The Canal & River Trust is opening the doors of its historic lock gate workshop at Bradley on Saturday 20 September as part of this year’s national Heritage Open Days celebrations.
Normally closed to the public, the Bradley workshop in the West Midlands is one of only two specialist sites in the country where skilled craftspeople hand build the giant lock gates that keep the nation’s canals working.
Visitors will have the opportunity to step inside the heart of canal engineering, see traditional woodworking skills in action, and learn about the heritage and future of Britain’s waterways.
Heritage Open Days is England's largest community led festival of history and culture, involving thousands of local volunteers and organisations. Every year in September it brings people together to celebrate their heritage, community and history.
The open day will include guided tours of the workshop, showcasing the traditional skills still used to build and maintain lock gates. There will be talks and demonstrations from Canal & River Trust experts about the history of the canal network and how it is cared for today, plus family activities bringing canal heritage to life for younger visitors.
Julianne Joyce, community events coordinator at Canal & River Trust, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the public behind the scenes at Bradley lock gate workshop.
"This is a rare chance to see the incredible craftsmanship that keeps our historic canals alive and working, and to celebrate the heritage that has shaped communities across the West Midlands.
“Our charity is proud to look after these special places, but we can only do it with the public’s support. We’d love people who are inspired by the tour to think about volunteering or donating to help us look after our regional canals.”
The open day is free, but places are limited. You can book your place online. Visitors are encouraged to use public transport as there is no parking on site.
For more information on the work of Canal & River Trust including how you can donate money or volunteer with us to support our work visit canalrivertust.org.uk.
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