THE Macclesfield Canal is very likely to be closed again—at the recently repaired breach, that has not held water.
It was just a week ago that the breach in the Macclesfield Canal was repaired and re-opened, but we are now told that the repair has not held, with water gushing out causing the contractors to return, Keith Gudgin tells us.
No option
The canal was closed at Bollington for three weeks, with contractors working on the repair, and it re-opened on Monday 13th June—a week ago. But today, Tuesday, it was discovered that water was still leaking, so the Trust had no option but to bring back the contractors.
We are told they are attempting repairs over the next couple of days, but it is admitted that bearing in mind the amount of water that is escaping, these repairs may not be successful.
Closed on Thursday
Though the waterway is still open to navigation, boaters are warned that if the repair is not successful, the Trust will have no option but to close the waterway again on Thursday and drain the canal to allow the repairs to be completed.
In the meantime no mooring is allowed between bridges 26 and 27 with immediate effect, as the pound will have to be drained.
There is no intimation what may have caused the failure, but when the repair to the breach on the Trent & Mersey failed at Dutton, it was found to be where the new repair was joined to the original canal bank, it being somewhat of a botched job.