Lock Keepers - Thames

[PGD]

Been out today and found that the lock keeper was out to lunch at 2:30 pm - thought they were meant to lunch between 1 and 2pm so had to do the lock on manual - then chap turned up and said locks now unmanned got two to look after - so it’ll be on manual again when you get.

I remember seeing something about the later starting of summer assistants but a part time operation on the locks doesn’t sit too well in this camp especially as river license fees keep going up.

Wondered what the Thames fraternity had to say on this one

Peter


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[byron]

<font color=blue>I for one think it is appalling. I don't mind on those locks where they provide half power during unmanned hours but so many don't have this facility (especially upstream).
In brief we are paying huge licence fees, mine is in excess of £450 p.a. only to have the river closed for several months a year and restricted in the rest. The answer I feel is to provide competant users with their own key to the electrics and/or make all locks semi-powered.

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[Guest]

I thought that they already did this? I followed a river trip boat once and they seemed to have a key The young man using it didnt seem to know what he was doing. So I can`t see the harm in other river users having their own key. What do the EA say about this?
Rob

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[PGD]

Certainly the commercila traffic have them, for example the boat trips up and down river. But in opening up the use of keys to the public is frought with dander and missuse - you only hvae to look at the way some not only commabnd ship but steer them to worry.

It would only work if you passed a test of competancy, not allowed casual hire / holiday boater to use them etc etc.

It's one I'll write to the EA about but if I'm honest I don't think they'd allow it.

Peter

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[PGD]

Hi, thanks for the suporting comments, is there a regional meeting between the boating public and the EA or some form of user group that can be contacted.

Peter

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[BrendanS]

Byron,

How far upstream is this. All the locks from Goring downstream appeared to have instructions for use on plates on the gear. Only ever used a few out of hours.


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[PGD]

There is only Hambledon I think that has half power near us, the rest untill you get to Boulters or Windsor are manual when there isn't a lock keeper, it starts to take it's toll if you have a few locks to do in a short trip half an hour of puffing and blowing at a time - reminds me of something else !!!! /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

Peter

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[BrendanS]

That explains a lot.. I've always assumed manual if the lock keeper isn't there. What's 'half power' then?


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[byron]

<font color=blue>First I will deal with Full Power. If you are a commercial operator you do a one day course on a lock, this consists of merely working as an assistant for the day. You can then get a key which allows you to switch the power on thus avoiding having to wind the lock. There are certain conditions attached to having a key which I will not go into. Now Half Power, these are locks that have been modified so the public can switch them on after hours, they operate, but slowly but even so this is far better than sweating your nutz off turning a wheel for an hour. These half-power locks are time restricted to 8am-lock opening and lock closing-9pm. There is a good reason for not leaving them on 24 hours mainly inconsiderate boat owners, think about it, engines running at midnight, music playing, shouting to each other etc. etc.

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[BrendanS]

>>There is a good reason for not leaving them on 24 hours mainly inconsiderate boat owners, think about it, engines running at midnight, music playing, shouting to each other etc. etc. <<

Oops, and there was me thinking that the people on camping island were being friendly, and waving! ?



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[byron]

Oops, and there was me thinking that the people on camping island were being friendly, and waving! ?
<font color=blue>
It was you was it? I heard about that, they weren't being friendly they were waving for urgent assistance. They had run out of Tonic for their Gin.


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[PGD]

Byron's covered it and it's all well and good these sensor / computer controlled locks 'till you get stuck in one at 9pm at night - Romney lock I think it was - sensors must have had muck on them - would those B***dy gates open on a full lock to let me out - NO - stuck there - empying a refilling the lock for nearly an hour and a half - anyway leant to navigate the mill strem down to Race Course Yacht basin with only a torch !!!!

Fitted powerful spot light since then.

Peter

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[byron]

<font color=blue>Pete, if you were stuck at 9pm that's not because the sensors went dicky. Its because the facility is on a timer and switches off at 9pm. You then have to do it manually and I don't envy anyone doing a huge lock like Romney by hand... it would take forever and an hour or two.

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[PGD]

the electric were still working - I mean sluices still operated etc and the bottom gates would open but not the top - in the end all it took was a press of the close button on the top gates to get things working again b 4 we opened them - hence the assumption that the sensors were a bit out or coverin in muck - like Hambledon I can't remeber if the new electronic set up had a manual wheel - s'pose it must have.

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[DogsBody]

No problem with Lock Keepers going for lunch (just leave the power on please!) but how about letting us know when you're due back?

Went through one lock yesterday, no sign of Lock Keeper just a sign saying "back in 1 hour" - not much help really, unless you were there to see him go so could tell when the hour started!

DogsBody.

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[byron]

<font color=blue>That would be too easy to chalk up "back at 'X' PM" far better we are left wondering and waiting while they stay off an extra hour because no one knows what time they were due back.

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[PGD]

the question of ok so long as the chap is there to ask, some of the lock keeps I know and yes they do leave the power on but the one on Friday PM wasn't having any of it.

Must say the boards around the middle thames where I am do say back at 2:30 or what ever not just gon fishin !!!!

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[CRM]

Write to EA - joke

Save the stamp money. I wrote to complain about a certain lock keeper allowing 'Henley hospitality' craft to fill the cut and obsruct the water point waiting for 'guests'. I was informed no such thing happened and all craft were waiting to enter the lock. I then produced phototgraphs showing a certain large steam craft upstream of the lock and pointing upstream and asked if it was customary for it to use the lock 'stern first' I was informed the 'matter was closed'

No doubt an MBE and 'Christmas' brought its rewards

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[mike_kolling]

Re: Write to EA - joke

That is appauling, its occurences like this that are causing people to leave the river.

Its a shame that the EA do not contribute to this forum, if MDL can do it why not the EA?


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[EA_Waterways]

Thankyou for your interesting comments.

Apologies for not responding sooner, we have only recently become aware of this excellent forum but we would like to offer some responses to the issues raised in this thread.

First of all Lock Keepers Hours – During winter when there are fewer boats on the river and our capital works & maintenance programmes are scheduled, locks unfortunately may be closed, ‘double manned’ or unmanned. ‘Double manning’ (a lock keeper covering more than one lock and weir) occurs during these off peak periods due to fewer staff. During the busier summer period additional relief lock-keepers and summer assistants are employed to cover meal breaks and provide general assistance - lock keeper lunch hours should also be observed as 1-2pm. Unfortunately, during off peak periods such as this March when the excellent weather brought more boats to the river, double manning, although unavoidable, may cause some disruption. Nevertheless, where possible every effort is taken to prevent this but with the unpredictability of the weather – this is not easy.

Another issue raised relates to ‘out of hours’ power & lock keys - this is a thorny issue! We would like to provide ‘out of hours’ power at all powered locks but the electronic infrastructure is very expensive so we can only upgrade as we replace the existing systems. From a health and safety perspective we do not want to provide these keys to untrained users as PGD discussed.

In response to the query of whether there are any upcoming meetings where these issues can be raised, please feel free to contact us via the Visit Thames web-site (visitthames@environment-agency.gov.uk). In addition, issues can be raised at River User Group meetings or via the Navigation Working Group (which has representatives for most ‘user’ groups)- the next meeting is in June or you can raise any issues for NWG via our web-site email address as above.

I hope that answers the issues raised in this thread.

Thanks

Andy Yeates
Waterways Marketing Officer


<hr width=100% size=1>Environment Agency
Waterways
Thames Region