Anderton Boat Lift hosts 150th Anniversary Steam Festival Spectacular

Anderton Boat Lift, the world’s first major commercial boat lift, is celebrating its 150^th anniversary this year with an events programme that includes a spectacular weekend steam festival on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 May.

Dozens of historic steam narrow boats, launches, magnificent traction engines and the Daniel Adamson steam tug will travel from all over the country to congregate at Cheshire’s ‘Cathedral of the Canals’ near Northwich, to mark the special year with an award-nominated ‘Steam at the Lift’ Festival.

Hosted by the Canal & River Trust charity, the Victorian boat lift will provide the perfect heritage setting for a wide range of family-friendly activities from live steam demonstrations and ‘Walking the Lift’ guided tours to Lego ‘Make & Take’ sessions and face painting for children.

The Daniel Adamson 1903 art deco steamship ‘the Danny’ will be hosting an onboard Real Ale Festival and tours. In the boat lift grounds, visitors can enjoy a variety of food and drink and on Saturday at 3pm Gregg Sawyer (commercial brewer & Anderton Lift boat master) will stage a Craft Beer Tasting session with the assistance of celebrity Craig Hughes (Salvage Hunters, Restorers).

Cheshire Live Steamers will demonstrate miniature traction engines at the top of the lift and the Northwich Ukelele Club will provide entertainment at 2pm on Saturday afternoon. The Edwin Clark trip boat will offer short cruises, giving visitors a unique view of the stunning 1875 iron structure, which connects the Trent & Mersey Canal to the River Weaver Navigation 50 feet below.

Ani Sutton, destination and attraction manager with the Trust, explained: “Anderton Boat Lift is one of the seven ‘Wonders of the Waterways’ and as it celebrates its 150^th birthday this festival is a great opportunity to showcase its fascinating history, enjoy some glorious heritage steam engines and demonstrate why it’s important to preserve the lift as a working Scheduled Monument for the next generation.

“This year we are thrilled to be hosting a record number of traction engines and steamboats, both vintage and modern, and we’re very grateful to all their passionate owners who travel long distances to be with us. All the ships, steam rollers and lorries will be operated and demonstrated by volunteer enthusiasts, offering visitors a fantastic behind-the-scenes peek into their mechanical history and heritage.”

The National Traction Engine Trust (NTET), the leading authority on road steam preservation, and its Steam Apprentice Club (SAC) for younger members under 21 are responsible for bringing many of the exhibits to the Steam at the Lift Festival.

NTET chairman Rob Wing said: “As champions of steam heritage and education, we are proud to contribute to an event that showcases the vital role steam has played in Britain’s industrial and transport history.

“We’re dedicated to keeping the heritage of steam alive for future generations and our work celebrates the enduring legacy of steam power, bringing together steam enthusiasts and the wider public to experience the sights, sounds and engineering brilliance of a bygone era.”

Admission to the weekend Steam at the Lift Festival and the Anderton Boat Lift Visitor Centre is free, but some activities, such as boat trips and Lego, incur a charge and need to be booked in advance. Festival opening times on both days are 9.30am – 4.30pm.

For the rest of the 2025 summer season, Anderton Boat Lift and Visitor Centre will be open six days a week (closed Thursdays), 9.30am – 4.30pm, offering four boat trips a day. Entrance to the visitor exhibition, shop and café are free.

Special events this summer include a Pirate Weekend on June 21 and 22, Old Time Sailors concert on the evening of Friday 4 July and a magnificent 150^th Anniversary Victorian Fair on July 26 and 27.

For more information about visiting, check out the Canal & River Trust website: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/places-to-visit/anderton-boat-lift-visitor-centre  or call 01606 786777.