Harsco accesses Five Rise lock system

British Waterways called in Harsco Infrastructure to provide its Cuplok scaffold system to provide access to the Five Rise canal lock system in Bingley, West Yorkshire, which has been drained for maintenance for the first time in 25 years.

The Cuplok system is designed for general access, shoring and supporting duties. It can be used for continuous façade, circular scaffold, birdcage access or staircase access applications.

The 18th Century Five Rise system was drained as part of a £200000 (US$315000) project to replace the giant 3m wide gates that separate the individual locks.

Harsco worked closely with British Waterways to make sure that each part of the lock system was fully edge-protected and easy to access.

The Grade I listed, five-rise flight of locks is the steepest of its kind in the UK, and raises the Leeds - Liverpool canal over 18 m.