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Tunnel lights.


johnmck

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For a variety of reasons, we have been unable to venture far from home this year. This means a bimble to Market Harborough from our base in Crick is about as far as we have been. But I have spent a little time out, pottering the long pound twixt Watford and Foxton. 

As you will be aware, this contains Crick and Bosworth tunnels. I have traversed both fairly frequently since lockdown ended, rounding the day off fishing.

 

Is it just my advancing years, or are boat lights getting brighter? More and more people seem to think illuminating the whole tunnel with massed led lights, directed horizontally, is fine. I seem to have been dazzled more of late than I can remember. Our light illuminates the tunnel roof. 

 

Starting to think welding goggles might help. ?

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16 minutes ago, johnmck said:

For a variety of reasons, we have been unable to venture far from home this year. This means a bimble to Market Harborough from our base in Crick is about as far as we have been. But I have spent a little time out, pottering the long pound twixt Watford and Foxton. 

As you will be aware, this contains Crick and Bosworth tunnels. I have traversed both fairly frequently since lockdown ended, rounding the day off fishing.

 

Is it just my advancing years, or are boat lights getting brighter? More and more people seem to think illuminating the whole tunnel with massed led lights, directed horizontally, is fine. I seem to have been dazzled more of late than I can remember. Our light illuminates the tunnel roof. 

 

Starting to think welding goggles might help. ?

Not only are led lights very bright they are also very white, so lots of blue light, this really upsets your night vision, making the lights seem even brighter.

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LED lights are not needed, and as mentioned are actually bad for your night vision. But look at Midland Chandlers and they don't sell the old halogen lamps,  because LED use less power so are more efficient, as though 40 watts is really going to have any effect on a dirty great diesel. The only collision I have had in a tunnel was braunston, being totally blinded and creeping trying to maintain steerage, I touched the wall bounced out and struck the other boat a glancing blow. The lady in the well deck said " I have pointed the light to the wall" indicating the search light she was aiming, which indeed was pointing to the wall, unfortunately her husband had recently fitted a LED blinder on the port side of the cabin front roof facing forward. I asked the lady to turn round and see if she could see the problem. but by then I had passed down their boat, I did point out to the helm that from 100 yards till we met I could see absolutely nothing, due to the glare from the water blinding me. The common light sold are the rectangular ones they are used at festivals and theatre's where they are called Blinders, says it all.

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It's not just you or your age, they are awful. We've been out quite a bit, and I've moved quite a few boats for folks over lockdown, and they are getting more common all the time.

 

Last time I came through Blisworth, I had to use my waterfall umbrella as an eye shield for one boat, twin LED lamps, one straight at me.

I always keep a big LED lamp at the back for emergencies or if I stop to look along an access shaft or something anoracky like that.

As the steerer came towards me, I turned the light on towards him which resulted in shouts and anger. As we passed, I told him I'd been looking at the same from his boat for the last 10 minutes.

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I know Bosworth is not that long, but one day last week, as I entered, so did another at tother end. From the word go, I was blinded. He had two led lights, both directed straight down the tunnel. I did comment as we passed...

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I have two tunnel lights, a normal halogen, with tinfoil reflector to give a non-focused light for any tunnel where I might meet a boat coming the other way. The other is a home made "vaporise a bulldozer at 40 paces" LED monster that is for one way working tunnels and not following someone else too close. Originally built for Standedge. Used since in a few other places. 

Jen

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4 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

I have approached Newbold tunnel and been dazzeled by a boat that had not even entered the other end

And the coloured light display has been off for a while. They were great, no dazzle at all

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1 hour ago, Jen-in-Wellies said:

I have two tunnel lights, a normal halogen, with tinfoil reflector to give a non-focused light for any tunnel where I might meet a boat coming the other way. The other is a home made "vaporise a bulldozer at 40 paces" LED monster that is for one way working tunnels and not following someone else too close. Originally built for Standedge. Used since in a few other places. 

Jen

 

Go on, admit it, the real purpose is retaliation ??

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At the other end of the scale , I met a boat bouncing off the walls coming towards me in Braunston a few weeks ago. That had no headlight at all-which helped my vision no end but didnt do anything for his as he was about 3 foot off the tunnel side when he tried to pass me.

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2 hours ago, matty40s said:

It's not just you or your age, they are awful. We've been out quite a bit, and I've moved quite a few boats for folks over lockdown, and they are getting more common all the time.

 

Last time I came through Blisworth, I had to use my waterfall umbrella as an eye shield for one boat, twin LED lamps, one straight at me.

I always keep a big LED lamp at the back for emergencies or if I stop to look along an access shaft or something anoracky like that.

As the steerer came towards me, I turned the light on towards him which resulted in shouts and anger. As we passed, I told him I'd been looking at the same from his boat for the last 10 minutes.

Oh no. Ali now wants a big led lamp to study features...

Might get her one, then use it to dissuade dazzlers.

Edited by johnmck
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3 hours ago, Detling said:

LED lights are not needed, and as mentioned are actually bad for your night vision. But look at Midland Chandlers and they don't sell the old halogen lamps,  because LED use less power so are more efficient, as though 40 watts is really going to have any effect on a dirty great diesel. The only collision I have had in a tunnel was braunston, being totally blinded and creeping trying to maintain steerage, I touched the wall bounced out and struck the other boat a glancing blow. The lady in the well deck said " I have pointed the light to the wall" indicating the search light she was aiming, which indeed was pointing to the wall, unfortunately her husband had recently fitted a LED blinder on the port side of the cabin front roof facing forward. I asked the lady to turn round and see if she could see the problem. but by then I had passed down their boat, I did point out to the helm that from 100 yards till we met I could see absolutely nothing, due to the glare from the water blinding me. The common light sold are the rectangular ones they are used at festivals and theatre's where they are called Blinders, says it all.

That’s not so. They sell 55w halogen lamps that are intended for classic cars. I’ve recently bought a pair and have a working tunnel light for the first time in four years, although it transpired the problem was mostly due to a loose connection hidden under the gunwale. I haven’t yet been through a meaningful tunnel since fixing it though so I’m looking forward to Saddington, Husbands Bosworth and Crick in a month’s time. I’ve managed Braunston, Wast Hill and Netherton at least six times each and a couple of passages of Blisworth without a functioning tunnel light.

 

JP

Edited by Captain Pegg
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18 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

That’s not so. They sell 55w halogen lamps that are intended for classic cars. I’ve recently bought a pair and have a working tunnel light for the first time in four years, although it transpired the problem was mostly due to a loose connection hidden under the gunwale. I haven’t yet been through a meaningful tunnel since fixing it though so I’m looking forward to Husbands Bosworth and Crick in a month’s time. I’ve managed Braunston, Wast Hill and Netherton at least six times each and a couple of passages of Blisworth without a functioning tunnel light.

 

JP

Apart from Standedge , I think we have done most of the tunnels on the system. But my nemesis remains Husbands Bosworth. Despite all due care, we always seem to meet an inexperienced or reckless boater. Been literally rammed at least twice, despite hugging the wall at slow pace. Even last week, within yards of exiting the north portal, with nowt behind me, Reginald Molehusband insisted on coming in, bouncing off the wall, metal screeching.  On this occasion, he missed me!

Old Reggy shows my age somewhat!

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Worst blinding I ever received was travelling south through the Blisworth Tunnel, about 500 yards from the end. The trip boat that works out of Stoke Bruerne, taking tourists from the top lock to the tunnel and back, lit up the tunnel with the most stupidly powerful lamp just so his customers could take a look in a hole. 

I was not impressed.

 

 

I have recently changed my tunnel lamp, due to a intermittent fault, with a small 6 LED lamp. I have yet to test it in a tunnel, but I will be facing the tunnel roof.

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