Ship lifts of the Channel of the Center

The Ship lifts of the Channel of the Center are four ship lifts hydraulic built in Belgium between 1888 and 1917. They make it possible to compensate for together a unevenness of 66 meters. Of these four elevators, one makes it possible to catch up with a unevenness of 15,40 meters, the three others of 16,93 meters each one.

The elevators are on a channel of connection between the basin of the Meuse and the the Scheldt, called Canal of the Center , near the town of Louvière, in the province of Hainaut in Walloon region.

These elevators are double, the weights of the two vats compensating for and allowing a handling by the only hydraulic force. This type of device was however already in force on older and more modest works (ex: Funicular of Bom Jesus).

The Ship lifts of the Channel of the Center belong to the world heritage of UNESCO since 1998. Of the eight ship lifts of this fine type built of 19th and beginning of the 20th century, the four of the channel of the Center are only still functioning with their machinery and their mechanism of origin.

Since 2002, the use of these elevators is limited to the pleasure sailing. For the goods traffic, the funicular Ascenseur of Strépy-Thieu is from now on operational.

Following an accident in January 2002, at the time of the exit of a barge of a vat, the elevator nr.1 is currently except use. The repair work is envisaged as from 2006.

Detail of the works

Principal works

Associated works

  • Doors of guard Houdeng-Gœgnies
  • Canteen of the Italians Regulating Houdeng-Gœgnies
  • of level and siphon Houdeng-Gœgnies
  • Pont Capitte Houdeng-Gœgnies
  • Pont red Houdeng-Gœgnies
  • Pont of 100 meters Houdeng-Gœgnies
  • Pont of the Croquet Houdeng-Gœgnies
  • revolving Pont of Houdeng-Aimeries
  • Pont fixes roadway of Boic-of-Luc Houdeng-Aimeries
  • Engine room Strépy-Braquegnies (commune with ascenceurs 2 and 3)
  • Pont turning of Strépy-Bracquegnies
  • Pont raising of Strépy-Bracquegnies
  • Ancien bridge raising of Strépy
  • Pont raising of Thieu
  • Nouvelle lock and pumping station Thieu
  • unused Écluse of Thieu

See too

Internal bonds

  • List of the ship lifts

External bonds

  • Seen satellite of the elevator n°1 on WikiMapia
  • Seen satellite of the elevator n°2 on WikiMapia
  • Seen satellite of the elevator n°3 on WikiMapia
  • Seen satellite of the elevator n°4 on Descriptive WikiMapia
  • UNESCO
  • Channel of the Center
  • http://membres.lycos.fr/benoitbxl/photos_asc.html
  • http://membres.lycos.fr/victorpeliks/prom.htm

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