Cleaning lock sides

They used to clean Thames locks with caustic soda but that was withdrawn at least 20 years ago.

As I understand it the keeper has the choice of what to do they can clean the stairwells if they wish but it is no longer in their job description to be cleaning lock sides specifically.

May be wrong but I have never noticed a Thames lock keeper with a pressure washer and I did the length of the River twice last year in one of the boats.
 
I sent the last of the caustic soda stockpile to a chemical works for disposal in 2015.

Pressure washing lock sides was a two man job - one to wash, one to control the lock raft from the walkway. However, pressure washing using river water causes bacteria laden droplets to be inhaled so has been stopped on the grounds of it being hazardous to staff. Hazchem suits may be issued after we extract ourselves from the Water Framework Directive next year but given the low staffing levels I guess this job is consigned to history. I suppose mains water could be used but I expect someone would complain about the cost/environment/biodiversity.

I used to spray off the chamber walls then run bleach down the stairwell walls to inhibit algae growth but apparently that's bad for the environment (agency) too.
 
Would much prefer taxpayers money to be spent on reliable working lock.
Do owners on the Thames not all employ somebody to do the onerous job of boat cleaning after they go home ?
Feel sure there must be YouTube instruction videos on what a broom looks like and how to turn on the marina hose pipe.
You might even be able to buy at outrageous prices "Marine Boat Wash" in the local chandlery.
Go on give it a try.....o_O
 
oldgit said:
Would much prefer taxpayers money to be spent on reliable working lock.
Do owners on the Thames not all employ somebody to do the onerous job of boat cleaning after they go home ?
Feel sure there must be YouTube instruction videos on what a broom looks like and how to turn on the marina hose pipe.
You might even be able to buy at outrageous prices "Marine Boat Wash" in the local chandlery.
Go on give it a try.....o_O
Click to expand...
Marina hose pipe :eek:
 
In about 2013, the EA decided to comply with a new set of regulations governing flotation stability tests (albeit several years late as usual). On inspection of the timber rafts (using two 20 stone lockies standing on the edge of a raft) most of them were deemed unstable and hazardous so the edict came to cease using them. At that point, most locks had their own raft for washing walls, painting lock gates and fixing parted hydraulic hoses on the gates.

Later, a few were replaced with aluminium lock rafts costing £7k each and now, subject to river conditions, lockies have to wait until a passing patrol boat can tow a raft to site for use. Obviously, the patrol fleet is moored up much of the time so of little help.

Ralph at Boulters usually scrapes off the algae in the stairwells with a hoe, Martin at Old Windsor keeps his walls clean as best he can and Giles at Hurley became a cleaning fanatic after the chamber walls were re-rendered ten years ago.

One of the reasons for emptying lock chambers after use is so that the sun-kissed walls (usually the north walls) in locks lying roughly east-west can be dried by the sun then the parched algae drops off and thus is self-cleaning. Those of you with GPS will be able to determine the northern chamber walls and can moor up without fear of getting your fenders slimy. Unless the lockie doesn't like you because you always leave him/her/them/it/me a bottle of out of date beer in which case prepare to be directed to the slimy south side, probably across a stairwell.
 
Old Crusty said:
.........
Ralph at Boulters usually scrapes off the algae in the stairwells with a hoe, Martin at Old Windsor keeps his walls clean as best he can and Giles at Hurley became a cleaning fanatic after the chamber walls were re-rendered ten years ago.

I don't think boaters pause to reflect on the large amount of tender care that lockies do whwn there no boaters around. There's still a lot of pride around amongst the senior lockies.
Boulters is always spick and span when we pass through and I wondered why Hurley's lock walls always look as good as the day when the refurb was finished.

Their diligence should be rewarded, I will continue to raise my cap and bless them as I pass through..

One of the reasons for emptying lock chambers after use is so that the sun-kissed walls (usually the north walls) in locks lying roughly east-west can be dried by the sun then the parched algae drops off and thus is self-cleaning. Those of you with GPS will be able to determine the northern chamber walls and can moor up without fear of getting your fenders slimy. Unless the lockie doesn't like you because you always leave him/her/them/it/me a bottle of out of date beer in which case prepare to be directed to the slimy south side, probably across a stairwell.
Click to expand...
 
Unless the Thames Navy pull together PDQ, the last thing that should be worrying them when approaching any lock, is green goo on the fenders.
More of a problem could be how folks are going to get up/down onto the lockside if no lockies no longer around to help.
Or has that problem been solved and DEFRA secretly found a few Mill. down the back of the sofa.
My local MP is now in charge somewhere out there apparently.
A lady suddenly able to forgive all sorts of little peccadillos to advance her career, most folks use talent.

Anyway bit of algae on the chamber ...seriously ?
 
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