Inclined Plane Plan for Leeds and Liverpool?

An exciting proposal has been made that would replace part of the notorious Wigan Lock Flight with an inclined plane boat lift.

It is believed that many boaters are put off visiting the Leeds and Liverpool Canal by the prospect of the 21 lock flight between the junction of the Leigh Branch and Wigan Top Lock. Many of the gates are heavy to operate and there are sometimes problems with low water levels, leaking gates, etc.

A scheme put forward suggests replacing the top thirteen locks with an inclined plane that would carry boats on cradles or in caissons mounted on rails. These 13 locks are fairly close together and the canal drops 118 feet (36 metres) in just one mile.


Example of an inclined plane using a cradle on the Elbląg Canal. Photo: Wsombeck at de.wikipedia

The plan would see two cradles running on a single track, with a passing place at the midway point. The cradles would be drawn by a cable. Each cradle would include a water tank that can be filled for the downward journey, so that the extra weight would help to pull the other cradle upwards, reducing the power of the motor required to haul the cables.


Example of an inclined plane with cable-hauled cradle on the Elbląg Canal. Photo: Wsombeck at de.wikipedia

At each end of the plane, the track would slope into the water so that boats can be floated on and off the cradles. It would only take around 20 to 30 minutes for a boat to travel the length of the incline, compared with the 2 hours or more taken to do the 13 locks.

There are a number of examples of systems like this operating successfully in Europe. Most of these inclined planes run in a straight line but there are examples of some that have slight curves built in, and the plane at Wigan would require two slight curves if it was to follow the existing line of the locks.


Example of a curved inclined plane at Dahme Umflutkanal. Photo: Botaurus Stellaris via Wikimedia Commons

The scheme could pay for itself over a longer period through savings in the cost of maintaining the 13 locks it would replace. Boaters would then only be faced with the 8 locks below Rose Grove, attracting more boaters to use the canal, bringing increased revenue for businesses along the route.

The inclined plane, as it would be the only one operational in Britain, could also become something of a tourist attraction in its own right and see tourists once again flocking to Wigan.

The idea is being promoted by The Wigan Incline Trust (T.W.I.T.) who are hoping for backing from local businesses which could benefit from a renewal of the area.

The head of the Canal and River Trust's Blue Sky Thinking section, Maureen Wring, said that this re-affirms the Trust's commitment to boaters. "We are calling it the Leeds and Liverpool Lockless Level Line Lift," she explained. "We hope there will be a trip boat giving tourists rides on the plane. Local tourism bosses are drawing up proposals for a Plane Incline Experience, or P.I.E. Wigan is famous for its pies."

However, Joe Kerr, of the Friends Of Old Lancashire, is not happy and feels the plane will change the character of the historic lock flight: “It will change the character of the historic lock flight,” he told us. “I am not happy.”

The plans are to be unveiled at an exhibition that will be open this morning until mid-day. For more details see here.

Note: The proposed inclined plane is not far from the Ince and Strangeways Branch Canal, the proposed reinstatement of which was featured here a few years ago.


There were a number of inclined plane boat lifts in Britain at one time. These are the remains of the Hay Incline on the Shropshire Canal at Coalport. Photo: Crispin Purdye via Wikimedia Commons