Scapegoat
Active member
Maybe they need a “Pressure Washer “ course to add to the Lawnmower course?
EA is failing in its responsobilities regarding lock starcases.
- Thread starter Little Dipper
- Start date
Time Out
Well-known member
I know for a fact that Tedd is power washed by the ladies there. however, they are literally fighting the tide!
Northern Star
Active member
Or maybe it's all the "human" fertilizer that Thames water dump in the river each year?
Chris_d
Well-known member
I understand they are not allowed to pressure wash because of the risk of breathing in fine droplets of contaminated bugs, bacteria etc.... so it has to be brushed or scrubbed.
Scapegoat
Active member
You’d think a decent mask would overcome that hazard
Old Crusty
Well-known member
Its also a two person job, one to pressure wash, one to manage the lock raft/assist with transiting boats/cut the grass/make tea/wave at boaters/fill in the accident report.
Little Dipper
New member
I am not advocating pressure washing the whole staircase of a lock. All I am saying that the handrails should be regularly cleaned. Personally I never wear my best clothes when out boating and I don't mind the odd smear of muck .
The handrails do not need to be pressure washed, all they need is a wipe down with a large catering abrasive sponge pad. 10 minutes per lock perhaps once a week? Anyway, the boat is gone from the river, never to return, not that most of you lot care anyway.
The majority of the locks have non slip treads in the staircase except the posh one at Henley which has lovely shiny stainless steel leading edges to the treads that are positively lethal. That needs fixing too before somebody is drowned in that lock.
Incidentally. regarding bacteria etc in the air from pressure washing, has anybody seen the plume of mist put into the air when some sluices are opened on some locks. Should boat crews be warned about that and advised to put on biological isolation garments and breathing apparatus before entering? Large signs should be put up warning boaters of the health hazards. Should the lock keepers, if they are allowed to work the locks by EA have to wear said protection equipment too due to Elf and Safe Tea?
Oh heck! my can of worms lid has come off.
The handrails do not need to be pressure washed, all they need is a wipe down with a large catering abrasive sponge pad. 10 minutes per lock perhaps once a week? Anyway, the boat is gone from the river, never to return, not that most of you lot care anyway.
The majority of the locks have non slip treads in the staircase except the posh one at Henley which has lovely shiny stainless steel leading edges to the treads that are positively lethal. That needs fixing too before somebody is drowned in that lock.
Incidentally. regarding bacteria etc in the air from pressure washing, has anybody seen the plume of mist put into the air when some sluices are opened on some locks. Should boat crews be warned about that and advised to put on biological isolation garments and breathing apparatus before entering? Large signs should be put up warning boaters of the health hazards. Should the lock keepers, if they are allowed to work the locks by EA have to wear said protection equipment too due to Elf and Safe Tea?
Oh heck! my can of worms lid has come off.
thamesS23
Well-known member
Someone please tell me when I get to the stage that I start whinging about the state of lock stairs ruining my weekends, to put the boat up for sale and move into an assisted home !!
penberth3
Well-known member
So now we have proof! A 46 post wind-up. Good effort, but nowhere near the record.
Time Out
Well-known member
I’m very much taking the piss when I say I ruin my white shorts …
ianc1200
Well-known member
In the days of canvas fenders (still have a couple left) the Thames Conservancy used to open locks later - something along the line of Wednesdays not opening until 9.30am, so the lock keepers could scrub the walls down.
joejo
Member
I have a memory from the late 90's waiting one morning at Osney as it was being cleaned with caustic soda . Post 33 refers to this . We were the first boat to go downstream after cleaning and it certainly was clean (literally gleaming) I guess it is not a very ecological way to do the job. It would be a result if a 'green cleaner' could used but suspect the options have been looked at
DogsBody
Active member
I suspect not - the EA to me appear to be more focused on finding a reason why something can't be done, than finding a way it can be done.
Little Dipper
New member
You my friend are probably one of the filthy rich fraternity whose boat (gin palace) is probably owned by your company for "customer entertainment" and who has never used a filthy Thames lock staircase in your sad life.
Little Dipper
New member
No wind up mate, I still have a nasty scar on my arm and nearly ended up in the lock. Mind you your reply is a typical reply from a member the elitist fraternity on the Thames. Hopefully you will never have an accident due to the EA's negligence.
Parabordi
Active member
If you ever met thamess23 you would realise just how wrong you just got it.!
He has one of the smallest boats and egos you could wish to meet.
You are the one being judgemental.
TrueBlue
Well-known member
Being the owner of a WSOB, we decided many years ago that a simple solution was to develop our techniques for line throwing.
He / she whose duty pro tem is to operate the lock also catches the lines thrown from the depths below and deploys our Hawkins and Tipsons best around an appropriate bollard (a bit tricky in Culham, though)...
He / she whose duty pro tem is to operate the lock also catches the lines thrown from the depths below and deploys our Hawkins and Tipsons best around an appropriate bollard (a bit tricky in Culham, though)...
Old Crusty
Well-known member
At Romney, a certain summer relief lockie known to me some 10 years ago, used to scrub the chamber stair wells then apply a 50/50 solution of bleach and river water to the walls and steps to delay the growth of algae. It worked a treat. I believe it does upset the ecology of the river immediately afterwards if you have a heated conversation with one of those biodiversity folk.
Old Crusty
Well-known member
I had the job of arranging for the last 25 tubs of caustic soda to be removed from Shepperton Nav office boat shed. They were taken away to be destroyed at some fanciful cost to the pubic purse. There has been no investigation into the use of other lock chamber cleaning options to my knowledge.
What other nav authority cleans lock chamber walls these days? CRT certainly doesn't.
TrueBlue
Well-known member
EA ask boaters operating the locks to themselves to leave the chamber empty (or emptying).
I bet not many bother.......
I bet not many bother.......
