IT WILL be a year of celebrations for the Anderton Boat Lift as it marks 150 years since its opening. And it is hoped the anniversary will boost a massive £15m restoration project to ensure the engineering marvel’s future survival.
The world’s first commercial boat lift opened in 1875 and the Canal & River Trust will be running a series of activities and parties, with the highlight a spectacular Victorian Fair to mark its opening on July 26.
The fair will take place over the anniversary weekend of July 25-27. During the rest of the summer season, as well as boat trips through the lift, visitors will be able to enjoy a host of other fantastic events, including Steam at the Lift (May 10/11), Pirates Weekend (June 21/22), Old Time Sailors Concert (July 4) and Steampunk Lift Off Weekender (September 27/28).
Richard Parry, Canal & River Trust chief executive, said: “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 3000 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.”
The trust is currently working to develop an ambitious ‘Engineering the Future’ project to revitalise Anderton Boat Lift and Visitor Centre, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The lift needs a major upgrade to keep it operational. The whole structure requires blast cleaning, repairing and repainting, the timber control cabin replacing and IT operating system updating.
The project also includes plans to upgrade the visitor centre with a new flexible event space to replace the current marquee, plus the development of a new learning, skills and outreach programme. Refurbishment work is targeted to start next autumn and is expected to take 12-18 months, with a total estimated cost of £13.5-£15 million.
Designated one of the Seven Wonders of the Waterways, Anderton Boat Lift was designed by engineer Edwin Clark to connect the Trent & Mersey Canal with the River Weaver Navigation 50ft below.
Although it has been re-engineered several times, the lift has successfully carried boats between the two waterways for most of its 150 years, with only a couple of decades out of action in the 1980s and 1990s due to safety concerns caused by corrosion.
At the turn of the Millennium, more than £7 million was raised to fund a major restoration and the boat lift began operating again on March 26, 2002. Since then, it has attracted thousands of visitors to Northwich to marvel at the incredible engineering masterpiece and enjoy a trip aboard the Edwin Clark boat, named after the lift’s designer.
Ani Sutton, Canal & River Trust destinations and attractions manager, said: “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 is part of our incredible industrial heritage and it’s still such a thrill to watch it transporting boats between the two waterways after 150 years.”
During the 2025 main summer season, Anderton Boat Lift and visitor centre will be open six days a week (closed Thursdays), 9.30am-4.30pm, offering four boat trips a day. There is a charge for boat trips but entrance to the visitor exhibition, shop and cafe are free.
