FORT WILLIAM CALEDONIAN CANAL NEPTUNES STAIRCASE 4 YACHTS MOVING PAST THE SWING BRIDGES INTO FIRST LOCK
Image details
Contributor:
JOHN BRACEGIRDLE / Alamy Stock PhotoImage ID:
2JH2TMEFile size:
68.7 MB (4.8 MB Compressed download)Releases:
Model - no | Property - noDo I need a release?Dimensions:
6000 x 4000 px | 50.8 x 33.9 cm | 20 x 13.3 inches | 300dpiDate taken:
12 July 2022Location:
SCOTLANDMore information:
Neptune’s Staircase at Banavie, near Fort William just north of Loch Linnhe, is kept by Scottish Canals. It is the longest staircase lock in Britain, lifting boats 64 feet (20 m). It consists of eight locks, each 180 feet (55 m) by 40 feet (12 m), and it takes boats about 90 minutes to pass through the system. The current lock gates weigh 22 tons each, and require a team of at least three lock-keepers to operate the staircase. They usually operate on an "efficiency basis"; that is, they try either to fill each cut with ascending boats or with descending boats, or to allow for passing, i.e. a dropping craft to pass a rising craft on the same fill/empty cycle. Prior to mechanisation, the locks were operated by capstans, each with four poles, which had to make seven full revolutions to open or close a gate. Each gate leaf had two capstans, one to open it and another to close it. There were 36 capstans on the flight, and 126 revolutions were required for a boat to travel up or down the complete flight. With the advent of hydraulic rams and push-button control, transit times through the flight have been reduced from just over half a day to 90 minutes. The base plinths of the original capstans can still be seen, although the capstans themselves have been removed.