New method installing cills

A NEW method of installing cills in locks was tried last week when the Carthagena Lock gates on the Lee Navigation were replaced.

The cill timbers—three metre long oak structures—that lie on the lock floor behind the lock gates and help to ensure they form a water-tight seal, are usually manœuvred into place by hand which involves a lot of heavy lifting.

Used in railway construction

But this time the team used a new suction based lifting system, predominantly used in railway construction, which allows much more manœuvrability, eliminates manual-handling and reduces the fitting times for each cill installation.

Of the new system, Tony Sims, British Waterways' Senior Project Engineer explained:

"This £80,000 project incorporates some new techniques which allow us to refurbish this working piece of industrial-era heritage quicker and more easily.

"This project, along with the work we did at the end of last year just north of here at Feildes Lock, will rejuvenate this section of the River Lee Navigation and get it ready for people to enjoy in 2011's summer season and for many years to come."

The lock gates, though showing wear, can by refurbished, so have been taken to British Waterways' Stanley Ferry workshop on the Aire & Calder Navigation, for repair, and will be returned to the site and reinstalled.