Hurley Lock this weekend

ianc1200

ianc1200

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Not a moan, but wonder what people think.

1. Yesterday lunchtime; went through the lock upriver & noticed the summer assistant along with the relief. As we went out, they put up the DIY signs, the relief walked off in the direction of the village, the assistant stayed in the hut. There may of been very good reasons for this, & I can think of a few, but shouldn't they have one away at lunch while the other operated the lock?

2. This evening, on way back down, got to the lock at about 3 mins past 7pm, and the crews in the lock were winding the gates closed. They must of been in the lock at 7pm or before, why wouldn't public power be on? A lock keeper told me the other week the locks are now on public power after 6pm, the lock keepers doing their paperwork until 7pm. Couldn't see any sign in the lock what the manned hours are. No real problem but just wondered why if the power had been tripped out the lockkie couldn't of reset it.

IanC
 
The EA River Users Charter - http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/Customer_Charter_2010_print.pdf - earlier this year states that service at Hurley during June will be 0900 to 1800 hours (with caveats regarding carrying out essential duties and taking breaks etc) and there will be extra staff to assist during the peak months which include June.
Out of Hours power used to be available from 0700 - 0900 and from 1800 - 2200 but the charter seems to suggest - by omission - that it should be at all times when unmanned.

We on the forum may have ideas/opinions as to why the situation at Hurley was as you relate, but why not ask Reading direct? Whilst the forum provides a useful place for letting off steam it should not IMHO be treated as a substitute for addressing issues to the people that are supposed to make the system work. I would certainly not assume that they will always be aware of these problems.
 
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For some reason I thought that
locks were manned until 1900 hours in June as well, or had been in the past, or is that just my imagination?

Also, noticed in a lock keepers caboose where they advertise their hours of operation that for the months November through to March, you should be prepared for no locks to be manned! I think the EA should be prepared that I adjust my river license accordingly...

Coming through Cleeve and Goring today and no Summer relief to be seen. I tell you what, the narrow boaters here are the most unhelpful boaters I have seen. When needing to operate lock oursleves, they steadfastly refuse to leave their boats to lend a hand to help out, and are mostly such a miserable lot. I am rapidly having a sense of humour bypass with them and if I didn't like boating as much as I do I would be sorely tempted to just leave them to it, but you know what, I don't think they would really notice or give a damn, they seem to be in their own little world...
 
I wasn't really letting off steam (certainly am not angry) but just hope there's an explanation, don't really want to burden somebody at Reading etc.
 
Anyone who hasn't got a copy of the Charter Booklet should be able to pick one up at any lock and I have certainly seen them in the little boxes outside the lock huts.

Some things have clearly changed, presumably as part of the agreements reached following the lock house affair. Hours do appear to have been slightly reduced outside July August (which are still 0900-1900) and there is a commitment to provide summer assistants only at certain locks which are listed in the booklet (NOT Cleeve or Goring as far as I can see).

Personally, Ian, I don't see advising Reading of issues we encounter, or making enquiries of them, as "burdening" them - in fact, that is what they are there for - to provide us river users with a service which we have a right to expect should meet certain standards. The Charter booklet goes some way to establishing what those standards should be and actually invites comment and complaints about anything we have an issue with as well as asking us to let them know when we experience good service.

There is no doubt that the lock house issue has changed many things for ever and I have no doubt that the national belt tightening (strangulation?) we seem to be inevitably faced with will not make things any easier. Change in working practices is not something the EA can expect to be protected against and I personally expect it to get 'worse' rather than better as budgets get even more constrained. As for expecting any 'adjustment' in licence fees.....yeah, right Brad....at best static but more likely upwards I predict ! :D

I do , personally, think there has, for far too long, been an attitude of benign acceptance of the way the river operates. The lack of warnings and advice re the recent breakdown of Out Of Hours Power at Romney was clearly unacceptable - a couple of chalkboards at Boveney and Old Windsor is verging on farcical and no information on the website. In my view this is a clear failure of the Charter commitments to keep us informed.

I will stop now lest someone accuses me of bias.........
 
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Can't remember where from but I seem to recall hearing that some of the summer assistants are not allowed to work the lock themselves as they haven't been "trained". Not sure what the point of an assistant who can't work the lock by themselves is, as I thought that was the reason for having them - so that there was coverage during breaks, weir duties etc.
 
Rising to the bait -

bradtarga34 said:
For some reason I thought that
locks were manned until 1900 hours in June as well, or had been in the past, or is that just my imagination?

Also, noticed in a lock keepers caboose where they advertise their hours of operation that for the months November through to March, you should be prepared for no locks to be manned! I think the EA should be prepared that I adjust my river license accordingly...

Coming through Cleeve and Goring today and no Summer relief to be seen. I tell you what, the narrow boaters here are the most unhelpful boaters I have seen. When needing to operate lock oursleves, they steadfastly refuse to leave their boats to lend a hand to help out, and are mostly such a miserable lot. I am rapidly having a sense of humour bypass with them and if I didn't like boating as much as I do I would be sorely tempted to just leave them to it, but you know what, I don't think they would really notice or give a damn, they seem to be in their own little world...
Click to expand...

My experience is the opposite,
If a lock is "unpersoned" or appears to be so, we jump up operate the lock, load the boats and close up behind us - if no customers at the upper end.
We enjoy it - all part of cruising the River, even if it means walking up and down to close up as required by the instructions.

Without a bit of public participation, it would be horribly boring.

In my experience it's many of the "residents" in all sorts of craft who are miserable. I not quite often that folk in some cruisers will deliberately position themselves on the opposite side to the equipment, so that it would be impracticable for them to assist....

There are some who feel that, as the officialese has it "the locks are manned", then they will jolly well sit on their boats until ano operates the lock for them.

Taking a charitable view - I get the feeling that folks are afraid to operate the kit themselves, maybe for fear of Elfin Safety or public liability.

As to your specifics about NarrowBoaters, most of them are "cruising through the Thames" and are unfamiliar with the procedures, and are cautious not to upset the locals - seeing, perhaps the comments on this forum.

I suppose I'm a bit OTT, but always try to make contact with whomever has drawn the short straw to share the lock with me. It's amazing how the ice is broken by a casual "good morning", and a conversation ensues, helping to pass the time wile the lock fills and empties. Otherwise it's like a line of men in a public loo.....

If you see an idiot in a battered hat lepping about on the lockside - it's probably me, so say hello.
 
TrueBlue said:
Taking a charitable view - I get the feeling that folks are afraid to operate the kit themselves, maybe for fear of Elfin Safety or public liability.
Click to expand...

Nah, they just cant be bothered to read the instructions and help themselves a bit......much easier to let someone else do it!

As to your specifics about NarrowBoaters, most of them are "cruising through the Thames" and are unfamiliar with the procedures, and are cautious not to upset the locals - seeing, perhaps the comments on this forum.
Click to expand...

Bet 99.9% of 'em don't even know this forum exists - we've hardly reached Mary Whitehouse level cult status!

Otherwise it's like a line of men in a public loo.....
Click to expand...

Dont know what to say about that ....slightly worrying.......

If you see an idiot in a battered hat lepping about on the lockside - it's probably me, so say hello.
Click to expand...

Almost as many peeps meeting that description as there are miserable boaters of whatever persuasion ! How can we be sure it IS you ????

(All above tongue in cheek and without malice aforethought etc etc)
 
Personally, I will have to adjust my spending fairly soon (and I am one of the lucky ones on a flippin good whack and dont owe money on the boat)

What with the other "tax hits" we will all suffer tomorrow, I am seriously thinking of moving the boat to the East Coast.

Would halve my mooring fee (£2000) and lose the £700 Registration fee.

If the coalition are taking a hatchet to things, DEFRA is going to take a mauling and that is going to mean even more pain for us.

I cannot believe I am alone in my thinking...
 
No, No

ianc1200 said:
I wasn't really letting off steam (certainly am not angry) but just hope there's an explanation, don't really want to burden somebody at Reading etc.
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Discussing the issues (as one does) with someone "operating the lock" recently it was suggested that "we" should make the Office aware of these issues. No point complaining to the lockies - take it to the top, or at least the next level up.

That way the issue gets logged, and if there enough entries something may happen - sometime.

I don't think the issues of the new operations regime have been thought through.

Fine, OOPPs gives a lot of flexibility and keen boaters should have no issues with it.
However, no public power at:-
  • Sandford (gate broken),
  • Romney (electrics)
  • Hurley - now I wonder whether the SA turned the power OFF in the hut, rather than to PUBLIC?
indicates that the system has no fall back, and is worse than under the old regime.

If I find that there's no PP on when it should be, then I am informed I should ring the emergency line and demand a call out - which the lockie should be pleased to do as it gives him some overtime...

That way some action may be taken, as it'll hurt EA budgets.

Also post on here so that the issues get a slightly more public airing


Please Note
  • Lock hours are 9:00 - 18:30 in June
  • Until 19:00 in July and August
  • Back to 18:00 in September
  • (see the charter)
  • Summer Assistants are only for July and August
  • There may be a shortage of SA's if EA can't recruit enough; due to poorer wages and the short term of the engagement
  • Expect more locks to be unattended due to the shortage of SAs which means that the lockie has to attend to his other duties which should normally be covered by the SA

The above indicates why "we" should be vigilant and create a fuss if the PP is not functioning as it should.
 
boatone said:
Quote:
Otherwise it's like a line of men in a public loo.....

You know what I mean - a line of folks at the stand ups, concentrating and stony stare foward, lest they should be accused of voyerism.
If you stare foward fixedly on your boat, it's possible you won't be asked to help!

Quote:
If you see an idiot in a battered hat lepping about on the lockside - it's probably me, so say hello.

Almost as many peeps meeting that description as there are miserable boaters of whatever persuasion ! How can we be sure it IS you ????

Simple, I smile and wave and chatter to you. Taking the OP at his word I should be in a minority of one...
Click to expand...
 
I operated hurley lock at lunchtime yesterday until the Relief lockkeeper came back, he had no SA yesterday but did on Saturday. They both went to lunch together on Saturday because she hadn't yet been "signed off" to operate the lock on her own. But I assume she does exactly that when he is off attending to the weir!

Can't understand why there was no power at 7pm yesterday unless some mistake at going home time.

Dreadfully slow journey back to T&K yesterday.
 
Oddly things were quite quiet for us heading back to Bray... no queues at Boulters or Bray!

(No queue at Bray on a Sunday afternoon? that really is a first!).

We even had a chat to a very pleasant Narrow Boat owner.....
 
One of my queries was what happens to the lock when public power doesn'y operate. Last year our canoe group managed to trip out the electrics at Marsh, and then nothing would work. Speaking to the lockkie later in the week he said one of the problems was if it tripped out even the winding wheel wouldn't work.
A couple of weeks ago coming down through Hurley at about 6:30pm my son was using the public power & the resident lockkie, putting away the cafe tables, said to watch out as pushing two buttons at once would trip the system out and he (my son) would have to wind it.
I assume if the system trips out you can wind the locks, perhaps it's a modification from last year.
Did also think about phoning the emergency number (the Marsh lock keeper said best to do this, then he would get a phone call, & was allowed to come out and resolve the situation).

IanC
 
Slow journey

Brayman said:
Dreadfully slow journey back to T&K yesterday.
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Ian

We came back up from Henley yesterday a bit ahead of you. As we entered Marsh the skipper of the boat in front of us fell in. It took the lockies a while to fish him out and they then filled the lock slowly to allow time for him to recover and to fill in the forms about the incident. By the time we got out there was a big queue on the downstream side which certainly would have delayed you.

Got to give the lockies credit for the way they handled the situation.
 
Brayman said:
Dreadfully slow journey back to T&K yesterday.
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We had a rather long trip back to Bray yesterday too, must have been after 7:00pm by the time we got there. Think it may have had something to do with stopping at Cookham with a large part of the BCC flotilla and going to the pub for a couple of hours though!
 
Summer assistants MUST have attended some courses (Working Near Water, Manual Handling etc.) before they are allowed to work unsupervised - This includes covering the lock during meal breaks.
As they are required to wear a lifejacket at all times, they must experience one self-inflating in a controlled environment, in order that they are aware of the sensations involved and how to swim with the jacket inflated.
This is carried out in a swimming pool with instructors present - Please do not try to offer to help the assistants with this exercise whilst at the lock!!!
Some assistants have started since the first batch of courses were run and are booked in for early next month. As soon as they have received this training they will be able to cover luchbreaks.
As for the power not being on, the instructions on the pedestals MUST be followed to the letter - Do not attempt to work the lock in any other order. The units will trip out if any button in pressed for more than TWO MINUTES. The power will then switch off and handwinding is the only option.
 
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