Harry Arnold’s Historic Views of the Sankey Part 5:
Woodend Locks, Widnes

The only view missing from this series to complete a 360 degree view is from across the dock to the left of the cottages seen here.

They give us a pretty comprehensive picture of the immediate area within which the episodes of Frank Reilly’s life, which we have been serialising for some years now in CUTTINGS, took place.

Two landmarks in the background of this view - St. Mary’s church tower, which is still standing, and the impressive warehouse on the banks of the Mersey. In these days when such premises are being converted into much-sought-after apartments, the loss seems even sadder.

In the days when the canal was in operation it would have been almost a secret world as far as most people were concerned - the long brick wall on the left is all that remains of the chemical works which lined the bank and cut the area off from West Bank and the rest of Widnes.

Heavy engineering for the lock operation is evident here.

In the foreground, a winch for closing the lock gate, which would have been difficult against a high tide on the river. Immediately behind, one on each side of the chamber, apparatus for raising the ground paddles in the side walls, while the gear for the two paddles on each gate show a determination to pass boats through the lock as quickly as possible.

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