October 2004, Dortmund and Dusseldorf

Pictures taken at and nearby a historic boat lift in Dortmund, and of cargo traffic on the River Rhine passing through Dusseldorf.

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The following pictures are of a historic boatlift on the canal to Dortmund harbour. Dortmund harbour is on an elevated section of canal with poor water supply, so heroic engineering efforts were made to preserve water. The original boat lift could transfer boats with minimal use of water (compared with a simple lock). A later effort (also now defunct) was a single lock with 5 side-ponds. In the 1960s (?) a second boat lift was built, but most traffic now goes through a modern lock with two side pounds. I am told that back-pumping is now used to compensate for the water used (50% lock volume per lock cycle)

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One of three large water-filled piston shafts that use hydrostatic force (flotation) to suppport much of the weight of the caisson and its contents.

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This picture shows one of the screw-jacks used to raise and lower the lift.

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The engine house and part of the drive train used to power the lift screw-jacks.

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Final drive to one of the screw-jacks. To give a sense of scale, the railings here are about waist-hight.

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Part of the guillotine gate lift mechanism.

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The pictures below are some glipses of a museum of historic boats, of which the original boat lift is a part. Also, beside the museum, are a modern working lock and boat lift.

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The first lock, converted into a footpath

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The new lock through which most traffic now passes

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