Anderton Boat Lift: Engineering the Future project

Hi, I'm Jason, operations manager here at Anderton Boat Lift.

We're currently having a tour of the top of the lift here. Behind me you can see the two aqueducts that join the Trent & Mersey Canal, to the lift structure itself. Above us you can see the machine deck that houses the cogs, and what would have been the old machine gear.

The structure you see behind and above me was added in 1908, built over the top of the 1875 hydraulic structure. It was build over two years, they only closed for four weeks, how amazing is that?

It was built to connec the Trent & Mersey Canal and the Weaver Navigation, 50 feet apart. For those who are scared of heights, please don't look down.

The lift was built because of the chemical and salt industries around. Behind me you can what was one of the first ICI factories in the country and the birthplace of polythene and modern plastics.

This is a unique and historic structure. It's so important that we keep it working and functional for future generations.

We are working on plans for this project, to deliver critical refurbishment work to both the Anderton Boat Lift and the visitor centre and grounds. Anderton Boat Lift is a heritage icon and a working scheduled monument that has been transporting boats for 150 years.

Our vision for Engineering the Future is to preserve this vital connection to our industrial past, welcome people with an inspirational and inclusive visitor experience, and engage new audiences to establish this unique site as a renowned national visitor destination. This project will also provide new opportunities to connect people through science, heritage, nature, and wellbeing.

The work required to the boat lift is part of its long-term maintenance and will be crucial to help ensure that it can remain operational and enable around 3,000 boats each year to continue being transported the 50 feet between the Trent & Mersey Canal and the River Weaver Navigation.

Initial development work has been supported by a grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, and delivery of the project is subject to a successful application for further funding.

The lift requires blast cleaning, repairing and re-painting with a technical coating system designed to protect the structure for the next 25 years. A new operating system is needed, utilising modern technology to improve reliability and ensuring this essential link is maintained for navigation. Additional improvements will be made to enhance safety and make regular maintenance easier and more efficient, whilst prioritising the safety of all those who use it.

Engineering the Future will also provide an opportunity for the visitor centre and facilities to be revitalised, with all new exhibitions and interpretation, a new indoor event and venue space, improved amenities and accessible facilities. Visitors will be able to discover previously untold stories of Anderton through new interactive elements. A collection of innovative play equipment will focus on providing welcoming and inclusive play for all, there will be a refreshed onsite café to relax in or visitors can grab a coffee by the riverside in the landscaped grounds.

There will also be lots of ways to boost wellbeing - by joining an outdoor activity, connecting with nature, taking to the water, or ascending to the top of the Lift for those with a head for heights.

There has been a delay to the submission of the full grant application, while we review changes that have happened since the original application for funding was made in 2022 and we agree the best way forward with the National Lottery Heritage Fund. We are working hard to set the project up for the best chance of success, and have agreed a public statement with the Heritage Fund, as follows:

"Canal & River Trust has been working on proposals for a major refurbishment of Anderton Boat Lift & Visitor Centre, supported by a development grant from the National Lottery Heritage Fund to bring forward the initial plans.

"Since that grant was awarded in 2022 external factors including inflation, particularly in the construction sector, have placed additional pressures on the plans for the project. The cost of the works required, primarily to the refurbishment of the Boat Lift, have increased and there have also been some necessary changes to the scope of the project.

"The Trust is currently in discussions with the Heritage Fund regarding the next steps.  The work that has been completed so far will remain relevant, all statutory consents obtained will continue to be valid, and donations received will support ongoing maintenance of the boat lift.

"It is anticipated that there will be a 12 - 18 month delay to the start of the main works, subject to a successful grant application which we will submit in due course. This will mean that the Anderton Boat Lift & Visitor Centre will look to welcome visitors as usual during the 2025 and 2026 visitor seasons which include the programme of exciting anniversary events we have over the coming months as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the boat lift.

While we revisit the proposals for Engineering the Future and prepare our final funding application, Anderton Boat Lift & Visitor Centre will look to welcome visitors as usual during the 2025 and 2026 visitor seasons.

Once funding has been secured then the project can move into the delivery phase, and there will be a requirement for the lift to close while work is carried out. The existing operating system will need to be removed for the repairs and repainting to be done, and a new system will thereafter be installed and commissioned. This process means that it will not be possible to operate the Lift while this major work is underway.

The timescales are currently under review, and we will publish an update once we have more information. We will work closely with customers and our contractors to minimise disruption to navigation, and will issue timely and clear communications on any closures with regular updates.

We will also keep the site open to visitors as much as possible while the work is underway, with boat trips still operating on the Weaver Navigation and opportunities to see behind the scenes and enjoy the exciting programme of events, particularly this year while we celebrate the 150th anniversary year of the lift opening.

We carry out regular maintenance to the lift and it is essential for us to ensure that it remains safe for operation. Keeping this iconic, historic structure open for navigation is our top priority, however the operating system is now more than 20 years old and the IT is no longer supported, which is why it must be upgraded and future proofed. We expect it will continue to operate until we are ready to start the work but, unfortunately, we can’t offer absolute guarantees.

Currently there is a navigation closure at the Anderton Boat Lift. During routine planned maintenance, a lifting wire on the east aqueduct unexpectedly failed. A detailed assessment is required including investigation and evaluation by specialist engineers, and the lift will remain closed for safety reasons until that is completed, and the necessary repairs carried out. This work is progressing well and is essential in determining the next steps before reopening can proceed.

We understand how frustrating this is for those affected and apologise for the inconvenience. While we don't yet have a definitive reopening date, we're working hard to provide more clarity. For the latest information please our Notices & Stoppages

Anderton Boat Lift opened in 1875 and was the world’s first major commercial boat lift. Edwin Clark’s pioneering design subsequently inspired boat lifts across Europe. It is recognised as one of the “Seven Wonders of the Waterways” and is designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Our mission is to keep this iconic structure operational for the next generation, as it provides a unique link to our living history. It is a jewel in the crown of our national industrial heritage and an internationally important example of Victorian engineering, and already a popular visitor attraction welcoming nearly 90,000 people each year.

Through its 150-year history, the lift has been a challenge to maintain and has required several adaptations and refurbishments. Salty water meant the original hydraulic rams rusted and seized up, so these were eventually replaced with a 1908 electric pulley system to haul the boat caissons up and down.

In 1983, the Lift was declared unsafe and shut down for nearly two decades, before it was restored back to hydraulics and opened to the public around the millennium.

We are very hopeful that our efforts to secure sufficient funding from a range of different sources will be successful and the project will go ahead as planned, to keep this site open and operational for the future. However, there are no guarantees in the current economic and financial climate, and we are facing ever-increasing financial pressures, so it is possible that we might struggle to reach our target. If this is the case, we would have to re-visit the terms and scope of the project and prioritise the most essential work.

We are committed to preserving Anderton Boat Lift as a pinnacle of living industrial heritage and have support from Historic England to maintain the Lift as a working monument. However, without investment the future of the lift could be in jeopardy, which is why we are working so hard to make Engineering the Future a success.