The works here will cost £300,000 in total and involve highly skilled craftsmanship. Both the top and bottom lock gates are being replaced, the lock chamber will be cleared of silt and brickwork repairs will be carried out to the lock chamber walls. The works, which started on the 14 March, are expected to take four weeks and the lock is planned to be operational again by mid April.
A busy lock
Ged King, regional construction manager for the Canal & River Trust, says: “Repairing the lock gates at Lock 63 is part of the essential maintenance needed to enable the local canal network to be used and enjoyed by boaters, cyclists, anglers and walkers. It's a busy lock and last year it saw over 1,215 boats travel through it.
“We are opening up the site to visitors on Sunday 3 April, providing a unique chance for visitors to venture to the bottom of the drained lock chamber, letting us showcase the work the Trust does by explaining about the repair and restoration works we are doing here. The lock gates are unlikely to be replaced again for another 25 years, so this really is a rare opportunity for visitors.”
Find out more about this open day and plan your visit.
