Temporary repair at Buckby Flight

THERE has been a temporary repair to the broken gate on Lock 12 on the Buckby Flight on the Grand Union Canal, which is open with restrictions.

The temporary repair to the lock means that the flight is again open to navigation, but boats will need to be managed through the lock, with no access for wide beam boats, Keith Gudgin tells us.

Assisted through the lock

Boats are being assisted through the lock by Canal & River Trust staff to prevent any further damage to the gate, but this means that both locks 12 and 13 will be padlocked at 3pm each day until a permanent repair can be managed. this will also help in controlling the water levels in the pound.

It is hoped to make a more substantial repair to the gate so it will last until the winter maintenance stoppages, when it can be permanently repaired.

Boaters to blame?

Boater Emma Payne (Poor boat handling to blame) seeing the boat handling by novices through this flight the day before the stoppage, is of the opinion that those boaters themselves are responsible for the over-aggressive use of engine power in the locks, or at the very least accelerated that particular lock's demise.