Lucy Wood reports…
Divers were brought in by the Canal and River Trust to help make repairs to the Grade II listed Weston Lock, on the River Avon just outside Bath.
The lock, which is almost 300 years old, is one of 104 between Bristol and the River Thames at Reading which make up the Kennet & Avon Canal.
Repairs were required to one of the paddles, the trap door which boaters navigating the waterway operate to empty the lock of water.
A specialist dive team went below the surface of the canal to temporarily remove the paddle from the lock gate, which allowed the CRT’s bankside maintenance team to make the repairs before the divers once again fixed the paddle back in place.
The divers also carried out an inspection to help inform future maintenance and removed weeds, timber and other impediments around the lock gates to speed up filling time.
After only a brief closure, the lock – which is one of the deepest on the navigation, lowering or raising boats more than nine feet – was open again to boaters.
Rob Labus, contract manager south at the CRT, said: “Weston Lock is nearly three centuries old and is still in daily use by boaters on the waterway. It is vital we carry out repairs and complete inspection work like this so that the navigation continues to be available for boaters and for the benefit of the local community.
“Using divers is cost-effective and saves on the time needed for the navigation to be stopped.
“The challenge of keeping the amazing piece of heritage open and available is never-ending. The lock is a remarkable piece of engineering, and we hope the repairs undertaken will make the lock easier to use.”
