Lock 10 Audlem Lock Flight, Shropshire Union Canal

Updates

03/08/2024 08:16

We are pleased to advise that our teams on site have now repositioned the lock gates. We are currently making final adjustments to the gates and conducting tests.

We will have the canal back open by 9:30 am this morning.

We would like to thank our customers for their patience and support.

01/08/2024 14:00

We would like to provide a further update on the closure at Lock 10 of the Audlem Flight on the Shropshire Union Canal.

Following inspections carried out by our engineers yesterday, the works to secure the gates our more complicated due to one of the gates being wedged against the other one, this has prevented us from using our normal methods of installing gates and now required to be lifted by a crane. The specialist crane required to lift the lock gates back into place is unavailable until Saturday morning, 3 August. Once the crane is on site our team will then lift the gates back into position and secure them.

We are doing everything we can to reopen navigation over the weekend and a further update will be provide Saturday 3 August, once the works have been completed.

If you have any information regarding the damage caused to the lock or noticed any suspicious activities around Lock 10 on the evening of Tuesday, 30 July, please let us know or contact Cheshire Police using reference number 24000667511

We would like to thank our boaters for all your understanding and patience.

31/07/2024 10:34

Please be advised that navigation will remain closed at Lock 10 of the Audlem Flight on the Shropshire Union Canal. Our engineers have completed their inspections, and in order to lift the gates back into position, we require lifting equipment to be brought to the site.

Our priority is supporting the boaters who are currently stuck in the lock and ensuring the lock is safe.

This incident was due to vandalism, where someone has removed both gate collars fixing, resulting in the gates becoming detached from the lock walls. If anyone has any information regarding this incident, please contact our North-West Customer Support team at 03030 404040.

We expect it to take a couple of days to repair the gates and reopen navigation. A further update will be provided tomorrow, 1 August.

Thank you for your understanding and patience.

Description

We've had a serious incident this evening where Lock 10 Audlem flight is currently out of action due to what looks like vandalism of the tail gates. The shear pins at the top of the gates have been removed and when the lock was in use being emptied, the gates have dropped and are now inoperable, with the boat stuck in situ in the lock.

Our team could not do any remedial works to resolve this due to the lifting equipment needed.

A further update will be posted at 10:30 am on 31/07/2024 once fully accessed with a plan on restoring operation.