Peterborough Lift Lock, page 2

Friday, June 3

These are the two electric motors and 10 stage water pumps that can supply make up water to trim either ram.

In the winter the rams are both let down and to get one back up in the spring requires many hours of the electric pumps to fill the ram.

The east tower has a water accumulator, with a weighted top, that acts as a make up pressure source. The roof of the tower leaked, the water got into the chamber and rusted it out. The reservoir was removed and is out for service. It will be lowered back through the roof and the roof replaced.

At this time the only source for makeup water is this pair of electric motor driven pumps, a much slower process.
Looking down the tunnel that carries the water line to the valve room. Ed offered to let me go through it but I declined.
Down a flight of stairs to the pit level, under the water chambers.
We walked out onto the lower deck, below the water chamber. This is the level you seen in photo 3 on page 1. We first looked out the similar door on the other side with the chamber down. You can still get under the chamber when its fully down.
Looking from the access door toward the canal end- that gate up there is whats holding back the lower river from flooding this space.
Looking straight up to the top of the ram. Note the small round hole- thats the access to allow inspection inside the ram. It requires breathing tanks to go in there because its so long and unventilated. They do make inspections a few times a year.

As a machinist I think about making parts- that ram is cast in sections about 4 feet long. Each end has an internal flange to bolt the sections together. There is a copper gasket between each section. Think about the machining accuracy needed so those pieces go together straight, and tight. In 1904
Here is the packing gland at the base of the ram. Its conventional flax packing, 9 layers, with a plastic ring above it to compress it. Ed says they are down here frequently with a big wrench to tighten the packing.
Ed is holding up one of the acess plates so we can see the actual cylinder and supporting barackets holding it.

Continued...