Shared description

Staircase locks

In a staircase the upper gate of one lock is also the lower gate of the one above it. Operating a staircase is very different from operating a flight. It can be more useful to think of a staircase as a single lock with intermediate levels. As there is no intermediate pound, a chamber can only be filled by emptying the one above, or emptied by filling the one below; thus the whole staircase has to be full of water (except for the bottom chamber) before a boat starts to ascend, or empty (except for the top chamber) before a boat starts to descend. In an apparent staircase the chambers still have common gates, but the water does not pass directly from one chamber to the next, going instead via side ponds. This means it is not necessary to ensure that the flight is full or empty before starting. Examples of real staircases are Bingley and Grindley Brook. Examples of apparent staircase locks are Foxton Locks and Watford Locks on the Leicester Branch of the Grand Union.
by Jo and Steve Turner

Created: Sun, 4 Nov 2012, Updated: Sun, 4 Nov 2012


57 images use this description. Preview sample shown below:

SO8691 : Botterham Top Lock near Wombourne, Staffordshire by Roger D Kidd
2022
SO8691 : Botterham Staircase Locks and Bridge, Staffordshire by Roger D Kidd
2022
SO8691 : Staircase Locks and bridge near Swindon, Staffordshire by Roger D Kidd
2022
SJ3631 : Lock 2, Frankton Locks, Montgomery Canal by Christopher Hilton
2020
SJ3631 : Lock 1, Frankton Locks, Montgomery Canal by Christopher Hilton
2020
SJ5242 : Staircase locks at Grindley Brook in Shropshire by Roger D Kidd
2015
SJ5242 : Grindley Brook Staircase Lock No 3, Shropshire by Roger D Kidd
2015
SP5968 : Watford Locks by Stephen McKay
2015
SJ5242 : Grindley Brook Staircase Lock No 2, Shropshire by Roger D Kidd
2015
SJ5242 : Staircase locks at Grindley Brook in Shropshire by Roger D Kidd
2015
SJ5242 : Grindley Brook Lock No 3 in Shropshire by Roger D Kidd
2015
SJ5242 : Staircase locks at Grindley Brook in Shropshire by Roger D Kidd
2015
SJ5242 : Narrowboat in Grindley Brook Staircase Lock, Shropshire by Roger D Kidd
2015
SJ5242 : Grindley Brook Staircase Lock No 2, Shropshire by Roger D Kidd
2015
SO8691 : Botterham Locks north of Swindon, Staffordshire by Roger D Kidd
2013
SP5968 : Sidepond by Watford staircase locks, Northamptonshire by Roger D Kidd
2013
SP5968 : Staircase Locks at Watford, Northamptonshire by Roger D Kidd
2013
SP5968 : Watford Locks No 3 in Northamptonshire by Roger D Kidd
2013
SP5968 : Lock No 4 at the Watford staircase in Northamptonshire by Roger D Kidd
2013
SP5968 : Sideponds by the Watford staircase locks in Northamptonshire by Roger D Kidd
2013
SP5968 : Narrowboat in the Watford staircase Locks, Northamptonshire by Roger D Kidd
2013
SP5968 : Sidepond by Watford staircase locks, Northamptonshire by Roger D Kidd
2013
SP5968 : Sidepond by Watford staircase locks, Northamptonshire by Roger D Kidd
2013
SP3964 : Bascote Staircase Locks, Grand Union Canal by Jo and Steve Turner
1995
SJ5242 : Grindley Brook staircase lock 3 Llangollen Canal by Jo and Steve Turner
1994

... and 32 more images.

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