TRENT and MERSEY CANAL SOCIETY
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Breach near Dutton Hollow

It's OPEN again

See the Canal & River Trust’s “Diary of a Breach” Blog for the (usually weekly) updates on how the repairs proceeded by following this link :- http://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/features/diary-of-a-breach (opens in a new window).

Anyone wanting to make a donation should follow the “Help us repair this breach” link on C&RT’s “Diary of a Breach” page.  

Brief news on progress (most recent first)

(Note that clicking on a small picture will show that picture larger, but NOT at better quality)

Friday 3rd May 2013 - Open to navigation as normal.

Thursday 2nd May 2013 - Opened "Live on the One Show".

             
Approaching the site of the breach                                                Welcoming Band                   
     
 Restored Milepost                                        Opening Flotilla safely moored up               
 
     
Our Boat moored afterwards                                                                Peaceful new moorings 
 
 Wednesday 18th April 2013 - C&RT announce "We are delighted that the repair work for the breach at Dutton is making excellent progress and we expect the major works to be completed by the end of April. After re-watering the section and making final checks the canal will reopen to navigation on Friday 3rd May, in time for the Bank Holiday weekend".

Wednesday 18th April 2013 - Restoration of Milepost 90 completed.

         
 After initial cleaning                    After the second coat of paint                      Lettering completed
Ready to be replanted

Tuesday 12th March 2013 - The society has agreed to restore the Milepost 90 which was moved and damaged by the breach. Here it is seen in happier days long before the breach, and then (as recovered from the  debris) on the Open Weekend. The old pictures are courtesy of Phil Myott's interesting website about all the T&M mileposts www.tmc-mileposts.co.uk (click to view in new window).

           
 
 Friday 22nd - Sunday 24th February 2013 - Open Weekend to allow the public to view the site. (Photos Roger Evans - Friday 22nd)
    
    Dumper ferrying stone around the site              The new embankment starts to take shape
    
      
     Harry Arnold explains our Milepost Campaign     Close-up of the temporarily removed Milepost     
     
          
Concreting behind new wall      New towpath wall progressing   Junction of new and old wall
Tuesday 29th January 2013 - Preparatory work at Dutton Hollow completed, and repair work started. The estimated cost has now risen to £2.1 million and the reopening date been put back to "May".

Monday 3rd December 2012 - C&RT finally allowed machine access to the site at Dutton Hollow. 

Tuesday 27th November 2012 - Canal reopened at Croxton Flash a few days earlier than the planned.

Friday 2nd November 2012 - Work going well at Croxton with reopening date brought forward to "start of December", but delays in getting permission for access to the site at Dutton Hollow had pushed the reopening date there back to "hopefully Easter".

Thursday18th October 2012 - Anticipated reopening dates of Christmas for Croxton and Spring for Dutton.

Friday 5th October 2012 - Visit by BBC & Granada Film Crews to the site of the breach. (Photos: Roger Evans)

          
Fish recovery - the final extra check                    Our first sight of the breach                     Standing on the edge of the hole 

                 

Tree Stump swept into Hole       Film Crew looking into hole           Cameraman at work                  Looking towards breach   

                 
Reporter being filmed              Photographer striding in              Reporter points at breach                        Take 2             
           
Reporter being filmed against canal bed                  Final shot by cameraman                        Our last look at the breach site       

Tuesday 25th September 2012 - Following a period of heavy sustained rainfall in late September 2012 the Trent and Mersey Canal suffered a major breach at Dutton Hollow (near Bridge 213, south of Preston Brook), and also had to be closed for repair where significant damage was done to a supporting embankment at Croxton Flash near Middlewich. The Initial rough estimate for the repair work was £1.5 million.

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