Evolution of Locks

We’ve done over 400 locks this year and we’ve seen quite an evolution of locks over time close up.

There’s the French Freycinet standard lock (I’ll do the math for you). About 128 by 15 feet. These were mostly built in the late 1800’s but some have been updated. Many of them are still operated by hand by lockkeepers.

The locks on the river Saone above St. Jean de Losne are just a little bigger. They rise (or fall) anywhere from just 3 or four feet to 30 feet in a couple of cases.

The larger river locks, like this one in Ecuelles. The keeper sits up in the tower and pushes buttons. 607 X 40. Built from the 60’s and 70’s, this lock has about a 12 foot change. We only did two of these, although we did them both twice.

Onto the upper Meuse, the locks are pretty big, 330 X 155.

Below Namur we’re in the biiiig river with large commercial barges and locks to match. These are about 650 X 70 and some have a change of as much as 15 feet.

At least one of these guys will fit in the big ones.