Lock 19-25 Rochdale Canal

Detail

From Date: 14/07/2021 00:00

To Date: 29/07/2021 11:00 inclusive

Type: Advice

Reason: Structure failure

Is the towpath closed? No

Location

Closest waterway: Rochdale Canal

Starts at: Lock 19

Ends at: Lock 25

Upstream winding hole: Upstream Lock 25

Downstream winding hole: Between Lock 18 and 19

Updates

29/07/2021 11:14

We are pleased to advise that the repair at Lock 24 has been completed and the lock is now reopened. We will shortly be reopening the guillotine Lock at Lock 19 and then this stretch of navigation will be reopened.

Please however note that we now have a closure at Lock 13, awaiting further updates this afternoon.

22/07/2021 07:36

We've been able to remove the water from the lock chamber and have found the damage to the floor is a lot worse than we initially expected. The patch repair we had intended to complete is no longer an option. The wooden recesses for the tail gates which is an unusual feature of the Rochdale canal has rotted, some sections have gone completely others are badly scored and not waterproof. We will have to remove the entire floor, replace the clay and lay a new floor. This has led to the cills lifting due to the water pressure going under the floor which will have to be fixed in place and the forebay is also beyond repair and will have to be replaced. Due to the listed nature of the lock these extensive repairs will now have to be approved by the local conservation officer and we will have to source more materials than we thought. All this means we will take longer than expected but aim to reopen the canal by Friday 30th of July. Obviously this is disappointing to us and our customers but we would ask for your continued support while we complete these vital repairs. A progress update will be issued on Tuesday morning the 27th of July.

14/07/2021 16:36

After our initial investigation at Lock 24 this morning we have found the floor of the lock is damaged and can no longer safely be equalised to allow passage. It takes a minimum of at least 4 very strong Lockies or 5/6 normal strength ones. Obviously this is dangerous to both the structure and the people, our customers, so we have had to close the lock. Our teams are mobilising to go in next week and repair the lock with an expected completion date of Friday the 23rd of July. We will of course update this notice as the repairs are ongoing. We have shut the flight down to Lock 19 as this is the last place to turn round before you travel up the flight and it wouldn't make sense to allow people to go up then come down backwards. Winding is available upstream of the lock for anyone coming from the NW region.

Description

We are undertaking an inspection of the floor of Lock 24 and have lowered the water between Lock 24 and 25 in order to gain access. This will be a temporary activity and the navigation will be reopened shortly.