Calcutt locks

[Rob-M]

2 hours ago, Lily Rose said:

 

My suggestion was 8 hours per week of lock usage and 168 hours of back-pumping. Presumably that gives enough time to pump all the downhill water back uphill.

 

Anyway, pointless argument. It's not going to happen, I don't see the harm in doing it and you do. I doubt either of us will change the other's mind.

 

Apparently back pumping costs a lot of money though so maybe not something to do lightly just to let a few people go and play on their boats.

[Llamedos]

Sitting here on my boat at Ventnor I’ve heard a lot of boats moving tonight, travelling late, all heading towards Stockton. Odd when Calcutt is currently locked up. 🤔

[haggis]

Are Stockton locks closed ? Maybe a bolt cutter job 🤔

[dogless]

Quite a lot of boat movement today at Radford Semele, with boats travelling in both directions.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens Wednesday.

 

I wonder if some are just making the most of the bank holiday weekend whilst the locks remain usable.

 

Rog

 

PS   for @haggis only Calcutt top and Radford bottom are locked on time restrictions ... and permanently on Tuesday 3pm

Edited August 24, 2025 by dogless

[Graham and Jo]

1 hour ago, dogless said:

Quite a lot of boat movement today at Radford Semele, with boats travelling in both directions.

 

It will be interesting to see what happens Wednesday.

 

I wonder if some are just making the most of the bank holiday weekend whilst the locks remain usable.

 

Rog

 

PS   for @haggis only Calcutt top and Radford bottom are locked on time restrictions ... and permanently on Tuesday 3pm

Calcutt bottom lock is locked as well. 

 

Graham 

 

 

Thinking about it I did see some boats go past after the locks were closed.  The locks are combination locks and I wonder if the combination has been leaked. 

 

Cheers Graham 

[Llamedos]

Just walked up to Calcutt Locks and the evidence of boats moving late last night (and early this morning) is clear.
 

Both bankside chains on the top and bottom locks have simply been pulled off the spindles allowing the gear to be wound. The padlocks are still locked and in place. Whoever chained them up didn’t get the chains tight enough.
 

Having said this I think the way the locks are being secured in general doesn’t seem very effective to me. A single chain between the hand rails in the centre of the gates would seem to be far better. There must be a reason I suppose. 🤔
 

Anyway here are some pictures. 
 

 

[MartinC]

With all Calcutt locks closed at 3pm today, the Calcutt webcam might be interesting. However no night vision ?

[john6767]

1 hour ago, Llamedos said:

Just walked up to Calcutt Locks and the evidence of boats moving late last night (and early this morning) is clear.
 

Both bankside chains on the top and bottom locks have simply been pulled off the spindles allowing the gear to be wound. The padlocks are still locked and in place. Whoever chained them up didn’t get the chains tight enough.
 

Having said this I think the way the locks are being secured in general doesn’t seem very effective to me. A single chain between the hand rails in the centre of the gates would seem to be far better. There must be a reason I suppose. 🤔
 

Anyway here are some pictures. 
 

 

Agreed, looked at that when we are we’re waiting there, and it would have been very easy to pull that chain off the spindle.  Chaining the gate through the had rail would seem better, but I would say the only reason is that they have been told to lock the paddles, which is what they are doing on other locks, but with no regard to the fact that without a fitting that goes over the spindle it really does not work for the Ham Baker paddle gear 

1 hour ago, MartinC said:

With all Calcutt locks closed at 3pm today, the Calcutt webcam might be interesting. However no night vision ?

Just checked the web cam, one of the navy boats and a hire boat are being moved down the middle lock, presumably into the marina, leaving the wharf area completely empty

[dogless]

I hope they effectively lock them at 3pm today.

 

I'm not a fan of enforced restrictions but if they're to be imposed they need to actually restrict.

 

Rog

[Llamedos]

1 hour ago, dogless said:

I hope they effectively lock them at 3pm today.

 

I'm not a fan of enforced restrictions but if they're to be imposed they need to actually restrict.

 

Rog

My thoughts exactly. There will always be those who try to cheat the rules and if CRT don’t enforce them properly it’s not fair on the rest of us who abide by them. 

[Chris John]

The self entitled of this country strike again 

[Dorlan]

There is now a chain between the handrails of the bottom gates of the bottom lock.

 

[Graham and Jo]

There is a chain on the top lock between the handrails too. And a rather heath Robinson affair has replaced the simple chain on the paddles. 

 

Cheers Graham 

[Llamedos]

 

That’s much better!

 

I actually just typed out a report and sent it to CRT with my photos but someone’s obviously beaten me to it. Never mind, it will reinforce the point about securing gates properly. 
 

I actually think it’s quite a clever fix that some one has come up with there. 😊
 

 

Edited August 25, 2025 by Llamedos

[Graham and Jo]

Just to add the back pumps have stopped, the reservoir is still emptying. Last night I didn't know there was another guage under the first one. The first stops at 1 metre down. Lock one seems to be holding its own but lock 2 and 3 have impressive waterfalls from the top gates. 

 

Cheers Graham 

[Steve Hayes]

The level at Ventnor at 2pm was pretty much as it has been, a couple of inches down

[Graham and Jo]

We need to appoint a minister for the drought. The one appointed in 1976 was the most successful minister ever! It's a sort of British rain dance thing. 

[Dorlan]

The middle and lower pounds are both full, with water flowing over the weirs at the ends of the old narrow locks

[Graham and Jo]

Where is it all coming from? The top lock doesn't seem to leak that much. Who knows? 

That comment is rubbish it is leaking! 

[Llamedos]

I agree. Those gates are in a shocking state.
 

If they last the winter it’ll be a miracle and the others at Calcutt are nearly as bad. 
 

Has anyone seen the winter maintenance program yet? I hope the Calcutt flight is on it? If not it should be. 

[john6767]

36 minutes ago, Llamedos said:

I agree. Those gates are in a shocking state.
 

If they last the winter it’ll be a miracle and the others at Calcutt are nearly as bad. 
 

Has anyone seen the winter maintenance program yet? I hope the Calcutt flight is on it? If not it should be. 

Top and bottom locks get gate replacements in the Nov-Dec stoppages, which was another factor in us deciding we had to get back as it seems quite possible we would not have been able to get through Calcutt locks until just before Christmas, and as Hatton is shut for the same period there would be no way back to Calcutt Marina.

Edited August 25, 2025 by john6767

[David Mack]

21 hours ago, Llamedos said:

Just walked up to Calcutt Locks and the evidence of boats moving late last night (and early this morning) is clear.
 

Both bankside chains on the top and bottom locks have simply been pulled off the spindles allowing the gear to be wound. The padlocks are still locked and in place. Whoever chained them up didn’t get the chains tight enough.
 

Having said this I think the way the locks are being secured in general doesn’t seem very effective to me. A single chain between the hand rails in the centre of the gates would seem to be far better. There must be a reason I suppose. 🤔
 

Anyway here are some pictures. 
 

 

Back in the 70s, when a paddle was locked out of use, they had a sort of iron cup which completely covered the spindle and was padlocked to the chain which holds the 'half spanner'. I guess they got lost when the lock keepers went.

[Llamedos]

Eerily quiet today with everything securely locked and nothing moving, but the pumps are running again this morning. All quite sad but had to be done. 🙁 Anyone’s guess how things will play out now. 

[dogless]

Indeed ... nothing moved at Radford since early yesterday.

 

I guess that's it now they're effectively locked. 

 

Rog

[Graham and Jo]

Final report before I go home. You'll notice in the photo above the Calcutt boat being serviced on the water point. They have bought their portable pump out pump up into the garden of the lock cottage where there is also man hole cover to provide access to their sewage system. Diesel is coming in Jerry cans. The stop planks are going in at the marina tomorrow. 

 

Two C&RT employees turned up this morning in two separate trucks for economy reasons. They stared at the leaking gates and talked earnestly on their phones then left. It made a difference I think I can feel the canal getting deeper, or maybe the banks are coming up - not quite sure which. 

 

Cheers Graham