Victorian boat lift prepares for 150th-anniversary celebrations
The UK’s Canal & River Trust will celebrate the 150th anniversary of the storied Anderton Boat Lift in Cheshire — often said to be the world’s first boat lift — with a year of events starting in 2025.
The anniversary will feature a Victorian Fair over the weekend of 25–27 July, recreating the atmosphere of 1875 when the lift was first operational. Other planned events include Steam at the Lift (10–11 May), Pirates Weekend (21–22 June), Old Time Sailors Concert (4 July), and the Steampunk Lift Off Weekender (27–28 September).
Constructed in 1875 near Northwich by engineer Edwin Clark, the Anderton Boat Lift was designed to connect the Trent & Mersey Canal to the River Weaver Navigation, overcoming a 50-foot height difference. Known as one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, the lift operated for much of its history despite a period of closure during the 1980s and 1990s due to structural concerns.
Following a £7m restoration completed in 2002, it reopened as both a working boat lift and a visitor attraction, drawing thousands of visitors annually to Northwich. The lift underwent a £450,000 repair in 2022 after the failure of a safety mechanism of one of the lift gates.
Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal & River Trust, emphasises the lift’s significance: “Anderton Boat Lift is a unique, iconic structure, and it’s amazing now to be marking its 150th anniversary as a working boat lift. For more than 20 years it has been run as a popular visitor attraction, as well as being used by 3,000 boaters passing between the river and canal each year. It’s so important that we secure the funding for its renovation and refurbishment so that its place in history is retained, and to keep this unique, much-loved heritage structure operational for future generations.”
Anderton Boat Lift under construction.
To secure its future, the trust is advancing its ‘Engineering the Future’ project, which aims to revitalise the lift and visitor centre. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the project includes essential maintenance such as blast cleaning, repairs, repainting, and updates to the IT operating system. Additional plans involve replacing the timber control cabin and enhancing the visitor centre with a flexible event space. The total estimated cost of these works is between £13.5m and £15m, with refurbishment scheduled to begin in autumn 2025 and expected to last 12–18 months.
Ani Sutton, destinations and attractions manager for the Canal & River Trust, invites the public to join the celebrations: “We would love to see as many people as possible join us to celebrate this special anniversary year, particularly as the upgrade programme is on the horizon for the autumn. The boat lift (pictured left, in 1908) is part of our incredible industrial heritage, and it’s still such a thrill to watch it transport boats between the two waterways after 150 years.”
During the main summer season in 2025, the Anderton Boat Lift and visitor centre will open six days a week, from 9:30am to 4:30pm, excluding Thursdays. The lift will offer four boat trips daily, with ticketed entry, while access to the exhibition, shop, and café remains free of charge.
The post Victorian boat lift prepares for 150th-anniversary celebrations appeared first on Marine Industry News.
