The Four Remaining Water Balance Lifts in the UK

In the Victorian and Edwardian eras a number of inclined water balance lifts were installed in the UK. Some of the heritage installations still survive in their water balance format and some have seen conversion to electric motors. As recent as 1991 a new one was installed in Wales and sees regular passenger service. This paper looks at the four water balance units remaining in the UK and compares the clever technologies that were used in their designs. The paper also looks at some of the converted installations which still remain including some which are important means of transport from one part of a town to another. All of the installations are different in their designs and the one thing that they have in common is that they are highly efficient when it comes to the energy they use.