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Big Lock bridge in Middlewich

haggis

By haggis
in General Boating

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haggis Veteran

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Just had a stoppage notice for Big Lock in Middlewich (closed for January) and they say that the bridge will be dismantled at the same time and taken off site for repair. It won't be reinstalled till the winter works of 2020. That will be almost two years that the bridge has been out of use but it is good to know that it will be repaired. I had wondered if it was a Local Authority or C RT responsibility to repair it and now we know. 

 

haggis

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Boater Sam Influencer

Boater Sam

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2 minutes ago, Arthur Marshall said:

That's going to be a pig singlehanding...

 

More than a pig Arthur, its a dangerous operation even for a seasoned boater, heaven knows how the casual hirer will cope safely.

 

Could I suggest that to avoid the serious risk of walking the bottom gate tops that the users rope the offside top  gate so that it can be closed from the towpath? Then you have a walkway across to the offside?

 

I can see no other safe way of operating the lock, access using the boat to cross the lock basin is not always possible.

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dmr Veteran II

dmr

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Good that it is going to be fixed, in the mean time maybe they should install a temporary bridge.

Went through Big Lock today and intend to report it to CRT as watched a woman struggling over the top gates carrying a toddler.

 

..............Dave

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Boater Sam Influencer

Boater Sam

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2 minutes ago, Pie Eater said:

I am surprised that the locals have not objected to the delay. I have seen cyclists carrying their bikes over the top gates and the last time I was up there a young mum carried a pram over.

 

Do CaRT not do risk assessments?

Does anyone at C&RT read this forum? They should.

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haggis Veteran

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54 minutes ago, system 4-50 said:

Anyone got a pic so we can see what is being read about?

I haven't got a photo but from a screen shot of Google maps ( when the bridge was still open) you can see the lock and the bridge. Bottom lock gates have hand rails to about half way along and nothing to hold onto in between. The top gates have a foot wide walkway attached to the gates and this is the only means across. As well as making it very difficult for boaters (we put the centre rope on the towpath bollard and pushed the boat across so that Iain could get off and close the top gate) locals are crossing the gate carrying bikes, children, shopping, push chairs etc. There is no other canal crossing for quite a distance. 

 

image.png.e1a0080f1461bba9a817b8d94fd781b8.png

 

 

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dmr Veteran II

dmr

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No handrails on the bottom gates, what you can maybe see is just the mechanism rod for the gate paddles (I bet somebody knows the proper name for this).

I looked today with a view to crossing over but decided not to.

 

...............Dave

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

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1 minute ago, Goliath said:

I’ve single handed this lock without using the footbridge, I’m not sure what the fuss is about. 

 

I can understand how the  locals on foot are annoyed. Carrying dogs, pushchairs and mobility scooters over the top gates won’t be easy. 

Of course you can when you know what you are doing .

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john6767 Veteran II

john6767

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We went through it both ways in the summer.  Not sure I get what the big deal is for boaters, other than when the offside top gate swings open with no one on that side. I can understand the issue for locals if it is a footpath.

 

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Boater Sam Influencer

Boater Sam

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18 minutes ago, john6767 said:

We went through it both ways in the summer.  Not sure I get what the big deal is for boaters, other than when the offside top gate swings open with no one on that side. I can understand the issue for locals if it is a footpath.

 

Single handed what would you do with a top gate open that you cannot get to safely?

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ditchcrawler Veteran II

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36 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Just go through on the towpath side, if there is only one boat, single handed or not.

But what about if the boat that just came out left both gates open or you go in through the nearside gate and the other swings open

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john6767 Veteran II

john6767

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4 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

But what about if the boat that just came out left both gates open or you go in through the nearside gate and the other swings open

It’s the same case as I said, the top gate swings open.  So then you need to use the boat.  Yes it’s a faff, but none of this is earth shattering.   Although on the flip side I can’t see why replacing a small tail bridge like this is hard to do.

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haggis Veteran

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7 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Its had a weight limit for years, I have a photo somewhere 

I think it said no more than 10 (or maybe 8 ) people on the bridge at once or was this the notice put up just before it closed and it was an actual weight limit before? 

Although you can put the boat across to the other side to close the off side gate going down, what if that gate  swings open as you leave the lock?  Also, as happened with a hire boat coming up when we went down recently, one of the crew would have been  stuck at the off side top gate until the boats  going down got into the lock and closed the gates but he chose to walk across the bottom gates which have no hand hold for most of the way across. It was a stag party on the hire boat and those watching breathed a sigh of relief when he got to the tow path side. 

If you know what you are doing, the lack of the bridge is not a big problem but there are a lot of hire boats (from both north and south) going that way and the lack of the bridge may lead them to doing something unsafe. 

 

haggis

 

 

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12 hours ago, haggis said:

I think it said no more than 10 (or maybe 8 ) people on the bridge at once or was this the notice put up just before it closed and it was an actual weight limit before? 

Although you can put the boat across to the other side to close the off side gate going down, what if that gate  swings open as you leave the lock?  Also, as happened with a hire boat coming up when we went down recently, one of the crew would have been  stuck at the off side top gate until the boats  going down got into the lock and closed the gates but he chose to walk across the bottom gates which have no hand hold for most of the way across. It was a stag party on the hire boat and those watching breathed a sigh of relief when he got to the tow path side. 

If you know what you are doing, the lack of the bridge is not a big problem but there are a lot of hire boats (from both north and south) going that way and the lack of the bridge may lead them to doing something unsafe. 

 

haggis

 

 

if memory serves, isn't the Andersen hire base very close? As in if they leave in the direction of the Anderton Lift it will be the first lock they arrive at with possibly zero experience?

 

we passed through it a few times this year, and although yes it is do-able it is a pain in the bum as the gates do move

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