Anderton Lift

What an exciting afternoon.
Something we have been looking forward to for a long time.
Taking Tacet on the Anderton Lift. 
Being lowered from the Trent and Mersey canal to the River Weaver 50 feet below.
Who minds paying their license fee when you get to use great feats of engineering such as this at no extra cost and no need to book ahead either. We just turned up and were able to go down on the next slot.

Waiting at the top outside the visitor centre

Looking into the aqueduct leading into the caissons

The whole structure from the top - Trent & Mersey Canal

Following nb Daydream onto the aqueduct

Lining up

Looking down onto the River Weaver - that narrowboat is so small!

Into the caisson we go

Looking up

Looking back - the guillotine gate is closing off the caisson

Passing nb Fine & Dandy going up

Down the bottom, see the other caisson at the top.

Waiting for the gate to open

Here we go

Out on the river

The whole structure from the bottom - River Weaver

 This amazing lift was built in 1875, originally the two water filled caissons counterbalanced each other being raised and lowered on huge hydraulic rams operated by a steam engine. In 1908 when major repairs were needed, it was modernised and electricity were replaced the steam.  Edit: Further changes were made after a period of closure more recently and again the caissons are raised hydraulically. The visitor centre is very popular and with free entrance gives everyone a good chance to see close up this Victorian structure still working today.