Aylesbury Arm Closed

This time last year we were sitting in Aylesbury Basin waiting for the canal to be opened for the weekend so we could start cruising.  Yes, there was a shortage of water and the arm was closed for several months. 

Photo by roving photographer - Annie Brown

Yesterday I spoke to Malcolm & Annie on Xilion Rose to see how their first day of cruising went only to find that they were stuck in the basin.
This time due to a lock collapsing.  Lock 12 (one up from Red House) not far from the Arla milk factory has suffered a wall collapse.  The canal is thus closed from lock 11 to 13.  The collapse is on the towpath side so that too is closed.  As yet there is no indication of when repairs will be effected.
This picture was taken on Saturday and apparently the ground is still moving.
By the time this is published it will probably have collapsed.
Less that a week ago the Huddersfield Narrow Canal was closed due to a lock gate coming adrift. No re-opening date for that yet.
Last summer the Trent & Mersey canal was closed by two breaches - one massive - the most recent estimate for re-opening is sometime in May
Not a good start for the Canal and Rivers Trust, but they have not shown much interest in the boaters so far.