Scope of Works
Nestled along the River Weaver in the heart of Cheshire’s countryside, Vale Royal Locks once played a vital role in trade, facilitating the import of grain into the port of Frodsham and the export of locally mined salt. Featuring state-of-the-art lock technology for its time, the site, now owned by British Waterways, has been revived following extensive masonry restoration.
Bullen Conservation was selected as the specialist masonry contractor by Morrison Construction Civil Engineering and British Waterways for this project, thanks to our expertise and passion for restoring structures of this nature.
As part of a major canal repair scheme, we developed a safe working method to both recover the collapsed section of stonework from the canal basin and carefully dismantle the remaining unstable portion. To ensure precise reconstruction, a full dimensional survey was conducted, mapping each stone’s original position so that all salvaged materials could be reinstated exactly as they were.
The exposed lock wall cross-section revealed large ashlar courses of Runcorn Red Sandstone and Anglesey Limestone, backed by well-mortared brickwork. The lower half of the structure dates back to the 1860s, with an upper extension added in the late 1880s.
The project required heavy craneage to lift large stone blocks, some weighing nearly three tonnes. Any replacement stones needed were carefully replicated on-site by our skilled banker masons, using original salvaged blocks from the canal basin.
Rebuilt using traditional hydraulic lime mortar, the restored walls were completed on schedule, preserving the original details and meeting the high standards of British Waterways.
