Thames Access Restrictions

[Alan de Enfield]

From NBW

 

 

Access to the Thames Mondays and Fridays only

Published: Tuesday, 09 June 2020

THERE is now very limited access for boaters to the Thames at Brentford.

Access from the Grand Union Canal on to the tidal river at Brentford is now limited to the two days of Mondays and Fridays and by booking only, that is limited by the tide, Keith Gudgin reports.

No week-end operation

Also boaters must give a minimum of 72 hours notice, with the restrictions now in operation. There is no possibility of any week-end operation.

The reason given by Canal & River Trust is the reduction in staffing resources in the London & South East region.

It is also stated that it will take some time to get the Thames fully operational, so booking for other passages and services will be required and some sections and structures may be closed for a further period.

[OldGoat]

51 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

From NBW

 

 

Access to the Thames Mondays and Fridays only

Published: Tuesday, 09 June 2020

THERE is now very limited access for boaters to the Thames at Brentford.

Access from the Grand Union Canal on to the tidal river at Brentford is now limited to the two days of Mondays and Fridays and by booking only, that is limited by the tide, Keith Gudgin reports.

No week-end operation

Also boaters must give a minimum of 72 hours notice, with the restrictions now in operation. There is no possibility of any week-end operation.

The reason given by Canal & River Trust is the reduction in staffing resources in the London & South East region.

It is also stated that it will take some time to get the Thames fully operational, so booking for other passages and services will be required and some sections and structures may be closed for a further period.

Not so, ALL Thames locks are workable* - some are still on hand wind, but that's a facility that always applied when the locks were unmanned.

* except for Teddington which - being a port of entry is always operated by staff - but can be opened by arrangement.  

[Alan de Enfield]

2 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

Not so, ALL Thames locks are workable* - some are still on hand wind, but that's a facility that always applied when the locks were unmanned.

* except for Teddington which - being a port of entry is always operated by staff - but can be opened by arrangement.  

 

C&RT say otherwise :

 

However, you can only use the tidal locks at Thames Lock Brentford, Limehouse, Bow and West India Dock Entrance when our team or volunteers are on site. 

 

C&RT Website :

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/london-and-south-east/boating-facilities/locks-to-the-river-thames

 

[john6767]

2 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

C&RT say otherwise :

 

However, you can only use the tidal locks at Thames Lock Brentford, Limehouse, Bow and West India Dock Entrance when our team or volunteers are on site. 

 

C&RT Website :

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/london-and-south-east/boating-facilities/locks-to-the-river-thames

 

I think he was talking about the EA locks on the Thames, not CRT’s Thames Lock at Brentford!

[OldGoat]

1 minute ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

C&RT say otherwise :

 

However, you can only use the tidal locks at Thames Lock Brentford, Limehouse, Bow and West India Dock Entrance when our team or volunteers are on site. 

 

C&RT Website :

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/about-us/where-we-work/london-and-south-east/boating-facilities/locks-to-the-river-thames

 

My bad - or perhaps arrogance, or indeed for brevity - by Thames locks I mean those on the non tidal Thames

 

(OK ?)

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, OldGoat said:

My bad - or perhaps arrogance, or indeed for brevity - by Thames locks I mean those on the non tidal Thames

 

(OK ?)

No problem we all assume that despite what we write that the 'recipient' knows what we mean, it was this bit that confused me :

 

1 hour ago, OldGoat said:

Not so, ALL Thames locks are workable*

 

[PaulJ]

1 hour ago, OldGoat said:

Not so, ALL Thames locks are workable* - some are still on hand wind, but that's a facility that always applied when the locks were unmanned.

* except for Teddington which - being a port of entry is always operated by staff - but can be opened by arrangement.  

I see there is three locks presently on hand winch only. Having never attempted to operate a Thames lock by hand before-how hard is it actually to do?

Im guessing as Abingdon is a big lock it is alot of winding? ?

[OldGoat]

10 minutes ago, PaulJ said:

I see there is three locks presently on hand winch only. Having never attempted to operate a Thames lock by hand before-how hard is it actually to do?

Im guessing as Abingdon is a big lock it is alot of winding? ?

The short answer is - hand winding is easy, just select the operation (sluices = paddles or open/ close gates) and turn the large wheel lot of times... A bit tedious but doesn't require much physical strength.

It's the way 'we' (as long standing Thames boaters) used to have to work the locks when there was no lockie on duty.  Then somebody in EA decided that the power could be lrft on 24/7.

 

Abingdon is a small lock by Thames standards. It's not ver deep or wide. The next one upstream - Sandford is wide and deep. For operation there's no difference - except for the time it takes to wind the sluices and gates.

 

Therefore panic - not!

[PaulJ]

9 minutes ago, OldGoat said:

The short answer is - hand winding is easy, just select the operation (sluices = paddles or open/ close gates) and turn the large wheel lot of times... A bit tedious but doesn't require much physical strength.

It's the way 'we' (as long standing Thames boaters) used to have to work the locks when there was no lockie on duty.  Then somebody in EA decided that the power could be lrft on 24/7.

 

Abingdon is a small lock by Thames standards. It's not ver deep or wide. The next one upstream - Sandford is wide and deep. For operation there's no difference - except for the time it takes to wind the sluices and gates.

 

Therefore panic - not!

My memory is rubbish. It was Sandford I was thinking of-big one with the pub next to it.

Be a shame not to try a few then having waited since last year for Thames to be usable again ?

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by PaulJ

[OldGoat]

29 minutes ago, PaulJ said:

My memory is rubbish. It was Sandford I was thinking of-big one with the pub next to it.

Be a shame not to try a few then having waited since last year for Thames to be usable again ?

 

Worth remembering - If the lock is on public power (green light on the control panel) Do NOT HOLD the sluices button - just press it 'momentarily'. If you hold it the system will lock up and nobody's going anywhere.

Contrarywise you do hold the gates buton.. There are instructions (which nobody reads) on the pedestals - unless some vandal has torn them off - heavens knows why....

[Scholar Gypsy]

More on this earlier thread:  

 

[Mike Todd]

5 hours ago, john6767 said:

I think he was talking about the EA locks on the Thames, not CRT’s Thames Lock at Brentford!

I thought that. despite the name, that lock was not actually on the Thames, rather the Brent.

[Tim Lewis]

Deleted

 

 

 

Edited June 10, 2020 by Tim Lewis
Change

[David Mack]

7 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

The reason given by Canal & River Trust is the reduction in staffing resources in the London & South East region.

It is also stated that it will take some time to get the Thames fully operational, so booking for other passages and services will be required and some sections and structures may be closed for a further period.

 

As if getting facilities on the Thames operational is anything to do with CRT!

[Scholar Gypsy]

4 hours ago, David Mack said:

 

As if getting facilities on the Thames operational is anything to do with CRT!

To be fair to NBW, the "article" doesn't say that it is.... 

[David Mack]

56 minutes ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

To be fair to NBW, the "article" doesn't say that it is.... 

Well it's directly below the line on reasons given by CRT, so it reads that way to me!

[Scholar Gypsy]

7 hours ago, David Mack said:

Well it's directly below the line on reasons given by CRT, so it reads that way to me!

I certainly agree it's not very well written. I also know CRT are quite concerned about boats setting off from Teddington without a booking at Brentford ... 

Meanwhile, a recent photo from Barking

,,,

[magnetman]

19 hours ago, OldGoat said:

Worth remembering - If the lock is on public power (green light on the control panel) Do NOT HOLD the sluices button - just press it 'momentarily'. If you hold it the system will lock up and nobody's going anywhere.

Contrarywise you do hold the gates buton.. There are instructions (which nobody reads) on the pedestals - unless some vandal has torn them off - heavens knows why....

Unfortunately one or two of the public power systems are a bit "lazy" at the moment so may not engage with a single short press. 

 

Sandford when I came down last weekend had lazy lower end hydraulics which took more than just a single press to wake up. The gates took about 15 seconds before the motor kicked in... 

 

There was another one but it's quite a lot of locks so not sure which one it was. 

 

On a trip from Abingdon down to Maidenhead I encountered at least 3 hand wind locks which were Abingdon, Benson and Marsh. There might have been another one I can't quite remember. 

 

Not too heavy but they do vary. Benson was quite tiring. 

 

Trick is to just open the sluices half way, save all the winding and just take longer to descend. 

 

Doing the Maidenhead to Teddington run on Saturday and I think it's all on power down that way but not sure. 

 

[OldGoat]

Thanks for the above actual experience!

EA in their usual 'governmental' fashion  today list -

http://riverconditions.environment-agency.gov.uk/

only Osney, Abingdon and Marsh are reported as being on hand wind. I get criticised elsewhere when I make supposition as to what's causing the problems. I suppose that doesn't matter in the long view - as to the why's and wherefores.

 

It's the length of the key press that causes the system to lock up, thus if you press the button 'momentarily' and slichtly later do it again the system may not lock up. I've seen local boaters hold the damn thing (as you would with the gates) then the system regards that as a fault and shuts down.

I couldn't find anyone at EA who could explain why...

 

[PaulJ]

4 hours ago, magnetman said:

Doing the Maidenhead to Teddington run on Saturday and I think it's all on power down that way but not sure. 

 

You may have a slight problem or is this not happening ?

 

"This closure is in place to allow for unforeseen delays for the M4 motorway development. If required the River Thames in Boveney reach will be closed to all traffic between Bray Lock and Monkey Island on Saturday 13 June and Sunday 14 June 2020."

[magnetman]

Thanks for that. I missed that for some reason. Fortunately I can do Friday evening so can get past it before the weekend. 

 

I'm glad you posted that as it makes a slight difference to the plan cheers for that. 

[PaulJ]

3 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Thanks for that. I missed that for some reason. Fortunately I can do Friday evening so can get past it before the weekend. 

 

I'm glad you posted that as it makes a slight difference to the plan cheers for that. 

Welcome. My first plan was to pass through there sometime Sunday afternoon going the opposite way.My next plan is just keeping my fingers crossed they finish early on Sunday morning  ?

[OldGoat]

2 hours ago, PaulJ said:

Welcome. My first plan was to pass through there sometime Sunday afternoon going the opposite way.My next plan is just keeping my fingers crossed they finish early on Sunday morning  ?

FWIW - there were two sets of dates and this weekend's date was a 'reserve' in case the works overran - well that's my reading. It's daylight hours only 'cos the crane driver can't see in the dark...

 

Update 11/06  17:28

I found an update on EA Thames Facebook page which stated that the closure for M4 daft motorways work was completed in the previous weekend closure and this weekend's closure had been canclled..

Edited June 11, 2020 by OldGoat
Update

[magnetman]

4 hours ago, PaulJ said:

Welcome. My first plan was to pass through there sometime Sunday afternoon going the opposite way.My next plan is just keeping my fingers crossed they finish early on Sunday morning  ?

I came down past the M4 bridge earlier this afternoon. Just In case. I was also told it had been done and I did notice the new bridge deck was in place so as @oldgoat mentioned above it looks like we are good to go this weekend

 

which is nice 

Edited June 11, 2020 by magnetman

[PaulJ]

Thanks Oldgoat and magnetman. 

You cant beat local knowledge ?

Edited June 11, 2020 by PaulJ