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First volockie irritation of the year.


nicknorman

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Just now, alan_fincher said:

Mechanisedd locks on the Calder and Hebble?

Don't recall any.

Are you perhaps confusing with Aire and Calder?

Possibly, but not the main bit. When does the C&H become the A&C? I was thinking it was at Castleford Jn but now I come to think of it, it’s probably at Wakefield. Lock in question was between Castleford Jn and Wakefield.

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8 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

Mechanised locks on the Calder and Hebble?

Don't recall any.

Are you perhaps confusing with Aire and Calder?

There's at least one hydraulic guillotine lock at Salterhebble bottom.

 

7 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

Possibly, but not the main bit. When does the C&H become the A&C? I was thinking it was at Castleford Jn but now I come to think of it, it’s probably at Wakefield. Lock in question was between Castleford Jn and Wakefield.

C&H starts at Wakefield, at Fall Ings junction.  Wakefield to Castleford is the A&C Wakefield section.

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2 hours ago, Midnight said:

Those who prefer to do their own locks should consider moving to the Calder Navigation I've never seen one - fortunately.

We'll be there in a couple of days. Currently enjoying the sun by the old Fleet Oil Terminal.

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24 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

There's at least one hydraulic guillotine lock at Salterhebble bottom.

 

C&H starts at Wakefield, at Fall Ings junction.  Wakefield to Castleford is the A&C Wakefield section.

Midnight said “Calder navigation” so now I’m not sure whether that is the A&C, the C&H or something else. Not that it matters!

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5 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Does that work on wide locks?

Yes,  When lock is ready the boat pushes the gates open (gently).  Sue was ready at the paddles - she never found one that she couldn't open.   So, there was one of us on the paddles and one on the boat - just in case something went wrong.  Going down, again always in ahead gear to keep off the cill.  Just make sure that you don't fall off into the blades.

5 hours ago, nicknorman said:

 

 

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39 minutes ago, rgreg said:

There is on the Ribble Link 

Not when we came over, just the two CRT guys who worked the staircase, and of course the sea lock.  We did the others ourself.  No volunteers on the Glasson branch either.

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47 minutes ago, john6767 said:

Not when we came over, just the two CRT guys who worked the staircase, and of course the sea lock.  We did the others ourself.  No volunteers on the Glasson branch either.

The Link Vollies are not on every passage but they do exist ( I've seen a couple). 

1 hour ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

There is on the K&A too....

 

 

Is that part of the Lancaster?

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7 hours ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

There does seem to be a theme emerging.

 

The occasional and low usage boaters see them as helping and love having them around.


Those who boat more seriously/continually seem to find a few of them interfering and difficult and are growing to resent all of them

 

 

Not sure which category you have me in? Don’t think c500+ hours a year counts as occasional or low usage.

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3 hours ago, Chris Williams said:

Yes,  When lock is ready the boat pushes the gates open (gently).  Sue was ready at the paddles - she never found one that she couldn't open.   So, there was one of us on the paddles and one on the boat - just in case something went wrong.  Going down, again always in ahead gear to keep off the cill.  Just make sure that you don't fall off into the blades.

 

Oh I see. I thought you meant up against the gates in gear with no-one on board. Which can work on a narrow lock, but I think you’d risk losing the boat on a wide lock.

 

Only problem these days is that some full locks put a cascade of water down the leaks, and a leisure boat waiting as you describe could get a cabin full of water.

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Made a particular effort to notice on the Liverpool canal link yesterday one CRT one vollie both decent chaps. Happy to work with the crew of the boats in locks. 

 

Its an interesting thread I like working locks but am happy to take help from crt, vollies, other crews but only with safe working and mutual respect. Sometimes that means adapting to those who want to be a bit slower opening paddles etc ( usually very shiny/new boats)! And curbing the enthusiasm of others on occasion....

 

Not had the issues with surly / self important vollies yet but would hope I wouldn’t stand for any nonsense even if that meant switching off my engine and tying the boat in the lock until they buggered off or started listening. Mind you they would have to be thick skinned to stand a tongue lashing from her indoors or withstand the glare that curdles milk at a 100 yd’s....

 

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2 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Oh I see. I thought you meant up against the gates in gear with no-one on board. Which can work on a narrow lock, but I think you’d risk losing the boat on a wide lock.

 

Only problem these days is that some full locks put a cascade of water down the leaks, and a leisure boat waiting as you describe could get a cabin full of water.

If there is no-one on board (single handing maybe) then you do use the ropes.  A bow line through some part of the gate so you can keep the boat forward.

As for boats with no front deck, they are putting comfort or whatever, before safety.  Personally I wouldn't have one.  Accident waiting to happen.

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6 minutes ago, mayalld said:

 

We are told that they are trained to offer help, yet repeatedly they impoise their assistance without asking. They are there for a day out because they enjoy operating locks. CRT clearly understand that there is a small army of people out there wanting to volunteer because they enjoy operating locks. Why can they not understand that a lot of boaters enjoy it too,

 

Why can they not understand that for many boaters, introducing an additional body into the operation who isn't a part of the boat crew has one main effect; It means that the steerer doesn't know how the lock will be operated as he would with his own crew, and that passage through the lock now becomes more stressful because of having to watch a volunteer like a hawk rather than rely upon the symbiosis with his own crew who he KNOWS will do it right. Not really very good for a charity that is now all about welbeing.

 

Exactly my perception too, but you express it far better than me.

 

 

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On 23/08/2019 at 15:05, NB Caelmiri said:

I can understand volockies being in charge on specific locks, such as Tuel Lane Lock at Sowerby Bridge 

 

Like the ones who fully opened both top paddles when one bottom paddle was still open when we came up a few weeks ago...

I can't really see why Tuel Lane has to be operated by staff/volies. Bath Deep Lock is almost as deep and has always been boater operated.

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18 hours ago, nicknorman said:

Midnight said “Calder navigation” so now I’m not sure whether that is the A&C, the C&H or something else. Not that it matters!

Locally it' known as the 'Calder Navigation' hence the CNS 'Calder Navigation Society' (http://www.calderns.org.uk/

The electric locks on Aire & Calder have recently had the gate walkways renewed by some 'real' lockies (not contractors so it's possible they were there and did the key stuff for you as they did for me a few weeks ago. Never seen any vollies there but who knows I may need to get a tin of anti-vollie spray next time I go that way.

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19 minutes ago, Midnight said:

Locally it' known as the 'Calder Navigation' hence the CNS 'Calder Navigation Society' (http://www.calderns.org.uk/

The electric locks on Aire & Calder have recently had the gate walkways renewed by some 'real' lockies (not contractors so it's possible they were there and did the key stuff for you as they did for me a few weeks ago. Never seen any vollies there but who knows I may need to get a tin of anti-vollie spray next time I go that way.

No they were definitely volunteers. Every Wednesday only, apparently. King’s road lock.

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While the top end of the C&H has everything spruced up and tidy, the number of broken paddles along broad cut is atrocious, the working ones could be eased with a bit of grease. So why put Volockies on a push button lock where they aren't needed when there is other maintenance to do? 

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9 minutes ago, Jim Riley said:

While the top end of the C&H has everything spruced up and tidy, the number of broken paddles along broad cut is atrocious, the working ones could be eased with a bit of grease. So why put Volockies on a push button lock where they aren't needed when there is other maintenance to do? 

Because volunteers don't want to do things that might be useful. They want to play with locks.

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16 minutes ago, Jim Riley said:

While the top end of the C&H has everything spruced up and tidy, the number of broken paddles along broad cut is atrocious, the working ones could be eased with a bit of grease. So why put Volockies on a push button lock where they aren't needed when there is other maintenance to do? 

Well to be fair I think they can expect very few boats through in your average day, and they were fully equipped with various things to carry out maintenance at that lock. Admittedly mostly cosmetic.

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14 minutes ago, mayalld said:

Because volunteers don't want to do things that might be useful. They want to play with locks.

 

Or more accurately, they want to play with the locks without the expense and inconvenience of getting a boat. 

 

 

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