Steve Haywood wrote "the last two times I've crossed it - 2007 and 2006 - it was fixed to give priority to the Bridgewater. I went straight over both times and it seemed unmanned. Are you saying that what was unusual is not the priority which I experienced given to the MSC in 1984, but the priority given to the Bridgewater more recently?"
I think you were unlucky in 1984, and that the aqueduct has always been 'Open' (to the Bridgewater) as its default position, in recognition of the Bridgewater being the older canal. Until 1982 it was manned for 24hrs/day, and any ShipCanal movements had the aqueduct 'Swung' for them in plenty of time to ensure no delay to the Ship. (And they would frequently leave it Swung for an hour or so, waiting for another Ship, while the Road bridge alongside was reopened to traffic) Exceptions are that from 1982 to ...(?) the aqueduct was left Swung overnight (no Operators in the cabin on shift any more). And for many/all the years there has been the fortnight's maintenance closure each year. Still tricky to say who has 'priority', though: assuming the mechanism works, it's the ShipCanal traffic which is never delayed. Since ....(?) all the MSC SwingBridges are worked by a travelling team of operators - rather than have Bridge Operators 'in residence' on a shift basis. So now you can look at the road bridge in StocktonBrook, say, and see the window open - rush to the ...shop, get back to the car and across the bridge just in time to avoid the place gumming-up for half an hour ... :-) Compliments of the Season Peter Scott
