Middlewich Branch breach - Shropshire Union

[Jennifer McM]

6 hours ago, Boater Sam said:

36' apart, set up for 70' boats then?

I'll take the Kango down and bang  in  a few more in between when I get back, then 50'+ boats can tie up without wasting space.

I suppose belting mooring pins in is verboten or impossible?

OMG don't go puncturing it! 

[PaulJ]

15 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

 

Thats what it looked like! Bit murky when passed last weekend (btw it was me who shouted on green 70fter as we passed just above Adderley I think )

 

[ditchcrawler]

12 hours ago, PaulJ said:

Thats what it looked like! Bit murky when passed last weekend (btw it was me who shouted on green 70fter as we passed just above Adderley I think )

 

I was trying to work out which Paul

[Boater Sam]

Regrettably we cannot assume that the repair to the Middlewich Branch is truly complete.

There may well be an ongoing series of works to finally stop the leakage of the canal onto the A530 roadway from the arch of the aqueduct.

The wing wall of the aqueduct has a visible crack which is now leaking water.

This would indicate that the whole of the brickwork of the aqueduct is now saturated and holding back the canal rather than the puddling clay in the channel containing the water.

This is a condition which will rapidly lead to failure of the aqueduct. CRT have been very fortunate this winter that there has not been a heavy freeze up which will accelerate the brickwork failing.

There is still a constant waterfall inside the arch onto the roadway.

The following is a reply from CRT to my email of 23rd March which was only received yesterday, 11 days after my email, a breach of CRT's reply terms.

 

"QUOTE,-------------------

First of all, I would like to apologise for the late response and thank you for your email dated 23 Mar 2019 and the concerns that you have raised relating to the aqueduct over A530 Nantwich Road, Middlewich.

 

We have been aware of the problem of a slight increase in water seepage through the soffit of the aqueduct at Middlewich and are monitoring it on a regular basis to ensure we pick up any signs of change. Further to this we carried out an onsite inspection with members of the Engineering Delivery team and have identified several options being investigated to resolve this problem.

 

In light of this, the leakage issues are planned to commence onsite within the next couple of weeks. We are also aware of the cracking to the aqueduct elevation/wingwall, structurally the aqueduct is stable and unaffected but we will continue to monitor this as part of our routine inspection programme.

 

I hope this is of assistance but should you require anything further please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

With kindest regards,

 

Alison Schwarz

Customer Support Administrator.      END QUOTE."     I have badgered CRT all winter over this problem only to be told they are monitoring it. Now it seems finally there may be some action but I am not confident that the problem will be solved before there is another major collapse.

[ditchcrawler]

On 04/04/2019 at 13:33, Boater Sam said:

Regrettably we cannot assume that the repair to the Middlewich Branch is truly complete.

There may well be an ongoing series of works to finally stop the leakage of the canal onto the A530 roadway from the arch of the aqueduct.

The wing wall of the aqueduct has a visible crack which is now leaking water.

This would indicate that the whole of the brickwork of the aqueduct is now saturated and holding back the canal rather than the puddling clay in the channel containing the water.

This is a condition which will rapidly lead to failure of the aqueduct. CRT have been very fortunate this winter that there has not been a heavy freeze up which will accelerate the brickwork failing.

There is still a constant waterfall inside the arch onto the roadway.

The following is a reply from CRT to my email of 23rd March which was only received yesterday, 11 days after my email, a breach of CRT's reply terms.

 

"QUOTE,-------------------

First of all, I would like to apologise for the late response and thank you for your email dated 23 Mar 2019 and the concerns that you have raised relating to the aqueduct over A530 Nantwich Road, Middlewich.

 

We have been aware of the problem of a slight increase in water seepage through the soffit of the aqueduct at Middlewich and are monitoring it on a regular basis to ensure we pick up any signs of change. Further to this we carried out an onsite inspection with members of the Engineering Delivery team and have identified several options being investigated to resolve this problem.

 

In light of this, the leakage issues are planned to commence onsite within the next couple of weeks. We are also aware of the cracking to the aqueduct elevation/wingwall, structurally the aqueduct is stable and unaffected but we will continue to monitor this as part of our routine inspection programme.

 

I hope this is of assistance but should you require anything further please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

With kindest regards,

 

Alison Schwarz

Customer Support Administrator.      END QUOTE."     I have badgered CRT all winter over this problem only to be told they are monitoring it. Now it seems finally there may be some action but I am not confident that the problem will be solved before there is another major collapse.

We went under the Middlewich Aqueduct Sunday and there is just a small puddle on the side of the road, no larger than the puddles under the railway bridges we went under, definitely not raining down, so it looks as if the leaks have taken up.

[Boater Sam]

True Brian, but did you look up?

The entire brick arch of the aqueduct is bleeding water, it runs down the walls and into the drains in the roadway. The puddle is on the south eastern side exit and extends into the carriage way some 70cm from the gutter. It is always there though traffic passing through it does displace the water up the road temporarily.

 

Its the winter freeze that concerns me, only slightly as I will not be here and there is a lock between there and my mooring so my boat should not be washed down the A530 when it gives way.

[ditchcrawler]

It looks as if the Middlewich arm could be closed again later this year at bridge 18 for repairs. They don't have listed building consent yet, but I guess they will have it by the end of July http://planning.cheshireeast.gov.uk/applicationdetails.aspx?pr=20/1675N

[Arthur Marshall]

Judging by the usual pace of planning applications, it'll probably happen in about ten years time!

[frangar]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

It looks as if the Middlewich arm could be closed again later this year at bridge 18 for repairs. They don't have listed building consent yet, but I guess they will have it by the end of July http://planning.cheshireeast.gov.uk/applicationdetails.aspx?pr=20/1675N

Is it in the provisional winter stoppage list?...I would hope they won't do it over the summer!

[TheBiscuits]

15 minutes ago, frangar said:

Is it in the provisional winter stoppage list?...I would hope they won't do it over the summer!

Not yet, but it will be if/when they get PP for it.  It clearly states so in one of the documents.

 

Add a bit: Assuming it doesn't collapse before then, obviously!

[frangar]

1 minute ago, TheBiscuits said:

Not yet, but it will be if/when they get PP for it.  It clearly states so in one of the documents.

 

Add a bit: Assuming it doesn't collapse before then, obviously!

Well lets hope it stays up for the next few months....I want to go that way!

 

[ditchcrawler]

Aqueduct have requested its not done in the boating season 

[TheBiscuits]

24 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

Aqueduct have requested its not done in the boating season 

https://doc.cheshireeast.gov.uk/NorthgatePublicDocs/08181848.pdf

Design & Access Statement

 

Section 2.2

 

... it is proposed to carry out this work during the winter of 2020/2021 during the Trust's normal stoppage period.