Shropshire canal repair project under way
Here's a view most people don't get to see every day – the one from the bottom of a canal lock.
The picture shows the foundations of the Shropshire Union Canal as a £100,000 repair project gets under way.
Work to replace the gates at Lock 1 and Lock 4 of the Llangollen section of the canal began yesterday at Grindley Brook, near Whitchurch.
Engineers used a pump to push the water downstream and drain 114,000 gallons. This will allow the gates to be replaced next week.
On Sunday waterway enthusiasts are being given a unique opportunity to step inside the canal and walk up through the staircase flight to see exactly what it takes to keep a 200-year-old waterway working.
Wendy Capelle, manager for the Canal & River Trust, said: "Grindley Brook staircase is a popular local beauty spot and one of the most attractive flights of locks on the Shropshire Union Canal or the Llangollen Canal as it is often known.
"Replacing the lock gates is part of the essential maintenance needed to keep the canal open."
