C&RT do spend some money on the navigation infrastructure

[Momac]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-67544621

 

[robtheplod]

Got to admire the craftsmanship!

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

Glad they’re putting on lots of varnish to keep them waterproof and to offer them some protection from narrowboats ramming them👍

Edited November 28, 2023 by BoatinglifeupNorth

[Stroudwater1]

Worth a look round, if anyone is in the area. I wonder how many mobile phones  were found when they drained the lock? 
it was ten at Banbury (plus some handcuffs 🤣 ) 

[Alan de Enfield]

There was a lot of work done on that lock a few years ago (height of the season in August 2020) when some bright spark decided to tie their boat up tight onto the bollards and then empty the lock, planning to inspect the boats bottom - apparently they were a little surprised when the boat tried to follow the water down as the bollards pulled out and the walls started to collapse.

Lots of damage and lots of £s to repair.

 

It was logged as "Boater damage".

 

[Tracy D'arth]

21 minutes ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

Glad they’re putting on lots of varnish to keep them waterproof and to them some protection from narrowboats ramming them👍

I do hope not. Its painting timber that starts the rot. Would be much better built in steel then they would not need to be replaced every 25 years, maximum,

Most of the 1970s steel gates are still in service and working fine.

They were only built in oak because it was cheap and plentiful. Its time we ignored heritage and had a working canal system with minimal maintenance and more cost effective.

[Tonka]

15 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I do hope not. Its painting timber that starts the rot. Would be much better built in steel then they would not need to be replaced every 25 years, maximum,

Most of the 1970s steel gates are still in service and working fine.

They were only built in oak because it was cheap and plentiful. Its time we ignored heritage and had a working canal system with minimal maintenance and more cost effective.

Not sure that England Heritage would allow that

[Momac]

13 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Not sure that England Heritage would allow that

Does English Heritage have any responsibility for the  inland waterways ?

[magnetman]

Also steel gates can cause damage to the lock structure because metal does not absorb shock. When gates are slammed there is nowhere for the energy to go. 

 

Wood is more forgiving.

 

 

 

 

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

Glad they’re putting on lots of varnish to keep them waterproof and to them some protection from narrowboats ramming them👍

Varnish?? More likely just photographed on a wet day!

[Tracy D'arth]

27 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Also steel gates can cause damage to the lock structure because metal does not absorb shock. When gates are slammed there is nowhere for the energy to go. 

 

Wood is more forgiving.

 

 

 

 

Well all those locks that have had steel gates for 50 years are still working, so phooey!

[David Schweizer]

3 hours ago, BoatinglifeupNorth said:

Glad they’re putting on lots of varnish to keep them waterproof and to them some protection from narrowboats ramming them👍

 

It is very unlikely that they have painted the gate with anything. Traditionally, new gates were submerged in water to swell the joints and make them watertight, it is far more likely that the gates have been recently removed from the tank for transportation, and the shine is geing generated by residual water onthe gate surfaces.

[BoatinglifeupNorth]

4 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I do hope not. Its painting timber that starts the rot. Would be much better built in steel then they would not need to be replaced every 25 years, maximum,

Most of the 1970s steel gates are still in service and working fine.

They were only built in oak because it was cheap and plentiful. Its time we ignored heritage and had a working canal system with minimal maintenance and more cost effective.

 

2 hours ago, David Mack said:

Varnish?? More likely just photographed on a wet day!

 

35 minutes ago, David Schweizer said:

 

It is very unlikely that they have painted the gate with anything. Traditionally, new gates were submerged in water to swell the joints and make them watertight, it is far more likely that the gates have been recently removed from the tank for transportation, and the shine is geing generated by residual water onthe gate surfaces.

😉😉👍
 

Edited November 28, 2023 by BoatinglifeupNorth

[DShK]

4 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

There was a lot of work done on that lock a few years ago (height of the season in August 2020) when some bright spark decided to tie their boat up tight onto the bollards and then empty the lock, planning to inspect the boats bottom - apparently they were a little surprised when the boat tried to follow the water down as the bollards pulled out and the walls started to collapse.

Lots of damage and lots of £s to repair.

 

It was logged as "Boater damage".

 

Afaik this technique was commonly employed in the 70s. As was cilling your boat to get at the prop.

[Alan de Enfield]

21 minutes ago, DShK said:

Afaik this technique was commonly employed in the 70s. As was cilling your boat to get at the prop.

 

But the infrastructure has had 50 years of minimum maintenance since then.

[MrsM]

5 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

There was a lot of work done on that lock a few years ago (height of the season in August 2020) when some bright spark decided to tie their boat up tight onto the bollards and then empty the lock, planning to inspect the boats bottom - apparently they were a little surprised when the boat tried to follow the water down as the bollards pulled out and the walls started to collapse.

Lots of damage and lots of £s to repair.

 

It was logged as "Boater damage".

 

Remember it well! A thorough pain in the a**se that was. The boater had quite the reputation in the Nottingham area by all accounts (and lost their boat shortly after?). This has sometimes been quite a tricky, heavy, leaky lock though by no means the worst on that stretch.

Edited November 29, 2023 by MrsM

[Tacet]

7 hours ago, DShK said:

Afaik this technique was commonly employed in the 70s. As was cilling your boat to get at the prop.

 

6 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

But the infrastructure has had 50 years of minimum maintenance since then.

What was the nature of the maintenance that allowed the bollards to endure this type of abuse?

[Captain Pegg]

13 hours ago, MartynG said:

Does English Heritage have any responsibility for the  inland waterways ?

I think they have a role because CRT takes funding from the public purse.

 

As I understand things it is their requirement that gates are replaced in timber.

[Tim Lewis]

4 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

I think they have a role because CRT takes funding from the public purse.

 

As I understand things it is their requirement that gates are replaced in timber.

Any statutory matters are now administered by Historic England. English Heritage who now just look after certain historic buildings were spun off as a charity like CRT, several years ago,

Edited November 29, 2023 by Tim Lewis

[Tonka]

13 hours ago, MartynG said:

Does English Heritage have any responsibility for the  inland waterways ?

A lot of the canal structures are listed so English Heritage do get a say. The bridge on the Caldon Canal that was restored properly recently with lime being an example

[Machpoint005]

13 hours ago, MartynG said:

Does English Heritage have any responsibility for the  inland waterways ?

 

That won't stop them commenting.

 

 

[Captain Pegg]

1 minute ago, Tim Lewis said:

Any statutory matters are now administered by Historic England. English Heritage who now just look after certain historic buildings were spun off as a charity like CRT, several years ago,

Not sure if @MartynG’s comment was made in reference to that. I suspect not.

 

It can be argued that CRT is funded to enable replacement gates in timber rather than steel.

 

I guess we could have steel gates if CRT was funded totally through boating revenues.

[Tim Lewis]

6 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

Not sure if @MartynG’s comment was made in reference to that. I suspect not.

 

It can be argued that CRT is funded to enable replacement gates in timber rather than steel.

 

I guess we could have steel gates if CRT was funded totally through boating revenues.

Where locks and other canal structures are listed Historic England will be interested in any works carried out to them.

 

Many years ago BW replaced lock gates on the Hanwell flight which is a scheduled monument without top gate paddles which were in situ when it was listed. This caused a major ruction with IWA etc and resulted in BW having to revise their procedures in dealing with listed structures

Edited November 29, 2023 by Tim Lewis

[Alan de Enfield]

The sea-locks at our marina are very old - possibly going back to Victorian era and are leaking badly. As the whole marina structure (marina-dock walls, lock etc are all listed by Cadw (the Welsh equivalent to English Heritage) they need to apply for permission to repair or replace them, AND they must remain identical to the original 19c drawings held in the maritime museum in Liverpool.

They have forbidden even attaching a rubber strip on one gate so the 'enlarged' gap between the gates can be covered and held in place by the water pressure, and nailing some new planks/boards across the gaps in the gate planking is totally forbidden.

 

Cadw is the Welsh Government’s historic environment service.

Our Mission

Caring for our historic places, inspiring current and future generations.

Our work serves a greater purpose — protecting our historic places so they can continue to inspire generations to come. We look back in order that we can see ahead.

Our Vision

A Wales where our historic places are cared for, understood and shared by everyone.

Our historic places continue to play a vital role in shaping modern Wales. They provide a living link to our diverse histories and help us make sense our place in a changing world.

Edited November 29, 2023 by Alan de Enfield

[Chris Lowe]

They do indeed do some work.