Slowly does it...

THE recent stoppages seem to be causing problems for the trust's teams/contractors.

The broken paddle that closed down Lock 34 on the Rochdale Canal last Friday 4th has proved too complex, as a 'remedial repair' did not work so now 'looking for alternative methods', Keith Gudgin reports.

Rochdale again

Then the following day, Saturday, there was an 'issue' with a paddle on Lock 59, again on the Rochdale, that proved too complicated for the team/contractor so had to rely on the now very much used cover-up of 'working on a 'method of repair'', whilst the lock remains closed.

No good news about Pillings Flood Lock that was out of action at the end of October on the Leicester Section of the Grand Union, that we were told vandals were responsible for a missing board below the water line!

Being below the water of course needs divers to fix the problem and so this is a waiting game.

Two stoppages

Better luck, so far with the two stoppages on the the Wolverhampton Flight having to be closed, with vandalism blamed for blocking a lock paddle in one instance then opening paddles in another instance, both times the flight being closed.

But though the notice tells: 'Navigation: Closed' on the stoppage notice, it is open!  Or perhaps it is expected to be closed again?