Barge
Active member
Whitchurch Lock is out of action to all traffic.
Broken Collar.
Broken Collar.
Whitchurch Lock - Out of operation
- Thread starter Barge
- Start date
Outinthedinghy
Well-known member
I wonder if their winch point is ok. Apparently the one at Boveney was out of date on its test certificate.
Fingers crossed.
Otherwise it would probably have to be a road delivery of a floating crane which is expensive and not quick.
Fingers crossed.
Otherwise it would probably have to be a road delivery of a floating crane which is expensive and not quick.
Outinthedinghy
Well-known member
Actually just passed a RiverWorks crane barge in Boulters lock.
I did ask if they going to Whitchurch they said "at some point" in the sense of going up River but I suppose they might be able to do it.
It did look like quite a big unit so might be ok but those gates are not light.
Probably depends if it's a top or bottom gate.
I did ask if they going to Whitchurch they said "at some point" in the sense of going up River but I suppose they might be able to do it.
It did look like quite a big unit so might be ok but those gates are not light.
Probably depends if it's a top or bottom gate.
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Outinthedinghy
Well-known member
Not a Facebook user myself but the EA do post notices there .
This is a Slightly badly written notice. It's Whitchurch lock not Culham lock but apparently due to be sorted tomorrow Tuesday lunchtime. A long time to do a collar strap. Again.
Not a moan about the EA the River has been lovely this summer very few issues. Collar straps taking until the next day to fix is a little worrying though.
This is a Slightly badly written notice. It's Whitchurch lock not Culham lock but apparently due to be sorted tomorrow Tuesday lunchtime. A long time to do a collar strap. Again.
Not a moan about the EA the River has been lovely this summer very few issues. Collar straps taking until the next day to fix is a little worrying though.
Scapegoat
Active member
Just saw this comment on their FB page posting. It seems that regular (required) testing has not been undertaken so what would have been a straightforward repair is now taking an excessive amount of time.
“Just talked to the lockkeeper, who has shown me the parts and the tools to complete the job and is pretty frustrated. No work can happen until the lifting ring has been inspected, so a job that could safely be done in a few hours will now take days. It doesn't look like anyone is working hard to resolve the issue. Meanwhile, my £1000 river license is pretty useless, and my weeks well earned holiday on the river is going nowhere. My previous comment was deleted, presumably by people working hard to make sure that no-one knows the scale of ineptitude here. I dare someone from the EA to respond here.”
“Just talked to the lockkeeper, who has shown me the parts and the tools to complete the job and is pretty frustrated. No work can happen until the lifting ring has been inspected, so a job that could safely be done in a few hours will now take days. It doesn't look like anyone is working hard to resolve the issue. Meanwhile, my £1000 river license is pretty useless, and my weeks well earned holiday on the river is going nowhere. My previous comment was deleted, presumably by people working hard to make sure that no-one knows the scale of ineptitude here. I dare someone from the EA to respond here.”
ianc1200
Well-known member
Amazed John Redmond is posting on there! Must be quite a few years since he was in overall charge of the river (with Robin Newlands under him).
Mushroom2
Member
Further to the above, evidently the EA had a recent elfnsafety issue and has forbidden their own people to fix the probelm. The outside contractor wont do the lift untill the lifting point has been stress tested. The EA can't find someone to do the test.
You couldn't make it up!
elfnsafety strikes again.
You couldn't make it up!
elfnsafety strikes again.
Scapegoat
Active member
Seems that for whatever reason(s) the current EA set up cannot be trusted to properly manage the Thames Navigation.
Does anyone in the know have any idea how to escalate this to someone who can institute a thorough review?
Does anyone in the know have any idea how to escalate this to someone who can institute a thorough review?
Old Crusty
Well-known member
The frustration with the current crop of underperforming managers is boiling over amongst many retired EA staff.
Old Crusty
Well-known member
The issues raised have been escalated to the CEO.
Old Crusty
Well-known member
The h&s matter was the fatality at Shepperton. Since then, use of all tools has been banned, including hand tools. The EA fitters are at home awaiting training on how to use a screwdriver while the lock staff await training to use a lawn mower, in the case of some, the mowers they've been walking behind for 20+ years.
Pump-Out
Active member
What happened at Shepperton, please?
Without disclosing stuff you should not, of course.
Portland Billy
Active member
Many of the lock keepers have in previous lives worked in positions with skills far in advance of any EA training.
Someone somewhere in the so called management needs to ' get real, '
Someone somewhere in the so called management needs to ' get real, '
Outinthedinghy
Well-known member
No road access to Whitchurch lock.
I wonder if that RiverWorks crane barge will come to the rescue.
I remember being at Cookham about 25 years ago when the collar strap cracked. They do this now and then it's not a rocket science situation. Basic maintenance part.
Bloke came in a van with a chain hoist hauled the gate into position put new collar strap on job done.
Its interesting to see the comparisons with the canals. Kennet and Avon there is a broken lock and CRT don't have any hardware so they have to get a road delivered floating crane in at vast expense to sort a rather basic problem.
Jobs for the boys I guess.
I wonder if that RiverWorks crane barge will come to the rescue.
I remember being at Cookham about 25 years ago when the collar strap cracked. They do this now and then it's not a rocket science situation. Basic maintenance part.
Bloke came in a van with a chain hoist hauled the gate into position put new collar strap on job done.
Its interesting to see the comparisons with the canals. Kennet and Avon there is a broken lock and CRT don't have any hardware so they have to get a road delivered floating crane in at vast expense to sort a rather basic problem.
Jobs for the boys I guess.
ianc1200
Well-known member
Andy, exactly what happened to us at Caversham about 5 years ago. But that man in the van was working at Sonning, and it took the useless EA managers about 4 hours to tell him to drive the 4 - 5 miles to Caversham. Then somebody had to drive to get the chain and tackle, another few hours. Reported broke at 9.30am, fixed at 3.30 pm, about a hundred craft waiying eventually when any half competent management would have had done in 2 hours.
Outinthedinghy
Well-known member
Is it fixed yet?
Parabordi
Active member
Apparently engineers due at 0800
Pump-Out
Active member
If they use the fixing point to lift the gate - then it will have been tested!
boatone
Well-known member
Informed by EA this morning that safety testing was completed late yesterday and contractors expected on site about now to effect repairs.
TrueBlue
Well-known member
Years ago there was a maintenance schedule managed (I assume, by one P.Power - sic) and the works were made very public -
above is a photo of two gates awaiting installation.
Since P.P. retired there's been nothing publicised (afaik) - thus I assume the routine replacement of equipment has bee abandoned?
above is a photo of two gates awaiting installation.
Since P.P. retired there's been nothing publicised (afaik) - thus I assume the routine replacement of equipment has bee abandoned?
