BCN mainline closed

[nicknorman]

Oh dear, looks like the route between Brum and Wolverhampton is closed:

 

Notice Alert

New Mainline
Starts At: Rabone Lane Bridge, Rabone Lane
Ends At: Rabone Lane Bridge, Rabone Lane
Up Stream Winding Hole: Junction with main Line at the bottom of Smethwick locks. 
Down Stream Winding Hole: Junction with Soho Loop. 

Friday 7 July 2017 10:00 until further notice

Type: Navigation Closure 
Reason: Structure failure

---

 

Original message:

 

Rabone Lane Bridge, which is council owned, has developed serious faults with the potential of collapsing, so we have reluctantly closed the canal and towpath until we have further information on the risks. Our Engineers are liaising with the council Engineers to assess the situation and as soon as we know more, we will provide an update.

[cuthound]

I guess how busy Rabone Lane is will determine how quickly the council get round to fixing it.

 

[cuthound]

Navigation now reopened. That was quick.

Update on 07/07/2017:

 

The navigation has now reopened, however the towpath on the left-hand side (when heading out of Birmingham city centre) remains closed between Winson Green Turnover Bridge and Rabone Lane Bridge.

[Heartland]

Rabone Lane Bridge is a modern replacement of an earlier bridge, I seem to recall and perhaps Hecla can confirm that this was once an iron bridge. It is quite a busy road with traffic coming down from Handsworth to Smethwick. The canal was also busy once, with the Tangye works north of the bridge and the gasworks south of it. Any stoppage here is inconvenient to boaters as alternate routes are very lengthy.