This page contains short archive news items about the Ashton Canal. Longer items are on separate pages of their own. See the Home Page for links to other recent news items or the Archived Features Page for links to other archived items.

24th July 2007

The Ashton Canal was closed once again following severe damage to lock gates caused by impact from a boat.

The lock flight was re-opened on the morning of Wednesday 24th July.

The incident happened on 5th July and affected the tail gates of Lock 10, on the Clayton flight. This is the deepest narrow lock in the country, with a fall of 13 feet 10 inches.

The damaged gate had to be taken to British Waterways' workshop at Stanley Ferry, Wakefield. While the lock was de-watered, remedial repairs were carried out to the lock cills and liners.

The gate was taken by water up the flight to Lock 10, which has no road access, where it was lifted into position. The paddles, paddle rods, gearing and balance beams were then fitted and saw-gating undertaken to ensure correct fit.

Whilst the lock flight was closed, British Waterways took the opportunity to undertake additional paddle repairs at locks 7, 10, 11, 12 and 14.

Photo: Lock 10 on the Ashton Canal.

10th June 2007, updated 12th June

Damage to a lock gate forced a temporary closure of the Ashton Canal.

The canal has now re-opened.

The damage was to the top gate of Lock 14, on the Clayton flight.

The damage was sustained on Saturday evening (9th June) as a result of the bow of a boat becoming stuck between the gate and the balance beam as the boat rose in the lock. Eventually the boat lifted the gate from its location, damaging the collar fixings that held the gate in place.

New steelwork had to be fabricated to repair the damaged collar.

The lock was closed until Tuesday afternoon (12th June) when the lock re-opened a day ahead of schedule.

Photos: Top - BW ground staff lift the gate back into position using a "Porta-Gantry". Bottom - the repairs to the collar fixings that hold the gate in place.

20th April 2007

The Ashton Canal will be closed for one day between Fairfield and Clayton following an act of vandalism.

Vandals have drained the pound at Lock 16. This is the long pound that includes the two swing bridges.

BW staff are re-filling the pound and the canal will re-open on Saturday 21st April.

Photo: Lock 16 on the Ashton Canal.

March 2006

Lock 13 on the Ashton Canal

The Ashton Canal will be temporarily closed by two additional unplanned stoppages during March.

The first closure will be at Lock 13, Crabtree Lane, Clayton, from 13th - 17th March 2006, and will involve the closure of navigation and bridge.

The second closure will be at Kershaw Lane Bridge, Audenshaw, from 20th - 25th March 2006, and will involve the closure of both the towpath and navigation.

These closures are at the request of United Utilities, who wish to perform essential maintenance of the utility crossings.

The Rochdale Nine locks on the Rochdale canal in Manchester are closed until 17th March as part of a planned stoppage. These closures will affect boaters intending to do the Cheshire Ring.

Click here for the most recent winter stoppages.

Updated: May 2004

The mill still smouldering after the fire. The wall alongside the canal is unsupported and bowing outwards after the internal floors collapsed.

The mill from across the canal after the fire.

The Ashton Canal has been re-opened between Lock 3 and Lock 4 in Ancoats, Manchester, on Tuesday 18th May, after being shut for three weeks.

In the early hours of Tuesday morning (27th April 2004), a fire destroyed the derelict Victoria Mill in Pollard Street, Ancoats, which stood alongside the Ashton Canal between Locks 3 and 4. The roof and internal floors of the building collapsed and the 4-storey wall adjoining the canal was bowing outwards and in danger of collapsing into the canal.

The building had to be demolished from the Pollard Street side, as access could not be gained from the canal.

The work took two weeks, during which time the canal remained closed. The pound between Locks 3 and 4 was drained so that it could be seen whether any debris fell into the canal.

The canal was re-opened at 9.00 am on Tuesday 18th May.

The closure affected boaters navigating the Cheshire Ring and the South Pennine Ring. Boaters were being turned around at Lock 18, Ashton Canal, or at Castlefield Basin or Piccadilly Basin, Manchester.

Victoria Mill during demolition.

February 2002

The Ashton Canal was closed from about February 13th 2002 between Portland Basin and Asda Tunnel, due to the collapse of a retaining wall opposite Cavendish Mill.

A barrier was erected across the canal and the stretch of towpath is closed although an alternative pedestrian route is available parrallel to the towpath above the retaining wall.

Large cracks were evident in the ground around the collapse and a section of wall was leaning slightly outwards meaning that a further collapse was possible.

Contractors Dew Pitchmastic, working for British Waterways, have stabilised the embankment to make it safe. To do this they have used over 1,200 tonnes of hardcore to shore up the wall around the collapse, as shown in the photos below.

The area will be fenced off and the towpath will remain closed, although boats may now pass the scene by keeping to the side of the canal next to the mill.

This is a temporary measure until a permanent repair of the wall is carried out. This will involve sinking a line of piles behind the original line of the wall. A stone wall will be constructed tied into the outer face of the piling to match the remainder of the wall.

There is reported to be a dispute about who owns the land and who is responsible for paying for the work to be carried out.

Update: The situation here remains the same in 2006. The hardcore has been seeded with plants to make it more difficult for stones to be thrown at the mill windows.