The Grade II listed lock is one of 104 locks between Bristol and the River Thames at Reading which make up the Kennet & Avon Canal. Dating back nearly 300 years, the lock required repairs to one of the ‘paddles’ – the trap door which boaters navigating the waterway operate to empty the lock of water.
Efficient underwater lock repairs and inspections
A specialist dive team went below the surface of the canal to temporarily remove the paddle from the lock gate. This allowed our bank-side maintenance team to make the repairs before the divers once again fixed the paddle back in its place below the waterline.
The diving team were also able to conduct an inspection to help inform future maintenance at the lock, while also removing weeds, timber and other impediments around the lock gates which was impacting the filling time of the lock. The use of divers, rather than having to install temporary dams and drain the canal completely, minimised disruption for boaters as the lock was fixed and back open after only a brief closure.
The repairs to the paddle on the lock gate will improve boaters experience of using the lock, which is one of the deepest on the navigation, lowering or raising boats over nine feet.
