Today we have the rare opportunity to see a glimpse of the underworld, the part of the canal that is underneath WRT (and is hidden from view by thick layers of mud).
Stoppage
Locks need maintenance, once every so often, and after 20 or 30 years the lock gates usually need replacement.
New lock gate
The locks on the pictures (Johnson’s Hillock Locks, near Chorley) are closed for maintenance, and at the same time open to the public to view.
Dredging might be an idea?
We have to see this now. We don’t want to see locks in a state like this while we’re cruising. Because then we will be going nowhere…
Going nowhere