Leeds & Liverpool Canal Restrictions and Closures

[Pie Eater]

The pound at the junction to the Leigh Branch was about 18 inches lower this morning. Only saw 2 boats going up the Wigan flight.

 

Steve

[Lady Muck]

I think perhaps we'll scrub our attempt to take our 4 foot draught over the L&L this summer....

 

Last summer we were playing tag with a river barge and a dutch barge from Wigan all the way to Skipton - they really struggled, especially around the Blackburn area, it was a bit shallow for them and although they set off early and we later, every day, we invariably overtook them. It rained almost every day we were on the L & L but the restrictions were only lifted a few weeks after we departed that canal.

 

Since they dredged below Tottenham Lock on the Lee I am overjoyed to see much more deep draughted craft. The Lee is being visited by many Dutch Barges this summer, now there is less chance of aquiring a sofa or mattress on ones propellor.

[Pie Eater]

BW have just said that they have now shut the canal from Wigan top lock through to Appley Bridge lock and also shut Poolstock locks on the Leigh Branch to allow the pounds time to recover.

 

BW will issue an update on Thursday 3rd June at 2.00pm.

 

Steve

[MartinClark]

Now 16 boats stuck

 

How did 5 more boats become stuck if the locks are closed? They should have stayed where they were!

 

TBH, they've got a big problem, the canal is short of water, the pound above Ell Meadow is fed from Wigan Locks, and they don't fare to well in water shortages, water would have to be passed down all 23, potentially causing problems on the main line to Leeds.

 

There is a feeder coming in from Scholes, part of the way up the flight, but this had to be closed in March because it was causing houses to be flooded. It doesn't seem as if BW have sorted it out yet.

 

Big question is why did these ponds empty themselves in the first place.

 

Schools half-term holiday? Bored kids?

[Travis]

Yours truly delivered the concrete to repair the damaged cill at Barrowford today. I know BW may have said the canal will open tomorrow but, the concrete wont have cured enough until Saturday at the earliest IMHO.

In defence of BW, the lads doing the job are working flat out. One of their biggest problems are boaters climbing all over the site demanding to know when they can get through..."They'll get through when the jobs finished "

 

Andy.

[oasistoo]

How did 5 more boats become stuck if the locks are closed? They should have stayed where they were!

 

Only one hire boat got stuck in the Ell meadow pound and is now moored at wigan! but 11 other private boats were in transit and are now trapped either below Ell Meadow (9) or Appely Bridge (5) BW have only just before lunch actually fitted locks to and locked any of the locks in terms of handling by BW this is a train wreck The guys on the bank side were totally in the dark!

 

 

 

There is a feeder coming in from Scholes, part of the way up the flight, but this had to be closed in March because it was causing houses to be flooded. It doesn't seem as if BW have sorted it out yet.

 

 

 

Schools half-term holiday? Bored kids?

[davem399]

On BBC's breakfast program today, there was a report that the reservoir levels in the north west (for domestic purposes) are quite a bit lower than normal for this time of year. This was reported as being due to a drier than normal winter.

 

Presumably the canal reservoirs are suffering a similar fate?

 

Dave

[MartinClark]

Yours truly delivered the concrete to repair the damaged cill at Barrowford today. I know BW may have said the canal will open tomorrow but, the concrete wont have cured enough until Saturday at the earliest IMHO.

Then you'll be highly delighted to know that BW sent out an announcement at 5 o'clock to say that the lock is now open to navigation!

Edited June 2, 2010 by MartinClark

[Travis]

Ive removed my offer of a bet....speaking to boaters up here the lock will be open tomorrow. Heavens sake....the concrete was only poured eight hours ago. I contacted my manager to ask what he thought would be an adequate time for the concrete to cure enough, he agreed with me on three days. And He's the expert.

 

One thing for sure, I wont be taking my boat down there tomorrow. If I can get my mobile to talk to my lappy I'll post a pic.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Travis

[Idunhoe]

Whilst the lock may be open to navigation I believe that virtually the whole of the canal remains closed to navigation 'to allow water levels to recover' = anyone got any more info on this?

[Pie Eater]

Boats were moving tonight between Appley Bridge and Crooke. There were 3 Boats waiting below Ell Meadow lock heading for Wigan. Water level Ell Meadow to Wigan Dry Dock still approx 18 inches below normal and quite a few shopping trollies awaiting the unwary.

 

I will be very surprised if water levels are restored by 2.00pm Thursday when BW are due to issue an update.

 

Took a few photos but too little knowledge to put them on here.

 

Steve

[Travis]

There you go, sorted. I took this picture at 12 30 as the concrete was being poured.

 

 

Look at the water down there...and BW are letting boats use the lock tomorrow?

 

Someones having a larf

Edited June 2, 2010 by Travis

[nipper]

Look at the water down there...and BW are letting boats use the lock tomorrow?

 

Someones having a larf

 

Mmm! It would seem to be a little premature to use it tomorrow.

unless, maybe it was rapid setting stuff?

 

Still, BW are the experts!

 

Nipper

[DHutch]

Ive just had an email regarding this and its effect on the iwa chester mersey crossing which states.

 

I just had an update from Denise Bradshaw at BW Wigan.

 

The restrictions imposed on Leeds & Liverpool & Leigh Branch have been escalated to a total stoppage until approx. Sat 5th June.

Due to low water levels the locks will be closed to allow the pounds sufficient time to recover to navigable levels.

 

An update will be issued on Thursday 3rd June 2010 at 2pm

 

This includes all locks

•Appley Bridge to Pagefield (Lock 91 to 88)

•Wigan Flight (Locks 87 to 65)

•Poolstock Locks (Locks 1 to 2 on Leigh Branch)

 

British Waterways has advised that any boats that miss their Liverpool Link Transit will not be allowed to travel at a later time.

This may threaten the ability of all boats to get to Salthouse dock. You must phone the Wigan Office (01942 405700) for confirmation and updates before you travel.

 

Extract from www.waterscape.com

"Following an exceptionally dry start to the year, we have had to rely on our reservoirs to feed the canals earlier in the season than normal....

"As a result the reservoirs supplying the summit of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal all have holdings below their long term average for this time of year.

Analysis indicates there is a moderate to significant risk that the reservoirs supplying the Leeds & Liverpool Canal will not have sufficient water to supply the canal throughout the boating season.

 

We are imposing these restrictions in an attempt to mitigate this risk and prolong the availability of resource for the remainder of the boating season......

Boaters should ensure that they have passed through the affected lock flights to a mooring point before the 4:30pm lock up time.

 

Please follow instruction of Lock Keepers and adhere to ‘Thrift’ notices posted at the lock side.

(Enquiries: 01942 405700)

 

 

Daniel

[Theo]

In 2008 we took our retirement cruise. We did the L&L, HNC and Rochdale in both directions. I am now rather pleased that we chose the "wettest and least sunny summer on record" for the trip. That cruise included 1,927.6 miles and 1770 locks. It was great!

 

N

[boatyboy]

No shortage of water this end of the L&L.Left rodley this morning heading towards the Aire and Calder.All the way down the lock no problem.The by washes were flowing well with at least a 3" of water going over.

With the River Aire flowing so close for quite a distance why can't some of that water be pumped up into the canal ??

We are in Clarence Dock in the centre of Leeds now for a couple of days and i highly reccomend it,lots of space with water and hook up.All looks bright and clean.

Dave

[LoneWolf]

Whilst the lock may be open to navigation I believe that virtually the whole of the canal remains closed to navigation 'to allow water levels to recover' = anyone got any more info on this?

 

from BW:

Leeds & Liverpool Canal & Leigh Branch

Wednesday 2 June 2010 until further notice

Due to low water levels these locks will be closed to allow the pounds sufficient time to recover to navigable levels.

An update will be issued on Thursday 3rd June 2010 at 2pm

Winding can be found below bridge 38 Alder Lane and above Lock 65 Wigan Top Lock

British Waterways apologises for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

 

 

Water levels ok at the other end although the restrictions mean i probably wont be able to visit Leeds on Saturday because my friend wont arrive in time for us to get through the locks by 4.30. Which is somewhat irksome.

[andy the hammer]

We were one of two boats that travelled up the locks today, we could not not enter lock 67 as there was not enough water to get us over the cill.

 

Also as I reversed out I hit an underwater obstruction that stalled the engine. we only could enter by opening the paddles and cruise on the water flowing out.

 

As we came out of the top lock the B.W. guys put on the padlocks this was approximately 2.30pm.

 

So we were the only boats to travel the locks today.

 

Regards

 

Andy

[andy the hammer]

This picture shows The Maisibert and Sarah trying to enter the lock

 

 

Sarah trying on her own

 

 

Regards

 

Andy

[MartinClark]

Whilst the lock may be open to navigation I believe that virtually the whole of the canal remains closed to navigation 'to allow water levels to recover' = anyone got any more info on this?

 

Bit of an exaggeration there! It is closed between Locks 65 and 91, which sounds a lot but includes the Wigan flight of 21, so is just 7.5 miles of canal out of a total length of 127 miles. Hardly "virtually the whole of the canal"!

[Dalesman]

On BBC's breakfast program today, there was a report that the reservoir levels in the north west (for domestic purposes) are quite a bit lower than normal for this time of year. This was reported as being due to a drier than normal winter.

 

Presumably the canal reservoirs are suffering a similar fate?

 

Dave

Was all the snow we had in Yorkshire not wet I wonder..?

[Ange]

Ho hum. We're currently moored in the pound above Wigan top lock and fervently hope they don't let too much water down the locks to alleviate their problems because we're sitting on the bottom!! We were planning to go up the L&L, Aire & Calder, and HNC this year but are rapidly revising our plans - if it's that bad this early on it's only going to get worse as the summer progresses.

 

As soon as the Wigan Flight re-opens we're thinking we'll escape the L&L - absolutely love it but what a nightmare to get to the side when you need to moor.

 

The Shroppie's looking attractive at the moment....

[Idunhoe]

Bit of an exaggeration there! It is closed between Locks 65 and 91, which sounds a lot but includes the Wigan flight of 21, so is just 7.5 miles of canal out of a total length of 127 miles. Hardly "virtually the whole of the canal"!

Whilst I agree it may have been an exaggeration I was working on what I had been told and was asking for further clarification, which I got from 'LoneWolf' for which many thanks

[magpie patrick]

Now 16 boats stuck and BW Hoping that doing nothing for 24 hours will work!! also the reaction when asked what about the stuck boats needs for water and other services was to shrug shoulders!!! and offer no answers!!

 

I had to be quick in my response yesterday so couldn't add this bit. What exactly do you think BW can do about this? They've got a length of dry canal on a canal that is generally short of water, and the boats are going to be "stuck" for a day or two by the sounds of it. BW are chronically short of money, they can't just make water appear in the canal as the supply is finite so pumps, tankers etc aren't an option.

 

For drinking water, take a few empty bottles to a tap, chances are if you you explain your plight a pub or a shop will fill em for you at little or no charge (and own brand bottled water is very cheap). Pump out loo a problem I admit but make as much use of public loos as you can. As a last resort an elsan can be emptied by digging a hole and tipping it in, again use pubic loos as much as possible. Gas? ask if someone has a car and will take you and empty cylinder to a stockist, or ring stockist and see if they'll deliver.

 

You're not going anywhere so you won't need much deisel.

 

the boats stuck below Apply have got 42 miles of canal on which all facilities are available.

 

A bit of self help goes a long way. If you were stuck for weeks BW would try and sort something out, but it looks like it'll be a day or two at most

[LoneWolf]

Ho hum. We're currently moored in the pound above Wigan top lock and fervently hope they don't let too much water down the locks to alleviate their problems because we're sitting on the bottom!! We were planning to go up the L&L, Aire & Calder, and HNC this year but are rapidly revising our plans - if it's that bad this early on it's only going to get worse as the summer progresses.

 

As soon as the Wigan Flight re-opens we're thinking we'll escape the L&L - absolutely love it but what a nightmare to get to the side when you need to moor.

 

The Shroppie's looking attractive at the moment....

 

I'll see you on the Shroppie then i expect since i'm heading that way after i've finished this pesky work thing that's taking up all my time at the moment

 

If i get trapped on this canal I'll go insane...