THOUGH Canal & River Trust staff kept people away from the latest lock failure, this time on the Wolverhampton Flight, our Orph Mable was able to secure the first published pictures.
His photograph clearly shows that CaRT was aware of a possible failure of the lock as mortar is clearly seen at the bottom of the photograph that had been inserted in the crack that was starting.
Entire length
This crack has now widened and extended along the entire length of the lock, allowing the wall to come away from the brickwork, with the entire wall now obviously unsafe, and likely to move even further inwards. This left CaRT with no alternative but to close the entire flight.
This now cuts off the BCN from the northern end of the Staffs & Worcs Canal and the Shropshire Union. Though unlike in the case of the lock failure on the Aylesbury Arm, boats can reach the lower Staffs & Worcs Canal via Netherton Tunnel and the Stourbridge Canal, though a someone long and torturous route.
There is no stoppage signage at any point before Lock 21 Aldersley Junction Bridge. A single handed boater won't see the yellow tape until he tries to go under bridge. Neither is there a stoppage sign at the top lock, just padlocked gates.
Causing consternation
Our contributor Keith Gudgin, at present at Norbury junction on the Shropshire Union tells us the closure is causing some consternation amongst boaters wanting to get back up the '21'.
At least one hire boat company, it is understood has a boat stuck on the Main Line, unable to get down the flight.
Though it is told yesterday that the flight will be open by the middle of July, it is obvious from the the scale of the failure that it will take much longer.
As can be read elsewhere in narrowboatworld the new Chief Executive, Richard Parry, accepted an invitation by boater John Sloan to work up the Wolverhampton Flight, which has been well and truly foiled by the lock failure.
It is hoped he still takes up the offer, though perhaps instead boating on the Staffs & Worcs, but actually seeing the lock, realises, as our Allan Richards points out, the real state of the waterways.