Marlow Lock - OoHP

boatone

boatone

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www.tmba.org.uk
From the minutes of RUG 6 meeting:[ QUOTE ]
Why no plans for user-power at Marlow lock? Response: Difficult lock – 2010 target.

[/ QUOTE ] Am I alone in thinking this is just not acceptable?

This ommission from this winters schedule means Marlow will be the only lock in the mid/lower Thames left on hand winding. Surely to God some extra effort could have been made to include it???
 
[ QUOTE ]
From the minutes of RUG 6 meeting:[ QUOTE ]
Why no plans for user-power at Marlow lock? Response: Difficult lock – 2010 target.

[/ QUOTE ] Am I alone in thinking this is just not acceptable?

This ommission from this winters schedule means Marlow will be the only lock in the mid/lower Thames left on hand winding. Surely to God some extra effort could have been made to include it???

[/ QUOTE ]

It is a deep and hard lock to wind but surely doesn't present any more of a challenge to electrify than any other lock. Would it be cynical to wonder if the close proximity of private dwellings to the lock may have more to do with the delay?
 
I'm told that Marlow is very different to most other locks on the Thames. It's something to do with the exposed sluices or something.
Apparently, when they set up the system on those public powered locks the time settings are critical. The micro-processer is set to open the sluces for xx seconds, then rest for yy seconds. The system then repeats those timings until the sluices are fully raised. This is alll done after one-touch by the operator.
Setting these timings is the critical bit I am told. They need to be set at intervals that are deemed to be safe. I am told this would be very hard to determine at Marlow, as a safe amount of sluice would depend on where the boats were positioned, the shapes of the hulls and the tail water level, which differs everyday apparently.
That is why they need to learn more from other applications being installed this winter before planning the settings for Marlow...
At least that is what I was told when I asked a lockkeeper at Marlow recently /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
The micro-processer is set to open the sluces for xx seconds, then rest for yy seconds. The system then repeats those timings until the sluices are fully raised. This is alll done after one-touch by the operator.

[/ QUOTE ]

Not true of all locks. Although there are some (Hambledon is one?) where a single button push initiates the whole process, on many of the locks the operator actually has to wait for 2 minutes and then push the button again etc etc.

Whatever the problems, I cant believe they are so serious that they are only suggesting Marlow 'might' happen in 2010 - and does that mean 2009/10 winter or 2010/11 winter......

Think of the brownie points they could have gained by getting it finished with the rest this winter /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
This time last year Mrs McKeevr stated that ALL locks would be on OoHP by next season.

A big difference between Hambledon and the rest is that Hambledon was designed that way, the rest are retro fits apart from the biggies downriver.

I'm sure between us we could specify xx and yy and not be too far out!
 
Half-hearted winding at Marlow

This is how we found the upper lock gates early one morning.........

marlowgates.jpg
 
Re: Half-hearted winding at Marlow

Obviously a narrow boat only needed one gate open. Whitchurch is like that and a real pain, I had to wind it twice last week, once on Thursday and again on Saturday - goodness knows why there wasn't a lockkeeper or relief!
 
I get different answers depending on whom I ask (all of which are of impeccable quality):-

1). It's on the schedule for 2010 - by which i infer next year's closures - else I'll be somewhat peeved.

2). It's difficult; explanation as per Shades' post. Given that, why are the OoHP'ing Culham this winter; it's much the same (Exposed sluices) as Marlow.#

3). Spent all the money for this year.

My guess is that they may be doing other modifications to Marlow next year as well as the Power.

Nobody has mentioned Whitchurch or Iffley, both of which are are a pain to wind by hand, and they are-
shallow locks
frequently left unattended.

If Temple - oh so smooth - and Hurley - less so, are easy why are Whitchurch and Iflley so horrible??

B1- Locks below Boveney using the rectangular cabinets require multiple presses to work the sluices, From Boveney upwards where the modified curve top pedestals are in place use automatic sluice systems. The former give the experienced boater more control, the latter are "nice" - until you get problems...

BTW has anyone read the instructions for the newer units. The writer's native tongue does not appear to be English?
 
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