The Anderton Boat Lift by Narrowboat
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- Опубліковано 23 вер 2024
- In this weeks video we take a trip to the Anderton Boat lift. We cruise along the Trent and Mersey canal in a narrowboat and then descend in This Cast Iron giant of Victorian engineering down to the River Weaver Navigation. The Anderton boat lift is one of only two boat lifts in the UK , the other being the Falkirk wheel. The Anderton being much older built in 1875. The Boat lift is made of Cast iron and is a triumph of Victorian engineering built for the canal age. It has a unique place in British Industrial history as it was nearly lost in the 1980's due to corrosion but saved by the National lottery and the community. The Boats are lifted and descend in cast Iron tanks called Caissons there is a single Hydraulic ram underneath each caisson. This is a unique feature along Britains waterways and canals. A leviathan of Industrial History. We also take a look at Hunts Lock at the town of Northwich in Cheshire. Thank you to Stuart from the Canal and River trust for chatting to us.
![Narrowboats, Nukes and Nephews [Ep 72]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/e5pcDKAcKl0/mqdefault.jpg)
It weighs exactly the same with or without a boat in it. The boats displace their own weight in water, that’s why they float.
Perfect explanation. I admit I forgot as obviously did Martin.
A "Eurika" moment!
Sounds obvious now you’ve said it, but you you look dead clever now either way 😄
I was just about to say this glad I saw your comment first.
The woman in the other boat must have displaced a fair amount of water in that case.
Amazing peice of engineering. Can't imagine there will be too much from today being looked at in 150 years..
The Falkirk wheel boat lift could be
Ryan Jon that thing is a marvel of engineering, looks beautiful too
Garbage dumps, perhaps. We do admittedly only see the good stuff from prior eras. Everything else has long since disappeared. The Falkirk wheel is one of those rare examples of modern tech being used to improve aesthetics.
When I was at London Road Art College in 1977, we were assigned a photo-project at the boat lift. At the time, visitors were allowed into the 'control room' thingy above to sign the guest book. My signature is/was on the same page as those of Roger Moore and Micheal Aspel.
Really, bloody heck Paul
You truly are the modern Fred Dibnah. Yet another great programme, thank you so much Martin. John
Cheers John. I walk in Freds shadow
Would Martin suit a oily cloth cap no so sure . Very talented mankind good information excellent videos cheers Martin zero .John Rooney st.annes Lancashire UK ps
Youl have to start wearing a flat cap and climbing factory chimneys Martin 😀
A Scouser living now in Australia. Went on the Anderton Boat Lift. when we went back to U.K. for holiday. Thanks Martin for this happy memory, I've only got a fridge magnet reminding me of the incredible Boat Lift.
Thanks Barbara, make sure you keep that fridge magnet
Fabulous. One of my favourite bits of Victorian and canal engineering. I remember driving out to have a look at in on a dilapidated state in about 1989. Been a couple of times in recent years and it’s wonderful to see it restored. Must have been great to be on it. I was having a good look at the Barton aqueduct and road bridge yesterday. Another marvel of iron and rivets.
Thanks Karl. I keep meaning to take a closer look at Barton from underneath
You've been smashing it lately Martin lad keep it up mate.
Thank you Sir
I hadn’t realised where the lift is and I’m often around that way so I’ll be taking a short detour to see the lift. Thanks Martin 👍
Yes definitely take a look Mr Diesel
I remember as a teenager, a school trip to the boat lift, mid 1960's. Great to see it still in use. I may be wrong but I thought the Weaver went into the Manchester ship canal and then the Mersey. Another great video, well done Martin.
Before the Ship canal was built the weaver nav went into the Mersey.
Thank you. Not actually traced the Weaver. It probably does
That is such a magnificent structure! It is wonderful that locals and a grant from the lottery helped keep it going!
Yes true, it could have been a different story
@@MartinZero it does not even bare thinking about frankly!
I wish I'd have known you were doing a video on this, I went on the last open day and they had drained the bottom of it which apparently is quite a rare event and I took a load of pictures up top and underneath. You could have used them with my blessing. Let me know if you're interested in seeing or using them in a follow up or anything mate.
I went to an open day about a year ago as well Matt. Thanks for the offer
Nice to see you out on the cut Martin. Thanks for posting this. We went on the boat lift in a hire boat around 1978/9. Who knew that the structure was probably dangerous!
It could well have been dangerous then Ruth, before its refurbishment. Thanks again
Many thanks Martin and Graham. When we were lads we would hop on our motor scooters and head off to Liverpool through Middlewich and Northwich. The Boat lift looked pretty sorry for itself then, it's so good to see it in beautful working order now.
Thank Mike, yes good to see a new lease of life
Amazing piece of British engineering! Thanks Martin for giving us a ride!
Yeah so unique as well
Nice one Martin .It is a great experience and love the film :) Terrific piece of engineering .Brilliant filming ..👍Great viewing .
Thanks Helena. Hope your well
The gondolas/tanks would still weigh exactly 252 Tons with or without boats, as the amount of water displace by the boat weighs exactly the same as boat.
That is as long as the displaced water is displaced out of the gondola, which appears obvious, so agree a very clever observation,
you will need to know the mass of all the barges in the canal to determine the EXACT weight so the weight is only approximate.
@@An.Individual That's why they build the little aquaduct before the lift. The aquaduct has sluices that will close after the barges, which will be lifted, went on. So they have just a very small part of canal of which they exactly know what the weight of the water/barges is (that's also why ships have to wait for a couple of minutes before entering the caisson - to be sure there is exactly the mount of water/barges as the lift is build for).
Finally 👍
i live 10 mins from the lift and we had a collapse last year a large section of the canal disappeared after we had a lot of rain and i think where lion salt works is which is a museum now they had a collapse there too
also @14:23 it wasn't the salt works its actually a power station and the former ICI soda ash plant which i think is due for demolition so they can build more houses, 2 years ago that stretch of the Weaver was full of ICI soda ash plants but they have been demolished for housing, ICI actually paid for the Weaver to be made bigger so they could bring ships upto the soda ash plants straight from the Mersey
Really?! I moved away in 2007 and remember the shacks on the right when heading towards Barnton from Northwich (is that bridge actually Roman before the Barnton left turn at the lights?). Across the road was an eyesore of a thing, big tower with a thin long piece connecting it to a massive disused industrial building. A great sight was the cricket pitch in the middle of the ICI works, could see it through the fence when walking past. It looked like a scene from the booklet that came with Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds album. Oh, and the lime beds used to have steam coming from them back in the early 80's, they looked like a Dr Who set if you climbed up the side as a kid.
@@Slider2732 yeah its called winnington village now its just thousands of houses, although i wouldn't buy 1 after the stories i've heard about mercury being poured straight onto the ground when the plants were open
Cheers for the info Ever Hope
There's something about the sleekness of hydraulic rams that makes me want to run my hand down them.
Fascinating video Martin. Thank you!
Great video Martin, thank you for taking us with you.
I think you did a pretty good job of capturing all the important bits with 1 camera.
Thank you so much Andy
So much amazing infrastructure. Weather it's something that was or something that still exists. Always new things to see with every video. I am astounded by the industrious tenacity of England.
Thank you, yes this one is a sight to behold
Hi Martin, Thanks once again for a lovely virtual afternoon out!! It was really interesting seeing the four boats/barges being lifted with the boat lift, what marvellous engineering. It just goes to show that necessity definitely is the mother of invention!!
Thanks Marilyn yes a truly impressive structure
Been checking all day to see if new video.sunday night now sorted.thanks martin.keep them coming .you work is better than telly.
Thanks very much Mike
Where would we be today, without the ingenuity of the Victorian era, masters of their crafts. 👍
Exactly Mark, we have a stunning legacy
Hi Martin. I`ve been looking forward to another adventure with you. Your channel is the best.
Thanks so much Demelza
A fantastic video of industrial revolution still at work. These days the area looks very picturesque, however the remaining artifacts give away what it would have looked like in it's industrial hay day. It's great to see the legacy of the industrial revolution being useful in recreation.
Yeah it would of been a hive of activity I reckon
A beautiful industrial piece of technology.
Yes it certainly is
Missed a trick Martin, there's a Stephenson railway viaduct over the Weaver downstream of the boat lift. Same multicoloured stone as the on over the Irwell in Manchester.
But loved the video as always. I've had a fascination with the boat lift since I did a college project on the Cheshire ring canals back in the 80s.
Yeah there looked to be a few things in the area
@@MartinZero You'll love the bottom end of the Weaver Martin. Chemical factories, lots of disused locks, a chapel on an Island if I remember correctly and just lots of abandoned industry and reused industrial land. Also from the other direction the abandoned lock flight from the Bridgewater at Runcorn.
The ship canal cut off a lot of these when it was built so they became disused.
Probably changed a lot in the decades since I visited it. lol.
I know I play with words with my recent comments on here, but it's intended to be very much in support of what you do. My grampa was in a reserved occupation in Manchester during WW2 and did his bit firewatching as well. So my interest stems from his time there and hearing about it from his perspective as well. Still going strong at almost 100.
If you ever make it up my way, I'd very much like to say lunch is on me.
Thank you , whereabouts are you
@@MartinZero South East Scotland, near the border.
Thanks for that Martin, and Graham too! What a fantastic bit of engineering that lift is...those Victorians really could put stuff together. As I watched I thought of the many places you've taken us over the years where there are only a few stones, bricks, and rusted bits of iron left; and imagined that they too would have once been magnificent structures like the boat lift had they not been left to decay. Great music too!
All the best.
Thats true Mike it could of been another story. I could of been visiting a lump of rust where the Boat lift once stood
It is a brilliant feat of engineering, Great that it's still going.
It certainly is Isaac
Thanks, Martin, I have been past the Anderton Lift many times and felt I knew about it, but your video has taught me so much, brilliant work.
Thanks very much Nick
Fantastic piece of victorian engineering.
Iy certainly is Tim
Brilliant as always martin 👍 Nice to see you having a mooch around Cheshire...
And very nice it was to Dan
Keep them coming Martin love your video's
Thanks very much Dart
Hi Martin another great video very interesting feat of engineering such a long time ago.
Thanks Andrew 🐝
Thanks very much Andrew
It's Sunday!!! Cracking Martin . 👌
Thank you Neil
I wouldn't have imagined even in my dreams that something actually exists like that. Extraordinary.
Check out the Falkirk wheel.
Its incredible isnt it
@@MartinZero sure is, I never knew it existed until a couple of years ago but I was up there for business, it blew my mind.
Your like a kid on Christmas morning Martin. I've been told all those places with names that end in 'wich, the wich means there is salt here. Great vlog and many thanks to your mate Graham.
Thanks Greg. I never knew that
I love the videos of cool old stuff over there..i live in a house built in 1897 and love it. Keep them coming!
Thank you MrTallwilly
Again Martin, you blow my mind !. Every video you make seems to get better.
I live aboard a narrow boat and have wanted to see this, in person for a while now, along with the Falkirk wheel.
Thank you for bringing me this experience. It’s amazing how 150 year old engineering is still in use today. Makes me wonder what modern engineering feats will still be in use 150 years from now.
Great video, Thank you.
Thank you Kevin much appreciated
One of the best illustrations of the new mechanism & how it works, nice one again Martin.
Thank you Laurie
Very cool, love the old railroad style Semaphore signals.
What a lovely day for a boat trip beautiful scenery I'm so glad they managed to save the boat lift an amazing piece of engineering, thanks yet again Martin.
Thanks very much
You just find the most interesting old things, I love it, and thank you to Graham and the gentleman from the Trust.
Thanks very much Jessie
That was a brill video Martin that boat lift is like going through a lock but on a high scale glad they kept it, hope it stays like that for years to come
Hopefully it will Thomas
There's more restoration work being done on the lift and the visitor centre over the next couple of years.
Love the canal history, thank you Martin. Take care
Thanks very much Christine
Falkirk Wheel is a very interesting piece of equipment, Very simple. I watched it go up and down for about an hour.
This too is quite a piece of engineering.
Yeah I really want to see the wheel now
one of my life ambitions was to see the anderton boat lift,succeded 5 yrs ago . A truly brilliant place for a day out well worth the trip up the M6.
Yeah its a good one to visit
Many thanks for showing operation of Anderton Lift - I was on canal in 2001 or so and stopped and visited the Lift being restored but not yet open. Very impressive engineering but the salt deposits must demand heavy maintenance. On our way to Chester it was a worry to see ‘sink holes’ dotted in the field alongside - then one realises the enormous deposits of salt. Your video was great - takes one back and seeing how Anderton Lift operate. Cheers PS
Thanks very much Peter
1st Class presentation from Martin as usual.
Thank you James
Martin this was a EXCELLENT video, and narration outstanding as usual. This Anderton boat lift is quite an engineering feat, especially when it was built. Jerry from Meriden, Kansas.
Thank you Jerry. yes it was a pleasure to film it
Well done Martin A wonderful feat of engineering and still working today, Keep up the good work, Thanks.
Thanks very much Liam
'Cross-the-pond gongoozler here. Thanks for your unique and detailed view of the ABL. I knew it from Cruising the Cut and The Narrowboat Experience, but your point of view appeals more to those of us who like spotting infrastructure. Hope to actually experience it someday!
Thank you. Yes well worth a visit
Talking about salt mines. Winsford salt mine in Cheshire is used for archive storage, including 150,000 items for the royal society.
Keep up the good work
Interesting. I presume the air is very dry in there. My brother in law was made a member of the royal society a few years back,or is that a fellow of;, not sure..
ua-cam.com/video/6Zgnb8VVyhQ/v-deo.html
@@philiplettley Thank you. That will keep me busy for a while. I can learn more about the Royal Society now as well.
Yeah I believe so, thanks Philip
You never fail to educate and impress! Another stunner! Cheers from Edmonton Canada.
Thank you Christopher best regards to you
That boat lift is amazing. Cheers for sharing.
Thanks Sean
Thanks Martin ,
One of my favourite walks is from Marbury country park. (The site one one of the most haunted houses in the UK). Where you can park you car for a small fee, through the parkland and wild flower meadows to the Trent and Mersey canal and then on the towpath to the boat lift. It's not a very long walk maybe a couple of miles each way, with refreshment facilities at each end and several places to give good views of the lift. I saw the lift way back when they were going to dismantle but now it looks fantastic.
That walk sounds good Kevin. Like the sound of the house
To come up with this and then build this in 1875. Some real clever craftsmen back then. Top vid as always martin. Nice one
Thank you sir
I lived near Northwich 83 to 87 and I remember that the lift was there but never saw it going - now I know why!
Many thanks to both of you, I found it really quite impressive just how well they manage to keep it sealed and how dry it is underneath. I imagine at one time it may not have been quite as dry of an experience.
I am the same as you Michael. I was in awe of those seals and the dryness
That was fantastic Martin. I am always amazed at the engineering in the Victorian era. Not too far from where I live at Foxton on the Leicester arm of the Grand Union Canal, there is the inclined plane that would lift a boat up. It is not in use today be there are some plans to rebuild it. Today there are 10 locks into 2 staircases. Vice place to visit and a reasonable pub. Sorry, I don't have a boat but someone may make an offer.
Good. It should be rebuilt. Shouldn't be too difficult. Just need a winch at the top.
@@simontay4851 I checked on Wikipedia as I have been there for a few years. In 2008 the inclined plane was cleaned up. It will take £9 million not too much in this day and age.
It had two caissons in balance, two narrow boats in each so 2 go up and 2 go down pretty much the same as the Anderton except it did it on an inclined plane instead of vertically.
Well worth a two hour trip down the M6 Martin.
Thanks Roberts that sounds great
How cool was that, what an experience that must have been! Great vid Mart!
Wow stunning engineering and design....hats off to you Martin and your friend for showing this...I've always wanted to see this..
I must drop in and see it when I am in the area...jim
Yeah I highly recommend it and thank you
At the risk of sounding daft, always repeating myself; Martin you must have an encyclopedic memory for music. Again you have matched the visual with the music perfectly. Thanks, good job. If you are interested there is a lift lock in Peterborough Ontario, not too far from where I live, on the Trent-Severn water way. It opened in 1904. Very interesting too.
I think I saw a picture of it and its very very impressive. Thanks so much
Love that - really cool. Need to see that in the future...
Cheers John, yeah its very impressive
Hi Martin, another spectacular video. So fascinating watching places being brought to life. Especially in these strange times where we find ourselves. Thanks
Thank you, glad you enjoyed
Awesome Loved the video. Finally charged iPad enough to watch. Thank You
Thanks Bruce
Another brilliant video Martin !😁 . You did an excellent job too of capturing it all on your camera !! I've never seen the lift before, I found it fascinating to watch ! Thanks Martin ! 😀.
Thank you Suzy
Fantastic Martin - I went to school in Northwich in the 1980s and never saw the lift in operation ... I think it’s the only one of its kind in the world
Yeah I believe it is Justin. there are others but they operate differently
Fascinating video of Victorian innovation at its best, thank you for posting.
Thank you Tony
Wow what a fantastic piece of engineering that is. What a height when you looked down frightening if you're scared of heights. It's hard to believe they used to use electricity to drive that lift the power that must have been needed. Another great Sunday night viewing stay safe and see you in the next.
David Howard It is counterbalanced, so surprisingly little power is needed to operate, just a few kilowatts. I understand that they also make use of slightly differing water levels in each caisson to make the top chamber heavier than the lower and hence descend largely using gravity while raising the bottom caisson as it does so.
@@spencerwilton5831 Thanks for reply
Thanks David, yeah it was quite a drop
Brilliant video Martin. A couple of years ago I was there, CART did a walking tour of the lift booked in the downstairs office, which includes seeing the redundant winding gear at the top of the structure and the control room. Perhaps will be doing them again when covid restrictions are lifted.
Wow wasn’t that brilliant. These structures are absolutely brilliant. Mind you going down the canal made me a little green with envy. Loved learning about the lift it was brilliant. Thanks so much for taking me along. Stay safe
Thank you Linda, yeah overall a lovely day
Looked fantastic to me
I'm amazed that only 1 ram holds all that weight, fine engineering indeed.
Great music by the way.
Yeah its a scary thought when you are on it
Heard a lot about it but never seen it, so it was wonderful you did his superb video, what a wonderful machine! You explained it very well how it works, etc., very enjoyable. Thanks Martin it was a joy to watch.
Thank you very much Valerie
Thanks for filming & sharing such an interesting & informative piece of history. 👍👍😎
Thank you David
Hello and welcome BACK .... This is why I love your videos Martin. Thanks for putting content up. Makes me equal parts of homesickness and proud of the motherland.
I was born in Crewe and lived in Rochdale until I moved to the US in 2011.
Thanks very much David
Another great video Martin showing a piece of our history. Keep up the good work.
Thank you, its great isnt it
Martin Zero definitely. In the words of Ian from IKS Exploration it’s a golden gem. Any chance you could do a video from Sheffield?
Loving the variation on the channel at the moment, looking forward to the next one Martin.
Thank you very much
That was a good look at the lift with some pertinent info to interest me. Cheers..
Thanks Mark, glad you enjoyed
Good day Martin well dun always look forward to your videos stay safe
Thank you Erik
Love this video, a little different from your usual ones. The boat lift is amazing and thankfully still in use. Thanks Martin and Graham, take care.
Thanks very much Julia
Awesome video. Great shots - I love your canal videos - thanks!
Thank you Bender
Great video, we have tried to go use the boat lift twice, once the canal feeding it was shut because of damage to the tow path and a second time the river was in flood due to bad weather. It's great to see on your video what we have missed.
Cheers Peter, too bad you never got to use it
Thanks Martin another fantastic video
Thank you Billy
Fascinating. I've seen photos of it before but never knew the exact workings of it, so thanks for that.
Thanks very much
What a brilliant vlog so much facts about the boat lift I didn’t know I have been down once in it must go again one day.
Thanks Philip glad you enjoyed
The engineers from that era never cease to amaze me still standing now don’t think much for the buildings of today still standing in hundred years or more even the buildings are throw away like everything else that’s made now
Yeah there was something about the ingenuity of that era
Fascinating Martin, great work. Thanks & best wishes sent to you & yours.
Thank you very much and best regards
Beautiful piece of victorian engineering. Thank goodness it has been saved for posterity and is doing the job it's original designers intended. Not razed to the ground and reclaimed by nature, with only the scantest evidence that it ever existed remaining.
Thats true Carl, it could of been a different story
Super awesome engineering..... great video too x
Excellent video Martin, you did it justice, Have been on it since it reopened, amazing piece of engineering.keep safe.
Thanks Brian, yes very nice piece its almost art
Wow Martin this is truly a remarkable place. I'd love to go check it out. 🎥🚢
I highly recommend it John
Great video, Martin. Nice to be able to see awesome stuff like that. I'm a big fan of 'Travelling Without Moving' - especially now. And you know all the fascinating places. Thank you so much. Is that Dean's wonderful music I hear as well? Top notch.
Thank you Brian. Not Dean on this occasion
Yet another brilliant video. Thank you - thank you.
Yes, funny thing this displacement of water with boats. 🙂
Thanks very much glad you enjoyed
Thoroughly enjoyed the video thank you Martin
Thank you Martin
i've seen the Falkirk wheel first hand, very impressive, but I had no idea this existed, very impressive, especially for it's age. I''ve actually been invited to record in those salt works later in the year.
Oh wow thats amazing
Me and the wife really look forward to seeing your chirpy face and videos 👌 (hope you're well)
Another great video 👍 amazing engineering 🙌 brilliant to see.
Take care and looking forward to seeing your next installment 🤟🏼✌️
Thanks very much, regards to your wife
Wonderful once again Martin
Thank you
What an amazing piece of engineering! So glad it didn't meet its end in '83 :)
That would have been tragic