Northern Canals

[oboat]

On 04/03/2023 at 11:41, Alan de Enfield said:

 

But they are not REAL lock keepers who have experience, they are just 'locals' who need to have some authority - give them a C&RT sweatshirt and a lifejacket and all of a sudden they are experts in all things 'canal'.

 

Real lock keepers are long gone.

 

Example - at Torksey a lock keeper refused to open the lock until the water level had hit a 'line painted on the outside of the gates. I spoke to him and explained that it was a neap tide and we were at high tide it wouldn't get any higher. It turned out that they do not now have reagular lockies for each lock, anyone can be called in to do the job. He was a volunteer weed & grass cutter who got a call to go and operate the locks' His total training consisted of "do not open the gates until the water covers that line"

 

Example - Coming into Nether lock the hydraulically powered gates started to close on us and we were within inches of being crushed, banged into reverse and just got the bow out as the gates slammed shut.

Called the lockie on the VHF and asked "Why ?" to be told I thought you had come in so I suggested that if he stood on the lock side instead of inside the 'control tower' (which is set so far back you cannot see into the lock) he might be better off. Official complaint to C&RT of a dangerous 'near miss' resulted in an email "we will investigate it" Nothing more heard.

 

Vollockies - get rid of the lot of them. It is safer to self-operate

Had a similar problem of a totally inexperienced keeper at Torksey. Holiday Job.
Not seen a keeper at Thorn, just saying. 

[peterboat]

4 hours ago, oboat said:

Had a similar problem of a totally inexperienced keeper at Torksey. Holiday Job.
Not seen a keeper at Thorn, just saying. 

Thorne is a doddle must have been through it 30 times over the years

[Ianws]

On 04/03/2023 at 11:03, peterboat said:

Often there is a guy on there with slight Downs syndrome, he is a volunteer, really helpful especially if single handed, we had a beer together last year he really seems to enjoy helping people 

Yes you can operate them independently 

Not having a go at all but just want to take an opportunity to address some disability awareness. Down's Syndrome involves an extra chromosome. There's no slight Down's Syndrome, like there's no slight pregnancy. Down's Syndrome or other learning disabilities might be the thing that we see as most obvious about someone and defines what we perceive about them. Like you said about the volunteer, he's really helpful and I guess he knows what he is doing. It's important to see what people can do (if they have been given the chance to develop the skills) rather than just  see the disability. I know of a restaurant chain who took advantage of a learning disabled employee and never gave him time off when he could spend time with his family. It came back to bite them when he chose to walk. He was the only employee who knew how to maintain and repair their coffee machine. 

[howardang]

10 hours ago, peterboat said:

Thorne is a doddle must have been through it 30 times over the years

Like you I have been through Thorne lock a number of times, with both  narrow and also with wide beam boats with no issues. I believe that at one time there was a full time lock keeper in the house on the lock side but whether this is still the case I don't know. I don't recall ever seeing a lockkeeper there  in recent years.

 

Howard

[Jen-in-Wellies]

15 hours ago, oboat said:

Not seen a keeper at Thorn, just saying. 

Thorne is easy. Push button boating at its best. The only thing I've found to watch out for is to make sure that the road barrier gates for the adjacent swing bridge are properly engaged with the posts when across the road. There is an interlock switch on each there that won't release the bridge to be swung away from the canal unless it knows the barriers are across the road. The top gates for the lock are also interlocked and won't open unless the bridge is open to boats.

Other semi-manual swing bridges on this canal are similar. Although the bridge is swung by muscle power, the barriers and bridge release mechanism are electrically interlocked for the safety of any road traffic. 

[peterboat]

8 hours ago, Ianws said:

Not having a go at all but just want to take an opportunity to address some disability awareness. Down's Syndrome involves an extra chromosome. There's no slight Down's Syndrome, like there's no slight pregnancy. Down's Syndrome or other learning disabilities might be the thing that we see as most obvious about someone and defines what we perceive about them. Like you said about the volunteer, he's really helpful and I guess he knows what he is doing. It's important to see what people can do (if they have been given the chance to develop the skills) rather than just  see the disability. I know of a restaurant chain who took advantage of a learning disabled employee and never gave him time off when he could spend time with his family. It came back to bite them when he chose to walk. He was the only employee who knew how to maintain and repair their coffee machine. 

I have had two friends with Downs syndrome, both great guys but at different ends if the spectrum, James couldn't speak but still lived a full and productive life till he died aged 52.

Mathew can speak but doesn't work and can be obstructive to say the least! The difference? Parents, James wasnt treated any different to the other children, Mathew is and that's where it seems to fall down?