Marckolsheim Shipping Locks - Alsace

[james.s]

These locks are owned and operated by EDF Energy, in conjunction with the neighbouring Hydroelectric Power Station. They are very busy, with ships transporting oil up the Rhine. The top of the dam is public with a viewing platform and main road running between the German/French border. However, a tourist viewing platform can hardly count as urbex, so I went down right to the mouth of the locks and also found a way into the service tunnels. Because large winches are used to open and close the gates of the lock, it was incredibly noisy and hot down these tunnels, even though it was about 26 degrees outside, it still felt freezing when I left.

The Secondary Gate

Deep In The Tunnels

Walk To The Light...

Cage

From The Tourist Platform...

...And the Not-So-Touristy Platform

Thanks For Looking

 

[Foxylady]

Interesting explore...those tunnels are great. Nice one, James.

 

[james.s]

Thanks, I decided to get out when the winches started, if was a bit dodgy feeling down there