A new boat lift proposed

THERE have been many suggestions for getting the Derby Canal over the Derwent in Derby, with the latest being a boat lift to hoist the boats out of the restored canal into the river.

At 180 ft high it would lift the boats around 100ft into the air then down into the Derwent, from where it would connect to the the Derby Canal at the further side, Alan Tilbury reveals.

Original crossing

The original crossing of the river was on the level, with a weir raising the water to the height of the canal, with a bridge by its side for the horses.

This new idea of a lift has just been unveiled, but its cost has not been stated.

It was last year that the Derby and Sandiacre Canal Society gained  permission from the councils along its length to restore the waterway, with the crossing of the Derwent being its biggest obstacle.