Since the late 1980's the lock adjacent to Flatford Mill has housed a bottom hinged flood control gate. Described as a "Bascule Gate" with a torque tube passing through an opening with a seal in the lock wall, the hydraulic operating system is housed in a chamber, out of sight, behind the lock wall and below ground level.
KGAL was appointed by Halcrow on behalf of the Environment Agency to provide project management, site supervision and design expertise as required throughout the removal, refurbishment and reinstallation of the gate and associated operating system.
KGAL's design responsibilities included; new seals and fixings, replacement gate drive shaft, revised shaft/ cylinder chamber sealing arrangement and upgraded hydraulic operating system. In addition KGAL provided supervision for removal and replacement of the gate structure on site.
The gate removal and refurbishment was carried out by Taylor & Sons with a new hydraulic power unit and cylinder refurbishment by Primary Fluid Power. Site access, establishment, civil works and overall site management was provided by the Environment Agency's operation and maintenance team.
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