Mr Monkey spotted the stop grooves beside Bridge 7 and the stop planks (or dam boards) stored on a rack nearby. When someone needs to repair the canal, the boards are slotted into the grooves and sealed with wood ash. When they're in place, the water can be drained out and the canal can be repaired without the workers getting too wet.
You can read about using stop planks on page 6 of this PDF on Dewatering at the Waterway Recovery Group website.
Return to Mr Monkey walks the Macclesfield Canal from Marple to Wood Lanes
Copyright Rik Shepherd and Mr Monkey.