Latest news with #JonHorsfall
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Anderton Boat Lift: 'Cathedral of the canals' celebrates 150 years
A landmark known as the "cathedral of the canals" has been celebrating its 150th anniversary with a Victorian by Edwin Clark in 1875, Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire raises vessels 50ft (15m) from the River Weaver to the Trent and Mersey Canal and attracts about 100,000 visitors every pioneering structure meant goods did not have to be transferred between boats and therefore had a smoother passage between the Potteries in Staffordshire - known as a hub for ceramic production – and the port of and attraction manager Ani Sutton said it was an "amazing structure" that had enabled cargo to travel from Northwich to all around the world. The huge iron structure uses two water tanks as counterbalances to transport the boats up and down in what has been described as an "engineering masterpiece". Canal and River Trust north west director Jon Horsfall said: "Anderton Boat Lift took the canal world by storm when it formally opened to boat traffic on 26 July 1875."It was a huge success and attracted distinguished engineers, scientists and guests from all over the world to marvel at the ingenuity of its creation."Ms Sutton said it remained "absolutely a landmark" and was an ancient scheduled monument."That means it's got international recognition throughout the world," she said."There's nothing quite like Anderton Boat Lift so it's really significant to Northwich, it's really significant to the UK but also internationally." 'Spiralling costs' A Victorian fair was held over the weekend to celebrate the structure's Simon Brooks said it had a "wow factor"."I, like everyone else that works or volunteers here, am absolutely passionate about the fact that we've got a great feat of Victorian engineering that we want to preserve for future generations."Mr Horsfall said preserving it as a working monument was "increasingly a challenge" and "spiralling costs" had led to a postponement of a major planned had also been a problem with the lift gates for the last six months, he said."We are hopeful this will be sorted out by our charity's engineers very soon and the boat lift can resume its task of transporting around 3,000 boats a year between the two waterways." Regal reopening Commercial traffic on the waterways declined during the 1950s and 60s, while the use of river water as a hydraulic fluid caused major corrosion the 1980s, the lift was declared structurally unsound and was Sutton said "a wonderful group of volunteers, many who are still with us and still involved in the lift, really fought to get this open again".It was restored after more than £7m was raised to pay for repairs and began operating again in 2002, before the then Prince of Wales officially re-opened it in 2003. Read more stories from Cheshire on the BBC, watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer and follow BBC North West on X. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
BBC News
27-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Section of Lancaster Canal reopens to boaters after bank breach
A section of a canal has reopened eight months after a breach on an embankment led to a towpath collapsing and grounded charity Canal & River Trust has reopened the Lancaster Canal to boaters following a £1.6m project to repair a breach at Hollowforth Aqueduct at Woodplumpton, canal at the Grade II listed aqueduct was breached in July causing extensive damage with parts of the embankment, towpath and sections of aqueduct wingwall washed repair works included a land drain and a clay liner on the canal bed to prevent a future breach. Jon Horsfall, North West director at Canal & River Trust, which cares for 2,000 miles of historic canals across England and Wales, said: "Hollowforth Aqueduct is a piece of living heritage, and we've taken care to protect its historical aspects while repairing the damage to make it safe for the future."We've kept boaters at the forefront of our thinking as we've carried out these works, creating an unusual three-sided dam to allow boaters to navigate across the aqueduct before the navigation was closed for the repairs to get underway." The trust's project team created a plan to rebuild the embankment, reinstate the canal towpath and the footpath underneath the aqueduct, and sensitively repair and restore the aqueduct, using original archive drawings to replace all the masonry in its original was particularly challenging as the breach was located away from local roads and required a temporary track to be built and along the bed of the drained canal, so materials could be brought to site. Renowned civil engineer John Rennie designed Hollowforth Aqueduct, using an engineering solution of three barrel-shaped stone pipes to carry the Lancaster Canal over New Mill Brook in the 1790s. Rennie later designed the Lune Aqueduct, near Lancaster, and also the Caen Hill Lock Flight on the Kennet & Avon Canal in Wiltshire. Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram and watch BBC North West Tonight on BBC iPlayer.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Yahoo
Burnley canal area dubbed a 'treasure trove' in new guide
The Canal & River Trust has released a 'North West Places to Visit' guide tailored for the Easter break. The charity is aiming to draw more visitors to the region's waterways, with Burnley's historic canal areas highlighted as a prime spot. The former 'cotton-weaving capital of the world', Burnley is a 'treasure trove' of industrial heritage, offering 'one of the best surviving industrial landscapes.' Visitors can explore the town's historical weaving sheds, spinning mills, and engine houses. For a leisurely day out, the guide suggests walking along Burnley Embankment section of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, exploring Finsley Gate Wharf, or enjoying a picnic in Thompson Park. The guide is filled with maps, visitor facilities information, free activities, and tips for making the most of the region's canals and rivers. Lune Aqueduct, Lancaster (Image: Canal & River Trust) Jon Horsfall, the Canal & River Trust's director for the North West, said: "The Canal & River Trust cares for more than 438 miles of canals in the North West, providing free-to-visit outdoor open spaces, and the chance to connect with nature and the region's rich canal history. "We want to encourage more people to visit our canals, rivers, reservoirs, and docks so they can experience the physical and mental health and wellbeing benefits of spending time by water." Anderton Boat Lift (Image: Canal & River Trust) The trust's 2,000-mile canal and river network attracted more than 10 million visitors last year as people flocked to enjoy a range of activities, including walking, cycling, running, fishing, and boat trips. The trust hopes for similar success this year with its new guide. Other places featured in the guide include the Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire, Audlem Mill in Crewe, Chester Canal Basin, Clarence Mill in Bollington, Lancaster and the Lune Aqueduct, Marple Locks, Middlewich Locks, Nantwich, the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port, Portland Basin in Ashton-under-Lyne, and Uppermill. The guide can be downloaded from the Canal & River Trust website.
