Narrow boats just a thought

[capnfishy]

They are the current byelaws as is much of the TC Acts and the fines on conviction are mostly a tenner so you see the challenge for the navigation authority.

 

[Chris_d]

The only reason that you are required to turn your engine off in Thames locks is so that you can hear instructions from the lock keeper.

As said, it's fumes for people in small boats and skiffs who you are likely to be sharing the lock with, unusual for more than one boat to share a lock on the canals.

 

[CX54WEK]

As said, it's fumes for people in small boats and skiffs who you are likely to be sharing the lock with, unusual for more than one boat to share a lock on the canals.

Whilst that might be true for the narrow canals it certainly isn't for the wider ones!

 

[Chris_d]

Whilst that might be true for the narrow canals it certainly isn't for the wider ones!

Rule was made in a different era when the river had less motor boats but still relavent, never seen a canal like this wide or not.

The problem is that Thames boaters obey the rule out of tradition whether its really necessary or not, when Narrowboats don't stop their engines it almost disrespectful.

 

[CX54WEK]

Rule was made in a different era when the river had less motor boats but still relavent, never seen a canal like this wide or not.

The problem is that Thames boaters obey the rule out of tradition whether its really necessary or not, when Narrowboats don't stop their engines it almost disrespectful.

Modern day equivalent.

 

[capnfishy]

Looks like a typical Sunday at Boulters, I can see Ralph by the heads gates, overseeing the chaos.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

He's a great lock keeper.
Often gets agitated that everyone ties up properly at both ends to avoid boats "swishing out" and always seems to keep an eye out for the inspectors in case they spot him doing something wrong. I hope he hasn't got an air rifle in the lock office.

Anyway I like seeing old school lock keepers still there. Not sure what happens after retirement but I heard that some of the lock cottages are going go be offered to lock keepers but not as part of the job and that it will be necessary to pay rent, on short tenancies.

If its true that would change the appeal of a lock keeper job and perhaps change the whole situation quite a lot.

 

[capnfishy]

He is a great keeper and a character.

Re the cottages:
Not so thankfully. Offering the cottages to retired keepers is a bit of urban myth. A few of the old relief lock keeper cottages will continue to be rented out to anyone that cares to take them. The resident keeper cottages will have a resident until any transfer to CRT, after that is anyone's guess.

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I wasn't talking about letting the lock cottages to retired lock keepers. What I heard was that for example a district relief might live in a lock cottage but would have to pay rent in the normal way that anyone else would.

It would be good if it carried on as it is now - no doubt to me that its better for the River but I tend to think it may be better for the accounts if money can be grabbed. Hopefully I am wrong about that

 

[Outinthedinghy]

Cookham will be an interesting example once Adam gives his months notice and drives off down to the coast. Its a lovely lock with a pretty decent size cottage beside it although it would probably need a bit of interior refurbishment to be fair.

I was hoping that there would be another resident lock keeper for Cookham lock in there next year but suspect it might be a different ball game.

Access is a bit dodgy so I don't think the ea can let it on the open market but got a feeling they can charge a lock keeper some rent !

 

[capnfishy]

Ah, yes, that one, there's been chat about reliefs paying some rent but that is part of a plan so cunning the unions could hang a hook on it!

There are access wayleave agreements with landowners to enable EA staff and contractors to get to locks but the deal doesn't include tenants on a commercial letting so my guess is there will be a new resident at Cookham.

I will miss Adam, he has been a fine keeper and lovely man.

 

[teddington_lock]

Ah, yes, that one, there's been chat about reliefs paying some rent but that is part of a plan so cunning the unions could hang a hook on it!

There are access wayleave agreements with landowners to enable EA staff and contractors to get to locks but the deal doesn't include tenants on a commercial letting so my guess is there will be a new resident at Cookham.

I will miss Adam, he has been a fine keeper and lovely man.

If only someone would look at the way leave agreements for Teddington, eh ? regardless of how you want to interpret them , they do not mean that tenants can live in the houses. In fact, I would argue that the wording of the agreement is actually meant to preclude that happening.

Trouble with the nice idea of renting the cottages to reliefs, is that good old Uncle EA wants market value for them ,,which for the Teddington cottages are £1800 , £1600 and £1600 a month respectively.

Affordable for a minion of the agency ?

 

[Outinthedinghy]

I will miss Adam, he has been a fine keeper and lovely man.

Me too and he told me a couple of days ago he's going at the end of October !!

 

[oldgit]

In my own trade it has become the norm that the most experienced staff we used to work with in the local authority have all quit early because of an ever increasing workload due to staff shortages.
Taking with them a vast knowledge specialist knowledge aquired over the years which enabled them to take decisions and sort problems immediately.
They have been replaced with some young person ,who has probably inherited not only the previous chaps job but a couple of others on the way.

 

[JumbleDuck]

It's to stop the lock being filled with diesel and petrol fumes.

Nobody - just about - turns engines off in Crinan Canal locks and I have never even noticed fumes, let alone been bothered by them.