Drought brings early start to canal repairs
DROUGHT conditions caused by summer heat waves have seen a £200,000 repair project for the Macclesfield Canal brought forward.
The Canal and River Trust has carried out repairs to the flight of 12 lock chambers at Bosley.
This work was due to take place in November but when falling water levels closed the locks the opportunity to get the scheme done was taken.
A construction team from the trust, along with volunteers has relined or replaced lock gates as well as worked on cills, paddles, mitres, spindles and quadrants.
It has been combined with mortar repairs, painting, re-pointing and the creation of a new boater landing stage between locks four and five, including new towpath surface and mooring bollards.
Each time a lock was drained fish in that part of the canal were rehomed.
Steve Ballard, from the Canal and River Trust, said: “It’s wonderful that we have been able to create a positive outcome from a negative situation during this challenging time when some of our canals have had to be closed to navigation due to lack of rainfall.
“Bringing forward the repair project means that as soon as we have enough water to reopen the canal, boaters won’t then be inconvenienced again by a winter works closure.
“And even though the Macclesfield and some other canals are not open for navigation, most of them are still in water and available for angling and paddle sports.”
The 26-mile Macclesfield Canal was opened in 1831 and connects the Peak Forest Canal with the Trent and Mersey Canal.
In 2015, thanks to work of volunteers, it became
the first canal in the country to be awarded Keep Britain Tidy’s Green Flag.
For more information about volunteering visit www.canalrivertrust.org. uk.