Peterborough Lift Lock

I had a opportunity to visit the Peterborough Lift Lock system on July 02, 2006. I and my friends Prasanna, Anil and their families had a visit to this place. I was totally fascinated by the engineering feat which has been implemented.

The Peterbough lock is by far the most developed and scenic as well as home to the Trent Severn Visitors centre. In fact these locks are simple and elegant. The unique lift locks operate by using hydraulic pressure. Within a closed system any displacement of volume in one container will transfer the equal amount to the other container. In the case of the Trent Severn Lift Locks those containers are the huge 140 foot long, steel tubs containing 330,000 gallons of water weighing 1,500 tonnes .

Beneath the lock tubs are located monster hydraulic rams which raise and lower the locks. Each ram is 65 feet long by 7.5 foot diameter extending some 75 feet below the lock to their footings on top of ten ton granite block, resting on bedrock. Both tubes are connected by high pressure pipe and other control pumps and fittings. In practice, the procedure used to raise boats is to fill the upper tub with an extra foot of water, and then vent this water volume into the lower locks chamber, the difference in weight then raises the lower lock.