As part of our winter works activity, we are replacing gates at Lock 2, 3, 4 and 10 on the Peak Forest Canal.
What work is happening?
Spanning around a mile long, the Marple Lock Flight is a steep 16-lock flight - one of the steepest and deepest in Britain. For decades, it has helped boats asecend and descend over 200 feet along the Peak Forest Canal.
The whole of the Marple Lock Flight will be closed whilst we replace ageing lock gates 2, 3, 4 and 10.
Each lock gate is made to measure by our skilled craftspeople at our workshops in Bradley and Stanley Ferry. One leaf of a mitre gate (the v-shaped gates) measures approximately 1.6 metres wide and 4.5 metres tall, and weighs around 2500kg - which is roughly the weight of an adult male rhino.
Lock gates being crafted at our Bradley workshop.
When is the work happening?
The work to Marple Lock Flight starts on 4 January 2027. We hope it will be complete by 12 March 2027.
What does this mean for canal users?
Unfortunately, the navigation will be closed for boating during this time. However, the towpaths will remain open whilst we carry out the work.
Help support our work
As a charity, it costs us millions of pounds every year to deliver our winter works programme.
Connecting many of the UK's urban and rural areas, canals and rivers provide essential spaces for wildlife and people, helping us all feel happier and healthier.
But these 250-year-old waterways and their vital ecosystems are threatened by the growing impact of climate change and more extreme weather. Without constant upkeep and investment, they face decline and closure, and we risk losing the incredible benefits they bring.
Every penny of your monthly gift will go directly towards our work that helps keep canals and rivers open and alive
About our winter works programme
Every year, we undertake a large winter works programme, which focuses on hundreds of priority repairs across our 2,000 mile canal and river network - whether that's addressing ageing lock gates and paddles, strengthening canal banks, or carrying out essential works to bridges, tunnels and other structures.
