Nicholson Updates

[Golden Duck]

Last Sunday, I had arranged to meet my friends on NB Pandora at the Wendover Arm.

its no problem they said, we are moored near Bridge No.3.

Looking at my trusty Nicholson No.1 (London, Grand Union, Oxford & Lee), I see only one bridge over the arm. I drive over to the GU, park my car near said bridge and walk on to the span, looking up and down the cut - no Pandora.

I telephone.

Yes, we are right by the bridge, they say. I ask a few more questions and it becomes apparent, we are talking about different bridges. I walked towards them and sure enough, within 5-10 mins found them walking towards me.

 

What are you talking about, says I, you're not on the bridge at all. Yes we are, says they, pointing to a nice new looking brick bridge with no.3 on it (spy pandora sitting smugly in the background !).

 

Anyway, it transpires that my Nicholsons is totally out of date and their new edition has lots of extra Wendover Arm in it (including said bridge and a winding hole).

 

Obviously, I need a new one and have bought same.

 

However, it got me thinking (a rare occurence indeed).

 

I know that Nicholsons want to sell new books, but it would be a good idea if they sold a corrections/update service. I believe there is an unofficial corrections website, but it doesn't seem to be maintained regularly and the one time I submitted a correction, it tooks months to appear.

 

It would be quite useful, if people could manually mark up corrections in their book from such a maintained website. After a while, their books would get tatty and they would buy a new one anyway.

It might even be a business proposition to charge a carefully chosen update subscription fee ???

 

If a new book is about £10, then I would pay £2/year to get access to a reliable updates service.

 

Failing that, what about starting our own corrections listing on here ?

Could it be incorporated into the forum ?

[NB Willawaw]

The British Admiralty/UK Hydrographic Office produce paper charts of our coastline and sell them to both commercial and leisure users for navigation purposes. They get out of date pretty quickly and so they publish a list of corrections on a weekly basis. The corrections are actually free. Every now and again, they will issue an updated chart which takes into account all these accumulated corrections.

 

Although the scale is slightly different (inaccuracy with navigation chart = wreck; inaccuracy with Nicholsons = closed pub or having to go a few more miles for a water point), the requirement is similar.

 

When I have a need, I buy a chart for the Severn Estuary and the Thames Estuary. I will then update it using the corrections prior to travelling on those pieces of water.

 

I think something similar with a Nicholsons might work, but I can't see Nicholsons being interested.

There is not enough revenue in it for them.

 

How about this for a far sighted dream - people on CWF volunteer to act as a lengthsperson for their home stretch of water in the inland network. A website is drawn up and each lengthsperson enters updates on their section. CWF members wishing to use the service contribute £2 per year and get a password allowing them to use the scheme. The fund is then used to offset the costs of hosting etc.

Effectively a self managed, cooperative scheme.

 

I wonder how much of the network we could cover using members ???

 

Sounds like a great project for a retired person with an interest in waterways.

 

Ships still pay light dues which are used to fund buoys and lighthouses around our coast.

I see it as something similar even though the consequences of the Red Lion not serving bar meals on a Sunday night aren't quite so serious as a buoy being removed through lack of funding.

 

 

Failing that and if the above scheme is too grandiose, how about a CWF members commitment to all contribute to the existing update site which is:

 

http://www.waterwaysguides.co.uk/updates/

 

I just looked at the section for the GU and the last update was October 2005.

Does anybody know who runs it ?

Edited August 25, 2006 by NB Willawaw

[NB Willawaw]

Slight post script to my last post.

I understand site is administered by Greg Chapman.

Site was conceived in 1998 on a canal related newsgroup but appears to have developed very grandly covering a wide range of publications and editions - must be a nightmare to manage.

 

What about a cut down version just covering Nicholsons and only relating to the last published edition ?

Greg has tried to update all editions, which also must complicate the job greatly.

[Howard]

The current Nicholsons and The River Thames Book (which is written by an ex Thames lock-keeper) still inform people that our lights at the end of the lock island that we use to direct traffic on busy days are red crosses and white arrows .....

 

These were changed about 6-8 years ago to just normal traffic lights red or green for each lock, some people still get caught out or confused as they are looking for the crosses or arrows ....

Edited August 25, 2006 by Howard

[NB Willawaw]

Howard,

 

Have you tried submitting an update to the http://www.waterwaysguides.co.uk/updates/index.htm site ?

 

Mark

 

The current Nicholsons and The River Thames Book (which is written by an ex Thames lock-keeper) still inform people that our lights at the end of the lock island that we use to direct traffic on busy days are red crosses and white arrows .....

 

These were changed about 6-8 years ago to just normal traffic lights red or green for each lock, some people still get caught out or confused as they are looking for the crosses or arrows ....

[Howard]

Hmmmm....

 

Seems to be an awful lot of spam updates on that site ....

 

http://www.waterwaysguides.co.uk/submissionlist.htm

Edited August 25, 2006 by Howard

[NB Willawaw]

I thought they did a sanity check on the update before letting it go through to the site.

Perhaps it proved too much workload ??

 

Mark

 

Hmmmm....

 

Seems to be an awful lot of spam updates on that site ....

 

http://www.waterwaysguides.co.uk/submissionlist.htm

[Golden Duck]

Heres a correction to the publication:

 

Nicholsons Waterways Guide No.1 2006 edition Pg 110

 

The Old English Gentleman Pub at Waltham Town Lock is now closed and derelict.

 

Please amend your copies..

Edited August 30, 2006 by Golden Duck

[Crazy Scheme]

To add to that - on the River lee - Enfield Lock - Rifles; Stonebridge Lock: The Waters Edge; Tottenham Lock - The Narrowboat are all now closed. <weeps>

 

No wonder the new guide is thinner than the old one!

[John Orentas]

I have merged the similar topic (Golden Duck) with this one.

[Golden Duck]

Thanks to Crazy Scheme, heres another correction to the publication:

 

Nicholsons Waterways Guide No.1 2006 edition Pg 106

 

The Narrowboat Pub between Tottenham Lock and the rail bridge is now closed.

 

Nicholsons Waterways Guide No.1 2006 edition Pg 109

 

The pub indicated by the pub symbol shown at Enfield Lock is now closed.

 

 

Please amend your copies..

Edited August 30, 2006 by Golden Duck

[Golden Duck]

Another correction to the publication:

 

Nicholsons Waterways Guide No.1 2006 edition Pg 120

 

There is a riverside pump out facility (BW Card) and water tap (water point mooring) between the Moorhen Pub and entrance to the marina basin. These facilities are outside of the marina compound.

 

Please amend your copies..

 

 

 

A rather pretty wrought iron gate at the Public Moorings opposite the Moorhen Pub

Edited August 30, 2006 by Golden Duck

[Golden Duck]

Another correction to the publication:

 

Nicholsons Waterways Guide No.1 2006 edition Pg 112

 

The water tap shown near Carthagena Lock is actually in the lock chamber and not very practical to use.

 

Please amend your copies..

Edited August 30, 2006 by Golden Duck

[Golden Duck]

Another correction to the publication:

 

Nicholsons Waterways Guide No.1 2006 edition Pg 112

 

The water tap shown in the inset just below Crown Bridge in Broxbourne does not exist.

Please delete the water tap icon. Water is available at the Lee Valley Boat Centre at the discretion of the boatyard management and there may be a charge.

 

Please amend your copies..

 

 

 

 

Another correction to the publication:

 

Nicholsons Waterways Guide No.1 2006 edition Pg 120

 

The water tap shown at Harlow Lock is located on the towpath between the top lock gate and the road bridge.

 

 

There is a restaurant just on the upstream side of the road bridge.

 

 

http://www.coho.co.uk/coho.html

 

 

Another correction to the publication:

 

Nicholsons Waterways Guide No.1 2006 edition Pg 117

 

The sanitary station shown at Stanstead Lock (No.4) is a water tap above the lock on the towpath.

 

 

The same lock has a swing bridge over the chamber which usually needs to be swung so that the lock may be used.

 

Edited August 30, 2006 by Golden Duck

[NB Willawaw]

If I recall correctly, Stanstead Lock is quite ferocious and has only gate paddles.

I once saw a boat taken unawares by the force of the water and they ended up diagonal across the lock, against the walls and with their potted plants all over their roof !

Edited August 30, 2006 by NB Willawaw

[rallyfan]

The correct proceedure for ascending Stanstead Lock is as follows:

 

1. Move the bridge clear of the lock.

 

2. Keep your boat as far back as possible.

 

3. Secure your boat with a FRONT rope (don't just use a centre one!!).

 

4. Open the paddle on the side that you are tied, about halfway. Your boat will go backwards, but then be drawn forward.

 

5. When your front line goes tight, you can then open the paddle fully.

 

6. When the lock is half full you can open the other paddle.

 

Trust me, I live there!!!

[NB Willawaw]

There is a sunken narrowboat at Waltham Abbey Town Lock. Looks like a result of fire and the locks been cordoned off by the Fire Brigade, so its a temporary stoppage.

 

Edited January 27, 2007 by NB Willawaw