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Sunbury Lock
Sunbury lock with boats in the older hand-operated lock. The new lock is on the right
Waterway	River Thames
County	Surrey
Maintained by	Environment Agency
First built	Old 1812 New 1927
Latest built	Old 1858
Length	Old 154' 8" (47.15m) New 206' 0" (62.78m)
Width	Old 19' 3" (5.86m) New 24' 4" (7.41m)
Fall	6' 2" (1.87m)
Above sea level	27'
Distance to Teddington Lock	8 miles

Sunbury Lock is a lock on the River Thames adjoining the southern bank near Walton-on-Thames in north-west Surrey, England. The lock is about half a mile downstream of the Weir Hotel.

There are in fact two locks. The older hand-operated one was originally built in 1812, but is now seldom used. The newer one was opened in 1927 by Lord Desborough. There is also a slide for the portage of small boats. The lock adjoins Sunbury Lock Ait.

There is more than one weir at Sunbury lock and these are some distance from the lock. The main weir is between Sunbury Lock Ait and Wheatley's Ait, which causes a strong stream in the backwater behind. There is a further weir at the upstream end of Wheatley's Ait. There is a footbridge linking the islands, but this is not open to the public.

Access to the lock

The lock is inaccessible from the road and can be reached along the towpath from The Weir Hotel or Elmbridge Leisure Centre on the Walton on Thames side. The weir for Kayaking purposes can be reached by water from the northern bank, between Shepperton and Sunbury-on-Thames.

Reach above the lock

There is a long lock cut beside Sunbury Lock Ait to the Weir Hotel and weir itself which is followed by Wheatley's Ait with an Environment agency working area and riverside housing on it. There is more riverside housing and a marina entrance on the way to Walton Bridge. On the Surrey side there is some open space at Elbmridge Leisure Centre, the river frontage of Walton-on-Thames with a few pubs, and a marina. After Walton Bridge the river divides between the old course which meanders through Shepperton, and the direct Desborough cut alongside Desborough Island. Before Shepperton lock the waters rejoin to create further confusion with the River Wey, the Wey navigation and the River Bourne joining, interspersed with D'Oyly Carte Island and Hamhaugh Island. There the Shepperton to Weybridge Ferry operates just below the lock.

The reach is home to several rowing clubs, a skiffing club, sailing and canoeing clubs.

The Thames Path continues along the Surrey bank until just before Shepperton Lock where the ferry goes across to the other side. To avoid the ferry calls for a long detour over Walton Bridge and via Shepperton.

Kayaking

Sunbury Weir has the highest volume and fastest freestyle kayaking play areas on the River Thames. It is wide, surging and unfriendly to new or inexperienced paddlers. The eddyline is also very unstable and requires considerable effort to cross.

Access

Public car park on Felix Lane, between Shepperton and Sunbury, parallel to north side of River Thames. Once parked, walk across the field, and paddle downstream to the main weir.

Gates

The weir consists of several gates which are opened according to the river levels.

Sunbury appears to work best at a certain pool level, rather than gate configuration. So it is entirely dependent on how many gates are open at the downstream weir (at Molesey Lock). This information is not normally available, so word-of-mouth reports are essential. See links before for up-to-date websites.

Water levels

• Sunbury Weir will need to be on at least 1 and a 1/2 gates for usable feature, pool level depending.
• Hurley Weir needs to be on at least 3 gates for sufficient water.

Literature and the Media

The lock is mentioned in Jerome K. Jerome's book Three Men in a Boat

"The river is sweetly pretty there just before you come to the gates, and the backwater is charming: but don't attempt to row up it"

See also

• Locks on the River Thames

External links

• River Thames guide
• Shepperton Whitewater Centre for Sunbury Weir Levels

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