Leeds & Liverpool, River Lock 1 to Newlay Lock 13 closed due to low water levels

[Jonkx]

As above and as notified by CRT.  Don't know how long it's for, if anyone has any further information it would be appreciated. 

Notice Alert

Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Location: Leeds & Liverpool canal, between Newly Top Lock and River Lock
Starts At: Lock 13, Newlay Top Lock
Ends At: Lock 1, River Lock
Up Stream Winding Hole: Above Newlay Top Lock
Down Stream Winding Hole: In river below River Lock

Monday 15 August 2022 17:00 until further notice

Type: Navigation Closure
Reason: Water resources

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Update on 15/08/2022:

 

we have reviewed the notice below and can confirm this remains the plan

Original message:

 

Due to minimal water supply into the canal, it has become necessary to close the canal between Newlay Top Lock and River Lock.

This closure will commence Monday 15th August 2022 at 17:00 hours. At this time the affected lock gates will be locked off and sealed. This notice is to allow time for boaters to leave the restricted area before Monday evening. Customers are asked to avoid the area were possible to maintain levels, allowing time for those affected to leave the area.

CRT apologise for this closure and thank you for you help at this unprecedented time.

A further update will be given at 12:00 Monday 15th August 2022.

You can view this notice and its map online here:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/23079/leeds-and-liverpool-canal-between-newly-top-lock-and-river-lock

You can find all notices at the url below:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices

Edited August 15, 2022 by Jonkx
Corrected typo.

[Nightwatch]

We are sat in and around Skipton waiting for the locks from Gargrave to Wigan to reopen. Time period is in the hands of the gods. Loads of wet stuff from the skies required. October has been mentioned to me more than once by those that know more than I.

 

So, in answer to your question, I’ve no idea.

[Jonkx]

Thanks anyway. I was hoping being towards the bottom end of the canal it might be a bit more susceptible to filling up... 

 

Was plenty of water going over the side weirs at Bingley a few weeks ago... things can change. 

[Psychalist]

Where is the bottom of the canal? Certainly nearer the top. We're not at the bottom but are on the bottom as the level in our pound is maybe 6in down from the low level it was a few weeks ago. Even October seems doubtful now. A few days of rain will bring the level up but it won't re-fill those near empty reservoirs. Foulridge at the moment looks a bit like finding the sea at Southport beach.

[Dave123]

The canal is river fed from Skipton downwards so rain of any sort will help, even if just briefly to allow limited passage through locks.

[Pluto]

There is  a substantial feed from streams into the summit after rain, though probably not as much as shown in the 1893 figures for the first week in March. There are a couple of feeders below Skipton, but the majority of Yorkshire feed comes from Eshton Beck, which is supplied from Winterburn Reservoir.

 

Just hope this year is not like 1913, when there was virtually no rain from August to mid-November.

[TheBiscuits]

9 hours ago, Psychalist said:

Foulridge at the moment looks a bit like finding the sea at Southport beach.

 

MrsBiscuit grew up in Southport, and I reckon she didn't see the sea until she was seven! 😁

[rusty69]

19 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

MrsBiscuit grew up in Southport, and I reckon she didn't see the sea until she was seven! 😁

Seven seas of rye. Biscuits? 

 

I've never had rhye biscuits. They sound disgusting 

Edited August 16, 2022 by rusty69

[Nightwatch]

Bingley Five Rise closing end of play today.

[Pluto]

11 hours ago, TheBiscuits said:

 

MrsBiscuit grew up in Southport, and I reckon she didn't see the sea until she was seven! 😁

This is what the view from the pier used to be. It was the dredging of the deep channel into Preston around 1890 which caused the siltation at Southport that resulted in the deep water at the end of the pier disappearing. As that channel is no longer dredged, the deep water at Southport is slowly returning.

[Jonkx]

I got this in response to a query to CRT customer services. Hopefully they will reopen sections on a case by case basis, as and when the situation improves.

 

"Our team are monitoring the situation closely and will reopen the canals as soon as water levels are high enough. We will likely be looking to open them in stages so boaters can resume movement but this will depend on rainfall across the area and I'm afraid our team are not able to say which sections will be opening first."

[Nightwatch]

We have a potential problem. Being held up in Skipton. Once locks start to reopen we will be obligated to move on, of course.

So, we move on, but but how far before we get to the lock that is closed, no idea where that maybe.

Then add into the mix Winter maintenance programmes.

 

We feel that Skipton is not the worse place to be, we may end up in, say, Burnley or Blackburn or the outskirts of Chorley, or some other  location we  may not want to be. (Apologies to those that live in and love the above mentioned towns.)

 

So, putting the feelers out for temporary moorings in or around Skipton until perhaps the spring, then head off South which is our plan. I have a medical appointment in Portsmouth at the end of the month. So travelling down by rail, strikes permitting of course, and taking the car out of hibernation and bringing it north. Been hiring cars and vans locally from an excellent hire company but nothing like your own car. But it’s due an MOT in October. 

 

 

[TheBiscuits]

57 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Chorley, or some other  location we  may not want to be. (Apologies to those that live in and love the above mentioned towns.)

 

Yeah, there's some real eejuts come from Chorley...

 

... Like that @Nightwatch fella ...

 

"Stupid boy" as @mrsmelly might say! 

[Unicorn Stampede]

I'm not entirely sure how much the winter stoppages are going to stick in all honesty - they already trimmed the list once. The main stoppage penned in around Skipton, is the closure of canal after the five/three rise. If you're past there, then in theory you could shuffle your way down to Leeds and beyond.

 

There was a four month closure planned on the Aire and Calder but that's been subsequently pulled following the latest winter stoppages update.

 

We are currently locked in around Saltaire and very much wanting to get back around to Calder or Rochdale.

[Opener]

On 19/08/2022 at 10:15, Nightwatch said:

We have a potential problem. Being held up in Skipton. Once locks start to reopen we will be obligated to move on, of course.

So, we move on, but but how far before we get to the lock that is closed, no idea where that maybe.

Then add into the mix Winter maintenance programmes.

 

We feel that Skipton is not the worse place to be, we may end up in, say, Burnley or Blackburn or the outskirts of Chorley, or some other  location we  may not want to be. (Apologies to those that live in and love the above mentioned towns.)

 

So, putting the feelers out for temporary moorings in or around Skipton until perhaps the spring, then head off South which is our plan. I have a medical appointment in Portsmouth at the end of the month. So travelling down by rail, strikes permitting of course, and taking the car out of hibernation and bringing it north. Been hiring cars and vans locally from an excellent hire company but nothing like your own car. But it’s due an MOT in October. 

 

 

The catch with moorings in the Skipton area is that that pound is the one, until Monday, that is being continually drained via Bingley. We have been sat on the bottom, on moorings, over the last month or so.

Silver lining - been able to repaint tunnel colours with the stern out of the water. Nearly sprained my ankle stepping on board from the jetty - deck about six inches lower than normal and it don't rock no more ☹️.

[Jonkx]

Hi there, just wondered if anyone in the area had noticed any discernible improvement in water levels recently?

[Unicorn Stampede]

The water levels dropped a couple of inch in Shipley - gonna take a while for this to recover I reckon

[Jonkx]

1 hour ago, Unicorn Stampede said:

The water levels dropped a couple of inch in Shipley - gonna take a while for this to recover I reckon

Thanks alot, much appreciated. 

[peterboat]

It could be worse this is in Europe 

[Midnight]

I spoke to an elderly couple in their 80s who are quite anxious as they have been stranded at Dowley Gap for some time. They tell me by-washes are running but passage to Leeds is still closed. Come on Mr McGinley try harder!

[Jonkx]

That's good to know, there have been no updates from CRT since 19 August.

[Jonkx]

Update issued today:

 

Notice Alert

Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Location: Navigation Closure: Lock 1, Leeds to Lock 86, Wigan, Leeds & Liverpool Canal
Starts At: Lock 86
Ends At: Lock 1, River Lock

Monday 4 April 2022 10:00 until further notice

Type: Navigation Closure
Reason: Water resources

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Update on 12/10/2022:

 

Due to recent improvements in the water levels within Winterburn & Slipper Hill Reservoirs, which feed the Leeds & Liverpool canal, we are now in a position to resume navigation with operating times from Lock 1, Leeds to Lock 85, Wigan from Monday 17 October. This week, our local teams will recharge the pounds along the lock flights and ensure the locks are ready for reopening.

The canal will remain open for a period of 2 weeks to give customers an opportunity to return to moorings for the winter, closing again on Monday 31 October, with last passage on Sunday 30 October. This is subject to the weather over the next 2 weeks, and if we are in a position to extend the opening period, further updates will be provided.  

From Monday 17 October, the following lock flights will be open from 10am to 4pm, daily:   

North West:

• Wigan Flight (65 to 85). Last passage at 12pm.
• Johnsons Hillock Lock Flight (58 to 64). Last passage at 2:30pm.
• Blackburn Lock Flight (52 to 57). Last passage at 2:30pm.
• Barrowford Lock Flight (45 to 51).  Last passage at 2:30pm. 
• Greenberfield Lock Flight (42 to 44).  Last passage at 3pm.

Poolstock Locks 1 & 2, Leigh Branch and Lock 86 on the Leeds & Liverpool canal will remain open to prebooked passages only, you can see more about this here:

• Lock Operating Times: Poolstock Lock 1 & Lock 2, Leigh Branch and Lock 86, Wigan, Leeds & Liverpool Canal

Yorkshire & North East:

• Bank Newton Locks (36 to 41) Last passage at 3pm.
• Gargrave (Holme Bridge Lock 30) Last passage at 3pm. 

Navigation through Bingley 3 & 5 Locks, and Newlay, Forge & Kirkstall will resume on Friday 14 October as per the following opening times:

Bingley Three & Five Rise:

Morning:

• Passages down the lock flights between 08:00-10:00, last entry at 09:00.
• Passages up the lock flights between 10:00-12:00, last entry at 11:00.

Afternoon:

• Passages down the lock flight between 13:00-15:00, last entry at 14:00.
• Passage up the lock flight at 15:00, only due to reduced daylight hours.

Newlay, Forge & Kirkstall:

• Locks will be available for self-operation between the hours of 08:00 and 15:00 daily. However, there will be roving lock keepers between Leeds & Newlay to offer assistance through the locks if required.

Lock 1, Leeds to Lock 6 will be open for passage without restriction.

Should customers find themselves approaching an empty pound during this navigational window, please contact our North West or Yorkshire & North East Customer Support Teams for assistance on 0303 040 4040, selecting the relevant region.

[Jonkx]

So, got through Bingley Locks at the weekend, all good and plenty of water going over byewashes. Happy.