STEAMPUNK aficionados are set for a weekend of retro-futuristic thrills and spills aside one of the UK’s most iconic Victorian marvels. 

A weekend-long festival celebrating the popular industrial fantasy fiction genre, Lift-Off Steampunk is coming to the Anderton Boat Lift, Northwich, on Saturday and Sunday, September 28 and 29.

Visitors and fans can enjoy free entry to a fabulous weekend of Steampunk exhibits, stalls, games, music, and live entertainment.

Hosted by the Canal & River Trust (C&RT) the event will feature fine food and a licensed bar, and the Edwin Clark trip boat will be offering short cruises up and down the lift, giving visitors a unique view of the world’s first major commercial boat lift.

Ani Sutton, destination and attraction manager with C&RT, said: “The Steampunk craze, inspired by the books of HG Wells, Mary Shelley, and Jules Verne, has recently become massively popular.

Steampunk enthusiasts at the National Boat Museum, Ellesmere PortSteampunk enthusiasts at the National Waterways Museum, Ellesmere Port (Image: C&RT)  

“Anderton Boat Lift is a stunning Victorian iron structure, constructed in 1875, so it seems an ideal setting to celebrate all things Steampunk."

Admission to the weekend Steampunk event and the Anderton Boat Lift visitor centre is free, but some activities, such as boat trips, incur a charge and need to be booked in advance.

Ani added: “We would love to see visitors get into the spirit of the era by dressing up and enjoying a step back in time at this unique site.

“Similar events at our sister attraction, the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port, have gone down a storm.”

Anderton Boatlift was both steam-powered, and a bit futuristic when it opened in 1875Anderton Boatlift was both steam-powered, and a bit futuristic when it opened in 1875 (Image: C&RT)

During the weekend, Trust staff will also be on hand to explain the need for a programme of vital repairs and upgrades at the lift as part of the ‘Engineering the Future’ project.

Specialist engineering firm JN Bentley was recently appointed to assist with preparatory investigations and an 18-month work programme is likely to start in autumn 2025.

During the 2024 summer season, Anderton Boat Lift and visitor centre is open six days a week (closed Thursdays), 9.30am to 4.30pm, offering four boat trips a day. Entrance to the visitor exhibition, shop and café are free.

For more information about visiting, check out the Canal & River Trust website, or call 01606 786777.