Guillotine lock

The lock itself operates on the same principle as any normal pound lock, but is unusual in that each gate is a single piece, usually of steel, that slides vertically upwards when opened to allow a boat to traverse underneath.

Guillotine locks are relatively uncommon, but many are found on the waterways of East Anglia.

The advantages over the more traditional design are that the lock occupies less space, does not require room to swing open, and is quicker to fabricate and install.

A significantly larger one can be found at the northern terminus of the Maas-Waal Canal, between Nijmegen and Weurt in the Netherlands.

When open, guillotine gates are completely out of the water, so they can be painted without removing them or draining the lock.