MANCHESTER'S important link the 'Rochdale Nine' has been closed for seven weeks that was totally unnecessary.
The heel post on Lock 87 became disconnected from the towpath side tailgate on the 6th of July, resulting in locks 84 and 91 becoming padlocked and the 'Rochdale Nine' closed, Keith Gudgin reports.
Needed a crane
Canal & River Trust maintained that this could not be repaired without a crane, which would need a road closure, hence the seven weeks delay.
The trust has now decided it did not need a crane after all!
So the fairly simple repair can be undertaken and the navigation reopened, without the use of a crane, once the contractors get on site.
But this certainly leaves a question—was the 'crane' really neededl?