Charity bring forward lock gate works on the river soar

We would ordinarily carry out the works as part of its annual winter maintenance programme when fewer boats are navigating the waterway.  But, with the River Soar increasingly prone to flooding in the winter months, the decision has been made to bring the works forward to ensure the gates are fitted efficiently and securely in place ahead of winter rainfall.

The project

As part of the project, our specialist teams have lifted out the two sets of old gates and replaced them with brand new bespoke oak gates. The works will also see repairs to the historic brickwork in the lock chamber, adjustments to the lock ladders and the fitting of a new cill – the part of the lock floor that the gates sit against to form a watertight seal.  

Lock gates typically last for around 25 years and each new one is individually designed and hand-assembled by skilled craftspeople at one of our two specialist workshops.

Over the winter our teams will be out replacing more lock gates across the country, as well as repairing historic locks, bridges and tunnels as part of a multi-million-pound programme to care for the nation’s 250-year-old canal network. The work, which spans the length and breadth of the country, takes place between November and March.

The decision to move the works at Cossington forward highlights the growing impact that climate change poses to the nation’s historic waterways. More regular floods and droughts are placing increasing pressure on ageing infrastructure, with many canals built more than 200 years ago using traditional methods and materials.

The impacts of climate change

Andrew Morris, our regional construction manager, said: “In a time of drought it might seem odd to be thinking about flooding but with the nation’s weather becoming ever-more extreme, it’s a good example of the impacts of climate change and the year-round work we have to do to protect Leicestershire’s historic waterways.

“Over the past few years winter floods on the River Soar have made this type of project a real challenge, with the work site regularly being under water. This has meant delays and, in some cases, works being cut short. By bringing things forward we’ll be making sure that we can carry out the full programme of work in the quickest possible time.

“Our work to keep the waterway network open and alive never stops and we couldn’t do it without the support of boaters, our volunteers, supporters, and the wider public.”