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Author Topic: Repairs to Lock 11 via Memorial Park [November 2018 - March 2019]  (Read 4212 times)

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ringi

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Re: Repairs to Lock 11 via Memorial Park [November 2018 - March 2019]
« Reply #4 on: November 01, 2018, 04:01:39 PM »
"requiring significant plant and equipment"  I find this not believable given how the locks were built.........

"So it's good that CRT seem committed to repairing them. If any one of the 16 locks is not repaired when needed then our flight of locks and the Cheshire Ring will be closed permanently."

If it will be closed for most of the year, most years, as each lock fails and is rebuilt, it might as well be closed permanently.

admin

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Re: Repairs to Lock 11 via Memorial Park [November 2018 - March 2019]
« Reply #3 on: November 01, 2018, 01:39:51 PM »
Why could they not use Canal boats for access, so avoid destroying nice trees?    If need be taking the stones away on boats as they remove each stone.

That would be completely impractical. This is a major project requiring significant plant and equipment that could not be transported on or operated from a canal boat. Even if it could, because they are dismantling the lock there would be no water to fill the other locks - they would have to transport everything either up the locks or down the locks and couldn't do this without water. It simply would not be possible. There is also a huge amount of piling to be done to ensure that the neighbouring property and the park do not slip into the canal too - all this work has to be done from the park and there is no way to do it differently. As a retired construction planning engineer (and with my Friends of the Park hat on) I'm completely satisfied that the approach they are taking is the best and most practical way to do this.

Also how many weeks until the next lock needs the same doing to it?

That is a very interesting point that I have made myself. All the locks are around the same age and probably in similar condition. It is quite likely that over the coming few years more and more of them will fail and need similar repairs. So it's good that CRT seem committed to repairing them. If any one of the 16 locks is not repaired when needed then our flight of locks and the Cheshire Ring will be closed permanently. That would definitely not be a good thing for Marple. So in my view we should be very happy that they have done 15 and are now doing 11. That means they only have 14 more to go!
Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website

ringi

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Re: Repairs to Lock 11 via Memorial Park [November 2018 - March 2019]
« Reply #2 on: November 01, 2018, 11:16:41 AM »
Why could they not use Canal boats for access, so avoid destroying nice trees?    If need be taking the stones away on boats as they remove each stone.

Also how many weeks until the next lock needs the same doing to it?

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Repairs to Lock 11 via Memorial Park [November 2018 - March 2019]
« Reply #1 on: November 01, 2018, 06:04:31 AM »
 Repairs to Lock 11 by CRT - November 2018 to March 2019



A number of people have asked what is going on in park at the moment. There is lots of digging and a large compound is being set up.

The Canal and River Trust is carrying out repairs to Lock 11. It's a major work similar to the Lock 15 repairs in 2017/18 but access is severely restricted, so CRT has negotiated access through the park with the council and Friends of the Park. They are currently creating their compound. They need a lot of room as the stone has to be all laid out carefully and numbered etc when removed.

The work is expected to be ongoing until around Easter next year. Everything will be reinstated by CRT when they are finished. There are at least two large mature Silver Beech trees that have to be removed for access to the lock itself and these will be replaced with new trees. There is one Silver Birch in particular that has lots of character and kids love to climb and we have been able to agree that this will not be removed. You can read about the two meetings that Friends of the Park have attended (September and October 2018) in the minutes of meeting on their web site. https://www.marplememorialpark.org.uk/monthly-meetings.html

There are more details in the CRT notice via the link below and no doubt there will be updates from them as the work progresses:

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/13560/peak-forest-canal-lock-11-marple-marple-flight


Mark Whittaker
The Marple Website