Canal repair open days offer a look below the waterline
THE Canal & River Trust is, subject to Government coronavirus guidelines, hosting a series of in-person open days in February and March.
Visitors will be able to walk along the bottom of a drained waterway, see the working industrial heritage up close, hear from the teams involved and find out more about the essential work to keep this important part of the nation’s history flowing.
The open days will include the Anderton Boat Lift on the River Weaver in Cheshire; a walk along the drained Hertford Union Canal in the heart of London; intricate staircase locks at Grindley Brook on the Llangollen Canal; important water-saving repairs at Hebden Bridge on the Rochdale Canal in West Yorkshire; replacing lock gates at Seend on the Kennet & Avon Canal; and a chance to visit Newark’s inland dry dock in Nottinghamshire – the largest in the UK.
In addition, virtual events include: Bingley Five Rise Locks on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal; works to pumping stations on the Kennet & Avon Canal; and emergency breach repairs on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal at Rishton, Lancashire.
CRT chief executive Richard Parry said: “The work the trust carries out every winter is at the centre of our care and maintenance. Our teams are out, often battling the elements, to keep the canals and rivers open, safe and accessible for boaters, local communities and other waterway visitors.
“The open days are a fantastic opportunity to find out more about the work involved and why it’s so important, as well as seeing the canals from a fresh perspective.”
To find out more about the open days, please visit: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/events/open-days-2021-22
February 5
Grindley Brook, Llangollen Canal in Shropshire. Carrying out repairs to locks 1, 2 and 6. Visitors will have the opportunity to go into the bottom of the drained locks as CRT’s specialist carpenters reline the gates to improve their fit which will help save water on this busy stretch of canal.
February 18-19
Hertford Union Canal.
This London canal adjacent to Victoria Park in Tower Hamlets is one of the busiest on the network – both with boats on the water and people using the towpath. Visitors will be able to take a walk along the bottom of the drained canal for a rare ‘fish-eye’s-view’ of the repairs to one of London’s waterway gems.
February 26
Kennet & Avon Canal, Seend Lock 18 near The Barge Inn, 10am-4pm.
Trust specialists will be on hand to talk about the works taking place as well as the wider efforts to look after this 200-year-old canal which has become a haven for boaters, locals, tourists and wildlife.
February 26-27
Anderton Boat Lift, River Weaver. Family-friendly activities and an insight into the repair works taking place at the lift. Visitors will hear about the works taking place and the effort to keep this ‘wonder of the waterways’ operating for years to come.
Newark Town Lock, Newark, 10am-4pm.
This event (dates as for Anderton Boat Lift) gives visitors chance to descend into the bottom of the drained Newark Town Lock as the Canal & River Trust carries out important maintenance and repairs to the historic structure. Refreshments and family-friendly activities in the lockside garden and an opportunity to visit the town’s dry dock – the largest inland dry dock in the UK.
March 12
Lock 9, Rochdale Canal, Hebden Bridge, 10am-2pm. The public footbridge provides a perfect viewing platform down into the drained lock and the specialists will be on hand to describe the work taking place and to host some fun family canal-themed activities.