Teddington Lock ?

normskib

normskib

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Can anyone please tell me why Teddington Lock is Closed for most of the day and only operating at high tide with a permit to pass through ! I have been told by the lock keeper that they will not handle ropes but they will operate the lock gates electronically . The lock keepers office is now completely surrounded by a high wire fence so there is no access to make any enquiry as to when it will be open throughout the day and if you phone Teddington Lock you just get a recorded message stating That’s the lock is closed until further notice and that a permit is required to pass through so my question is when will the Lock be open for general navigation .
 
Only the EA has the answer to your query, give them a call.

Teddington Lock:
Teddington Lock has no public power system. Passage is by appointment only and availability is limited. If you need to pass through Teddington Lock please email us at WaterwaysThames@environment-agency.gov.uk
or telephone 03708 506 506.
Please note: this phone line and email inbox are monitored during normal business hours from Monday to Friday.
They are not monitored at weekends.
 
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With Every other Lock on the River Thames now open including I believe Sunbury why on earth is Teddington gateway to the South still closed!!! I can understand the reluctance of the lock keeper to handle ropes or assisting passage through the lock et cetera but with a minimum assistance operating the electric controls safe passage would be easily obtained please EA Get your finger out .
 
Allington on the Medway has been open since 1st of June..but it is not manned 24 hours. So does not have the staffing requirment of Teddington.
Also Teddington has no staff accomodation on site. .
 
Sorry I don’t understand the reasoning lack of accommodation etc Teddington lock in normal circumflex stances is manned 24 hours a day so presumably there must be a shift system in operation where one lock keeper relieves the other without the requirement for permanent accommodation .
And perhaps given hindsight maybe the EA should not have sold off the two adjoining lock keepers cottages .
 
Teddington Lock is not closed but transit is by arrangement.
This from the EA river conditions website :
“Teddington Lock: Teddington Lock has no public power system.Passage is by appointment only and availability is limited. If you need to pass through Teddington Lock please email us at WaterwaysThames@environment-agency.gov.uk or telephone 03708 506 506.“
Safety arrangements including installation of barrier fencing to protect staff and boaters have now been installed with the intention of reintroducing assisted passage as soon as the necessary measures are in place.
Comments and conjecture are, as is often the case on this forum, just that, ill informed or pure speculation. Have you all read the ybw warning re false newe???
 
Teddytown lock keepers do work shifts, 0600-1400, 1400-2200 & 2200-0600. There is no benefit to having a resident keeper on site given the 24/7 staffing but a lead keeper is a good role as someone has to manage balancing the sales accounts.
 
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Old Crusty said:
Teddytown lock keepers do work shifts, 0600-1400, 1400-2200 & 2200-0600. There is no benefit to having a resident keeper on site given the 24/7 staffing but a lead keeper is a good role as someone has to manage balancing the sales accounts.
Click to expand...
The shifts are 06:00 - 1600 , 12:00 -22:00 & 22:00 -06:00
 
Not specific to Teddington but what makes it safer for the lockkeeper if I and umpteenine other people press the “go” button rather than “only” the lockkeeper pressing it? Logic escapes me.
I briefly passed the back end of Sonning Lock this afternoon and the lockkeeper was having a (?) family tea party in the garden. A few boats were passing through the lock but I assume with no assistance from the lockie.
It does beg the question, “do we need them”? A few days a year in certain places but otherwise ........ probably not?!
sort out the operation of the weirs with a very simple electro hydraulic system that can be overseen from a central operating office. Cc cameras at locks and suitable indemnities for anyone having the temerity to want to traverse a lock in a motor cruiser and “job done”. Lots of space for liveaboards who will no doubt all be contributing to the EA coffers by way of annual licences. Between Sonning Lock and first island there must have been a dozen liveaboards. I don’t really care whether they are licensed or not. Their boats look un maintained, the tents, gazebos, etc on the bankside I am sure enhance the general ambience of the river but look like c**p.
Signed,
Mr Grumpy.
 
My reliable source explained that staff now work 10 hour shifts with double staffing at times to permit breaks, 2 earlies, 2 lates & 2 nights then have 4 days off. Currently, the shift pattern is suspended and the resident keeper does any weir work.

Given the protective fencing that's been installed at all locks, I expect a return to assisted passage soon.
 
Some craft especially sporty boats have a lot of blue canvas held on by zips in varying states of repair. They have no option.
However some rather grand Thames boats appear visually to have several entire marquees on board and resemble a 18th century galleon underway in full gale.
Why Brooms always seem to come to mind escapes me at the moment. ! :)
 
Old Crusty said:
My reliable source explained that staff now work 10 hour shifts with double staffing at times to permit breaks, 2 earlies, 2 lates & 2 nights then have 4 days off. Currently, the shift pattern is suspended and the resident keeper does any weir work.

Given the protective fencing that's been installed at all locks, I expect a return to assisted passage soon.
Click to expand...

Nothing like having reliable source.
 
oldgit said:
Some craft especially sporty boats have a lot of blue canvas held on by zips in varying states of repair. They have no option.
However some rather grand Thames boats appear visually to have several entire marquees on board and resemble a 18th century galleon underway in full gale.
Why Brooms always seem to come to mind escapes me at the moment. ! :)
Click to expand...

That's just an old 'Legacy' from the past.
 
miket said:
Not specific to Teddington but what makes it safer for the lockkeeper if I and umpteenine other people press the “go” button rather than “only” the lockkeeper pressing it? Logic escapes me.
I briefly passed the back end of Sonning Lock this afternoon and the lockkeeper was having a (?) family tea party in the garden. A few boats were passing through the lock but I assume with no assistance from the lockie.
It does beg the question, “do we need them”? A few days a year in certain places but otherwise ........ probably not?!
sort out the operation of the weirs with a very simple electro hydraulic system that can be overseen from a central operating office. Cc cameras at locks and suitable indemnities for anyone having the temerity to want to traverse a lock in a motor cruiser and “job done”. Lots of space for liveaboards who will no doubt all be contributing to the EA coffers by way of annual licences. Between Sonning Lock and first island there must have been a dozen liveaboards. I don’t really care whether they are licensed or not. Their boats look un maintained, the tents, gazebos, etc on the bankside I am sure enhance the general ambience of the river but look like c**p.
Signed,
Mr Grumpy.
Click to expand...

Calm down Mike, you'll have a seizure.

Remember, UK plc is short of infrastructure funds for a couple of reasons and automating weirs hasn't gone well in the experiments to date.

I propose a ten fold increase of the registration fee for motor boaters only to fund your ideas.
 
miket said:
Not specific to Teddington but what makes it safer for the lockkeeper if I and umpteenine other people press the “go” button rather than “only” the lockkeeper pressing it? Logic escapes me.
I briefly passed the back end of Sonning Lock this afternoon and the lockkeeper was having a (?) family tea party in the garden. A few boats were passing through the lock but I assume with no assistance from the lockie.
It does beg the question, “do we need them”? A few days a year in certain places but otherwise ........ probably not?!
sort out the operation of the weirs with a very simple electro hydraulic system that can be overseen from a central operating office. Cc cameras at locks and suitable indemnities for anyone having the temerity to want to traverse a lock in a motor cruiser and “job done”. Lots of space for liveaboards who will no doubt all be contributing to the EA coffers by way of annual licences. Between Sonning Lock and first island there must have been a dozen liveaboards. I don’t really care whether they are licensed or not. Their boats look un maintained, the tents, gazebos, etc on the bankside I am sure enhance the general ambience of the river but look like c**p.
Signed,
Mr Grumpy.
Click to expand...
I went through Sonning this weekend and the keeper did do the lock for me. In fact he was the only keeper on active duty I encountered that day which involved 15 locks.
 
Re Teddington lock just sent an email to the EA enquiring just how much longer we are going to have to wait for Teddington Lock to become operational ? It’s all very well saying that Teddington has no public power but it never has and it’s always been operated by lock keepers 24 hours a day The EA also states that passage is only by appointment and is subject to availability Which might suit some Boaters but certainly not everyone . as My moring is on the tidal Thames I like to use the upper Thames as much as possible and as I have paid over £600 for the privilege it would be nice if the EA stopped hiding behind the self isolating coronavirus excuse as every other lock on the RiverThames is now fully operational what reasoning can there be not to operate Teddington As it is now all fenced off from the public so Boats could easily pass to and throw through the lock with the aid of the lock keeper with no need for him or her to handle ropes or any other contact other than operating the lock gates . Also it will be very interesting to see just how long it takes the EA to respond to my email as they say it could take up to a week because of staff self isolating and coronavirus ?
 
I had a reply within 24hrs from EA about Teddington.

I think they will have to get on with sorting it out as Limehouse is now available during normal hours subject to tide as usual.

ETA you can transit Teddington at certain times around high tide but may not be able to return the same day. So it depends on your attitude to the no overnight stays.

People will start doing what they want soon enough.
 
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