THE PROBLEM WITH Clitheroe's Lock 99 on the Grand Union failing to equalise water to be able to open gates has been discovered.
It has been discovered that there are holes in the cill, Keith Gudgin reports.
Holes in the cill
With Canal & River Trust telling that there are three letterbox size holes in the cill, that will require stop planks being inserted and the pound dewatered.
This of course means that the Grand Union Canal is now unavailable for navigation until the cill has been replaced.
With the trust telling that the waterway 'will be closed for a number of weeks'. And adding: 'There will be no assisted passage due to the severity of the damage'.
Will take months not weeks
But on past replacement of cills the work will take months, not weeks.
The Clitheroe's Lock being in Brentford where the Grand Union conects to the Thames means there is now no direct link to the Thames via the Grand Union at Brentford, so boaters wanting to reach either must take to the Regents Canal and then the tidal Thames.