From Saturday 1 August 2026, navigation will be suspended through Locks 1 to 14, and no passage will be possible whilst the closure remains in place.

How bizarre.

10 hours ago, Cheshire cat said:

How bizarre.

I can see the point of closing Hazlehurst to Froghall, as the water ends up in the River Churnett. However the rest of the canal acts as a feeder to the T&M summit from Rudyard lake, so at least the bywashes will need to flow anyway. As you say, bizarre. 

It's actually the Hazelhurst and Cheddleton locks.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/019f6aaa-ed6d-72c6-b05b-d5375e472b01

25 minutes ago, Chris Lowe said:

It's actually the Hazelhurst and Cheddleton locks.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices/019f6aaa-ed6d-72c6-b05b-d5375e472b01

It is very poorly written and confusing, but the original restriction of 17th July, was from Hazlehurst to Cheddleton. The update of 22nd July, closes all the locks from 1 to 14, Etruria staircase to Cheddleton, from 1st August. Effectively preventing movement too and from the T&M and most of the canal, aside from the ends. It should really have had a new notice to prevent confusion, because the title still says Hazlehurst to Cheddleton, locks 10 to 14.

It's not an easy one to read is it.

6 minutes ago, Chris Lowe said:

It's not an easy one to read is it.

It isn't. It shouldn't need such a close read, a notebook and a highlighter pen to make sense of. Reminds me of doing Shakespeare and Dickens for my English Lit O level!

I've just arrived home after a dreadful cruise. Sticking on topic the T&M at Etruria is full. Coming south is variable, some pounds full others are significantly down. No rhyme or reason. Stoke south is good until you get to Meaford. Beyond that still variable. Pounds have been lowered below Weston to help with the repairing of the byewash at Hool Mill Lock but all in all cant see any reason to close the Caldon. Drove past Rudyard and it looks OK.

3 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

cant see any reason to close the Caldon. Drove past Rudyard and it looks OK.

Probably to stop people coming down and breaking the pump out!

The pumpout at Etruria had a notice on the door saying it was out of action.

38 minutes ago, Cheshire cat said:

The pumpout at Etruria had a notice on the door saying it was out of action.

The breaking of the pumpout and the blocking of the Elsan are a regular occurrence. There seem to be several lived on boats permanently moored along there, so it may be them or Stoke yobs, but who knows? It does seem to be bust more often than not. People are weird.