Burgess Arm - Macclesfield Canal

[Bugsworth Tippler]

Burgess Arm Towpath Bridge 14A, to Brownhills Bridge 15 near Higher Poynton, Macclesfield Canal

From Date:
5th November 2018 at 08:00
To Date:
14th December 2018 at 16:00 inclusive
Type:
Navigation Closure
Reason:
Repair
Is Towpath Closed?
Yes
Notice updates:
04/09/2018 @ 12:21

A navigation closure is required to repairs the voids under the surface of the towpath.   The voiding is on both sides of Bridge 14A (the bridge into the side arm) and in the past it has caused a collapse of the towpath on both approach ramps to the bridge.  Repairs are needed to prevent further voids occurring in the immediate area and causing a safety hazard, as well as potentially making the entrance to the arm unusable.

It will not be possible to repair the wall on either side of the bridge without dewatering the main navigation from Bridge 15 to Bridge 14A and removing access to the side arm.

 
Description:
Repair voids under the surface of the towpath.

 

The description of the area affected doesn't tie up with the map provided and begs the question "How are they going to dewater the canal between the two bridges, one of which is a sidearm?". Closing off at bridges 14 and 15 would be relatively easy but would leave all the boats in Victoria Pit Marina high and dry. Does anyone know if CRT are likely to block off across the main canal with a dam or some such? I've seen pictures of CRTs temporary dams but those that I've seen would seem to have been erected in an already dewatered canal. Or will they just fill the canal with stones/gravel/mud?  I'm posing this question as an interested party whose boating opportunities just get more and more restricted as the year goes on.

[BEngo]

CRT use porta dams which are assembled in the water by folk in drysuits ( aka a rubber bag).  They will then pump out the space between the dams.  All modern marinas have two sets of stop planks grooves inthe entrance so I would expect they will either use these or put another portadam across the entrance.

N

[BruceinSanity]

It’s not really called the Burgess Arm, of course, just for starters, though I’m sure the shade of Mrs Burgess is well pleased! It’s Lord Vernon’s Wharf, the Braidbar yard and it seemingly hadn’t occurred to the project manager that dewatering a working boatyard might just be a problem...

 

The plan as I last heard it was to put stop planks in at Bridge 15 and a dam across from in front of the Trading Post to the wall opposite, where the GRP cruiser is usually moored. There will need to be another dam across 14A to keep the water in the arm so’s Braidbar can carry on working.

 

BEngo, it’s not a “modern marina”, the arm is an old coal wharf and Victoria Pit is a long stretch of lay-by moorings stretching from 14 to nearly up to 15.

[Bugsworth Tippler]

Just visited Higher Poynton (2pm 13th Dec 2018) and the canal is now rewatered. There is work still going on at the water point landing but at least traffic can now travel through from Bollington to Marple.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Edited December 13, 2018 by Goliath
That’s Standedge tunnel,East end

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

An example of how easy(ish) to close off and drain a section. That dam is holding close to 4 miles worth of water.