Perhaps the best known staircase lock on the Leeds and Liverpool canal, and certainly one of the most impressive features of the canal, this is a popular tourist spot. Walkers, dog walkers, cyclists and boaters congregate here. At the top of the locks an old stable block which once provided the horses to tow the barges has been converted into a cafe, and was very busy when I was there.
The Five Rise is the steepest flight of locks in the UK, with a gradient of about 1:5 (a rise of 59 ft 2 in (18.03 m) over a distance of 320 ft (98 m)). The intermediate and bottom gates are the tallest in the country. Because of the complications of working a staircase lock, and because so many boaters (both first-time hirers and new owners) are inexperienced, a full-time lock keeper is employed, and the locks are padlocked out of hours. Barry Whitelock, the lock keeper, after twenty years based here is now almost synonymous with the flight. Barry was awarded an MBE in the 2006 New Year Honours List for "Services to Inland Waterways in the North". The Locks also have an overflow waterfall at the side, which water runs down when the lock is not open.
The Five Rise locks opened on 21 March 1774 and was a major feat of engineering at the time. When the locks, and therefore the canal from Gargrave to Thackley was opened in 1774 a crowd of 30,000 people turned out to celebrate. The first boat to use the locks took just 28 minutes to pass through. The smaller Bingley Three Rise locks opened at the same time just a few hundred yards downstream.
For anyone interested in understanding more about how a staircase lock works, the pdf in this link has a good explanation and lots more information about this location - https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/media/library/2036.pdf
Thank you all for your comments and favs - as always, they are greatly appreciated!
This area around Saltaire and Bingly is a fascinating area to explore, with so much interesting industrial archaeology set amidst som attractive countryside - expect to see more shots from this area in future!
Impressive. We have a 7 locks close to where we live but it's not any more in use since a very long time (and without water nowdays). I will post a photo next time i'll visit this place.
Thank you all for your comments and favs - as always, they are greatly appreciated!
This area around Saltaire and Bingly is a fascinating area to explore, with so much interesting industrial archaeology set amidst som attractive countryside - expect to see more shots from this area in future!
Ian