Mural for Anderton

Published: Wednesday, 21 April 2010

A GIANT mural has been unveiled at Anderton Boat Lift to celebrate its re-opening in March,2002.

The artwork has been created by Cheshire artist Bernice Barrett-Brown, and has been mounted on one of the lift's original retaining walls, it being a tribute to the three engineers primarily involved in constructing the lift in 1875 and its major conversion in 1908.

These were Sir Edward Williams, who originally conceived the idea; Edwin Clark, responsible for the 1875 design and construction; and Colonel John Saner, General Manager of the Weaver Navigation responsible for the 1908 rebuild.

First opened in 1875 and re-adapted from hydraulic operation to a cogs and pulley system in 1908, the lift closed in autumn 1983 on safety grounds. It links the  Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal 50 feet above.

At the official re-opening event, hundreds of people involved in the restoration gathered at the colossal structure to celebrate the official re-opening of this unique Scheduled Ancient Monument.

British Waterways engineers started work on the restoration project in Spring 2000, with the final piece craned back into place on 26 September 2001.

The restoration involved the dismantling of more than 3,000 separate components, which were then cleaned, repaired and re-assembled like a giant Meccano set. Engineers were faced with the unpredictable challenge of marrying a 19th century structure with 21st century technology.

Safety devices

This caused problems, with even the first boat taking the Press up the lift being unable to go onto the Trent & Mersey as the safety devices stopped the gates opening to allow the boat Edwin Clark to proceed, it having no option but to return back down to the river.

British Waterways tell us:

'More than 100,000 people annually flock to Cheshire's most popular working heritage monument'. The ‘Cathedral of Canals' stands as a lasting testament to Victorian industrial ingenuity: its operations centre offers a unique insight into this iron leviathan, while the viewing platform enables the visitor to enjoy the spectacle of boats being moved effortlessly between the  Weaver and the Trent & Mersey Canal high above. The attractive grounds, interactive exhibition, original gift shop and welcoming café ensure a visit to Anderton Boat Lift offers a unique visitor experience'.