Wolverhampton 21 opening delayed

THOUGH we were told by Canal & River Trust that the repairs to Lock 21 on the Wolverhampton 21 would be complete around the 12th July this has now been extended to the 12th August.

It is stated that the work is more complex that first estimated, as narrowboatworld predicted, with the opening date extended by a month, Kieth Gudgin tells us.

No way completed

It was after seeing the photographs taken by our Orph Mable, that it was realised there was no way the repairs would be completed by the middle of August, with our prediction: 'Though it is told yesterday that the flight will be open by the middle of July, it is obvious from the scale of the failure that it will take much longer'. (Wolverhampton 21 lock failure)

We are now told the wall has been stabilised to prevent further movement, with the failed section of brickwork now having to be removed and rebuilt.

Quick fix

In the first instance CaRT attempted to excuse lack of maintenance by telling the cause was: 'probably through water ingress from the recent vandalism', but this was ridiculous, (Vandalism not the cause)  as the failure had obviously been building up for years, with a 'quick fix' of a bit of mortar in the crack, as could be seen from the photograph.

It is obvious if the correct maintenance had been applied at the early stage, the crack would have not gone so far, and would have been a much simpler job to rectify.