Unexpected Hazards No.2

[Grehan]

 

[byron]

OOOPS !

 

[Alpha22]

I don't think having that long ladder stuck out of the stern helped.....

 

[Grehan]

It happened in Toulouse, on the one of the last locks on the Canal du Midi a couple of years back. The Belgian (I think it was) pair and their small dog emerged relatively unscathed and the boat was on its way again relatively soon afterwards. I know that deep lock quite well and the mooring points (the 'slidey poles') are close to the gates at each end, meaning that one can only attach to one, taking care to 'keep off the ledge'. This is not the only calamity involving lock cills, although it certainly was a spectacular one.

 

[penfold]

I take it the stern/rudder got caught on the ledge those chaps are standing on? Bloody deep lock that.

 

[Grehan]

Correct. It's a relatively modern double height chamber that replaced two older locks. Boats with sticky-out bits like stern drives can also find themselves hung up on lock gate cross-beams too. Always a good idea to keep your back end away from the end of the lock.

 

[byron]

One would assume a marker on the wall showing craft not to moor past a certain point.

 

[dash300]

If this was a manned lock I am surprised the Eclusier did not reverse the procedure before it got to that stage.
We have had jammed ropes on the Midi and the Eclusier with his remote in hand can stop or reverse the process instantly.
I know automation has come to certain areas of the Midi which I fear will lead to these problems and worse but as this is a double lock
I can only assume it was manned.
The situation with the Midi automation is that once you have set the process in motion it carries on to its full completion unlike the
Thames automation which requires the operator to remain at the pod to initiate sluices and then gates.
Even though on the Midi one crew member should remain at the control point in order to hit the emergency stop many are just jumping aboard the boat
as it descends and the gates open automatically. All well and good if nothing goes wrong. If it does and you are descending you are unlikely to be able to get back
up to hit the button.

 

[Grehan]

The series of three locks in central Toulouse are remotely monitored and controlled by an eclusier stationed at one of the three. This is not a completely unusual situation and the Midi is slightly unusual in having eclusiers in attendance at each lock (or most?) but then that's down to traffic numbers and the proportion of novice hire boaters bumping around.
http://www.french-waterways.com/locks.html

 

[dash300]

The series of three locks in central Toulouse are remotely monitored and controlled by an eclusier stationed at one of the three. This is not a completely unusual situation and the Midi is slightly unusual in having eclusiers in attendance at each lock (or most?) but then that's down to traffic numbers and the proportion of novice hire boaters bumping around.
http://www.french-waterways.com/locks.html

Surprised he didn't spot it in time in that case. I know the Castelnaudrey flight of 3 has a conning tower affair giving the eclusier good vision. Not experienced the Toulouse set up.
Nevertheless found all the staff very efficient even the fellow at one of the locks between Carcassonne and Castelnaudrey who appears to control the lock from his bedroom window!!

 

[Grehan]

She . . didn't spot it in time and she's monitoring through CCTV - the locks are a few kilometres apart. She's no novice either, so summat went wrong. Most eclusiers are pretty efficient, for humans.

 

[dash300]

She . . didn't spot it in time and she's monitoring through CCTV - the locks are a few kilometres apart. She's no novice either, so summat went wrong. Most eclusiers are pretty efficient, for humans.

Indeed they are. Sounds like she needs an assistant on the ground with that sort of set up.