Hiring (borrowing?) a foldingbike for a narrowboat

[Ken X]

It's always good to rub along with the other canal users as you go. We try and make good progress but take the time to enjoy the ambience at the same time as we are on holiday. We were being gained on by a following boat a few years ago as we approached a short flight of locks, so set the first up for them and waved them in. They turned out to be three guys from a boatyard moving a boat and on a bit of a schedule. Very happy to have passed us and kindly cracked the paddles to turn each lock as they left. They were also having to turn locks so consequently we kept up with them and had a chat at the same time. They shot off at the top and we ambled on in their wake.  Makes the whole operation pass easier with company.😁

[David Schweizer]

On 12/11/2022 at 17:59, Chris101 said:

Displaying my ignorance but what's lockwheeling? I'd rather ask a stupid question than remain stupid in perpetuity.

 

Sorry for not replying to your question until now, I have been in Australia for a month and only returned on Wedneday.

 

Lockwheeling is the use of a bicycle by a crew member to cycle ahead of a boat to set the locks, so that they are ready when the boat arrives. Lockwheeling used to be undertaken by by most working boat crews, particularly on long flights where the locks were a good distance between each other. One person I recall still lock wheeling until the very end of commercial traffic was Bill Whitlock working the locks for Blue Line's Lucy and Ian and later Lucy and Renfrew.

 

Bill can be seen lockwheekung in this vdeo  (about 4 1/2 minutes in to the film)