Worksop Town Lock on the Chesterfield Canal is to receive new top and bottom gates as part of a nationwide programme of improvements announced by the Canal & River Trust.
Lock 50 in Worksop is among 15 locks selected for work under the “15 locks for 15 years” initiative, marking 15 years of financial support from players of the People’s Postcode Lottery.
The replacement gates will be manufactured specifically for the lock before being installed during the coming winter. The work will be carefully planned to minimise disruption to people using the canal.
Lock gates are essential to canal navigation, allowing boats to move between different water levels. Because they are used regularly and remain continuously exposed to the weather, they typically need replacing after around 25 years.
The new gates are being made at the Canal & River Trust’s specialist workshops, where teams use traditional woodworking techniques alongside modern engineering. They will be among more than 100 lock gates the charity expects to replace across its network this winter.
The Trust looks after more than 2,000 miles of canals and waterways across the country. It said the improvements would help keep the network open for boaters while supporting its wider use by walkers, cyclists, visitors and local communities.
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 at People’s Postcode Lottery, said: “What better way to celebrate 15 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.”
