Northwich's Anderton Boat Lift has been granted an Engineering Heritage Award in recognition of its status as the oldest operational boat lift in the world.

Chief executive of the Canal and River Trust Richard Parry received the award, a commemorative plaque, from chairman of the heritage committee at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (IME) John Wood, at a ceremony on Friday, March 21.

John Wood said: “Anderton is the oldest boat lift in the world, and one of only two operating boat lifts in all of the UK. It provides the means by which canal boats on the Trent and Mersey canal can get to the River Weaver, 50 feet below it, a link which was of critical importance to industry in Victorian Cheshire.

“The engineers who originally conceived the idea of the Boat Lift were tackling a difficult problem with an ambitious solution, and the lift is just as impressive today as it would have been in the 19th Century.

“The Anderton Boat Lift is a remarkable feat not just of Victorian engineering, but also of modern-day restoration. This award recognises the work of both the original designers and engineers as well as their modern day colleagues who have re-engineered this Boat Lift and restored it to such impressive working order.”

Richard Parry, chief executive of the Canal and River Trust, said: “I am delighted to receive this award on behalf of the trust. I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge the skills and efforts of the engineers who designed and built the boat lift, and the work of all those who played such a vital role in its restoration and re-opening. I’d also like to thank our team of staff and volunteers who look after it today and welcome the hundred thousand plus visitors to Anderton every year”.

The boat life, which is currently operated by the Canal & River Trust, was built in 1875 by Edwin Clark. It was in operation until 1983 when corrosion forced its closure. It was then reopened in 2002. The lift was originally run using a hydraulic counter-balanced operating system, which was replaced in 1908 by electric operation, and then restored in 2001 to a full hydraulic system again.

The Anderton Boat Lift is one of only two operational boat lifts in the UK. The other boat lift, the Falkirk Wheel in Scotland, received an Engineering Heritage Award in July 2012. It is also a Scheduled Monument and given protection against unauthorised change.

The Engineering Heritage Awards recognise artefacts of special engineering significance and previous winners of these awards include Mallard locomotive, Tower Bridge and the Jaguar E-type.