Trip up the Thames this summer, where's good?

[nicknorman]

When we were on the Thames a couple of weeks ago, there was very little water going over the weirs and there was a restriction in place at some locks asking boaters and lockies not to turn an empty lock.

Edited August 11, 2022 by nicknorman

[Victor Vectis]

Thanks for the replies.

 

Waiting until a Thames lock is full of boats or not turning an empty Thames lock is the sort of thing I'm thinking about, together with the water situation on the Oxford.

(Some 'on the spot' reports would be very useful John)

 

Its still a month or so before I set off but I can't see things improving much, getting worse if anything.

It will be decision time at Wigram's Turn, left or right?

[nicknorman]

The Cropredy pound was very low - leaks, but not from the lock. The pound through Kidlington was very low. The Cherwell was ridiculously low - fine en route but it was a bit of a struggle to get into Bakers lock. But then we draw 2’8” so a shallower draft boat would have been fine.

[magnetman]

Gaugemap is good for flow rates.

 

Kingston on Thames showing as 5 cumecs at the moment which is NOT A LOT

 

https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Map/Summary/1249/1382

 

Staines around 10 cumecs (up and down due to extraction)

 

https://www.gaugemap.co.uk/#!Map/Summary/1192/1307

 

Maidenhead is more. There are extraction points at Datchet and Laleham which presumably account for the differences between these stations.

 

The downstream level at Penton Hook lock is noticeably affected by the extraction at Laleham.

 

It is getting a little naughty but some rain forecast next week.

 

Reading on Thames 2.5 cumecs

 

Sutton Courtenay (near Abingdon) 2.5 cumecs

 

Farmoor (above Oxford) around 1.5 cumecs

Edited August 11, 2022 by magnetman

[magnetman]

this webpage also useful although the levels data is not there for some reason.

 

Rainfall figures are quite shocking

 

https://thamesboating.info/levels.php

 

[blackrose]

I guess that's why it's called a drought. 

[Grassman]

23 hours ago, nicknorman said:

The Cropredy pound was very low - leaks, but not from the lock. The pound through Kidlington was very low. The Cherwell was ridiculously low - fine en route but it was a bit of a struggle to get into Bakers lock. But then we draw 2’8” so a shallower draft boat would have been fine.

 

A few weeks ago we struggled in those places, especially Bakers Lock, and we only draw 2ft. 

 

Regarding the Thames, we did Limehouse to Oxford in July and all the lock keepers were saying how unusually quiet it had been this year, and the chap collecting the mooring fee at Hurley said he was 50% down on usual years. When we passed Le Boat's place at Benson I counted 19 of their boats in there. I don't know how many they operate but it looked as if only a third of their fleet was out. It was a Wednesday so not one of the common changeover days so I doubt it was because of changeover that they had so many boats in there.

[Murflynn]

On 11/08/2022 at 08:25, Bacchus said:

 

 I would say your cross section is about right (slightly narrower and deeper where I am, but 200m2 sounds reasonable), that would give a flow of 5-7.5 cm/s

 

 

 

66 cu.m./second

200sq.m. cross sectional area

flow is 66/200 m/sec or approx 1 ft/second.

5cm is 2"

7.5cm is 3"

[oboat]

We have just been up to and then come down from the HoN, No problems, in fact we were told we could not wind at the at the entrance to the T&S Canal the due to low water levels. In fact the water level in St Johns lock was up on normal, so a lot of miss info about.
At all the locks we have passed all sluice gates are closed but all the over flows are all still running (they are graduated).  
Now at Marlow.
Was a mechanical problem at the lock below Henley (thus no out of hours navigation) but all fixed now.
The EA have sand bags at the ready, but the executive, don't have the courage to order them to be put in out on to the running overflows. They are afraid they will be criticised for wasting money if it turns out the work was unnecessary,

[oboat]

On 12/08/2022 at 08:44, Grassman said:

 

A few weeks ago we struggled in those places, especially Bakers Lock, and we only draw 2ft. 

 

Regarding the Thames, we did Limehouse to Oxford in July and all the lock keepers were saying how unusually quiet it had been this year, and the chap collecting the mooring fee at Hurley said he was 50% down on usual years. When we passed Le Boat's place at Benson I counted 19 of their boats in there. I don't know how many they operate but it looked as if only a third of their fleet was out. It was a Wednesday so not one of the common changeover days so I doubt it was because of changeover that they had so many boats in there.

Would totally agree with all that, no problems mooring, plenty of space, August has a few more boats but that many.

[oboat]

On 11/08/2022 at 08:51, Victor Vectis said:

Thanks for the replies.

 

Waiting until a Thames lock is full of boats or not turning an empty Thames lock is the sort of thing I'm thinking about, together with the water situation on the Oxford.

(Some 'on the spot' reports would be very useful John)

 

Its still a month or so before I set off but I can't see things improving much, getting worse if anything.

It will be decision time at Wigram's Turn, left or right?

Not had this experience see my post.

Edited August 13, 2022 by oboat

[john6767]

An update on our progress on the South Oxford, to the Thames.

 

From Napton, across the summit and down Claydon, all fine and the water level on the summit was better than previous summers.  
 

The next pounds were all fine too, until you get to the Cropredy pound above the marina.  That was basically empty with all the offside and towpath boats well aground. Apparently CRT come at 8am each day and run water down, we were there at 7am.

 

Then all was good until Banbury lock.  The pound from Banbury lock to Grants lock was very low, hit the bottom a few times on the way out of Banbury.  Then from Grants lock to Kings Sutton lock, as you would expect it was low, but really no lower than it has been for the last few years and passable, I would not choose to moor there though.

 

Once down Kings Sutton lock it is all good to Thrupp, where we are now.  Most of the lock weirs have water going over them.

 

Not expecting any issues from here to the Thames, and very few boats about.

[nicknorman]

1 hour ago, john6767 said:

An update on our progress on the South Oxford, to the Thames.

 

From Napton, across the summit and down Claydon, all fine and the water level on the summit was better than previous summers.  
 

The next pounds were all fine too, until you get to the Cropredy pound above the marina.  That was basically empty with all the offside and towpath boats well aground. Apparently CRT come at 8am each day and run water down, we were there at 7am.

 

Then all was good until Banbury lock.  The pound from Banbury lock to Grants lock was very low, hit the bottom a few times on the way out of Banbury.  Then from Grants lock to Kings Sutton lock, as you would expect it was low, but really no lower than it has been for the last few years and passable, I would not choose to moor there though.

 

Once down Kings Sutton lock it is all good to Thrupp, where we are now.  Most of the lock weirs have water going over them.

 

Not expecting any issues from here to the Thames, and very few boats about.

It’s crazy that water is run down into the cropredy pound each day. Where is is going? Significant leak somewhere, not at the lock, but CRT don’t seem interested in identifying the source of the problem.

 

Oh and don’t count your chickens too soon, there was a very low pound in Kidlington when we went through!

Edited August 14, 2022 by nicknorman

[Ex Brummie]

When we returned in late July, we encountered low water in the Kidlington pound, and also the 2 pounds into Banbury. The boats moored at Twyford Wharf were all aground, but I don't think I've ever seen them afloat. The pound below Cropredy Lock was dire, and the lock after the Marinas had one paddle at each end, with horrendous leaks through both gates. We moored between the 2 locks below Claydon and did not ground, but in the morning C&RT were busy letting water down, presumably to lift up the pound below Cropredy. There were notices about illicit loosing of water between Claydon and Cropredy.

[john6767]

On 14/08/2022 at 15:56, nicknorman said:

It’s crazy that water is run down into the cropredy pound each day. Where is is going? Significant leak somewhere, not at the lock, but CRT don’t seem interested in identifying the source of the problem.

 

Oh and don’t count your chickens too soon, there was a very low pound in Kidlington when we went through!

It was a bit low through Kidlington, but it was nothing to cause a problem.

 

The Thames looks to be free, no lock keepers on duty at the locks we have been through so far.

[john6767]

In Lechlade now. There were only 2 locks manned between Dukes Cut and Lechlade, but the good news is there are very few boats about.  According to the lock keeper at St John’s lock (odd choice to man), people are being put off by the lack of water, but in reality I would say that everything is at normal summer levels.

[oboat]

3 hours ago, john6767 said:

 In Lechlade now. There were only 2 locks manned between Dukes Cut and Lechlade, but the good news is there are very few boats about.  According to the lock keeper at St John’s lock (odd choice to man), people are being put off by the lack of water, but in reality I would say that everything is at normal summer levels.

Interesting. We are now back at Shepperton & just had two massive but very local thunderstorms.
The first we were in the open out on the river at Staines, 2nd we were in the Sainsburys at Shepperton when it flooded & we were kicked out.
When we went through the Upper Thames last week all the locks were manned, (not so below Oxford) & as I said before, St Johns was over full (water was only about 6" below the lock walkway. Headroom below Osney bridge was also down on the 7'-6" it should be, and we almost lost our garden.  
We were told the reason numbers were down was due to the cost of diesel which on the Thames only comes as 60/40 and two weeks back was between £2:20 & £2:30. Refilled today at Shepperton Marina at £1.75 for 60/40 split. Out last fill was on the Paddington Arm at £1:25 but it was very cold then so we had to have the heating on.

[john6767]

Quote

Dear boater

 

As you may be aware, Thames Water are introducing a Temporary Use (or ‘hosepipe’) Ban from next Wednesday, 24 August 2022.

 

From 9am on the same date, and as part of the wider Environment Agency drought plan, we will introduce restrictions on lock use.

 

The attached briefing note and Harbour Master notice provides full details.

 

Lock restrictions:

 

When: Wednesday 24 August 2022 until further notice.

Where: St Johns Lock to Teddington Lock.

What’s happening: From 9am on 24 August, locks will be operated at 15 minute intervals, completing one full cycle (allowing both upstream and downstream passage), before starting another on the next quarter hour – either on the hour or 15, 30 or 45 minutes past it.  This will be effective across all locks until further notice. 

 

Many thanks

 

River Thames Waterways Team

So how is this going to work when so few of the locks are actually maned.  Presumably they are going to magic up staff to man all the locks, and not allow any user operation, but it is not clear on that.  
 

At least farther downstream where the locks are bigger I would have said that a lock takes 15 min to cycle anyway, and when you take into account for getting perhaps half a dozen boats in and out, I don’t so how you can possibly complete an up and a down within the allocated 15 min.

 

Those in the know can you elaborate as to how this works and what the actual manned hours will be, as again it does not say that.

[oboat]

38 minutes ago, john6767 said:

So how is this going to work when so few of the locks are actually maned.  Presumably they are going to magic up staff to man all the locks, and not allow any user operation, but it is not clear on that.  
 

At least farther downstream where the locks are bigger I would have said that a lock takes 15 min to cycle anyway, and when you take into account for getting perhaps half a dozen boats in and out, I don’t so how you can possibly complete an up and a down within the allocated 15 min.

 

Those in the know can you elaborate as to how this works and what the actual manned hours will be, as again it does not say that.

I agree, On the less popular locks this represents more movements than normal on a weekday and on the more popular locks impossible to achieve as you say.
We took to evening and first light boating at the weekends due to the number of mad day-boat drivers, swimmers, (never seen so many) very big hire boats (first day out), Sup's and kids on bits of plastic. 
The result was very very pleasant boating, the pick of great am moorings and on Sundays great pm moorings.
With good knowledge of the river (which we don't have) it should be no problem at all.  An unexpected by-product of this was that we only had to pay for mooring at Lechlade (2 days) and Hurley both only £5. (give the Old Bell a miss, non-english speaking staff, poor menu, poor cocktails. But great curry just a few yards up the road with great local staff. 

Edited August 19, 2022 by oboat

[john6767]

Just discovered a nite at the bottom of the email, great so that’s going’s to work well then!

 

Due to vacancies (which we are in the process of filling) and sickness (including due to COVID-19) amongst our lock and weir keeping staff, you may find that more locks are currently on ‘self service’ operation than usual. Other appropriately-trained members of our River Thames Waterways Team are helping out by carrying out lock-keeping duties instead of their normal roles where possible, but where locks are on self service operation (including outside of lock and weir keeper normal hours of duty) we ask for your co-operation in adhering to this approach, which we believe strikes a sensible balance between the need to conserve water by reducing lock use while minimising inconvenience to river users.

[Murflynn]

17 hours ago, john6767 said:

So how is this going to work when so few of the locks are actually maned.  Presumably they are going to magic up staff to man all the locks, and not allow any user operation, but it is not clear on that.  
 

 

 

if they switch off the power most folk will be reluctant to operate the hydraulic pumps by turning the handwheel - once bitten twice shy.

[john6767]

27 minutes ago, Murflynn said:

 

if they switch off the power most folk will be reluctant to operate the hydraulic pumps by turning the handwheel - once bitten twice shy.

From the additional note is seems they are going to do nothing about unmanned locks, except for asking you to follow the 15 min rule, so I think the power will stay on/no locks on the manual locks.  Can’t see the restrictions making a big difference to water usage, but at lest in the upper Thames there isn’t really  a shortage, particularly with the low numbers of boat movements.

[OldGoat]

What's the 'problem' with handwinding hydeaulics??

May be a bit tedious and slow - but needs a bit of patience.

OTOH if you attack the gear as if there's no tomorrow then it can be tiring and pontless as most of your effcort goes into pushing oil into the pressure release valve...

[cuthound]

1 hour ago, OldGoat said:

What's the 'problem' with handwinding hydeaulics??

May be a bit tedious and slow - but needs a bit of patience.

OTOH if you attack the gear as if there's no tomorrow then it can be tiring and pontless as most of your effcort goes into pushing oil into the pressure release valve...

 

The time taken to wind paddles down in an emergency, such as a boat getting caught on the cill when descending 

[GUMPY]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/lock-restrictions-due-to-drought-2022-lock-restriction-notice/lock-restrictions-due-to-drought-2022-lock-restriction-notice

 

Lockings every 15 minutes 🤭