A press release announced that the 'plug' would be pulled by a local schoolboy at 1.30; and not long after then it was:

To fully release the 'plug', which is well puddled in, takes two strong men.

I decided to also get a shot of the aqueduct as it was draining but was surprised to find no stop planks at the Fron end!

The team had been delayed at Ellesmere getting a boat into the dry dock, and because

 of the photo call just pulled the plug.

The flow had been gradually reduced from 12 million gallons a day to 3 million.

Once the planks were in place it took another two days for the planks to swell enough to make a good seal.

To maintain the flow, a supply for mid Cheshire, water was pumped up from the  pumping station by the Dee.

It will be 10 years before another scheduled draining will take place.