Mutford Lock near Lowestoft opens after major repair work
One of only two gateways to the Broads has reopened after it was shut for major repair work.
Upgrades began last month on the 200-year-old Mutford Lock, which serves as a vital link between the North Sea and the Broads.
The Broads Authority said nearly every part has been repaired or replaced, more than three decades after the gates were last lifted out in the 1990s.
The site, close to Lowestoft, is one of only two entry and exit points between the sea and the Broads, with the other being via the Yare, at Great Yarmouth.
It has reopened nine days earlier than expected.
Newly released drone footage has captured the moment engineers used a giant crane to lift the gates out of the lock.
The repair project was triggered after one of the penstock sluices on a gate failed.
These sluices are vital to allow for water to be released in and out from one side to the other, to match the water level on Oulton Broad with that on tidal Lake Lothing, on the seaward side.
A Broads Authority spokeswoman said the works were ‘incredibly complex’ due to the size and weight of the structures – each gate weighs seven tonnes each.
Divers were used to secure lifting strops underwater and it was then lifted out by a 150-tonne crane.
The gate has been repaired, along with any other worn mechanical parts.
Emily Leonard, from the Broads Authority, said: “Owing to its large size, the operation of Mutford Lock is complex when compared to other inland waterways locks, so this project required a team of highly-skilled experts to carry out the repairs.
“We are now well prepared for ongoing inspection and carrying out any additional maintenance works in the future.”
Mutford Lock is used about 800 times each year for boats travelling between Oulton Broad and Lake Lothing.
It was constructed in 1828 to provide new navigation routes for traders from the North Sea to Norwich.
Its opening was not well received by all, as Great Yarmouth port operators worried it could hamper their trade.
