Top of the World Tour, Anderton Boat Lift

[mykaskin]

Have you ever wondered how to climb over the Anderton Boat lift without getting into bother? Well, now you can, with a great and informative tour at the top of one of the great canal icons. See

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/museums-and-attractions/anderton-boat-lift/top-of-the-world-tour

for more info.

However, if you don't like heights, or can't wait, here is a video showing the fun to be had:

Enjoy,

Mike

[b0atman]

In the days of BW when we paid and it was all done with wires i had a trip up top with the operator man a great experience .

[mykaskin]

I have been on it, aged 9 when it was run with cables and counter balances, but I don't remember it I wished I'd seen the control room then. The current control is really boring, with a little PC on a desk!

 

Mike

[DHutch]

To this day, it remains a fair thing!

 

Imagine if they had used oil in the original rams, it might all still be as it was first built!

 

 

Daniel

[mykaskin]

I'm not sure the technology or materials existed then, but as an expert on hydraulics perhaps you can say Dan?

 

Mike

[Laurence Hogg]

A picture you will never be able to take again - 1979

 

[mykaskin]

I don't know, mine looks fairly similar Laurence!

[Sea Dog]

 

Imagine if they had used oil in the original rams, it might all still be as it was first built!

 

 

I think you're right Daniel. Being in salt mining area, it was the corrosive nature of the local water that rotted out the original rams and cylinders I believe.

[BEngo]

Not forgetting the corrosive atmosphere from the Winnington works which, assisted by BW shot blasting, eventually ate the lift frame and the reinforcing columns.

Even with oil in the hydraulics I think parts of the rams would have suffered too by now.

N

[ditchcrawler]

Not forgetting the corrosive atmosphere from the Winnington works which, assisted by BW shot blasting, eventually ate the lift frame and the reinforcing columns.

Even with oil in the hydraulics I think parts of the rams would have suffered too by now.

N

Was that not part of the problem, BW didn't blast and paint it often enough ?

[Mike Todd]

Was that not part of the problem, BW didn't blast and paint it often enough ?

But surely each time something is shot blasted it removes another layer of the original? Corrosion will continue in between. It is a matter of balance - may be you are questioning BW's judgement on that balance?

[WotEver]

But surely each time something is shot blasted it removes another layer of the original? Corrosion will continue in between. It is a matter of balance - may be you are questioning BW's judgement on that balance?

Does the Forth bridge get blasted? Or just repainted continuously?

[BEngo]

Was that not part of the problem, BW didn't blast and paint it often enough ?

I am not sure. BW decided to blast and paint the lift in the 80's. A few years aftetward they sudfenly discovered it to be structurally inadequate, removed all the counterweights and closed the lift.

Were the two things linked? IMO quite probably. NeitherN BW nor CART today have the skill to properly manage contracted out works.

 

 

N