BOATS have returned to cruising the seven-mile length of the Leigh Branch of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal in Wigan following its closure due to a burst water main back in August.
Engineers at the Canal & River Trust worked with United Utilities, which owns the water main, to carry out a bespoke repair to the canal bank between Poolstock Lock and Bamfurlong Bridge.
Contractors installed ramps to allow vehicles and machinery to safely gain access and excavate the embankment and canal bed to reach the burst main, part of Rivington Aqueduct, which feeds 29,000 properties in the Wigan and Warrington area.
The main was isolated and the canal bed rebuilt by lining it with about 300 tonnes of clay and compacting it, ensuring it is watertight, and installing metal trench sheeting along a 20m section of the canal wash wall.
Trust engineer Gareth Taylor said: “The Leigh branch is a short but mighty local treasure and is highly valued by boaters and local people for its nature, heritage, and for navigation. There were some unique challenges involved in this complex repair.”
Rob Moore, county business lead for water at United Utilities, added: “Expect to see us working in the area until spring 2026.”
