Geldeston lock's renovation.

[Justin Smith]

We hired a day boat from Beccles this week and motored down to Geldeston lock. It was great to see its renovation, but upon talking to a guy at the boat yard he said there were no plans to extend the navigation, is that correct ? And if it is why has Geldeston lock been renovated when that effort could have been put into a lock somewhere else on the system where an extension of the navigation is planned ?

[Naughty Cal]

Not many locks on the Broads for the Broads Authority to put their effort in to.

 

Although Mutford could do with some investment to make it reliable.

[ditchcrawler]

You actually can get above Geldeston lock as its by passed by the channel to the left of the lock as you approach from Beccles 

[Guest]

30 minutes ago, Justin Smith said:

We hired a day boat from Beccles this week and motored down to Geldeston lock. It was great to see its renovation, but upon talking to a guy at the boat yard he said there were no plans to extend the navigation, is that correct ? And if it is why has Geldeston lock been renovated when that effort could have been put into a lock somewhere else on the system where an extension of the navigation is planned ?

 

There are not as far as I am aware any plans to extend the navigation of any of the other  Broads Rivers.

 

But I am happy to be corrected.

Edited October 31, 2021 by The Happy Nomad

[John Brightley]

27 minutes ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

There are not as far as I am aware any plans to extend the navigation of any of the other  Broads Rivers.

 

But I am happy to be corrected.

The North Walsham & Dilham Canal is being restored - https://nwdct.org/

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, John Brightley said:

The North Walsham & Dilham Canal is being restored - https://nwdct.org/

 

I wasnt sure enough about that one but thanks.

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, John Brightley said:

The North Walsham & Dilham Canal is being restored - https://nwdct.org/

That is a privately owned waterway and the main owners personal  obsession that others are buying into 

[Justin Smith]

4 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

You actually can get above Geldeston lock as its by passed by the channel to the left of the lock as you approach from Beccles 

This is a good point. We were told by the boat yard that we were not to go under the bridge (on the River Waveney direction) even though we were in a small day boat and would have fitted under easily. We stopped off at Geldeston lock and went for a quick walk back over said bridge and the river seemed pretty navigable to me ! Why were the boat yard so insistent we should not go any further ? Particularly as the day boat wasn't drawing much water and could turn round pretty much in its own length, as it did when we went into Geldeston lock and when I pressed on up the cut to the sea scouts hut at Beccles ! In fact all the day boats we have hired (to get to the extreme ends of the Broads navigations), both diesel and electric, could turn on a sixpence going to the left, though not so much going to the right. I assume that's something to do with the direction the prop rotates ?

Edited October 31, 2021 by Justin Smith

[Chris Lowe]

I presume Geldeston lock is actually this one.

 

[Tim Lewis]

14 hours ago, Justin Smith said:

We hired a day boat from Beccles this week and motored down to Geldeston lock. It was great to see its renovation, but upon talking to a guy at the boat yard he said there were no plans to extend the navigation, is that correct ? And if it is why has Geldeston lock been renovated when that effort could have been put into a lock somewhere else on the system where an extension of the navigation is planned ?

 

From the current edition of 'Navvies'

 

The magazine also contains articles about the recent restoration work carried out at the lock

 

 

 

 

[magpie patrick]

17 minutes ago, Tim Lewis said:

 

From the current edition of 'Navvies'

 

The magazine also contains articles about the recent restoration work carried out at the lock

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you Tim - I'd give a double greenie if that were possible

 

"Restoration" isn't just about navigation, it's also about preserving the remains of the past - It will be a sad day when navigations that can't be restored are just left to run to ruin

[ditchcrawler]

Bit of a pair really as the Locks Pub next door was recently saved as a community pub. so hopefully both the lock and pub will be there for a few more years. If you click the link it shows a Google view of where the river /drainage channel goes now

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1hYHdt2zy1K6Vae9ZvJnd00NNGtRLN6Yt&usp=sharing

 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2021 by ditchcrawler

[David Mack]

Google won't let me see that.

[ditchcrawler]

13 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Google won't let me see that.

That is because I cocked up, I have edited the link.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=1hYHdt2zy1K6Vae9ZvJnd00NNGtRLN6Yt&usp=sharing

[Justin Smith]

7 hours ago, buccaneer66 said:

I presume Geldeston lock is actually this one.

 

Have I missed something here !

I looked on Google sat view and could not find the expected weir that a lock is supposed to get round.

What was the point of the lock ? How can you have a lock (raising a the water level) but no accompanying weir on the river ?

6 hours ago, magpie patrick said:

"Restoration" isn't just about navigation, it's also about preserving the remains of the past - It will be a sad day when navigations that can't be restored are just left to run to ruin

In an ideal world yes, but if there is a shortage of funds surely we should be concentrating on navigations which can them be used, like the Chesterfield for instance !

[magpie patrick]

51 minutes ago, Justin Smith said:

Have I missed something here !

I looked on Google sat view and could not find the expected weir that a lock is supposed to get round.

What was the point of the lock ? How can you have a lock (raising a the water level) but no accompanying weir on the river ?

 

 

Yes you can but that didn't happen in this instance, if you look carefully on that map (which is from the NLS online mapping and dates from the early 20th century) you can see "SL & FB" near the footbridge, an abbreviation for "Sluice and Footbridge"

Edited to add - looking on Google Earth the sluices have been removed - as a head of water is no longer needed for either navigation or milling presumably flood management is better served without them 

 

Further edit - comparing the two the river has been completely remodeled! 

 

51 minutes ago, Justin Smith said:

 

In an ideal world yes, but if there is a shortage of funds surely we should be concentrating on navigations which can them be used, like the Chesterfield for instance !

 

This is often stated, but in practice the money is almost never for "canal restoration in the UK" it's for a specific purpose. For example, Staveley in Chesterfield has been awarded £25 million, some of which is for the canal - if it's not spent on the canal then it has to be spent on something else in Staveley not on another canal 

Edited November 1, 2021 by magpie patrick

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, Justin Smith said:

 

In an ideal world yes, but if there is a shortage of funds surely we should be concentrating on navigations which can them be used, like the Chesterfield for instance !

I don't think the River Waveney Trust would support the Chesterfield. Restoration doesn't come from a central pot.

26 minutes ago, magpie patrick said:

 

 

 

Further edit - comparing the two the river has been completely remodeled! 

 

Now a drainage channel, hence not navigatable. I should have some photos somewhere.

[Justin Smith]

On 01/11/2021 at 16:59, ditchcrawler said:

I don't think the River Waveney Trust would support the Chesterfield. Restoration doesn't come from a central pot.

 

The IWA / Waterways Recovery Group is surely ?

 

On 01/11/2021 at 15:50, Justin Smith said:

Have I missed something here !

I looked on Google sat view and could not find the expected weir that a lock is supposed to get round.

What was the point of the lock ? How can you have a lock (raising a the water level) but no accompanying weir on the river ?

In an ideal world yes, but if there is a shortage of funds surely we should be concentrating on navigations which can them be used, like the Chesterfield for instance !

 

On 01/11/2021 at 16:33, magpie patrick said:

Yes you can but that didn't happen in this instance, if you look carefully on that map (which is from the NLS online mapping and dates from the early 20th century) you can see "SL & FB" near the footbridge, an abbreviation for "Sluice and Footbridge"

 

Thanks for pointing that out.

Edited November 2, 2021 by Justin Smith

[ditchcrawler]

33 minutes ago, Justin Smith said:

 

The IWA / Waterways Recovery Group is surely ?

 

 

 

 

I think you will find there is a cost in having an WRG work party. They have only spent a couple of weeks on the locks, I don't know what work the WRT are doing there

[Justin Smith]

Our pics of Geldeston lock :

 

 

 

Edited November 3, 2021 by Justin Smith

[pete23]

Is the pub open now??  As I understand it it has a bit of a cult following and was recently shut/sold?? 
the previous company had ploughed a few pounds into it? 

[Justin Smith]

6 hours ago, pete23 said:

Is the pub open now??  As I understand it it has a bit of a cult following and was recently shut/sold?? 
the previous company had ploughed a few pounds into it? 

We didn't go into the pub, but, from the outside it looked like it was having building work done on it. So whether it was open or not it is being invested in !

[magpie patrick]

13 hours ago, Justin Smith said:

Our pics of Geldeston lock :

 

 

 

Ships' captains are getting younger I see! 😄

 

Seriously though, interesting pics - thank you 

[ditchcrawler]

9 hours ago, pete23 said:

Is the pub open now??  As I understand it it has a bit of a cult following and was recently shut/sold?? 
the previous company had ploughed a few pounds into it? 

I never went under the last ownership but prior to that I would say it did have a cult following, candle lighting on the tables, wood burner for heat and Colin the landlord  doing a very good curry night. I think owners who took it over tried to go up market and outside summer you need local costumers. It is now a community pub, open 5 days a week at the moment. www.thelocksinn.com