Crinan Sea Lock Closure

Created by sue. Last modified on 2008-07-25 13:57:57
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Countries: United Kingdom

21st July 2008

On Sunday 20 July the sea lock at Crinan developed problems, which have resulted in the lock being closed until further notice.

On Monday 21 July, an underwater inspection was carried out on the structure, which dates back to the 1930s. Until the results of this exercise are known and engineers can put in place a repair plan, the lock will remain closed.

In an effort to minimise inconvenience to canal users, British Waterways Scotland is planning a temporary repair intended to limit closure of the sea lock to around 10-14 days. Scotland engineers are working hard to resolve the situation as quickly as possible, but as this is a challenging underwater repair it is difficult to predict when the works will be finished.

Other factors that may have an influence on the speed of the repair are the availability of dive teams, local weather conditions and quick access to the necessary materials. Safety checks will also need to be carried out before the lock is opened.

A full repair, which could take several weeks, will be planned for the winter period when the canal season has finished.

In the meantime, British Waterways apologise for any inconvenience caused.