River Trent tidal locks reduced service

[Momac]

The tidal  locks on the River Trent have in theory always required booking 24hrs in advance. However this has been quite relaxed and in practice not required at all at Torksey and Cromwell in recent years.

On passing through Cromwell today the full time lock keeper advised the locks will not be manned if no boats are expected. You can of course just turn up........but don't be surprised if no lock keeper is on duty. If the pre booked boats had passed through the lock keeper may , and probably will, go off  duty.

 

In addition the lock keeping hours are 8am to 4pm at present and this is regardless of tide times .  reduced service 

 

The non tidal lock keepers are finishing at 3pm while 5pm is usual in the summer. No booking required for non tidal locks  but even so the early finish may catch out some people.

 

 I am sure this is only one aspect of the ways C&RT are not making any friends among boat owners by reducing the  service offered  while charging license holders ever increasing fees. It does  seem C&RT would prefer if there were no boats . 

 

.

[Guest]

23 minutes ago, MartynG said:

The tidal  locks on the River Trent have in theory always required booking 24hrs in advance. However this has been quite relaxed and in practice not required at all at Torksey and Cromwell in recent years.

On passing through Cromwell today the full time lock keeper advised the locks will not be manned if no boats are expected. You can of course just turn up........but don't be surprised if no lock keeper is on duty. If the pre booked boats had passed through the lock keeper may , and probably will, go off  duty.

 

In addition the lock keeping hours are 8am to 4pm at present and this is regardless of tide times .  reduced service 

 

The non tidal lock keepers are finishing at 3pm while 5pm is usual in the summer. No booking required for non tidal locks  but even so the early finish may catch out some people.

 

 I am sure this is only one aspect of the ways C&RT are not making any friends among boat owners by reducing the  service offered  while charging license holders ever increasing fees. It does  seem C&RT would prefer if there were no boats . 

 

.

Im not sure why arriving outside of 'on duty' times at the none tidal locks is an issue (for a boat with crew) though.

 

Unless they are locking them off? but they are a breeze to self operate.

 

Of course I agree though, not so easy if single handing

 

 

[pearley]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Im not sure why arriving outside of 'on duty' times at the none tidal locks is an issue (for a boat with crew) though.

 

Unless they are locking them off? but they are a breeze to self operate.

 

Of course I agree though, not so easy if single handing

 

 

It's not the DIY, it's getting someone off and back on again.

[Guest]

30 minutes ago, pearley said:

It's not the DIY, it's getting someone off and back on again.

In what sense? Ive never had a problem, well we once did when it was incredibly windy but that was our fault for moving when it would have been better to stay moored up.

 

Edit to add. I agree it is sometimes a bit of a treck between where you can drop off/pick up crew and the lock operation pedestal eg Holme Lock, but I dont think there is anything too onerous.

Edited July 19, 2020 by The Happy Nomad

[Momac]

1 hour ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Im not sure why arriving outside of 'on duty' times at the none tidal locks is an issue (for a boat with crew) though.

 

Unless they are locking them off? but they are a breeze to self operate.

 

Of course I agree though, not so easy if single handing

 

 

I mention the non tidal hours to advise people who may turn up and expect a lock keeper to be on duty until 5pm.

The locks are easy to operate but some locally based people haven't done so despite years of boating experience. Lets not forget also some people have better mobility than others . 

 

My main complaint is the reduced service for extra fee . 

 

 

 

[Naughty Cal]

If that's all you have to complain about you ain't doing bad!

[PD1964]

3 hours ago, MartynG said:

 

My main complaint is the reduced service for extra fee . 

 

 

 

 

License increase is that it. Is this the hidden agenda about your moan?

I’ve never had a problem with doing any of the locks out of hours.

Or do you think it’s below you to get off your boat and do a lock?

I take it you have a large GRP?

Edited July 19, 2020 by PD1964

[Cinimod]

I am currently at Whitely Lock, looking to make my way to Keadby and then up the Trent on my way to Oxford.

I am guessing I need to do Keadby to Torksey, stop there for the next tide, then up to Cromwell?

Do you need to book moorings at Torksey?

 

Any advice - is greatly appreciated. 

 

Thanks

[noddyboater]

You can do Keadby to Cromwell in one go but unless it's a really big tide you'll be going against the flow for the last 2 hours or so. 

You don't have to book the moorings at Torksey as the pontoon is in the approach channel below the lock, there's usually plenty of room and it's wide enough to turn. 

You could go a bit further and break the journey at Dunham pontoon which is a pleasant spot and rarely busy. 

[Scholar Gypsy]

1 hour ago, noddyboater said:

You can do Keadby to Cromwell in one go but unless it's a really big tide you'll be going against the flow for the last 2 hours or so. 

You don't have to book the moorings at Torksey as the pontoon is in the approach channel below the lock, there's usually plenty of room and it's wide enough to turn. 

You could go a bit further and break the journey at Dunham pontoon which is a pleasant spot and rarely busy. 

And (just to be 100% clear) you can of course stay on the pontoons outside Torksey to wait for the next tide - ie no need to go through the lock. 

 

You might find this chart helpful in planning your trip.  (Waterways World I think in the 1970s).

 

Edited July 20, 2020 by Scholar Gypsy
pedantry

[Naughty Cal]

7 hours ago, Cinimod said:

I am currently at Whitely Lock, looking to make my way to Keadby and then up the Trent on my way to Oxford.

I am guessing I need to do Keadby to Torksey, stop there for the next tide, then up to Cromwell?

Do you need to book moorings at Torksey?

 

Any advice - is greatly appreciated. 

 

Thanks

No need to book moorings at Torksey. There is a large pontoon in the lock cut.

 

It was very busy on the cut moorings this weekend with lots of boats rafted up. But there is always something to raft up too if not moorings are free.

 

If you do break the trip at Torksey The White Swan is open and does excellent pub grub.

 

The other option is breaking the trip at Dunham Bridge where there is another pontoon mooring. It is a short walk into the village there and there is another pub, The White Swan and a very good Indian restaraunt.

[pearley]

12 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

In what sense? Ive never had a problem, well we once did when it was incredibly windy but that was our fault for moving when it would have been better to stay moored up.

 

Edit to add. I agree it is sometimes a bit of a treck between where you can drop off/pick up crew and the lock operation pedestal eg Holme Lock, but I dont think there is anything too onerous.

Gunthorpe downstream is bad. I know there is a pontoon but the slightest stream pushes the boat away. Getting up a ladder when one of you had arthritic knees and the other had pelvic problems is s right pain, literally.

[Tim Lewis]

15 hours ago, MartynG said:

The tidal  locks on the River Trent have in theory always required booking 24hrs in advance. However this has been quite relaxed and in practice not required at all at Torksey and Cromwell in recent years.

On passing through Cromwell today the full time lock keeper advised the locks will not be manned if no boats are expected. You can of course just turn up........but don't be surprised if no lock keeper is on duty. If the pre booked boats had passed through the lock keeper may , and probably will, go off  duty.

 

In addition the lock keeping hours are 8am to 4pm at present and this is regardless of tide times .  reduced service 

 

The non tidal lock keepers are finishing at 3pm while 5pm is usual in the summer. No booking required for non tidal locks  but even so the early finish may catch out some people.

 

 I am sure this is only one aspect of the ways C&RT are not making any friends among boat owners by reducing the  service offered  while charging license holders ever increasing fees. It does  seem C&RT would prefer if there were no boats . 

 

.

 

I have never booked a Trent Tidal lock prior to using one!

 

[Naughty Cal]

10 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

 

I have never booked a Trent Tidal lock prior to using one!

 

We usually do more out of courtesy then anything but there has been the odd occasion that we have had a change of plan and have just turned up unannounced which has never caused a problem.

 

Looks like we will have to be a bit more organised this year!

[noddyboater]

1 hour ago, pearley said:

Gunthorpe downstream is bad. I know there is a pontoon but the slightest stream pushes the boat away. Getting up a ladder when one of you had arthritic knees and the other had pelvic problems is s right pain, literally.

You're right,  it's a pain in the arse dropping someone on the jetty, especially when the river is high. I've used the opposite wall before but that's if the crew is ok with ladders.

Leave the gates open if going downstream,  it's far easier for you and the next boat if it's going upstream. 

[pearley]

1 minute ago, noddyboater said:

Leave the gates open if going downstream,  it's far easier for you and the next boat if it's going upstream. 

While it still has the old control panels you can but pretty sure that the new ones at Hazelford and Holme won't let you do that.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, pearley said:

Gunthorpe downstream is bad. I know there is a pontoon but the slightest stream pushes the boat away. Getting up a ladder when one of you had arthritic knees and the other had pelvic problems is s right pain, literally.

I must admit I've never had an issue even there. But as you say possibly depends on river conditions. (Though I do recall a passage when the river was up but can't recall if I used the pontoon or the ladders opposite when going towards Hazelford, I do know I stepped off the bow onto the pontoon going back on that particular trip.

 

The simple solution though for anybody who has any sort of mobility/joint pain issues is just to pass when the lock is manned. They have shaved some time off yes but it's not overly onerous to make sure one passes at the staffed times? (Presumably people who have such issues just don't boat on the non tidal Trent in the winter?).

 

If I had to rely on the lock being staffed so I could use it I personally wouldn't have an issue with ensuring this.

[noddyboater]

3 hours ago, pearley said:

While it still has the old control panels you can but pretty sure that the new ones at Hazelford and Holme won't let you do that.

Let's hope they don't have any money to spend at Gunthorpe for a while then.

Personally,  I'd rather operate the locks myself rather than have some pompous jobsworth (paid or not) who obviously has never been through a lock themselves. 

[Momac]

5 hours ago, Tim Lewis said:

 

I have never booked a Trent Tidal lock prior to using one!

 

You need to at present or risk no lock keeper being in duty.

[Momac]

3 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

Presumably people who have such issues just don't boat on the non tidal Trent in the winter?

 

Hardly any locally based boats move in the winter eg mid October to Easter.

[Naughty Cal]

1 hour ago, noddyboater said:

Let's hope they don't have any money to spend at Gunthorpe for a while then.

Personally,  I'd rather operate the locks myself rather than have some pompous jobsworth (paid or not) who obviously has never been through a lock themselves. 

There was one Trent lockie who we never got on with who was based at Newark Nether but he retired several years back. He really was a pompous jobsworth. We have never had a problem with any of the others. In fact the lady who is usually at Gunthorpe is very nice and if anything is far too gentle with the lock. 

 

We are looking forward too our trip up that way later this year once the school holiday traffic has died down.

3 minutes ago, MartynG said:

Hardly any locally based boats move in the winter eg mid October to Easter.

Not surprising given the river levels last winter 

[Momac]

10 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

 

Not surprising given the river levels last winter 

My boat was ashore from mid October to mid Feb and and  we didn't miss  many , if any, weekend boating opportunities. The river was in flood a good deal  of that time or if not the weather was foul. 

 

 

 

21 minutes ago, Naughty Cal said:

There was one Trent lockie who we never got on with who was based at Newark Nether but he retired several years back. He really was a pompous jobsworth. 

I remember him. He insisted on sliders being used when penning down , which can be tricky from the side deck of most cruisers , and  just stood and watched people struggle / refused to help with the ropes .   

[pearley]

3 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

The simple solution though for anybody who has any sort of mobility/joint pain issues is just to pass when the lock is manned. They have shaved some time off yes but it's not overly onerous to make sure one passes at the staffed times? (Presumably people who have such issues just don't boat on the non tidal Trent in the winter?).

 

If I had to rely on the lock being staffed so I could use it I personally wouldn't have an issue with ensuring this.

Wasn't really an option this winter. Stuck in Nottingham for 6 weeks whilst river in flood waiting to get back to Newark by which time lockies had finished. 

 

Could have stayed put in Newark until lockies resumed but we had a drydock booked so left early June.

[noddyboater]

The nether lock seems to attract button pushing plonkers for some reason. 

I remember well the Sargent Major a few years ago,  he actually impounded me in his lock once! 

A more recent (volunteer I presumed) common sense lacking twonk,  insisted I use ropes fore and aft while descending in a thunderstorm,  single handed and the only boat in the lock.

Apparently it would be "dangerous" if I didn't, quite how I'm not sure.  

[Guest]

58 minutes ago, MartynG said:

Hardly any locally based boats move in the winter eg mid October to Easter.

I know. It's fab. Really quiet.

 

(Obviously only doable if levels allow which some weeks in winter they of course do).