Watford Locks Closed

[junior]

Damaged gate. Crane needed. 

 

Not the part of the world I keep too up to date with, but I think there's an event on at Foxton this weekend. You'd be annoyed if you'd travelled a long way only to get halted the day before so close to your destination.

[Tonka]

5 minutes ago, junior said:

Damaged gate. Crane needed. 

 

Not the part of the world I keep too up to date with, but I think there's an event on at Foxton this weekend. You'd be annoyed if you'd travelled a long way only to get halted the day before so close to your destination.

especially as it may have been done by someone going to the show.

According to the IWA Harbrough 75 thread on here.

Probably a trader making sure they get all the sales

[ditchcrawler]

 

From a Facebook video

[alan_fincher]

1 minute ago, ditchcrawler said:

 

From a Facebook video

 

Where's the life jacket then? 

[dogless]

Yes he definitely needs one in ankle deep water.

 

Rog

[MtB]

39 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

 

Where's the life jacket then? 

 

And the crane! 

 

 

[Tonka]

Just now, MtB said:

 

And the crane! 

 

 

Flew away just before the photo

[pearley]

I'm not there but would think an A frame.erected over the lock with a chain hoist would be simple.

[Stroudwater1]

2 hours ago, Tonka said:

especially as it may have been done by someone going to the show.

According to the IWA Harbrough 75 thread on here.

Probably a trader making sure they get all the sales

 

The CRT stoppage confirms it was someone going to the show. 

 

"Lock 5 of the Watford flight has been hit by a boat ascending on its way to Foxton for the IWA festival this weekend.  The force of the impact has dislodged one of the lock gates out of its pot.  Colleagues have been on site since the incident, attempting to reposition it and reopen the flight but attempts so far have been unsuccessful.  Conscious that a number of boaters will be heading towards Foxton for the festival over the weekend, we will be back on site first thing tomorrow to drain the lock, allowing us to put the gate back in position and re-open the flight.  We will update this notice as soon as we have confirmation that Lock 5 is operational again. " 

 

Oh dear. 

 

[NB Alnwick]

It wasn’t us! We are here already and, by all accounts, we may be here for some time!
 

[MtB]

I wonder how they know which boat it was and that it was heading for the festival in particular! 

 

 

[cornishdave]

Update from CRT: "The earliest we can mobilise this equipment is Wednesday 11th June."

 

[magnetman]

1 hour ago, pearley said:

I'm not there but would think an A frame.erected over the lock with a chain hoist would be simple.

That is too sensible. Of course as it seems to be a tail gate the lift will not be assisted by water. 

 

A jack and spreader plate under the balance beam close to the collar could work but the beam might be rotten and snap off. 

 

 

3 hours ago, alan_fincher said:

 

Where's the life jacket then? 

is he holding a split open pot ? If the pot has broken apart then its a bit more than just putting the gate pintle back in. 

 

 

[Hudds Lad]

31 minutes ago, MtB said:

I wonder how they know which boat it was and that it was heading for the festival in particular! 

 

 

Watford are manned and chained when not, as lock 5 is part of the staircase it's highly likely they were being helped and/or observed at the time of the incident. Also the lock smurf probably asked where they were headed when they booked in too if it wasn't obvious from the looks of the boat in question.

You probably know this already 😛

[magnetman]

All the water needs to be evacuated and a new pot leaded in or however they do it these days. 

 

 

[Chris John]

38 minutes ago, MtB said:

I wonder how they know which boat it was and that it was heading for the festival in particular! 

 

 

Possibly because passage through the locks is assisted only and the volunteers saw what happened 

If it’s proved who did it isn’t it about time CRT started claiming on the boater insurance for the damage. 
Hacks me off that our licence fees are being spent on someone’s incompetence 

[MtB]

15 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

Watford are manned and chained when not, as lock 5 is part of the staircase it's highly likely they were being helped and/or observed at the time of the incident. Also the lock smurf probably asked where they were headed when they booked in too if it wasn't obvious from the looks of the boat in question.

You probably know this already 😛

 

Nope. I've never done the Lester branch or whatever its called! 

 

 

[magnetman]

19 minutes ago, Chris John said:

Possibly because passage through the locks is assisted only and the volunteers saw what happened 

If it’s proved who did it isn’t it about time CRT started claiming on the boater insurance for the damage. 
Hacks me off that our licence fees are being spent on someone’s incompetence 

 

If the pot has split it was just a matter of time. Back in the day these were a maintenance item I found loads of worn pots in the GU near locks and one or two which had split apart. 

 

If they are not replaced on routine maintenance then they eventually break apart. Its obvious. 

 

It might not be that and the video is not that clear but the CRT geyser seems to be holding something. 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

4 hours ago, pearley said:

I'm not there but would think an A frame.erected over the lock with a chain hoist would be simple.

Like this

 

[NB Alnwick]

2 hours ago, magnetman said:

 

If the pot has split it was just a matter of time. Back in the day these were a maintenance item I found loads of worn pots in the GU near locks and one or two which had split apart. 

 

 

That same image appears to show the stern of a boat in the lock - so perhaps the damage was caused by a boat descending the locks rather than ascending.

[Chris John]

Love how all they experts just say just do this or just do that when they’ve been nowhere near the site annd surveyed the damage and have possibly never even been in the lock flight 🤣🤣. 
 

[pete23]

8 hours ago, Chris John said:

Love how all they experts just say just do this or just do that when they’ve been nowhere near the site annd surveyed the damage and have possibly never even been in the lock flight 🤣🤣. 
You’re a newbie arnt you……

 

[Waterweed]

On 06/06/2025 at 13:15, MtB said:

I wonder how they know which boat it was and that it was heading for the festival in particular! 

 

 

The locks are assisted passage and the offending boat confirmed they were on their way to the festival. They were obviously embarrassed and denied causing the damage. They were assisted back down the locks and said they were returning to Braunston. The lock keepers sorted the water levels out and locked the flight up.

An engineering team did attempt to jack the gate up to relocate but this wasn’t successful so we’re stuck here until at least Weds next week when the lifting gear is due to arrive.

[David Mack]

And how many boats haven't made it to the Foxton rally as a result?

[Llamedos]

2 hours ago, Cygnet said:

The locks are assisted passage and the offending boat confirmed they were on their way to the festival. They were obviously embarrassed and denied causing the damage. They were assisted back down the locks and said they were returning to Braunston. The lock keepers sorted the water levels out and locked the flight up.

An engineering team did attempt to jack the gate up to relocate but this wasn’t successful so we’re stuck here until at least Weds next week when the lifting gear is due to arrive.

How many boats like you are stuck there? I bet you’re seething.