River Thames Guide app updated again

Rascal Joe

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16 Jun 2013
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The free and complete guide to leisure activity on the River Thames and Wey Navigation has been updated and will roll out over the next 24 hours or so.
New this version:
Added new map overlay for electric charging points
highlighting locks, marinas etc with electric charging
(check non-locks for availability before mooring!)

Added new map option for rain radar
tap 'cloud' icon at top left of map
to see rain radar overlaid on interactive map
use the < > buttons to see rain progress
or press Play/Stop to see last two hours of radar coverage

Updated lock keepers hours to new 2020 schedule

Under the hood improvements
for better performance
and more stability

Download links for new users here

As ever please DM with ideas, suggestions etc (the electric charging overlay is in response to a user suggestion...)
 

Golden Boy

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Well done on adding charge points. There are a few I’ve used or checked out which you don’t have. Not sure if these are keen to promote but I used Tingdene at Reading and Lechlade Marina at Lechlade. Both were very helpful. The Marina at Bourne End were happy to offer a berth and charge but I didn’t need it in the end.
I always use Benson Boatyard because a friend owns it and I’ve heard good unsolicited reports of Benson. but as Benson EA plug hasn’t been working for 4 years it’s a good option. I have heard Benson Lock EA Point is supposed to be being mended but check. There is a also an EA point at Old Windsor but again I have never been able to check it is working or use it, even the lock keeper doesn’t seem to know.
The final place I found was new moorings with power at Abingdon Lock. The very helpful keeper said usually he could provide one if not booked but it’s not listed on any EA info.
Finally it’s key to phone all the EA locks charge points as often they are locked , broken or unavailable. Finding a lock keeper or answer is then the problem.
Did you ask the marinas and other outlets if they are willing to provide power there are a few on your list I haven’t tried or thought of..
Finally I spotted a few charge points that may become available at hotels of restaurants. For example the Beetle and Wedge had a lovely new plug point but were closed for refurbishing. An overnight there with a meal and charge would be excellent.
Maybe next year users can report availability and make your listing even more relevant.
Well done for starting this, if there is anything I can do to help populate the list just ask.
 

Rascal Joe

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Joined
16 Jun 2013
Messages
257
Location
Ascot
www.jeffmaynard.com
Well done on adding charge points. There are a few I’ve used or checked out which you don’t have. Not sure if these are keen to promote but I used Tingdene at Reading and Lechlade Marina at Lechlade. Both were very helpful. The Marina at Bourne End were happy to offer a berth and charge but I didn’t need it in the end.
I always use Benson Boatyard because a friend owns it and I’ve heard good unsolicited reports of Benson. but as Benson EA plug hasn’t been working for 4 years it’s a good option. I have heard Benson Lock EA Point is supposed to be being mended but check. There is a also an EA point at Old Windsor but again I have never been able to check it is working or use it, even the lock keeper doesn’t seem to know.
The final place I found was new moorings with power at Abingdon Lock. The very helpful keeper said usually he could provide one if not booked but it’s not listed on any EA info.
Finally it’s key to phone all the EA locks charge points as often they are locked , broken or unavailable. Finding a lock keeper or answer is then the problem.
Did you ask the marinas and other outlets if they are willing to provide power there are a few on your list I haven’t tried or thought of..
Finally I spotted a few charge points that may become available at hotels of restaurants. For example the Beetle and Wedge had a lovely new plug point but were closed for refurbishing. An overnight there with a meal and charge would be excellent.
Maybe next year users can report availability and make your listing even more relevant.
Well done for starting this, if there is anything I can do to help populate the list just ask.

Thanks for the comprehensive response to the latest update. I used published information to determine which marinas, locks, etc had charging points. So, any information from users on other sites will be added in the next update (this month sometime).

I have not enquired which, if any, marinas allow non berth holders to use their charging points and suggest a phone call prior to arriving (marina phone numbers are in the relevant popups when overlaid on the map) .

Contacting individual lock keepers is an issue - RTG originally had the direct number for all lock keepers but the EA (through British Marine) requested that the app show only the contact centre number - I have never called this so no idea if is useful or not (no surprise that I keep the direct numbers aboard Rascal Joe just in case!!)
 

Golden Boy

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I have a list of the phone numbers of relevant locks which I thought was published on the EA website but I had a look today and it seems to have changed to a central contact for both pump out and charge points, has anyone tried this method? I’d be very interested to see if it works, in my experience nothing “centralised” with the EA has been very efficient in the past. If anyone has used it please let us know.
 

Rascal Joe

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16 Jun 2013
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Ascot
www.jeffmaynard.com
I have a list of the phone numbers of relevant locks which I thought was published on the EA website but I had a look today and it seems to have changed to a central contact for both pump out and charge points, has anyone tried this method? I’d be very interested to see if it works, in my experience nothing “centralised” with the EA has been very efficient in the past. If anyone has used it please let us know.
The list was published and was the basis for the entries in RTG app but, for whatever reason, the EA decided to centralise - I cannot imagine that a call centre somewhere knows much about individual locks (other than what they read on their screen!)
 

Golden Boy

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I cant see that working unless they have some way of contacting Lock Keepers we dont know about, in July in desperation at not being able to contact any lock keepers I called the central number, the person I initially spoke to didnt even know what a Charge Point was. May have been exacerbated by coming out of lock down, we shall see.
 

Old Crusty

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The lock office phone numbers were removed from public gaze a few years ago. TBH, few keepers answered any phone calls given they were too far away from the office to pick up in time or busy with boats or mowing. They may be contacted now only by mobile phone and those numbers are not published. Obviously, I do have a list of mobile numbers.

The customer contact centre doesn't know the detail of the facilities at each lock so best to call it then ask to be put through to the Wallingford or Shepperton waterways/navigation office. No point contacting the Reading Office, they only count paper clips there.
 

Pump-Out

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I’d be very interested to see if it works, in my experience nothing “centralised” with the EA has been very efficient in the past. If anyone has used it please let us know.
Last time I used the centralised number the call operator ask me......wait for it....... "What region is the River Thames in?"
I pointed out that I had no way of knowing how the EA had divided up their regions.
 

Old Crusty

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Last time I used the centralised number the call operator ask me......wait for it....... "What region is the River Thames in?"
I pointed out that I had no way of knowing how the EA had divided up their regions.

It's actually worse than you might think. I had an EA call centre operator phone me to say there were people swimming in the Thames near Staines in Essex. When I asked if there had been a great storm in the night that had blown Staines to the north east, she didn't understand. She confirmed that the Thames is in Essex. I did wonder if she was from Essex but turned out she was from Rotherham.
 

EVADOLL75

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I have a list of the phone numbers of relevant locks which I thought was published on the EA website but I had a look today and it seems to have changed to a central contact for both pump out and charge points, has anyone tried this method? I’d be very interested to see if it works, in my experience nothing “centralised” with the EA has been very efficient in the past. If anyone has used it please let us know.
I always use Benson Boatyard because a friend owns it and I’ve heard good unsolicited reports of Benson. but as Benson EA plug hasn’t been working for 4 years it’s a good option. I have heard Benson Lock EA Point is supposed to be being mended but check. There is a also an EA point at Old Windsor but again I have never been able to check it is working or use it, even the lock keeper doesn’t seem to know.
 
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