Dutton Locks
on the Weaver Navigation, downstream of Saltersford Locks.
Construction was commencted in 1874, but financial constraints meant that they did not come into service until 1878.
Cast iron cover plates over the water turbine pits identify the makers as the North Moor Foundry Co, Turbine Makers, Oldham. The control valves are in pits with cast iron covers inscribed Hanna, Donald and Wilson Makers, Paisley 1874, Stoney's Patent. The locks have semaphore signals to control entry.
The following information is condensed from and I.C.E Paper by John Watt Sandeman. At the time Dutton Locks were called Acton New Locks [1]
Two sizes of locks at Dutton and Saltersford: 229 ft. long by 42.5 ft wide, and 220 ft. long by 25 ft. wide. Depth of water at the sills is 15 ft.
Each lock has three pairs of gates, allowing just half the lock to be used
if required. The gates of the larger locks are opened by means of water
turbines, and those of the smaller locks by hand capstans and
quadrant wheels. Each lock has six cylindrical sluices, two inlet,
two outlet, and two central, the central sluices serving to empty the upper and fill
the lower compartments of the locks when using the central gates. Two intermediate sluices interconnect the locks.
The Schiele's turbines are designed to work at 173 rpm, passing 270 cu. ft. of water per min., and are located in circular wells next to those of the chain capstans. The turbine wheels are 18 ins. in diameter, with 20 double buckets 2 inches deep; they have exit orifices 5 ins. wide. There are sixteen ports in the turbine
casing, having a total area of 60 square inches, capable of being
reduced by five adjustable slides.
The locks have equilibrium sluices, designed by Francis Goold Morony Stoney to be worked easily by hand. They have a wrought-iron cylinder, open at top and at bottom, with an annular casting is bolted to the bottom, having a conical face turned
to fit a cast-iron seat. The top of the
cylindrical sluice being above the upper water-level, the pressure
due to the head acts only around its circumference, so the sluice can be raised or lowered
without being affected by the water-pressure, and a sluice is easily raised or lowered by one man in
about 4 seconds. The sluices for the large locks are 5 feet
6 inches, and for the small locks 5 feet 3 inches diameter.