THE BOATERS TRAPPED on the Weaver due to both the Anderton Boat Lift and Marsh Lock being broken will soon be able to leave.
But alas not for another month, Keith Gudgin reports.
Marsh Lock failed
It was way back on the 12th September when the only passage off the Weaver, Marsh Lock failed, our being told that the Canal & River Trust team had identified a number of electrical safety issues that require attention.
In the interests of safety, it closed the lock, with then no escape as the boat lift was no longer in use.
We are now told that Investigations into the repairs at Marsh Lock are continuing, with the trust's teams working hard to understand the solution to bring the lock back to operation.
The solution, to some extend, must have been found as there is to be a trial passage for the trapped boats off the river, but not for a month, until Tuesday, 3rd December.
Narrowboats only
And the passage will be for narrowboats only, under a single gate manual operation.
Boaters wanting to leave the Weaver and take part in this trial should contact the North West Customer Service Team on 0303 0404 040 so a place can be booked.
After this trial passage, the trust tells that there is the possibility of offering a futher passage in January 2026 for boats needing to return to their home moorings.