Richmond Lock and Footbridge
Encyclopedia
Richmond Lock and Footbridge is a lock
and pedestrian
bridge
, situated on the River Thames
in south west London
, England
and is a Grade II* listed structure. It is the furthest downstream of all the Thames locks and is the only one owned and operated by the Port of London Authority
. It was opened in 1894 and is situated close to the centre of Richmond in the south western suburbs of London
. It connects Richmond on the east bank with the neighbouring district of St. Margarets on the west bank during the day, but is now closed at night to pedestrians - after 19:30 GMT or after 21:30 when BST
is in use.
complex was built in 1894 by the Thames Conservancy
to maintain a navigable depth of water upstream of Richmond. This then ensures that there is always at least a 1.72m depth of water in the River between Richmond and Teddington. In 1908 an Act transferred responsibility for the Thames from a point 350 yards (320 m) below Teddington Lock
to the Port of London Authority, and this included Richmond Lock.
When the old London Bridge
was demolished in 1832, the removal of the palisades
, constructed to protect the bridge, resulted in the tides on the Thames rising and falling far more rapidly than they had done. This, together with dredging of the lower river, meant that for long periods the Thames at Twickenham and Richmond was little more than a stream running through mudbanks.
In 1890, after many years of petitioning, permission was granted to build a half-lock and weir downstream of Richmond Bridge.
To restore the river to its former state a barge lock was constructed against the Surrey side joined by a weir to three roller slipways for small craft on the Middlesex side.
As a superstructure was required to operate the sluice mechanism, it was agreed to construct this in the form of two footbridges.
Technically, Richmond Lock is a half-tide lock and barrage, which also incorporates a public footbridge. The footbridge crosses the conventional lock, the slipway and the barrage, which comprises three vertical steel sluice gates suspended from the footbridge structure. These gates weigh 32 tons each and are 66 feet in width and 12 feet in depth. The lock permits passage of vessels up to 250 feet long by 26 feet 8 inches wide.
For about two hours each side of high tide
, the sluice gates which make up the barrage are raised into the footbridge structure above, and river traffic can pass through the barrage unimpeded. For the rest of the tidal cycle the sluice gates are closed, and ships and boats must use the lock alongside the barrage. Rowing boats and kayaks can use the slipway.
The sluice gates were originally manually operated by the lock keepers, who lived under pedestrian steps on each bank of the river.
The barrage has the effect of maintaining the water level between Richmond Lock and Teddington Lock
(the next lock upstream) at or above half-tide level. The maximum fall of the lock is 10 feet.
Lock (water transport)
A lock is a device for raising and lowering boats between stretches of water of different levels on river and canal waterways. The distinguishing feature of a lock is a fixed chamber in which the water level can be varied; whereas in a caisson lock, a boat lift, or on a canal inclined plane, it is...
and pedestrian
Pedestrian
A pedestrian is a person traveling on foot, whether walking or running. In some communities, those traveling using roller skates or skateboards are also considered to be pedestrians. In modern times, the term mostly refers to someone walking on a road or footpath, but this was not the case...
bridge
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
, situated on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in south west London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and is a Grade II* listed structure. It is the furthest downstream of all the Thames locks and is the only one owned and operated by the Port of London Authority
Port of London Authority
The Port of London Authority is a self-funding public trust established in 1908 by the Port of London Act to govern the Port of London. Its responsibility extends over the Tideway of the River Thames and the authority is responsible for the public right of navigation and for conservancy of the...
. It was opened in 1894 and is situated close to the centre of Richmond in the south western suburbs of London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. It connects Richmond on the east bank with the neighbouring district of St. Margarets on the west bank during the day, but is now closed at night to pedestrians - after 19:30 GMT or after 21:30 when BST
British Summer Time
Western European Summer Time is a summer daylight saving time scheme, 1 hour ahead of Coordinated Universal Time. It is used in the following places:* the Canary Islands* Portugal * Ireland...
is in use.
Description
The Richmond lock and weirWeir
A weir is a small overflow dam used to alter the flow characteristics of a river or stream. In most cases weirs take the form of a barrier across the river that causes water to pool behind the structure , but allows water to flow over the top...
complex was built in 1894 by the Thames Conservancy
Thames Conservancy
The Thames Conservancy was a historical body responsible for the management of the River Thames in England. It was founded in 1857, initially replacing the jurisdiction of the City of London up to Staines and later taking responsibility for the whole river from Cricklade in Wiltshire to the sea at...
to maintain a navigable depth of water upstream of Richmond. This then ensures that there is always at least a 1.72m depth of water in the River between Richmond and Teddington. In 1908 an Act transferred responsibility for the Thames from a point 350 yards (320 m) below Teddington Lock
Teddington Lock
Teddington Lock is a complex of three locks and a weir on the River Thames in England at Ham in the western suburbs of London. The lock is on the southern Surrey side of the river....
to the Port of London Authority, and this included Richmond Lock.
When the old London Bridge
London Bridge
London Bridge is a bridge over the River Thames, connecting the City of London and Southwark, in central London. Situated between Cannon Street Railway Bridge and Tower Bridge, it forms the western end of the Pool of London...
was demolished in 1832, the removal of the palisades
Palisades
A palisade is a steel or wooden fence or wall of variable height, usually used as a defensive structure.Palisade or Palisades also may refer to:-Geology:United States...
, constructed to protect the bridge, resulted in the tides on the Thames rising and falling far more rapidly than they had done. This, together with dredging of the lower river, meant that for long periods the Thames at Twickenham and Richmond was little more than a stream running through mudbanks.
In 1890, after many years of petitioning, permission was granted to build a half-lock and weir downstream of Richmond Bridge.
To restore the river to its former state a barge lock was constructed against the Surrey side joined by a weir to three roller slipways for small craft on the Middlesex side.
As a superstructure was required to operate the sluice mechanism, it was agreed to construct this in the form of two footbridges.
Technically, Richmond Lock is a half-tide lock and barrage, which also incorporates a public footbridge. The footbridge crosses the conventional lock, the slipway and the barrage, which comprises three vertical steel sluice gates suspended from the footbridge structure. These gates weigh 32 tons each and are 66 feet in width and 12 feet in depth. The lock permits passage of vessels up to 250 feet long by 26 feet 8 inches wide.
For about two hours each side of high tide
High Tide
High Tide was a band formed in 1969 by Tony Hill , Simon House , Peter Pavli and Roger Hadden .-History:...
, the sluice gates which make up the barrage are raised into the footbridge structure above, and river traffic can pass through the barrage unimpeded. For the rest of the tidal cycle the sluice gates are closed, and ships and boats must use the lock alongside the barrage. Rowing boats and kayaks can use the slipway.
The sluice gates were originally manually operated by the lock keepers, who lived under pedestrian steps on each bank of the river.
The barrage has the effect of maintaining the water level between Richmond Lock and Teddington Lock
Teddington Lock
Teddington Lock is a complex of three locks and a weir on the River Thames in England at Ham in the western suburbs of London. The lock is on the southern Surrey side of the river....
(the next lock upstream) at or above half-tide level. The maximum fall of the lock is 10 feet.
See also
- Locks on the River ThamesLocks on the River ThamesThe English River Thames is navigable from Cricklade or Lechlade to the sea, and this part of the river falls 71 metres . There are 45 locks on the river, each with one or more adjacent weirs...
- Crossings of the River ThamesCrossings of the River ThamesThis is a list of crossings of the River Thames including bridges, tunnels and ferries. There are 214 bridges, over 20 tunnels, six public ferries and one ford.-Barrier and boundary:...