They are masters of engineering but few people ever get a chance to get up close and personal with lock gates.

Now the Canal & River Trust charity is giving members of the public the opportunity to get an up-close view of new lock gates at Stret Lock in Worksop, to help highlight what it takes to look after the nation’s centuries-old canal network.

The Trust has replaced two sets of lock gates on the narrow beam lock and is inviting members of the local community to a special open day, to see behind the scenes of the works, on February 21.

Each lock gate measures around four metres high and 1.6 metres wide and weighs between 850 and 1.2kg, the same as a small family car, and local people will have the chance to see the new gates in situ before the lock is refilled with water.

placeholder image — Stret Lock in Worksop

Ahead of the open day, the Trust has released images to document the team’s efforts to replace the large lock gates at Stret Lock ready for the busier boating months returning from spring.

The Winter Open Day will also give visitors the chance to meet the Trust’s experts and volunteers, and to learn how historic structures such as lock gates, aqueducts, lock flights and humpback bridges are repaired and protected.

Set on one of the most peaceful and picturesque stretches of the Chesterfield Canal, visitors can take part in a guided walk, spot wildlife and learn more about the canal’s history, while experiencing the mental and physical benefits of being by water.

Volunteers play a vital role in caring for the Trust’s network of 2,000-miles of waterways, including the Chesterfield Canal. There will be opportunities on the day to meet volunteers, hear about their experiences and find out how to get involved.

Putting their four decades of experience into practice on the waterways, the project on the Chesterfield Canal has been overseen by Julian Rasen, one of the charity’s construction managers, with site supervisor Colin Storey managing teams on the ground.

Mr Rasen is well versed in the site, having assisted with the lock widening scheme at Stret Lock 15 years ago, after it was discovered that ground pressure had forced the walls inwards over 240 years.

He explained: “Each lock gate is unique and handcrafted from oak using centuries-old techniques by our skilled team at two specialist sites — Stanley Ferry in West Yorkshire and Bradley in the West Midlands.

"With lock gates needing to be replaced every 20-25 years it’s not something that people get to see that often, which is why we’re opening the works up to the local community.

“Winter is the time of year when there is less boating traffic and we carry out larger maintenance and engineering projects.

“But carrying out these complex repairs at this time of year is becoming increasingly challenging as the extreme weather conditions impact on when, and how, we carry out crane lifts and use heavy machinery.”

The open day is on Saturday, February 21, 10am–3pm, at Stret Lock (Lock 48), Chesterfield Canal, Worksop S80 1TJ.