Thames shut for nearly 5 months

[Mike Adams]

Just received this. Just about stops anyone going anywhere for nearly 5 months.

Dear boater,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

The Environment Agency is investing £5.2 million this winter, as part of its annual programme of essential works to maintain key navigation structures along the non-tidal River Thames.

                                                                               

This investment is needed to replace or keep maintained 45 River Thames locks, their associated structures and towpath bridges, in reliable condition for the continued safe enjoyment by boaters and all visitors.

                                                                                 

The River Thames flows through the 45 lock sites from its source point just above Lechlade, Gloucestershire via Oxford, Reading, Maidenhead and Windsor, onwards past Hampton Court to Teddington Lock.

                                                                                            

Listed below are the locks that will be closed during the 2020 to 2021 investment programme. The locks will be closed from the first date listed and will re-open on the day after the final date.

                       
 

Closure dates	Location	Work being carried out	Canoe portage with care during closure
2 November 2020 to 19 March 2021	Day's Lock	Replacing lock gates and refurbishing parts of the lock chamber and lock surround.	Not applicable
2 November 2020 to 19 March 2021	Abingdon Lock	Reconstructing of tail laybys and canoe portage.	No
2 November 2020 to 19 March 2021	Cookham Lock	Refurbishing tail gate cill, lock side and head laybys.	No
2 November 2020 to 19 March 2021	Molesey Lock	Replacing lock gates and refurbishing parts of the lock chamber.	No

 

 

 

 

 

[OldGoat]

55 minutes ago, Mike Adams said:

Just received this. Just about stops anyone going anywhere for nearly 5 months.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

 

It's no consolation to serious boaters - but the Thames hasn't had much money spent on it for some years - certainbly as far as lock gates are concerned, hence either they've been saving up or have raided the pension fund (joke).

 

There's very little traffic 'out of season'  and that's mostly foolhardy narrow boaters escaping thr ravages of CRT or escaping to Bristol..

 

Here's a picture of a pair of the smaller locks bottom gates for some idea of size.

 

 

Edited August 18, 2020 by OldGoat

[BWM]

Standard stuff for the Nene, normally rolling stoppages but still shut for months. 

[Onewheeler]

Last winter it was closed from late October until April or so due to floods, and then more or less shut due to that virus. At least there are navigable stretches under the proposed closures.

[Detling]

But they are repairing lock gates and full before they fail causing chaos, maybe our friends at CRT could look and learn, a stitch in time saves nine.

[magnetman]

"This investment is needed to replace or keep maintained 45 River Thames locks"

 

I wonder which ones they are thinking of "replacing". 

Someone doesn't know what they are talking about. 

[Dave123]

In previous years they haven't shut it for anything like as long as this. Only one of the stoppages is a full gate replacement. Does it really take 5 months to construct a tail layby? It seems more that they just don't regard the river as being open for the winter so see no need to give more precise timings for work like CRT do, and indeed EA do for work in the 'season'. They have been pretty accommodating with the Culham stoppage this Sept in terms of giving timings and openings for navigation.

Edited August 18, 2020 by Dave123