History

The Anderton Boat Lift was originally built in 1875 to carry boats from the River Weaver to the Trent & Mersey Canal. Designed by Edwin Clark, the structure stood at approximately 60ft high and was operated hydraulically. The structure was then updated in 1908 where a machinery deck was added, bringing the overall height to approximately 80ft. It went from hydraulic operation to being electrically operated.

Most recently, the lift was updated in 2001, where, once again, it has been restored to hydraulic operation, just as it was in 1875. The structure and pully wheels from 1908 have been retained as a static monument.

The concept of the boat lift is quite simple – two huge water tanks with watertight sealable doors carry boats up and down. The original counterbalanced system was replaced in 1908, but the lift now works hydraulically again.

The lift worked until 1983 when it was found that the structure was seriously destructing. A staggering £7 million was raised to fund the restoration which was finally completed in 2002.