Caen Hill Locks, at Devizes, provides an insight into the engineering needed to build and maintain the canal. The main flight of 16 locks, which take 5–6 hours to navigate in a boat, is part of a longer series of 29 locks built in three groups: seven at Foxhangers, sixteen at Caen Hill, and six at the town end of the flight. The total rise is in or a 1 in 30 gradient. The locks were the last part of the route of the canal to be completed. The steepness of the terrain meant that there was no space to use the normal arrangement of water pounds between the locks. As a result, the 16 locks utilise unusually large side ponds to store the water needed for their operation. Because a large volume of water is needed a back pump was installed at Foxhangers in 1996, capable of returning of water per day to the top of the flight, equivalent to one lockful every 11 minutes. From 1829 until 1843 the flight, which includes the narrowest lock on the canal, Lock 41, was illuminated by gas lights.
Caen Hill Locks, at Devizes, provid?es an insight into the engineering needed to build and maintain the canal. The main flight of 16 locks, which tak?e 5–6 hours to navigate in a boat, is part of a longer series of 29 locks built in three groups: seven at Foxhangers, sixteen at Caen Hill, and six at the town end of the flight. The total rise is in or a 1 in 30 gradient. The locks were the last part of the route of the canal to be completed. The steepness of the terrain meant that there was no s?pace to use the normal arrangement of water pounds between the locks. As a result, the 16 locks utilise unusually large side ponds to store the water needed for their operation. Because a large volume of water is needed a back pump was installed at Foxhangers in 1996, capable of returning of water per day to the top of the flight, equivalent to one lockful every 11 minutes. From ?1829 until 1843 the flight, which includes the narrowest lock on the canal, Lock 41, was illuminated by gas lights.