£445,000 repairs to canal locks

LOCKS on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal, which runs through Saddleworth, will undergo their annual winter overhaul in the next few weeks.

British Waterways will begin a £445,000 project of essential works along the canal, include repairs to lock gates and walls.

British Waterways staff will be fitting new lock gates, withthe old gates recycled and reused for other projects.

Some of the work involves the railway lock near Standedge.

David Baldacchino, waterways manager for British Waterways Manchesterand Pennine region, said: “Lock gate making and fitting is an extremely skilled and traditional trade, and one that remains essential to our waterways.

“My staff put in a huge amount of planning and dedicated work to ensure that the canals stay open, accessible and in good working order and lock gate replacements such as this are a prime example of that.

“The waterways have experienced an amazing renaissance in recent years and are now used by more people than ever so it’s vitally important that we preserve them for the future.”

The Huddersfield Narrow Canal is home to 74 locks, plus the Standedge Tunnel, the longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel in the country.