KA Boaters' update: Friday 26 November 2010

Stoppages:

Aldermaston Lift Bridge:

Closed to road and boat traffice until 30 November for replacement of main bridge bearings.

Wootton Rivers (Locks 51-54):

closed until  Friday 17 December for new lock gates to be fitted (Scheduled winter stoppage).

The Bath Flight: Widcombe Lock(7) to Bath Top Lock(13) 

Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th December for scaffold installation and on Thursday 17th and Friday 18th February for scaffold removal.

Between these dates refurbishment work will be done on the iron tail bridges over the locks — the flight will stay open with a reduced headroom of 2.4m. 

Navigation Restrictions: 

Oakhill Down Lock (68) near Froxfield is now open — but by appointment only. BW staff will operate the lock at 9am and 2.30pm until futher notice. Bookings must be made at least 24 hours in advance, call Alistair Ogden on 07711 403471 (Bookings for weekend passage should be made before 12 noon on Friday).

Between Burghfield Lock (103) and Southcote Lock (104) from Tuesday 30 November 2010 to Friday 11 February 2011 the water level will be lowered by 250mm (approx 10 inches) so that fenders can be installed on piles set below normal water level. The work is on a river section so levels be affected by changes in the river flow. Enquiries: 07920 824 310

From the west of Hungerford at Cobblers Lock (72) to Wire Lock (76) on the eastern side of the town there could be delays of up to 30 minutes and occasional drops in the water lever for dredging and bank protection work.

The Bath Flight — Widcombe Lock(7) to Bath Top Lock(13) Height restriction of 2.4m between 10 December and 19 February 2011

Water levels:

Water levels are good throughout the canal — although there may be lower levels from time to time  between Cobblers Lock (72) to Wire Lock (76) for the work going on there.

Boating facilities

• BW report that all of their pump-outs are working.
• There is no longer rubbish disposal at Hungerford — use Kintbury or Great Bedwyn.

NOTE: Bradford on Avon lock (14): As reported last week the stoppage planned for Monday 29 November 2010 to Wednesday 1 December 2010 for repairs to the lock structure and sluices has been cancelled. It will now take place next year - probably January or February.

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