On 6/27/2010 6:26 PM, Adrian Stott wrot > AIUI many gates on the French Freycinet canals are over 100 years old. >
Most of the Timber on the Manchester ship canal gates is original ie 120 years old approx, the iron work is renewed about every twenty years, or at least it use to be before they closed the gate works at Runcorn.The timber used is greenhart which is also used for piers etc. In none sea water it will last almost indefinitely, but it is very very dear to buy and still suffers from getting hit. So BW tend to use stuff which will last about 30 yrs because this is about the most it can stand being knocked around by boaters in normal use. Several restorations used cheap gates, the Rochdale and Huddersfield for two, this got thing done and up and working, they looked good, and allowed a small number of boats to use the various lengths, once they start to get used in anger they do not last due to the grade of timber used, but the canals did get opened, and at least we have not had to start resorting to using sheets of hardboard to get some sort of seal on the gates like we had to do in the mid sixties. -- cheers Ian Mac
