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A guillotine lock is a type of canal lock. The lock itself operates on the same principle as any normal 
A significantly larger one can be found at the northern terminus of the Maas-Waal Canal, between Nijmegen and Weurt in the 
A guillotine lock is a type of canal lock. The lock itself operates on the same principle as any normal pound lock
A lock is a device used for raising and lowering boats, ships and other watercraft 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 lev ...
, but is unusual in that each gate is a single piece, usually of steel, that slides vertically upwards when opened to allow a boat to traverse underneath. The resemblance to the French guillotine
A guillotine is an apparatus designed for efficiently carrying out executions by beheading. The device consists of a tall, upright frame with a weighted and angled blade suspended at the top. The condemned person is secured with stocks at t ...
is obvious.
Guillotine locks are relatively uncommon, but many are found on the waterways of East Anglia. The advantages over the more traditional design are that the lock occupies less space, does not require room to swing open, and is quicker to fabricate and install. It also acts as a tidal lock, able to hold back water whichever side is higher, and can function as a stop lock (for example, Lifford Lane stop lock near Kings Norton Junction
Kings Norton Junction () is the name of the canal junction where the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal terminates and meets the Worcester and Birmingham Canal at Kings Norton, Birmingham, England.
History
The Worcester and Birmingham Canal was ...
). It is mechanically more complex, however, requiring the use of a gantry and overhead lifting gear.
A significantly larger one can be found at the northern terminus of the Maas-Waal Canal, between Nijmegen and Weurt in the Netherlands
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. It demonstrates their use when the water level on the outside, the river Waal
WAAL (99.1 FM "The Whale") is a commercial radio station licensed to Binghamton, New York. It airs a classic rock radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. WAAL is the oldest FM radio station in the Binghamton metropolitan area. It is an ...
in this case, may be both higher or lower than the canal level. Here, the water level on the river varies from about below to about above canal level. The four paddles for equalising the water level are clearly visible, but guillotine gates without paddles exist too. In those, the entire gate is lifted a little bit to allow water in or out of the chamber.
The Weurt lock has an additional gate near the centre of the chamber. When only a few short boats want to go through the lock, they can use one half the chamber, saving water. Furthermore, when one of the gates is taken out of service for maintenance, the lock can still function at reduced capacity. When open, guillotine gates are completely out of the water, so they can be painted without removing them or draining the lock.
See also
*Canals of the United Kingdom
The canals of the United Kingdom are a major part of the network of inland waterways in the United Kingdom. They have a varied history, from use for irrigation and transport, through becoming the focus of the Industrial Revolution, to today's ...
* History of the British canal system
References
* ''Birmingham's Canals'', Ray Shill, 1999, 2002, {{DEFAULTSORT:Guillotine Lock Locks (water navigation)