Rochdale Canal failure

THE Rochdale Canal has failed between Locks 6 and 7 at Mytholmroyd, near Bridge 10, with the waterway closed until further notice.

An inspection yesterday confirmed that it is a culvert failure beneath the canal that has caused the collapse, Keith Gudgin tells us.

Complex task

Canal & River Trust responds that it is too early to say how long the canal will be closed, but intimated that it is already obvious that this is going to be a complex task, with the culvert having a strong flow of water from the stream it carries. The picture is of Bridge 10 near to the stoppage.

Another difficulty is that the site is surrounded by houses, making access difficult, and we are told it will likely be a couple of weeks before any programme of repairs can been considered.

No passage

There is of course now no passage on the Rochdale Canal across the Pennines, though the waterway is open both side of the stoppage until after Christmas when the planned gate replacement work will start.

This further failure totals nine failures in 10 months, (The crumbling waterways), and is surely indicative of the continuing reduction, year upon year, of required maintenance.