The canal was sized to allow keels which operated on the Derwent to use it, and so the locks were long by wide. The canal rose by around as it travelled the from the Derwent to Pocklington, and so the locks were quite deep, with a rise of a little over each. Pocklington Beck supplies most of the water for the canal through a feeder at Canal Head. The paddle gear on the locks was fitted with fixed handles when the canal opened, but these were replaced by removable ones after incidents where the lock pounds were emptied by unauthorised people. A house was built for the lock-keeper and collector of tolls, and Mark Swann was appointed to the post. The house was located close to the top lock.