Our teams are currently awaiting the delivery of, and training on, the powered windlass, which will support future operations.

Bookings are now open, and customers can reserve a slot online or by contacting our Customer Services team on 03030 404040.

From 13 April, bookings will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. 

A further update will be on Friday 3 April.

We are pleased to confirm that repair works at Marsh Lock have now been completed.

Our teams are currently awaiting delivery of, and training on, the powered windlass which will assist with future operations.

This will be in place ahead of the first planned passages on 27th March. Bookings are now open, and customers can reserve a slot online or by contacting our Customer Services team.

Bookings from 13th April will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Development of the longer‑term electrical refurbishment is continuing as a separate project, which we expect will not impact navigation when works begin later this year.

We are pleased to report that repair works at Marsh Lock continue to progress well.

Our teams have made good progress so far on the current programme of mechanical repairs, and the works remain on schedule.

With this steady progress, we have released passage dates so far for 27 March, 1 April & 7 April. These are now open for booking online, and customers can reserve slots online or by contacting our Customer Services team.

As the longer‑term electrical refurbishment continues to be developed as a separate project, we are preparing a programme of regular scheduled booking opportunities to support navigation in the interim. We will confirm the full details of the April‑onwards booking arrangements during March, once the operational plans are finalised.

Given the unique and complex nature of Marsh Lock, there remains a possibility that unforeseen issues could arise which may affect the Easter passage dates. Should this occur, we will contact all booked customers directly and provide updates as soon as possible.

Our next update will be provided on or before 20 March.

We are pleased to confirm that repair works have started at Marsh Lock following the passage last week. Since the lock closure last year, our engineers have been carrying out ongoing inspections of the mechanical gate drive systems. These inspections have enabled us to develop an intermediate plan to improve the lock's reliability and bring both sets of gates back into operation.

As part of these works, and to further improve operational safety, we will be introducing functionality that allows the lock to be operated using a powered windlass. This will reduce the level of manual force required during operation making it a much more reliable experience for our teams.

To support the repairs, we will be sourcing suitable replacement components from donor locks. These parts will be refurbished and installed at Marsh Lock to maintain safe, dependable operation, while longer-term plans continue to progress as a separate phase. We will provide further updates on this work as the project develops jointly with Peel Ports.

We are aiming to complete these essential repairs before Easter and will continue to provide fortnightly updates so customers can easily follow our progress. Once we have a confirmed reopening date, we will set out the booking arrangements for passages.

Our next update will be on or before Friday, 27 February.

We are pleased to confirm that the passage on 7 January 2026 for boats travelling from the Weaver Navigation to the Shropshire Union via Marsh Lock was successfully completed. We would like to thank our customers for their continued patience and support throughout this operation.

We are now planning to provide another passage through Marsh Lock on Wednesday, 4 February 2026. Following this date, passages will be paused while our team undertakes further repair works aimed at improving future operations through the lock.

The 4 February passage is now available to book via My Bookings. Please note that Marsh Lock remains open to narrowboats only, operating under single-gate manual operation.

Repair works will continue, and we will provide further updates on progress. Our aim is to complete these works in time for Easter, allowing improved access through the lock. In the longer term, our teams are continuing investigations into a more substantial refurbishment of the lock's electric motors and operational improvements, working jointly with Peel Ports.

Our next update will be issued on or before Friday, 13 February 2026.

We are pleased to confirm that the passage on 3 December 2025 for boats travelling from the Weaver Navigation to the Shropshire Union via Marsh Lock was successfully completed. We thank our customers for their patience on the day with our teams.

The next opportunity for boats returning home via the Weaver is planned for 7 January 2026, with bookings now open. Until the further necessary remedial works are completed, alternative dates in the new year cannot yet be confirmed.

This passage is currently open only for narrowboats, under a single gate manual operation.

Customers wishing to take part in the 7 January passage are asked to contact our North West Customer Service Team on 0303 0404 040 to book their place and receive further details and timings.

We continue to appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation while investigations and repair works at Marsh Lock continue. Our teams, together with colleagues at Peel, are working hard behind the scenes to understand and implement a solution that will bring the lock back into operation, maintaining this vital link between the Weaver Navigation and our wider waterways network.

Our next update will be provided on or before Friday, 16 January 2026.

Investigations into the repairs at Marsh Lock are continuing, with our teams working hard to understand the solution to bring the lock to operation

Following our recent investigation and on-site trials to assess the lock's current operating capability, we are pleased to confirm that a trial passage will take place for boats travelling from the Weaver Navigation to Ellesmere Port on Tuesday, 3 December 2025. This passage will be for narrowboats only, under a single gate manual operation.

After this trial passage, our team will review the process and explore the possibility of offering an additional passage in January 2026 for boats needing to return to their home moorings.

Over the coming weeks, further works are planned to aid the operation of the lock and ensure it can be safely used for the planned passage on 3 December.

Customers wishing to take part in this passage we ask that you contact our North West Customer Service Team on 0303 0404 040 so we can book your place and provide further details and timings.

We continue to appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation while we carry out these investigations and essential works to support navigation between the Weaver Navigation and our wider waterways network.

Our next update will be provided on or before Friday, 19 December 2025.

Our teams have carried out initial investigations at Marsh Lock to enable boat movements and to support navigation between the Weaver Navigation and our other waterways.

Following recent on-site work and assessment, early indications suggest that it may be possible to operate the lock for a single gate manual operation, allowing narrowboats only at this stage to pass through. We are working hard to make these limited lock movements possible as soon as we can and are aiming to arrange this before the completion of the ongoing works between Bridge 131 and Bridge 133 on the Shropshire Union Canal.

In the meantime, some further works are planned over the coming weeks to ensure the lock can be safely and reliably operated in this reduced capacity. Alongside these efforts, our teams and engineers continue to investigate and plan for the larger, long-term repairs required to return the lock to full operation.

For customers currently on the Weaver Navigation and wishing to leave via Marsh Lock, or for those on the Shropshire Union Canal looking to join the Weaver, please contact our North West Customer Service Team on 0303 0404 040 to ensure we have you booked in and we can prioritise communications once we have further details on the date of a planned passage.

Our priority remains supporting customers in returning home safely and keeping navigation routes accessible wherever possible. We would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding while our teams continue to do everything possible to repair the lock.

We will provide a further update on or before Thursday, 31 October.

Our teams, working closely with our engineers, who have been evaluating the issues on site. The issues involved are complex and require further investigation before a long-term solution can be confirmed. In the meantime, we continue to investigate intermediate solutions.

We want to reassure our customers that we are actively considering all possible solutions. Our priority is to bring the lock back into safe operation as soon as possible.

Safety remains our highest priority, and we will provide a further update by Friday, 17 October.

Unfortunately, due to ongoing electrical issues that have been identified, the lock remains out of operation and unavailable for use. Our specialist team is actively exploring the possibility of implementing a short-term solution, while further investigations are carried out to assess the full extent of the required works.

Our priority is to ensure the lock can be operated safely. We will provide a further update by Friday, 3rd October.

During a routine inspection at Marsh Lock, our team identified a number of electrical safety issues that require attention. In the interests of safety, we have taken the precaution of isolating the equipment.

Unfortunately, this means the lock is currently out of operation and cannot be used until the necessary remediation work has been planned and carried out. At this stage, the scope and complexity of the issues identified mean that further investigations are needed. These investigations will allow us to fully understand the extent of the work, ensure that the lock can be returned to service safely.

We appreciate that the closure of the lock may cause inconvenience, and we would like to thank you for your patience and understanding while these essential safety measures are undertaken. Please be assured that resolving the situation is a priority for our teams, and we are working to progress the necessary steps as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

A further update will be provided by Friday 19th, September.