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National Waterways Museum, 4 March


The bottom lock at The National Waterways Museum is being drained so our team can carry out lock gate replacement.

Come and join British Waterways on Sunday 4 March for a unique behind the scenes look at the locks. British Waterways teams will lead you around the works, answering your questions about how lock gates are hand-crafted.

The team will also be able to tell you about how we care for and maintain the historic lock structures and the local area.

Unlocking the history

The locks at the museum site are designated by English Heritage as a Grade II listed structure and point of the Shropshire Union Canal. The locks open into the Manchester Ship Canal, which leads onwards to the River Mersey. The site was a working port until the 1950s and is made up of a system of locks, docks and warehouses, together with a pump and engine room.

The canal was designed and engineered by William Jessop and Thomas Telford as part of an ambitious project aiming to connect to three nearby major rivers – Severn, Mersey and Dee. The section from Whitby Locks to Chester opened in 1795, linking two of the rivers. The connection to the River Severn was never completed.

Time: 10am-3pm
Location: National Waterways Museum, South Pier Road, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire, CH65 4FW
Price: Entry to the British Waterways Open Day is free. Charges do apply for entry to the National Waterways Museum and the Model Boat Show.

Model boat show
This weekend also sees a model boat fair come to the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port. Plus, to celebrate the start of the 2012 season, entry to the museum is half price.


British Waterways’ Canal Open Days 2011/12 are sponsored by May Gurney. Find out more about the company by visiting www.maygurney.co.uk

Last updated: 27/02/2012

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