Blake's Lock

Infobox Waterlock
lock_name = Blakes's Lock


caption=
waterway = River Kennet
county = Berkshire
maint = Environment Agency
operation = Manual
first = 1802
latest =
length = 122' 8" (37.39m)
width = 18' 11" (5.75m)
fall = 3' 6" (1.07m)
sealevel = 120'
enda = Teddington Lock
distenda = 55 miles
endb = Bristol Harbour
distendb = 87 miles
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Blake's Lock is a lock situated on the River Kennet in Reading, Berkshire, England. It is on the short reach of the River Kennet which is administered as if it were part of the River Thames and is hence owned and managed by the Environment Agency.

Blake's was originally a flash lock, and once owned by the then Kennet & Avon Company. It was converted to a timber-constructed pound lock in 1802 to improve navigation from the Thames into the River Kennet enabling boats to travel all the way to the Bristol area. The lock retains its manual beams (not the originals, new beams were fitted in 2006), so far avoiding the progress towards hydraulic power. [cite web | title=Blake's Lock | work=River Thames Guide | url=http://www.riverthames.co.uk/about_thames/3687.htm | accessdate=2006-09-17] [ cite book |last=Pearson |first=Michael |authorlink= |title=Kennet & Avon Middle Thames:Pearson's Canal Companion |year=2003 |publisher=Central Waterways Supplies|location=Rugby |id=ISBN 0-907864-97-X ]

Next to the lock is the riverside museum which tells the story of Reading's two rivers - the Kennet and the Thames.The museum occupies two former industrial buildings, the Screen House and the Turbine House. [cite web | title=Riverside Museum | work=Reading Library Service | url=http://www.readingmuseum.org.uk/galleries/blakes.htm | accessdate=2006-09-17]

*Contact Telephone Number: 0118 957 2251 [cite web | title=Lock Statistics | work=Floating Down the River | url=http://www.the-river-thames.co.uk/locks2.htm | accessdate=2006-11-13]

References

ee also

*Locks on the River Thames
*Locks on the Kennet and Avon Canal