Boat lift No. 3 - Strépy-Bracquegnies

Shiplift No. 3 was completed in 1910 and was built using robust materials such as steel and concrete. The design is functional but also aesthetically interesting, with iron railings and industrial architecture typical of the time.

Like the other lifts on the Canal du Centre, boat lift No. 3 operates on a hydraulic principle. The lift consists of two caissons (water tanks), which are balanced by a system of hydraulic cylinders. When a ship is placed in one caisson, the weight of the ship is balanced by the water in the other caisson, so that the lift uses relatively little energy to raise or lower the ship.

This lift bridges a height difference of 16.93 metres, which makes it very impressive.

If you only have time to visit one lift, then the one in Strépy-Bracquegnies is the best. The area is quite interesting with some remarkable buildings and the lift is beautifully situated in a bend in the Canal du Centre.

The machine room of elevator number 3 is occasionally open for viewing.

Willem Vandenameele