A HISTORIC waterway running through Saddleworth is set to benefit from a major programme of improvements.
That’s because new lock gates are to be installed on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal.
The canal is among waterways across England and Wales receiving new bespoke lock gates this winter, as part of a special project marking 15 years of support from Postcode Lottery players.
Two locks on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal have been selected for the “15 locks for 15 years” programme – Lock 22 East at Slaithwaite and Lock 6 West at Stalybridge – helping to keep the trans-Pennine waterway navigable for boaters and accessible for local communities.
Stretching 20 miles between Ashton-under-Lyne and Huddersfield, the Huddersfield Narrow Canal passes through Saddleworth’s villages and Pennine landscapes before reaching Standedge Tunnel – the UK’s longest, deepest and highest canal tunnel.
The new lock gates are being crafted by skilled teams at the Canal & River Trust’s specialist workshops in West Yorkshire and the West Midlands. Using a combination of traditional techniques and modern engineering, each gate is individually designed to fit its lock chamber.
Lock gates are essential to the operation of canals, controlling water levels and allowing boats to travel through changes in elevation. However, constant exposure to the elements and daily use means they generally need replacing after around 25 years.
The investment comes as the Huddersfield Narrow Canal celebrates 25 years since its reopening in 2001, following one of Britain’s most ambitious canal restoration projects.
Once described as “the impossible restoration”, the reopening of the canal and Standedge Tunnel reconnected a historic route across the Pennines after more than 50 years of closure. Today, the waterway is enjoyed by boaters, walkers, cyclists, paddlers and visitors from across the country.
Campbell Robb, Chief Executive of the Canal & River Trust, said: “Support from Postcode Lottery players over the past 15 years has been instrumental in helping us care for our canals.
“This programme of lock gate replacements is a fitting way to mark that support, ensuring everyone who loves the waterways can continue to enjoy and get the health and wellbeing benefits of time spent on or by them.
“Lock gates are at the very heart of canal operations and replacing them is essential to maintaining the resilience of the network. Thanks to Postcode Lottery players’ support, we can continue to help safeguard these special places for boaters, local communities and the wildlife that call our canals home.”
Laura Chow, head of charities from the Postcode Lottery, said: “What better way to celebrate fifteen years of player support for the Canal & River Trust than by funding 15 new lock gates across the country?
“These vital structures keep our waterways flowing and connected. Thanks to player funding, alongside the Trust’s ongoing conservation and maintenance work, these historic waterways can continue to be enjoyed and valued by communities, boaters and visitors for generations to come.”
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