the works, the opening date is now given as Sunday 24th March, Keith Gudgin tells us.

a1Aston1Considerable additional work

The trust tells that it had 'considerable additional work to do including the complete replacement of quoins and collars on all the gates, followed by the replacement of the top and bottom gates, as well as extensive brickwork repairs to the lock chamber walls'.

As reported in narrowboatworld, once the quoins are reset, new gates have to be measured then made, that is also causing delay, though the team at the lock have been working week-ends in an effort to complete the work.

'Dreaded Aston'

It is hoped that, known as the 'Dreaded Aston', the gates being so badly banlanced and often being unable to be moved by some, the work will once again have the lock easy to work.