Braunston Locks

[Victor Vectis]

I read on a boaty blog yesterday 'The vlockies (at Braunston) were only allowing two boats at a time to go up the locks'.

Have the locksmurfs the power to insist on this?

 

The blog went on to say 'There was no such rule coming down. The ones we met were all on their own'.

 

Discuss.

ETA Perhaps authority is a nicer word than power.

Edited August 26, 2022 by Victor Vectis

[Rob-M]

I would say they could request but I don't think they could enforce it.  It could end up in a heated argument if they tried to prevent some boaters from passing through.

[Mike Tee]

There is a water shortage after all, not completely the fault of C&RT, so I think it quite reasonable for anyone using a double lock to wait for a time to share the lock, both up and down. What's a reasonable time? I guess it depends on the time of day, not a lot of point waiting long if its early evening but during the day, maybe half an hour or 45 minutes. If nobody turns up, go for it.

There will be selfish people who will not wait, that's up to them, but if the navigation is open It will be hard for a volunteer to stop someone who's on a mission.

However if an employee of C&RT says the use of locks is restricted for any reason, we have to comply.

[The Bearwood Boster]

We came down as a pair last Thursday & the male volockie at the bottom lock seemed a lovely bloke,but was struggling with the gates etc.What did amuse me was the female lockie who suddenly appeared(no help).It was a shambles at the bottom lock with boats coming up in the way of us coming out.We came out together & then I let the other boat go first through the waiting boats.The lady lockie then looked at me & said,"Now you follow him".I did say what else would you expect me to do,go back into the lock ??🤷🏻‍♀️I know it was sarky but I couldn't help myself after such an obvious comment...

[David Schweizer]

19 minutes ago, Mike Tee said:

There is a water shortage after all, not completely the fault of C&RT, so I think it quite reasonable for anyone using a double lock to wait for a time to share the lock, both up and down. What's a reasonable time? I guess it depends on the time of day, not a lot of point waiting long if its early evening but during the day, maybe half an hour or 45 minutes. If nobody turns up, go for it.

There will be selfish people who will not wait, that's up to them, but if the navigation is open It will be hard for a volunteer to stop someone who's on a mission.

However if an employee of C&RT says the use of locks is restricted for any reason, we have to comply.

 

And there is a back pump immediately below Bottom Lock, so there should not be a problem geting water back to the top of the flight.

[ditchcrawler]

3 minutes ago, The Bearwood Boster said:

".I did say what else would you expect me to do,go back into the lock ??🤷🏻‍♀️I know it was sarky but I couldn't help myself after such an obvious comment...

A bit like the Volockie who asked if I was ok to pass in the pound going down the N Stratford with a boat coming up. I told him we would be there a long time if I am not. He buggered off with that saying to Diana "He's a sarky bugger"

[Victor Vectis]

17 minutes ago, The Bearwood Boster said:

We came down as a pair last Thursday & the male volockie at the bottom lock seemed a lovely bloke,but was struggling with the gates etc.What did amuse me was the female lockie who suddenly appeared(no help).It was a shambles at the bottom lock with boats coming up in the way of us coming out.We came out together & then I let the other boat go first through the waiting boats.The lady lockie then looked at me & said,"Now you follow him".I did say what else would you expect me to do,go back into the lock ??🤷🏻‍♀️I know it was sarky but I couldn't help myself after such an obvious comment...

Hmmmmm.

Yes.

12 minutes ago, ditchcrawler said:

A bit like the Volockie who asked if I was ok to pass in the pound going down the N Stratford with a boat coming up. I told him we would be there a long time if I am not. He buggered off with that saying to Diana "He's a sarky bugger"

Ditto.

[Mike Tee]

1 hour ago, David Schweizer said:

 

And there is a back pump immediately below Bottom Lock, so there should not be a problem geting water back to the top of the flight.

What’s that run by - fresh air? Still costs to operate and the less it is used etc. I know, loss of water through leaking gates and un-maintained equipment but if a saving can be made with a bit of cooperation by the lock users, then why not?

[nicknorman]

I think the relevant point is, is this official CRT policy? Is it in a stoppage notice? Or is it just a bunch of wannabe little hitlers discovering new ways to boss people about?

[Francis Herne]

2 hours ago, ditchcrawler said:

A bit like the Volockie who asked if I was ok to pass in the pound going down the N Stratford with a boat coming up. I told him we would be there a long time if I am not. He buggered off with that saying to Diana "He's a sarky bugger"

Some of the pounds at Lapworth really are quite awkward?

When I went up, a southbound boat chose to wait a couple of locks above where we would otherwise have met to avoid the 'fun' of passing in a very short pound at a strange angle.

 

If that's what some boaters prefer to do, it seems wise for the volockies to ask. We just had that other thread about training where "do as the boater says" was a common theme.

[nicknorman]

9 minutes ago, Francis Herne said:

Some of the pounds at Lapworth really are quite awkward?

When I went up, a southbound boat chose to wait a couple of locks above where we would otherwise have met to avoid the 'fun' of passing in a very short pound at a strange angle.

 

If that's what some boaters prefer to do, it seems wise for the volockies to ask. We just had that other thread about training where "do as the boater says" was a common theme.

What would happen if the volockies weren’t there? Would there be a massive head on collision with thousands dead? Or would people just work through the flight as they have done for decades - or in fact hundreds of years. In other words, volockie intervention of that sort has no value, it is just rather irritating, micro managy and back seat drivery.  
Alright mustn’t slag off the Lapworth volockies too much, they are a better bunch than most!

[Francis Herne]

In my case a guy from the other boat walked down, saw where I was, and said he'd wait to avoid passing in a particular pound. No volockie instigation; one happened to be helping me but had nothing to do with it.

 

Would be a waste of everyone's time if a volockie went ahead, set the next lock for 'his' boat and *then* the steerer said "Oh, another boat's coming up? I'd rather wait here". Can't hurt to ask.

Edited August 27, 2022 by Francis Herne

[Chris John]

Same old volunteer bashers 

[Victor Vectis]

I'm not bashing vlockies.

Most of those I've come across have been helpful, especially when I've been single handing.

 

But the odd few do need 'bashing', like the bloke at Stenson who objects to the bottom paddles being fully opened when emptying the lock.

 

And I read in another blog of a vlockie at a Trent lock who closed the gates on a cruiser as it passed through(!) which was (almost) our experience at, I think, the same lock a few years ago.

[nicknorman]

2 hours ago, Chris John said:

Same old volunteer bashers 

Same old people who don’t like other people muscling in on their boating, interfering, bossing around and not really knowing what they are doing. In other words bringing nothing to the party except irritation. Funny how the canals have survived for centuries without them, including 40 years where leisure use was predominant, but since CRT came along suddenly they are necessary and if you resent it you are a bad person.

 

Do you have a car? You have probably been driving for many decades. I’d love to sit in the back of your car whilst you are driving and keep up a commentary on how you should be driving, where you should be going and “oh be careful, there is a pedestrian” etc etc. I wonder how long I’d last before you threw me out, I’m guessing about 30 seconds!

[PeterScott]

 

13 hours ago, Victor Vectis said:

...'The vlockies (at Braunston) were only allowing two boats at a time to go up the locks'. ... the [authority] to insist on this?  ... Discuss.

10 hours ago, nicknorman said:

I think the relevant point is, is this official CRT policy? Is it in a stoppage notice? Or is it just a bunch of wannabe little hitlers discovering new ways to boss people about?

 

Aha an excuse for a pic from t'GoodOldDays (1971) before volunteers were allowed.

 

Normally the locks are operated under the 'direction and control of the master of the vessel' and those are good words to use to remind volunteers. C&RT can use its general powers to take direct control of any of the infrastructure (stoppage notices useful to tell navigators that is happening of course) , and they could use any available resources to do that: including volunteers, as they regularly do on the big Trent locks. In that case, there would be a claim against C&RT if they mess-it-up, sink boats etc.

 

Everyone wants to preserve the water as high-up Braunston flight as possible (as mentioned backpumping will be three times as expensive this/next year compared with before) so a good idea to share locks. What navigators need is good information: if arriving at the top of the locks, useful to know that a single boat is just entering the tunnel, intending to come down. If at the bottom of the locks, that a boat just at the marina intends to come up rather than moor. ...

 

So there's a valuable job for the volunteers: take some sandwiches and a phone to t'other end of the tunnel and keep everyone at the locks informed of the traffic, and others at marina, boatyard and the Turn to find out what passing navigators intend. ...

 

9 minutes ago, nicknorman said:

 .... I’d love to sit in the back of your car ... and keep up a commentary on how you should be driving,... I wonder how long I’d last before you threw me out, ...

 

Yes, quite so .. if there are spare volunteers who would like to actually help my navigation, I would have more energy to do that if someone else did my washing-up ...

 

And reading the UCC price list t'other day - about £2k for a week's hire. If only it were open, example canalling week: Cheshire Ring is 100 locks and 100 miles: paying all that money is for the fun of doing the navigation: if someone else wants to share the fun and wind some paddles, it's only fair to contribute to the cost. A fiver a paddle into the (beer) funds soundas about right ...

[Alan de Enfield]

1 hour ago, Victor Vectis said:

And I read in another blog of a vlockie at a Trent lock who closed the gates on a cruiser as it passed through(!) which was (almost) our experience at, I think, the same lock a few years ago.

 

I don't Blog, but it certainly happened to me - we were very nearly crushed in the gates a huge blast of full throttle just got us in.

 

I wrote to C&RT and the answer was "the gates have sensors and if they feel a resistance they stop" yes - what about the resistance to the water ?

 

Nether Lock - Newark heading upstream.

We had called up on the VHF to ask him to open the gates and we'd arrive in about 10 minutes.

As we entered to lock cut the gates were open but no sign of the lockie as we drew level with the gates they started to close, we are 14 foot beam don't they dont have to close very far to get the gap to less than 14 feet. We were 'creeping in' but had to give a blast of throttle as the gates 'clanged closed' about 2 feet behind us.

 

Still no sign of the lockie.

Called him on the VHF to ask what was hapening and he replied that as he was sat in the 'cabin' he could not see into the lock and assumed we were in. I expressed my feelings.

 

The lockie never appeared, the lock did not start to fill. After a few more minutes I called him again (still in his hut) and asked him to start filling the lock and his reply was "there is another boat approaching - he is about 15 minutes away so I'm waiting for him". The gates opened again, and we waited, and waited.

 

Boat entered the lock and lockie appeared and leaned over the edge of the lock (I think he was afraid to be out of the hut with no witnesses as to what may happen).

Closed the gates, cycled the lock and we were on our way.

 

I wrote a very strong letter to C&RT reminding C&RT that they had moved the 'cabin' from the other side of the lock and moved it further away from the edge of the lock so that the inside of the lock could not be seen and, explaing everything and suggesting that if the Volockies didn't want to leave their hut that C&RT should install either a camera or a mirror at each end of the lock.

 

C&RTs response "we will investigate and assess if any further training is needed".

[Grahamnewman]

Braunston Locks will be chained closed from 30th August. They will open at 8am and close at 5pm.

CRT notice has been issued.

[Onionman]

2 hours ago, nicknorman said:

 In other words bringing nothing to the party except irritation.

 

 

As I've grown older I've come, more and more, to realise that irritation comes from within me, not from the situation.

[Iain_S]

5 hours ago, Victor Vectis said:

I'm not bashing vlockies.

Most of those I've come across have been helpful, especially when I've been single handing.

 

But the odd few do need 'bashing', like the bloke at Stenson who objects to the bottom paddles being fully opened when emptying the lock.

 

And I read in another blog of a vlockie at a Trent lock who closed the gates on a cruiser as it passed through(!) which was (almost) our experience at, I think, the same lock a few years ago.

A few years since we did that stretch, so things may have changed, but IIRC the reason was a permanent moorer below the lock on the offside. Daft place to have a mooring, but I would have some sympathy for the volocky, who would be getting grief long after the boater had left. (If the reaction we got from opening one bottom paddle was anything to go by!)

[BEngo]

21 hours ago, David Schweizer said:

And there is a back pump immediately below Bottom Lock, so there should not be a problem geting water back to the top of the flight.

Can the back pumps actually be operated  though?  AIUI the power supply to the  Bottom Lock area was inadequate ( and a problem to the various users)  before the pumps were installed and a new (extra)  transformer was needed in order to sort the problem and  provide the power to operate the pumps for long periods.  CRT had nowhere big enough for the transformer box that was not already leased.  The tenants land was also such that siting the transformer (and the associated access requirements)  was only possible at significant detriment to the tenants businesses.  

 

N

[ditchcrawler]

21 hours ago, nicknorman said:

I think the relevant point is, is this official CRT policy? Is it in a stoppage notice? Or is it just a bunch of wannabe little hitlers discovering new ways to boss people about?

In the past CRT and BW have had a requirement to wait 30 minutes for another boat at Braunston locks

[alan_fincher]

I clearly don't know the detail as BEngo does, but it has been my understanding for some time that the back pumps at Braunston are not operational.

 

Along with Buckby it's the flight of locks we use more than any other and whilst the Buckby pumps are more often than not in operation, I have never seen any evidence whatsoever at Braunston.

[ditchcrawler]

21 hours ago, Francis Herne said:

Some of the pounds at Lapworth really are quite awkward?

When I went up, a southbound boat chose to wait a couple of locks above where we would otherwise have met to avoid the 'fun' of passing in a very short pound at a strange angle.

 

If that's what some boaters prefer to do, it seems wise for the volockies to ask. We just had that other thread about training where "do as the boater says" was a common theme.

But I was in the lock coming down and he was in the next lock coming up, a bit late in the day unless one of us went up or down backwards

 

[Midnight]

11 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

I don't Blog, but it certainly happened to me - we were very nearly crushed in the gates a huge blast of full throttle just got us in.

 

I wrote to C&RT and the answer was "the gates have sensors and if they feel a resistance they stop" yes - what about the resistance to the water ?

 

Nether Lock - Newark heading upstream.

We had called up on the VHF to ask him to open the gates and we'd arrive in about 10 minutes.

As we entered to lock cut the gates were open but no sign of the lockie as we drew level with the gates they started to close, we are 14 foot beam don't they dont have to close very far to get the gap to less than 14 feet. We were 'creeping in' but had to give a blast of throttle as the gates 'clanged closed' about 2 feet behind us.

 

Still no sign of the lockie.

Called him on the VHF to ask what was hapening and he replied that as he was sat in the 'cabin' he could not see into the lock and assumed we were in. I expressed my feelings.

 

The lockie never appeared, the lock did not start to fill. After a few more minutes I called him again (still in his hut) and asked him to start filling the lock and his reply was "there is another boat approaching - he is about 15 minutes away so I'm waiting for him". The gates opened again, and we waited, and waited.

 

Boat entered the lock and lockie appeared and leaned over the edge of the lock (I think he was afraid to be out of the hut with no witnesses as to what may happen).

Closed the gates, cycled the lock and we were on our way.

 

I wrote a very strong letter to C&RT reminding C&RT that they had moved the 'cabin' from the other side of the lock and moved it further away from the edge of the lock so that the inside of the lock could not be seen and, explaing everything and suggesting that if the Volockies didn't want to leave their hut that C&RT should install either a camera or a mirror at each end of the lock.

 

C&RTs response "we will investigate and assess if any further training is needed".

Sorry a bit off topic but I'm curious to know why the volly at Nether lock needs to ask lots of questions including when the boat license expires? Happened 2 years running. A bit of a grumpy sort too.