Big lorry grounds on Hopwas Bridge

Mike Moorse on Guelrose yesterday posted photos of a large crane (or is is excavator?) that grounded on the humpback bridge in Hopwas (location here), next to his mooring.  A couple of good large photos on his blog, plus description.

As he points out, it's a tribute to the 18thC canal builders that their 200-year-old bridge, designed for perhaps ten tons at most, could emerge undamaged after the three or four hours it took to free the 80 tons of machinery.