Lifts on the old Canal du Centre
Encyclopedia
The lifts on the old Canal du Centre are a series of four hydraulic boat lift
s near the town of La Louvière
in the Sillon industriel
of Wallonia, classified both as Wallonia's Major Heritage and as a World Heritage Site
(province of Hainaut). Along a particular 7 km (4.3 mi) stretch of the Canal du Centre
, which connects the river basins of the Meuse and the Scheldt
, the water level rises by 66.2 metres (217.2 ft). To overcome this difference, the 15.4-metre lift at Houdeng-Goegnies was opened in 1888, and the other three lifts, each with a 16.93 metres (55.5 ft) rise, opened in 1917.
The elevators are double, consisting of two vertically mobile tanks or caissons, each supported in the centre by an iron column. The two columns are hydraulically linked in such a way that one caisson rises as the other descends, the weight of one counterbalancing the weight of the other.
These lifts were designed by Edwin Clark of the British company Clark, Stansfield & Clark.
The lifts were part of the inspiration behind the Peterborough
and Kirkfield Lift Lock
s in Canada
. In the late 19th century Richard Birdsall Rogers
visited the locks as to understand and study possible ideas for a lift lock system.
These fine industrial monuments were designated by UNESCO
as a World Heritage Site
in 1998. Of the eight hydraulic lift locks built in the late 19th and early 20th century, the four of the Canal du Centre are the only ones still functioning in their original form.
Since 2002, operation of the lifts has been limited to recreational use. Commercial traffic now bypasses the old lifts and is handled by the enormous Strépy-Thieu boat lift
, whose rise of 73m was the highest in the world upon completion.
Following an accident in January 2002, in which a malfunctioning elevator began rising as a motor barge was exiting, lift no. 1 was taken out of service. During the repair work, which began in 2005, a thorough restoration was undertaken. Restoration works on lifts number 1 and 4 are still going on in 2008.
Boat lift
A boat lift, ship lift, or lift lock is a machine for transporting boats between water at two different elevations, and is an alternative to the canal lock and the canal inclined plane....
s near the town of La Louvière
La Louvière
La Louvière is a Walloon city and municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. La Louvière's municipality includes the old communes of Haine-Saint-Paul, Haine-Saint-Pierre, Saint-Vaast, Trivières, Boussoit, Houdeng-Aimeries, Houdeng-Gœgnies, Maurage, and Strépy-Bracquegnies...
in the Sillon industriel
Sillon industriel
The sillon industriel is the former industrial backbone of Wallonia and thus of Belgium. It runs across Wallonia, passing from Dour, in Borinage, in the west, to Verviers in the east, through Mons, La Louvière, Charleroi, Namur, Huy, and Liège, following the valleys of the rivers Haine, Sambre,...
of Wallonia, classified both as Wallonia's Major Heritage and as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
(province of Hainaut). Along a particular 7 km (4.3 mi) stretch of the Canal du Centre
Canal du Centre (Belgium)
The Canal du Centre is a canal in Belgium, which, with other canals, links the waterways of the Meuse and Scheldt rivers. It has a total length of 20.9 km. It connects the artificial lake Grand Large near Nimy, with the Brussels-Charleroi Canal near Seneffe....
, which connects the river basins of the Meuse and the Scheldt
Scheldt
The Scheldt is a 350 km long river in northern France, western Belgium and the southwestern part of the Netherlands...
, the water level rises by 66.2 metres (217.2 ft). To overcome this difference, the 15.4-metre lift at Houdeng-Goegnies was opened in 1888, and the other three lifts, each with a 16.93 metres (55.5 ft) rise, opened in 1917.
The elevators are double, consisting of two vertically mobile tanks or caissons, each supported in the centre by an iron column. The two columns are hydraulically linked in such a way that one caisson rises as the other descends, the weight of one counterbalancing the weight of the other.
These lifts were designed by Edwin Clark of the British company Clark, Stansfield & Clark.
The lifts were part of the inspiration behind the Peterborough
Peterborough Lift Lock
The Peterborough Lift Lock is a boat lift located on the Trent Canal in the city of Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, and is Lock 21 on the Trent-Severn Waterway....
and Kirkfield Lift Lock
Kirkfield Lift Lock
The Kirkfield Lift Lock is a boat lift located in the city of Kawartha Lakes, Ontario, Canada, near the village of Kirkfield. It is designated "Lock 36" of the Trent-Severn Waterway, situated at the highest section of the canal...
s in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. In the late 19th century Richard Birdsall Rogers
Richard Birdsall Rogers
Richard Birdsall Rogers was a Canadian civil and mechanical engineer whose most significant achievement was the design of the Peterborough Lift Lock, a boat lift at Peterborough, Ontario, Canada....
visited the locks as to understand and study possible ideas for a lift lock system.
Recent history
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
as a World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
in 1998. Of the eight hydraulic lift locks built in the late 19th and early 20th century, the four of the Canal du Centre are the only ones still functioning in their original form.
Since 2002, operation of the lifts has been limited to recreational use. Commercial traffic now bypasses the old lifts and is handled by the enormous Strépy-Thieu boat lift
Strépy-Thieu boat lift
The Strépy-Thieu boat lift lies on a branch of the Canal du Centre in the municipality of Le Rœulx, Hainaut, Belgium. With a height difference of between the upstream and downstream reaches, it is the tallest boat lift in the world, and will remain so until the Three Gorges dam boat lift in...
, whose rise of 73m was the highest in the world upon completion.
Following an accident in January 2002, in which a malfunctioning elevator began rising as a motor barge was exiting, lift no. 1 was taken out of service. During the repair work, which began in 2005, a thorough restoration was undertaken. Restoration works on lifts number 1 and 4 are still going on in 2008.
Details
| Lift | Place Name | Coordinates | Rise | Photo |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 1 | Houdeng-Goegnies | 50.4875°N 4.1758°E | 15.4 m (50.5 ft) | .jpg) |
| No. 2 | Houdeng-Aimeries | 50.4826°N 4.1423°E | 16.93 m (55.5 ft) |  |
| No. 3 | Strépy-Bracquegnies | 50.4813°N 4.1373°E | 16.93 m (55.5 ft) |  |
| No. 4 | Thieu Thieu Thieu is a village in the Belgian province of Hainaut, and a part of the municipality Le Rœulx.... |
50.4714°N 4.0945°E | 16.93 m (55.5 ft) |  |