Another lock failure in the making?

THERE is every possibility that a lock on the Staffs & Worcs Canal is near to failure, with its wall badly cracked leaving a hole that water pours through and the actual lock wall starting to bow under pressure, with our Keith Gudgin explaining:

I'm moored at Dimmingsdale at the moment and further to the piece by Ralph Freeman (Richard Parry took the right cruise) I wonder if he, or Richard Parry has seen the damaged side wall?

I noticed a hole in the wall as I was helping a boat through when the lock was empty, as seen in the photograph.

One has to ask:

• Is the hole in the wall indicative of a problem?
• Is the bowed wall indicative of a problem?
• Is the crack in the path above the hole indicative of a problem?
• Are the crack, the bowed wall and the hole, together indicative of a problem?

If this lock becomes impassable then there will be a major problem, 'Wolves 21' and Dimmingsdale Lock closed so all the Severn traffic having to go through Birmingham and up via Great Haywood and that's a long way round. The photograph shows the lock wall starting to bow.

The leak by the way allows the lock to empty in 17 minutes all on its own. This is also emptying the pound above it, I know—I'm moored there today. The photograph shows a crack now appearing on the path by the lock gates.