The sea lock gates arrive

SHARPNESS Sea Lock gates are seen arriving from Holland to be installed at the end of the Gloucester & Sharpness Canal.

The gates will replace the original steel gates that have protected the port from the Severn for over 50 years.

The gates, each of which weighs 70 tonnes, have been manufactured at Deest in Holland, and are seen in the picture being floated to the lock chamber by tugs, where they will now ben installed next Monday and Tuesday the 15th and 16th of March.  The old gates can be seen being removed in the photograph.

Floated in and out

British Waterways project manager Will Burnish explained:

"Both sets of gates will be floated in and out. The first phase of the operation will involve removing the current gates which are 11 metres high and weigh 74 tonnes. This will be carried out over the coming weekend, with the new gates installed during the course of next week."

Despite their weight, the new gates have been designed for buoyancy, and will be floated into position by teams of specialist divers working round the clock in conjunction with the tide.