Anderton Boat Lift

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Jeremy Rowland
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Anderton Boat Lift

Post #1 by Jeremy Rowland » Sun Sep 03, 2017 4:10 pm

While we consider that many of todays inventions and technology as being ground breaking; when you consider that hydraulics were only first used on hydraulic excavators from the early fifties/sixties we forget that the use of fluids to move heavy objects is actually centuries old.

I mistimed my journey to Tom Atherton's working event yesterday and had some time to kill, having a quick browse at the map to see what was local for me to visit I quickly located a very historic piece of engineering magnificence that is worthy of a visit and comes highly recommended. :thumbup: The object in question is the Anderton Boat Lift which I think was made in 1875.
The lift was designed to drop barges 50 feet from the Trent and Mersey canal to the river Weaver below, the simple design uses two large hydraulic rams that are powered by water pressure to raise and lower two huge caissons, as one rises the other lowers, they are wide enough to take two boats in each direction at a time!
There are of course trips through the lift on guided tour boats that take you along part of the river as well so check it out on the net; I will be going along again in the future all being well with some friends. :thumbup:
There was not enough time for me to take the boat trip but I at least got to photograph some boats passing through this magnificent piece of British Engineering.

Jeremy



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