Work has started this week on the Trent and Mersey Canal in Stone, where engineers are busy replacing the bottom gates at Star Lock beside The Star Inn.
The project is part of the Canal and River Trust’s winter maintenance programme.
Canal closed through Stone until mid-December
The section of canal between Yard Lock and Stafford Road Bridge closed on Monday 3 November and will stay shut until Friday 19 December while the repairs take place.
Boats won’t be able to pass through during this time, but the towpath remains open for pedestrians and cyclists.
The lock chamber has been drained and rigged ready for the heavy lifting work needed to fit the new gates.
Replacing both gates before Christmas
The Canal and River Trust says both bottom gates are being replaced as part of its winter works programme. The new timber gates are built off-site before being craned into position, a process that usually takes several weeks once the chamber is ready.
Once complete, the lock should operate more efficiently and lose less water – important on this busy stretch of the Trent and Mersey where so many boats pass through each year.
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