Two years ago along the Canal from the Marne to the Rhine we travelled up the St Louis- Arzviller inclined plane boat lift. We were crammed into a structure like a large bath- tub which when full weighs 850 tonnes, the guillotine- like gates were closed, and using a winch drum and a counterweight system we were moved 108 metres on a 41% slope, to be released at the other end wondering what would happen if the bath sprang a leak. Well, it has happened! A sight- seeing boat travels up and down the lift to show it off. On Thursday July 4th, with 21 passengers on board, it seems to have hit some important part of the structure which sprang a leak. At the same time smoke was coming from the boat because the water had all gone from the "tub". Not only that, we are not sure, but believe that all the water in the next "pound" above the lift was coming out fast. This "pound" is kilometres long, about 2.5metres deep and 15metres wide. So that is about 100,000,000,000litres of water or more.
The water came flooding down the slope and quickly the closest town, 4 kilometres away, was evacuated (2,000 people). All the lock gates downstream were opened so that the water could flow quickly away. As a result the levels in the intermediate sections become too low and boats there were in trouble, sitting in the mud instead of floating. A helicopter was brought in to assess the damage, and a crane quickly brought to lift the boat and its passengers to safety. Fortunately the structure itself fell a few metres but did not plunge down the slope because of a safety braking system.
Our view from the bottom, 2011
The boat lift is closed for the foreseeable future- so we are glad this was not the year we planned to go that way. Just think of the stories those children on school holidays will be telling about their day on the Canal.
Best Regaerds,
Penny and Dave