Beal Lock - River Aire

[WillCful]

Hi all, Beal lock on the river Aire is showing as closed on the CRT website due to ‘excessive silt buildup’. I got an opportunity to go and check it out by car the other day, the lock itself is operating fine, there is however a lot of visible silt in the upstream channel leading to the lock, has anyone used the lock recently and know whether or not it’s passable?

There’s no indication on CRT website yet as to when it might be dredged, could be a while I suppose with the current situation. 

[George and Dragon]

Won't that depend on your boat? Some quite large craft use the Aire...

[WillCful]

7 minutes ago, George and Dragon said:

Won't that depend on your boat? Some quite large craft use the Aire...

Ah yes, just a standard 6,10 2ft draft narrowboat in this case. 

[David Mack]

Maybe silt is preventing the gates from opening.

[pete.i]

A friend of mine tried to take his boat to Goole via the Aire last month and he told me that the gates were locked. Maybe ringing C&RT would glean some more reliable information.

[mrsmelly]

10 hours ago, WillCful said:

Ah yes, just a standard 6,10 2ft draft narrowboat in this case. 

That lock will take much deeper draughted craft than any narrowboat under normal circumstances. Lovely stretch of inland waterway and luckily very little used as it doesnt say " Braunston "  in the title. Did you say you had been on foot and operated it? As David says if its heavily silted behind the gates it may not open and or you may cause damage trying. I would send a message or ring CART if you can get hold of anyone and ask what they intend doing and if you can pass in such a small boat.

[WillCful]

Thank you everyone. I've operated the gates, they work fine it's just passing the upstream channel leading to the lock that looks like it might be problematic. I've rung CRT before and usually they just quote the information from the website at me but I'll try again. Alternatively I could just wing it, the journey there and back is within a days cruising of where I'm currently moored, worst case I could end up having to reverse back through the lock ?

[Mike Todd]

57 minutes ago, WillCful said:

Thank you everyone. I've operated the gates, they work fine it's just passing the upstream channel leading to the lock that looks like it might be problematic. I've rung CRT before and usually they just quote the information from the website at me but I'll try again. Alternatively I could just wing it, the journey there and back is within a days cruising of where I'm currently moored, worst case I could end up having to reverse back through the lock ?

The response of the silt bank it impeding your journey or otherwise might well depend on your answer when asked how essential is your journey!