CHERTSEY LOCK

[bulto]

Where have all the lock keepers gone? Chertsey lock has
been unmanned for the last three weekends, does the EA have a secret plan to stop people using the river.
Perhaps if a lock is left unmanned for long enough they hope that we will give up actually using our boats.
I know we can work the lock ourselves but having paid our licence fees is it not asking too much to have some service in return.

 

[thamesS23]

I too got caught out by the lock being unmanned this weekend. It was the first lock we came to going downstream. As we arrived there was a couple of boats already entering, so we just followed them in and passed through the lock with them. It was only as we were all leaving that I realised that there wasn't an actual lock keeper on duty and it was a boat owner operating the locks (there was no yellow circle sign up). Seeing as this was only our second weekend and time of going through a lock, it did worry me a bit about coming back through later. As it happened, when we did return, we were lucking enough to follow a couple of narrowboats through, who it has to be said, were very helpful to us, and they operated the locks for us all.
We had earlier got up to Sunbury lock at about 1.15pm and having seen the yellow circle sign up, assumed the lock keeper was at lunch, so we moored up on the lock layby and had our lunch ourselves, planning to wait until 2pm for him to return, or if another boat come through in our direction we would of gone through with them. We waited until 2.40pm, and neither had happened, so we turned back!
Although I'm sure in time that I will be able to go through an unmanned lock on our own, it wasn't something we wanted to try out so early on.

 

[TrueBlue]

[ QUOTE ]
As it happened, when we did return, we were lucking enough to follow a couple of narrowboats through, who it has to be said, were very helpful to us, and they operated the locks for us all.

[/ QUOTE ]

There you are - NarrowBoats do serve some purpose /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif




[ QUOTE ]
Although I'm sure in time that I will be able to go through an unmanned lock on our own, it wasn't something we wanted to try out so early on.

[/ QUOTE ]

Laudable and quite understandable that you want to do things in stages, but there's no need to be frightened of a Lock. Working the mechanism is safe (as the mechanism is dumbed down while EA staff are not in control), so the only issue to my mind is when going uphill in a deep lock is how do you get off to push the buttons. You will notice that there are steps on both sides - careful; quite slippery. Park your boat across one of these and light with grace and dignity to push the buttons for the assembled multitudes.

 

[thamesS23]

not having seen the switchboard with the controls on it yet, am I to assume that it is all easily laid out and idiot proof (ie, there is not a chance of pressing the wrong button and both sets of doors opening!)
It's not so much that part that worries me, more the bit that you mentioned of how to move / secure/ get of and on the boat. All very daunting with two new novice crew!
So am I to assume now then, that all the locks are now NOT manned 7 days a week during the advertised times.

 

[jecuk]

Working the locks out of hours is easy. Instructions are clear. Now when the electrics aren't on, that is when it gets both interesting and harder work. Particularly in the dark.

 

[Richard Shead]

I would not assume that at all, they may have been another reason as to why it was not manned but I dont know so am in no real position to comment.

The locks really are fool proof just think of filling up a bath and how you go about that, you will get the hang of it in no time!

Obvious rule, dont tie up and if heading upstream moor a little way back, on saying that the controls will not allow you to open sluices at full chat anyhow.

Joking aside if you have five mins head down to the lock and watch them do it, if you are in Teddington I am sure Howard will give you a few lessons on how it all works.

good luck

 

[Brayman]

The one thing to remember when working it on your own is to keep an eye on the boat, particularly when going up. Most electric locks are fairly gentle but some of the hand wound ones can still throw out a fair bit of wash when the sluices open.

 

[teddington_lock]

Anyone is welcome to come down to Tedders for a lesson /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

On a serious note , our setup at Tedders is a little bit different to the setups upstream , but the principle is the same .

Happy to talk you through it and let you have a go if you like ( assuming you don't arrive in the middle of a busy tide /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif )

 

[Chris_d]

[ QUOTE ]
The one thing to remember when working it on your own is to keep an eye on the boat, particularly when going up. Most electric locks are fairly gentle but some of the hand wound ones can still throw out a fair bit of wash when the sluices open.

[/ QUOTE ]

And going down, make sure if you have left the boat there is sufficent slack on the ropes, so that it is not left hanging from the lockside. Common narrowboater mistake that one /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[DogsBody]

[ QUOTE ]
not having seen the switchboard with the controls on it yet, am I to assume that it is all easily laid out and idiot proof (ie, there is not a chance of pressing the wrong button and both sets of doors opening!)
It's not so much that part that worries me, more the bit that you mentioned of how to move / secure/ get of and on the boat. All very daunting with two new novice crew!
So am I to assume now then, that all the locks are now NOT manned 7 days a week during the advertised times.

[/ QUOTE ]

See my post here about locks being unmanned, I get the distinct impression that the EA is trying to wean us off gradually so that we don't make a fuss when there are no lock keepers left in a couple of years time.

Regarding working the locks yourself, as others have said it is very easy. If going "uphill" I'd suggest dropping a spare crew member off at the lock waiting zone and having them walk up to the lock to collect your lines when you enter the lock and likewise collect them from the waiting zone when going "downhill".

As for the controls, pretty much four buttons at each end - Open Gates, Close Gates, Open Sluices & Close Sluices (all clearly marked) and I think they are fairly self explanatory. You can't open both gates at once and the sluices will only open a little at a time to stop you filling the lock too fast.

The two biggest points I'd make when working a lock yourself are:

1) don't ever tie a boat up in a lock (use a figure eight around the bollard / cleat or have someone hold the line) - it is very easy to loose concentration and have a boat hang from its lines, which you will not be able to untie with the boat's weight on them.

2) make sure the sluices at the other end are FULLY closed before you try to empty / fill the lock. On most locks lower controls will not work while the upper sluices are open and vice verse but on those where they do work, it will take a very long time to fill / empty with both sets of sluices open at the same time!

Give it a go, its very easy (when the power is on), particularly if you have a couple of "spare" crew on board.

Darren.

 

[TrueBlue]

It's complicated, trying to put some sense into it:-

In the "off season", the locks will not be manned
<ul type="square">
At lunchtimes,
If the lockkeeper is attending to his weirs
If there is no relief keeper available to man the lock on the resident's days off or sickness
[/list]

In the summer season there may be a summer assistant available, who will cover for lunchtimes. Be aware that in previous years there have been cutbacks in staff, and this will probably get worse...

On the plus side,
all locks below Cookham are "electric" (my word for public pushbutton operation) between the hours of 7:00 and 22:00 (officially two hours before and after the published "personned" operating hours. outside those hours and those still running on "steam power", you have to wind the handles yourself. Tedious and slow.

All locks have electric interlocks to stop you doing silly things, but they do not (?) work if you're winding by hand.

The modified curved-top-pedestal-control boxes (Sonning and up) have slightly different operating procedures, and can catch you out as the interlocks and safety features are not explained. Read their instructions carefully as (nearly) every word counts. Once you've fathomed their rules, they are great to use.

That about covers it.

 

[bradtarga34]

We went through Chertsey as well and saw there was a very faded blue sign hanging on the lock gates saying lock unmanned. This seems to be a regular scenarion at this lock in particluar and juging by the state of the gardens and lawn, looked as though nobody had been there for some time. This lock used to absolutely immaculate with their gardens and flowers, so a shame to see it looking unkempt. I know it's a bit early for a full on display, but doesn't look as though anything has been touched. We also headed down through Sunbury lock on Sunday afternoon, and that was unmanned as well!

Very poor indeed, especially as you are paying more and more for your license, and then left to operate locks yourselves. We were also thinking that it could be a precursor to having no lock keepers at all /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif. We saw inlandnewbie as well, didn't recognise you guys, but will keep an eye out for Jersey Girl III when we are out and about next!

 

[thamesS23]

bradtarga34

Just realised that we saw your boat (along with the other fairline you were cruising with) out and about on sunday, firstly moored up at Laleham and then cruising down near walton. Have to say that both boats looked very nice - did one of boats have Jersey as the home port written on the boat?

 

[bradtarga34]

Re: bradtarga34

Yes, that was us, out with our partners in crime on their Targa 38. Had a nice night at Laleham Saturday, then headed down to Lower Sunbury for a nice blow out on Chinese buffet there. The boats do look nice when they are out and about together, and its is my boat with the Jersey home port.

 

[jane1]

Re: CHERTSEY LOCK *DELETED*

Post deleted by danfoley

 

[Flashheart]

Well I went through two locks at the weekend. Bray and Boulters Lock. Both unmanned and had me wondering where all the lock keepers were. Being abit "time ignorant" I forgot it was Lunchtime!! On the way back downstream both lock keepers were there, helpful as ever. But I must say I was the only one in both locks when unmanned and operation is a doddle. I've not had many lessons at manual lock operation, its just common sense and take yer time.

 

[rr_123]

BTW, welcome HPR.

Not trying to "out" you, but you seem to have a real interest in and knowledge of this subject?

For what it's worth I've long thought that the provision of the hydraulic gates for "out of hours" use was the first step on the road to the "abolition" of lock-keepers for all but the busiest times. Is it such a bad thing?

Don't get me wrong; on a personal level, I have every sympathy with someone who not only loses their job, but the home that goes with it, within the law there's not a lot more that you can do to someone to f<span style="color:black">u</span>ck up their lives, but in the bigger picture is it worth keeping someone working full time for the one or two boats (ie me!) that pass through on a drizzly sunday in March?

It isn't a huge effort, even single handed, to operate the hydraulic locks. They seem to manage ok on the canals, and they're all manual /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Then we can investigate other sources of revenue; the Thames is an enormous leisure facility used by thousands of people, and paid for by a few boaters. That's plain wrong.

R

 

[byron]

[ QUOTE ]
BTW, welcome HPR.


the provision of the hydraulic gates for "out of hours" use was the first step on the road to the "abolition" of lock-keepers for all but the busiest times. Is it such a bad thing?

It isn't a huge effort, even single handed, to operate the hydraulic locks. They seem to manage ok on the canals, and they're all manual /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Then we can investigate other sources of revenue; the Thames is an enormous leisure facility used by thousands of people, and paid for by a few boaters. That's plain wrong.

R

[/ QUOTE ]

Well! If they are so keen on 'elf & safety booting out Lockies is a retrograde step. The Lock keepers really come into their own when there's a problem and I'm not just talking hung boats.

Whilst boaters contribute heavily I suspect Anglers contribute considerably more. Then there's the Riparian owners who get one up the bum in charges if the insert Risers to stop craft floating over the bank when the river's flooding. Plus a whole host of other charges.

 

[Flashheart]

Well i'm stating the obvious I know, but without them it'll be chaos on a stupendous scale! Especially with the floods last year and the water shortage before that, when as many boats were crammed into a lock at one time as possible. Sheer Bl*%dy nonsense especially with the amount we now pay a year for a license.

I notice there's plenty of summer assistant jobs on the EA's web site still for this year

 

[Akers_like]

We did Thames and Kennett Marina down to Bray late Monday morning/afternoon and ALL locks were manned with, as usual, freindly, chatty staff.