Trent & Mersey Canal closed

THE busy Trent & Mersey Canal is closed at its eastern end as a boat has sunk in the broad Weston Lock. Lastest: The boat has been removed and the navigation is now open.

As our Ralph Freeman pointed out, this is the silly season, when people with little knowledge of the real working of locks, and more importantly, the action to take in difficulty, take to the waterways, resulting in boats being sunk in locks.

Crane lift

The boat sank yesterday (Wednesday), and no passage will be possible  until British Waterways are able to lift the boat out with a crane.

This is the second sinking in nine days, the other being on the Huddersfield Narrow on Monday of last week as reported in narrowboatworld. However, it is believed that this boat was caught on the cill as it went into the lock, due to the low pound, and with the bottom gates leaking,  had little chance to go forward, with lack of maintenance to blame.