Ervin's Lock long stoppage

WHAT a shame the CART area responsible for this lock didn't take a leaf out of the Shroppie area, writes Alan Baker.

They had a stoppage for exactly the same repair on the Adderley Flight in mid season, but they did it overnight.

Preparing during the day

We had moored up early at the bottom to go up next day unaware of any stoppage. Talked to a CaRT man walking past, told me it would be closed, they'd been preparing for it during day, and he was going to come back after 6.00 pm.

Walked up late and lock was all fenced off, lit up and people all over place, not just working on gate seal but others cleaning bottom of lock. First boat came down through the Lock about 7.30 am. We went up the locks about an hour later and only sign that there had been any work was the strips of wood (are not leaking), and grass trodden down, then all the work boats moored up above the top locks.