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Ratcliffe Lock - River Soar


Richard T

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According to CRT it is not possible to open the bottom gates of the lock because of silt build up.

River Soar
Location: Ratcliffe Lock - River Soar
Starts At: Lock 58 - Ratcliffe Lock
Ends At: Lock 58 - Ratcliffe Lock

Sunday 21 February 2021 until further notice

Type: Navigation Closure
Reason: Maintenance


 

Update on 22/02/2021:

 

Due to the recent bad flooding we have experienced, there has been a large amount of silt build up, which is stopping the bottom gates from opening.

Our local team have been on site today, working hard to clear the silt away, however the job is bigger then we had expected. 

We will now need a dredging boat to come down and clear the rest of the silt, to enable us to open the bottom gates again. 

At this moment in time, we do not have a timescale for when the dredging boat will be on site, but as soon as we have more information, we will update the website accordingly. 

We apologise for any inconvenience this may be causing. 

 

Original message:

 

One of the bottom gates at Ratcliffe Lock wont close due to an unexpected maintenance issue.  Consequently, the lock is temporarily out of action.  

The local team will be attending site tomorrow and we aim to have the lock working again by the end of the day. 

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

Last September/October a large amount of silt was dredged from above the lock and deposited on the bank in such a way that at the next major flood it would be washed back into the cut!!

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

And now someone has tried to use the lock and done more damage ...    https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/19220-ratcliffe-lock-river-soar

"

Due to attempted operation of the lock, while there was a build up of silt, one of the lock gates has now become damaged and the lock is no longer operational. 

Our engineer will be on site today to carry out a full scope of the job and what needs to be done.  Once a plan is made, we will then be able to update our website with a time scale of how long these works will take. 

We will also still need our spot dredger to attend site and clear the remaining silt. 

We understand the frustrations of our customers and sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.  "

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8 hours ago, Ally said:

The "not stolen " boat perhaps?  I believe it was moored above the lock a while,  trapped. 

You missed a word out there Ally ?

You would hope CRT know which boat caused the damage- surely the plonker who decided to use the lock anyway must have been spotted if someone was moored there..

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28 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Should it have been "Maybe" or have you seen the evidence

Damn! Youre right- Wish I had written that now-much better. It was meant as a joke and I know (hope) Ally will get it as Ally knows my opinions on this.  I hadnt considered how others might take it or interpret it. 

I was not saying I had any evidence to support it wasnt stolen or not fully paid for. 

 

 

 

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Update today works to start is 22nd March. The boaters moaning about inactivty by CRT will now have something else to moan about!!

 

Update on 09/03/2021:

 

Assessment of the work required to return Ratcliffe Lock to operational condition is now complete, and a provisional start date for this work is below.

Monday 22nd March 2021

In order to begin the work a crane boat is required on site, and this date is the earliest that the boat will be able to arrive. Please note that the date above is the provisional earliest start date for the work and is subject to change dependant on other materials/equipment required on site.

Further updates will be made available as plans progress.

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  • 3 weeks later...

There is no current stoppage for Ratcliffe, and the last email about it came on the 22/03, with the stuff about needing a crane boat, and above it, no less than four copies of "Work has been completed by our maintenance team and Ratcliffe Lock is now operational again." dated 9th March, 18th March (twice) and 22nd March.

 

If CRT normally produced accurate and comprehensive stoppage notices, I'd just be confused, but as they don't I take the current state of affairs to indicate that it's fixed.

 

MP.

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  • 1 month later...

Ratcliffe lock is still difficult. one top gate cannot be fully opened. However the real problem is that the downstream lock landing is completely blocked by a shoal. The only way to operate the lock is by picking up and dropping of people in the lock mouth.

The flood water has overtopped the lock wall flowed into the adjacent ditch and then washed a large hole the contents of which are now blocking the landing. The first two photos show this hole and the third part of the shoal.

There are no warning signs or bouys especially when going upstream. We failed to pull a boat of yesterday morning. Fortunately we were boating with friends and they have a more powerful engine that us and they got it off.

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42 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

If this is so well known by boaters why hasn't one of them poked some withies into it to warn others of the danger.

 

 

Brian I don't normally carry waders or withies with me when boating!! I certainly was not going to take my shoes and socks off and go for a paddle to put poles in. I've sent a suitably worded email to CRT about it and the one at Stoke on the Trent.

Cheers

 

Richard

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Irrelevant for now, since there's a stoppage notice on the whole lower Soar due to flood water.  We just came up there a few days ago, like a millpond. But we're about to go from Sawley along a mile of the Trent to the Trent and Mersey.  You'd have thought that excess water would be around there too!

 

Here's the notice, which only seems to apply to the Soar, but it is so close to us!  Obviously we'd ask around if we were physically there now, but we're trying to decide whether to drive up tomorrow or not.  We're thinking to wait until the notice is gone from the Soar.  Has anyone got a firm view either way??

 

We advise users of all boats not to navigate the Grand Union Leicester Line Canal from Kings Lock, through to the River Soar at Redhill Lock because the river is now in flood level conditions with strong flows making it difficult and dangerous.

Boaters are asked not to travel along this section until further notice.

 
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