Photographs of Stenson Lock's
bottom gates being replaced.

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Stenson, Stenson Lock, Trent & Mersey canal.


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• Photos of Stenson Lock's bottom gates being replaced.
Here you can see the sequence of events which show how the gates are replaced. From the state of the old gates before removal, to the painting of the new !
The lock is situated next to bridge 19 on the Trent and Mersey Canal.

The last time the bottom gates were changed was in 1990, before then it was 1947. In the summer of 1997 their was an emergency stoppage when the gates were repaired due to damage.

Every year British Waterways close sections of the canal and river system to enable them to perform essential maintenance work on locks, bridges, aqueducts ect. This is known as "Stoppage Time" and is usually between November and March. The stoppage at Stenson was from February 4th to March 15th.

In order to work on the lock, the water has to be drained from around them, this is achived by using stop-planks or coffer dams.

The top gates were last replaced in 1994 and weigh 950 Kg each. The bottom gates, being replaced here, weigh over three times as much at 2920 Kg each.

History of the Trent & Mersey Canal

One of the earliest canals of the main waterways system, the Trent & Mersey or the Grand Trunk, as its engineer James Brindley preferred to call it, was opened throughout in 1777. It runs from the River Trent at Shardlow to join with the earlier Bridgewater Canal (named after the Duke of Bridgewater) at Preston Brook. A total of 93.5 miles and 76 locks.

Built with five tunnels, Preston Brook (1239 yards), Saltersford (424 yards), Barnton (572 yards) and the most impressive, Harecastle (2926 yards). At the time, Harecastle was an outstanding fete of civil engineering, taking 11 years to complete. The tunnel used today was actually built to the design of Thomas Telford, and opened in 1827, initially to ease congestion with a one way system in operation through each tunnel. Brindley's tunnel was eventually abandoned due to mining subsidence. It's portals can still be seen just to the west of the later tunnel. The fifth tunnel, Armitage (130 yards) had it's roof removed in 1971, again due to the effects of mining.

Travelling from Shardlow, Stenson is the last of 6 wide locks, built to dimensions of 14' x 72', enabling barges to reach Burton-upon-Trent. At Dallow Lane, Burton, the first of 34 narrow locks, built to Brindley's standard 7' wide, continues the accent to it's summit, 408' above sea level, at Stoke-on -Trent.

After passing through Harecastle Tunnel, the canal begins it's decent through a further 33 narrow locks to arrive at Middlewich. Here, one wide lock takes the canal down to a 16 mile lock free pound where the 3 remaining tunnels are found. Just before the southern portal of Preston Brook tunnel is Dutton Stop Lock (built to narrow dimensions). It was built by the Trent & Mersey Canal Company to stop their water flowing directly into that of the Bridgewater Canal.

Other later canals connected with the Trent & Mersey, the main ones being

Derby Canal at Swarkestone
Coventry Canal at Fradley
Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal at Great Haywood
Caldon Branch of the Trent & Mersey at Stoke
Macclesfield Canal at Kidsgrove
Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union at Middlewich

In 1875 a link was made to the River Weaver 50' below the canal, by way of the Anderton Lift (near Northwich).
The original idea came from Sir Edward Leader Williams, who was later appointed engineer on the Manchester Ship Canal. The man who actually designed and built the lift was Edwin Clark. The massive iron structure was re-opened on 26th March 2002, after being disused for nearly 20 years.

The Trent & Mersey Canal has been in continuous use since it's opening in 1777, and is probably as busy today as in it's commercial carrying days.


Before the new lock gates.
Photo Description : The deep Lock at Stenson.
Exact Map Location : Click HERE
Date photo taken : 10th June 2001
Other Information : This is a view of the bottom lock gates, with a rise & fall of 12' 2", the lock is one of the deepest, if not the deepest on the Trent and Mersey. This is a long drop when you are in a boat between the two sets of gates.
Photo Description : The lock gate leaking
Date photo taken : 10th June 2001
Other Information : This
shows the state of the lock gate in Summer 2001, as you can see water is squirting out between the gates.

During the fitting of the new lock gates.
Photo Description : The old gates
Date photo taken : 9th February 2002
Other Information : These are the old lock gates that have been removed from the lock chamber. The balance beams are stacked on the right side.
The gate on the top used to be on towpath side and the gate nearest the ground used to be on the opposite side, next to what was the lock keepers cottage.
You can clearly see the pivot point on left side of the top gate.
Photo Description : The coffer dam
Date photo taken : 9th February 2002
Other Information : A Coffer dam is a temporary structure used to hold back the water from the area to be worked on. It can consist of scaffolding erected on the canal bed and covered in heavy duty plastic (as seen here), or large planks of timber known as 'stop planks', which are slid into slots cut into the masonry on each side of the canal.

Photo Description : The lock Cill
Date photo taken : 11th February 2002
Other Information : This photo shows the Cill of the bottom gates. The bottom of the lock gates butt upto this shape to provide a water tight seal when the lock gates are closed. You would not normally see this on the bottom gates as it would be under about 4' of water.
Photo Description : The coffer dam on the lower side.
Date photo taken : 1st March 2002
Other Information : This dam is on the lower side of the lock chamber and prevents water from entering the chamber whilst they work is in progress.The stop planks can be seen in the slot which is cut into the brickwork under the bridge.

Photo Description : The drained lock chamber
Date photo taken : 1st March 2002
Other Information : Notice the old rusty base pivot recepticle on the bottom/middle of this photo. This is where the bottom of the lock gate would pivot out from. You would not normally see the lock chamber empty like this. note also the brick lining in the bottom of the chamber.
Photo Description : The ground paddle culvert outlets.
Date photo taken : 1st March 2002
Other Information :
This photo is of the area below the top lock gates, The two holes in the cill are the ground paddle culvert outlets. Ground paddles have a sluice set into the top side of the lock, Water flows from there through an underground culvert to these outlets in the lock chamber (below the lowest normal water level) Because this chamber is drained you can see them clearly here.

Photo Description : The new steel Quoin
Date photo taken : 22nd February 2002
Other Information :
This shows where the old wooden quoins have been removed and new steel quoins are in the process of being fitted. The heelpost of the lock gate fits into the quoin. As the lock fills, the pressure of the water on the gate pushes the heelpost further into the quoin ensuring a water tight seal.
Photo Description : The new hinge plate
Date photo taken : 22nd February 2002
Other Information :
This shows the new plate onto which the U shaped collar is bolted. The collar holds the top of the gate into position. This one is on the side nearest the lock keepers cottage.

Fitting the new lock gates.

Photo Description : Long distance view of Stenson lock
Date photo taken : 6th March 2002
Other Information : This is a view of Stenson lock as seen from the towpath approaching from the bridge No18 at Arleston.
The boat on the right side is the Stenson Bubble.

Photo Description : The crane
Date photo taken : 6th March 2002
Other Information : This is the
crane that was used to fit the lock gates, notice the large Counter balance weights. The reason such a large crane is used is due to the weight of the gates (2920Kg each) and also the limited working space around the locks.
Photo Description : Preparing the second gate for lifting
Date photo taken : 6th March 2002
Other Information : The lock gate seen here is the second of the two lock gates. The workmen (and a woman) prepare the gate by removing the packing wood from it
.

Photo Description : Attaching the lifting chains
Date photo taken : 6th March 2002
Other Information : Time to attach the chains to the top of the lock gate ready for lifting it off the lorry.

Photo Description : The lifting sequence
Date photo taken : 6th March 2002
Other Information : The new gate being lifted up by the crane.


 

Photo Description : Manoeuvring the gate
Date photo taken : 6th March 2002
Other Information : The gate is clear of the lorry, The side you see to the camera is the chamber side so it will need to be rotated around before lowering into the chamber. The paddle outlet gate can clearly be seen on the bottom left of the gate. Once the gate is fitted you will not see the outlet gate as it will be under water.

The rod which connects the gate paddle mechanism (rack & pinion) to the paddle over the outlet hole, fits into the cutout in the brickwork behind the gate when the gate is in the open position.
A windless or lock key is used to wind up the paddle gear which opens thus letting the water out of the lock.
Photo Description : Manoeuvring the gate into the lock chamber 1
Date photo taken : 6th March 2002
Other Information : The
crane has moved the lock gate over to the lock chamber and it has been rotated ready for placing in position.

Photo Description : Manoeuvring the gate into the chamber 2
Date photo taken : 6th March 2002
Other Information : The heelpost of the gate is now lowered into position against the steel quoin.
Photo Description : Manoeuvring the gate into the final position
Date photo taken : 6th March 2002
Other Information : The gate is almost in place now, There are several people in the chamber here making sure that the gate goes onto the pivot on the floor of the chamber.

Preparing the new gates ready for Canal Boats to use.
Photo Description : The new lock gates with the balance beams
Date photo taken : 22nd March 2002
Other Information : Here are the new lock gates with the lock chamber full of water. The balance beams have been fitted along with the gate paddle control rack & pinion.
Photo Description : Painting the new gates
Date photo taken : 28 March 2002
Other Information : Here we see the finishing touches being done, Painting the balance beams in the traditional black and white colours.
 

Photo Description : The Cill on the top lock gates.
Date photo taken : 12th April 2002
Other Information : Here we see the top lock gates with the Cill in clear view. When the lock chamber is full, the Cill would be about 4' under water.
Photo Description : The Byweir (bywash)
Date photo taken : 12th April 2002
Other Information : This water gully is called a byweir and it's purpose is to regulate the level of the water while the lock gates are closed. Excess water from the upper section of the canal drains off down here into a culvert and emerges below the bottom lock gates.
Note the gate paddles and ground paddles can be seen in this photo.

I wonder how many years it will be until we witness these lock gates being replaced again?



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