Hillmorton Middle Locks - damage to gate

[Llamedos]

Came up through Hillmorton Locks today and the left hand lock of the middle pair is out of action due to damage to one of its bottom gates. Looks like it might have taken a hit from a boat as you can see from my photo. 
 

The lockies on the first lock pair never even mentioned it, so it was a surprise when we reached the middle pair and it was too late by then to ask. 
 

I don’t recall getting a notice about this and I can’t find any mention on the website. Anyone know what happened? Could cause some serious delays over the summer if they don’t get it fixed. 

[Rob-M]

Heading that way tomorrow so thanks for the warning as not seen any notifications.

[nealeST]

I’m at Hillmorten now. I came through last evening and saw hazard tape was across the middle lock. Has the tape gone?

[alan_fincher]

We went throigh about 3 days ago

 

I think it is difficult to see how the damage could have been caused by a  boat.

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, alan_fincher said:

I think it is difficult to see how the damage could have been caused by a  boat.

Boat entering the lock from above failed to stop and hit the bottom gates hard? If the top of the mitre post and its joint with the balance beam were already suffering from rot and decay, that could cause the damage seen.

Zooming in on the photo, it looks like a 2005 or 2006 gate, so getting to an age when rot in the joints might be an issue.

 

[Llamedos]

I know this is an old chestnut, but it would have been handy yesterday if the lockies had been stationed on the middle locks to manage the boats through. Instead they were in their default location by the bottom lock and I suspect didn’t even know about the damage. 

 

I’m not blaming them personally, but there will be someone at CRT who manages the volunteers and really should have got themselves to Hillmorton and organised this. The other lock’s gates are pretty old too and if they get damaged it’s game over. 

Edited Wednesday at 06:35 by Llamedos

[Stroudwater1]

6 minutes ago, Llamedos said:

I know this is an old chestnut, but it would have been handy yesterday if the lockies had been stationed on the middle locks to manage the boats through. Instead they were in their default location by the bottom lock and I suspect didn’t even know about the damage. 

 

I’m not blaming them personally, but there will be someone at CRT who manages the volunteers and really should have got themselves to Hillmorton and organised this. The other lock is pretty old too and if it gets damaged it’s game over. 

Fortunately the bottom gates of the other lock were replaced just under 5 years ago, but maybe not the top ones. There’s quite a strong pull towards the top gates on that one and it’s a bit of a tight turn in so it’s possibly had less use than the other. Certainly we avoid it when we can. 
 

November 2021. 
 

 

[Tonka]

8 hours ago, David Mack said:

Boat entering the lock from above failed to stop and hit the bottom gates hard? If the top of the mitre post and its joint with the balance beam were already suffering from rot and decay, that could cause the damage seen.

Zooming in on the photo, it looks like a 2005 or 2006 gate, so getting to an age when rot in the joints might be an issue.

 

Interestingly I was at Atherstone top lock the other day. If you look at the bottom towpath gate the black paint is peeling off. Now this paint doesn't appear to be very permeable and this alone could stop the wood breathing and rot. In the listed property world this could be classed as vandalism 

[alan_fincher]

1 hour ago, Llamedos said:

I know this is an old chestnut, but it would have been handy yesterday if the lockies had been stationed on the middle locks to manage the boats through. Instead they were in their default location by the bottom lock and I suspect didn’t even know about the damage. 

I feel sure they would be well aware of the damage.

However it has long beem my gripe at  Hillmorton that all the vollies congregate at the bottom lock

 They could usefully manage levels in the two intermediate pounds, and top up as required, but  I have yet to see them ever do so, prefering instead to let deep draughted boats bounce along the bottom.

 

[Llamedos]

45 minutes ago, Tonka said:

Interestingly I was at Atherstone top lock the other day. If you look at the bottom towpath gate the black paint is peeling off. Now this paint doesn't appear to be very permeable and this alone could stop the wood breathing and rot. In the listed property world this could be classed as vandalism 

When I worked at CRT we used ordinary gloss paint from B&Q, although there was talk of using water based paint, but that was based on its quick drying qualities and easier ‘clean up’ ie no turps.  The heritage thing didn’t seem to apply to lock gate paint.
 

On the other hand I remember having to paint a white inside wall of a toilet with lime wash because it was ‘the traditional stuff.’ In practice it was bloody awful. Coverage was lousy and you had to wear goggles and gloves to use it because it burned your skin and if you got it in your eyes it was really dangerous. Modern Masonary paint would have been miles better and more durable.

15 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

I feel sure they would be well aware of the damage.

However it has long beem my gripe at  Hillmorton that all the vollies congregate at the bottom lock

 They could usefully manage levels in the two intermediate pounds, and top up as required, but  I have yet to see them ever do so, prefering instead to let deep draughted boats bounce along the bottom.

 

Might be something to do with the proximity of the kettle and tea bags to the bottom lock, but in a way you can’t blame them. They’re working for free after all. 

[Lady M]

1 hour ago, Tonka said:

Interestingly I was at Atherstone top lock the other day. If you look at the bottom towpath gate the black paint is peeling off. Now this paint doesn't appear to be very permeable and this alone could stop the wood breathing and rot. In the listed property world this could be classed as vandalism 

I always thought that roofing felt on lockgate beams would cause rot.  I have seen Hammerite used for lock painting.

[john6767]

1 hour ago, Tonka said:

Interestingly I was at Atherstone top lock the other day. If you look at the bottom towpath gate the black paint is peeling off. Now this paint doesn't appear to be very permeable and this alone could stop the wood breathing and rot. In the listed property world this could be classed as vandalism 

CRT no longer paint new lock gates.  It is one of the anecdotes that they tell you on the Bradley workshops tour, it saves 2 days in lock gate manufacture and there was no proof that painting did any good.

Edited Wednesday at 09:43 by john6767

[David Mack]

1 hour ago, john6767 said:

CRT no longer paint new lock gates.  It is one of the anecdotes that they tell you on the Bradley workshops tour, it saves 2 days in lock gate manufacture and there was no proof that painting did any good.

Shame they don't always paint the hardware either. I have seen brand new unpainted gates, with the handrails and paddle gear in a mix of bare rusty steel, unpainted plated fasteners, red oxide primer, white and black paint (usually one thin coat). There might or might not be white ends to the otherwise unpainted balance beams. New gates on adjacent locks have differing amounts of paint. It can all look very scruffy!

[Tonka]

13 minutes ago, David Mack said:

Shame they don't always paint the hardware either. I have seen brand new unpainted gates, with the handrails and paddle gear in a mix of bare rusty steel, unpainted plated fasteners, red oxide primer, white and black paint (usually one thin coat). There might or might not be white ends to the otherwise unpainted balance beams. New gates on adjacent locks have differing amounts of paint. It can all look very scruffy!

Personally I prefer scruffy and usable to pristine and broken

[Rob-M]

Looked like the end of the gate has previously had a plate put on it to hold it together.

 

[ditchcrawler]

6 hours ago, Llamedos said:

I know this is an old chestnut, but it would have been handy yesterday if the lockies had been stationed on the middle locks to manage the boats through. Instead they were in their default location by the bottom lock and I suspect didn’t even know about the damage. 

 

I’m not blaming them personally, but there will be someone at CRT who manages the volunteers and really should have got themselves to Hillmorton and organised this. The other lock’s gates are pretty old too and if they get damaged it’s game over. 

That is where their facilities are 

3 hours ago, Lady M said:

I always thought that roofing felt on lockgate beams would cause rot.  I have seen Hammerite used for lock painting.

But its not roofing felt its a pucker none slip material and IMO the best thing BW ever did to improve boater safety 

[Hudds Lad]

When we came down on the bank holiday weekend (Saturday i think) there was a lock smurf on the top locks, and two on the bottom locks, none in the middle. Only time i’ve ever seen them on the middle set they were gardening.

Ones at the bottom didn’t stop a boat moored in the pound from nicking our lock though  Lockie told them they’d not be popular, but they feigned ignorance of the situation. I wasn't too put out as luckily a boat was coming up the towpath-side one so i didn’t have to wait long.

 

Isn't there some H&S rule that says they can’t be more than so many metres from their facilities? Or did I imagine that?