Canal locks · North West England
Anderton Boat Lift
Also known as: Lifft cychod Anderton
World's first boat lift (1875) — Cheshire, fully restored, open for trips.
Roger A Smith — CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 20 min–45 min
About
The Anderton Boat Lift near Northwich is the world's first boat lift, opened in 1875 to connect the Trent & Mersey Canal (above) with the River Weaver Navigation (50 feet below). Restored to working order in 2002 after 20 years of disuse; the on-site visitor centre runs boat trips through the lift.
Photo gallery
From the Wikipedia article
The Anderton Boat Lift is a two-caisson lift lock near the village of Anderton, Cheshire, in North West England. It provides a 50-foot (15.2 m) vertical link between two navigable waterways: the River Weaver and the Trent and Mersey Canal. The structure is designated as a scheduled monument, and is included in the National Heritage List for England; it is also known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways. Built in 1875, the boat lift was in use for over 100 years until it was closed in 1983 due to corrosion. Restoration started in 2001 and the boat lift was re-opened in 2002. The lift and associated visitor centre and exhibition are operated by the Canal & River Trust. It is one of only two working boat lifts in the United Kingdom; the other is the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland. The lift has been closed to boat traffic since 3 January 2025 following failure of a gate lift cable during routine testing. The lift will remain closed during 2026.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
- Coordinates
- 53.2725, -2.5306
- Address
- Lift Lane, Northwich, CW9 6FW
- Phone
- +44 1606 786777
- Official site
- canalrivertrust.org.uk
Sources
- manual: anderton-boat-lift (manual)
- wikipedia: Anderton Boat Lift (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Anderton Boat Lift?
- Anderton Boat Lift is in North-West England, United Kingdom.
- When was Anderton Boat Lift built?
- Dates from the Victorian period.
- Is Anderton Boat Lift a listed building?
- Anderton Boat Lift is officially recognised as Grade II* listed.