Free at last!

Published: Friday, 30 October 2020

THE many boats stuck by the chaos at Atherstone Flight can at last now escape, as now finally back in use.

Dan2It was way back on Tuesday 20th October that Canal & River Trust workers, not having enough equipment, risked moving the bottom gate of No 2 lock, but it fell from its inadequate hold, falling into the lock, so needing a special crane to rescue.

Leaving in the dark

This was completed today, Friday, Dan White, tells us, (Dan has provided the photographs).  CaRT had issued a notice stating the navigation would not be open until 6pm, but Dan tells us boaters were able to leave before this, and were doing so even in the dark.

For there was no knowing what problems these boaters were suffering, being stuck at Atherstone Flight on the Coventry Canal for ten days, or what urgency there was that meant they had to continue without any further delay.

Dan5Still many boats waiting for daylight

There are still many boats waiting to go through the flight, that are waiting until daylight on Saturday morning to do so.

It was a broken collar on the lock gate that was the original problem, something that can be repaired in hours, but even though not being properly equipped, the workers saw the number of boats that needed to navigate the flight so attempted the repair—resulting in the chaos of ten days delay.

Dan tells us he will attempt to calculate the number of boats that were stuck at Atherstone Flight and let us know.

And more on Sunday from Victor who sums it all up...