Teddington

[WJM]

Ok - It is not really a stoppage but Teddington Launch Lock (the middle one) is closed for repairs. But the exciting news is that this means even the tiniest narrowboat gets to use the biggest lock in the country, the Barge Lock.

 

 

www.teddington-lock.co.uk

[Tim Lewis]

Ok - It is not really a stoppage but Teddington Launch Lock (the middle one) is closed for repairs. But the exciting news is that this means even the tiniest narrowboat gets to use the biggest lock in the country, the Barge Lock.

www.teddington-lock.co.uk

 

 

I'd be surprised if it's as big as this lock:

 

 

Tim

[fender]

Ok - It is not really a stoppage but Teddington Launch Lock (the middle one) is closed for repairs. But the exciting news is that this means even the tiniest narrowboat gets to use the biggest lock in the country, the Barge Lock.

www.teddington-lock.co.uk

 

Biggest lock. Surely not. Longest perhaps?

 

just think about it in a sort of way... the tidal Thames has at its extremities the Longest lock in Britian and the Longest pier in the World!

 

 

 

(Yeah I know the Thames offically finishes at Foulness!)

 

- ends -

[NB Willawaw]

Is Southend Pier still the longest ??

 

I thought it lost the title when it caught fire or had a ship slice through it in the fog a few years ago ??

[fender]

Is Southend Pier still the longest ??

 

I thought it lost the title when it caught fire or had a ship slice through it in the fog a few years ago ??

 

No it hasnt lost the title

[Bill Kennedy]

I'd be surprised if it's as big as this lock:

 

 

Tim

 

Where's that then.

[NB Willawaw]

Its the Royal Docks Lock that links the dock basin with the Thames in London.

[Tim Lewis]

Where's that then.

 

King George V lock at the Eastern End of The Royal Docks in East London.

 

The boats are on their way back from being moored outside the London Boat show in January.

 

Tim

[Tim Lewis]

Biggest lock. Surely not. Longest perhaps?

 

just think about it in a sort of way... the tidal Thames has at its extremities the Longest lock in Britian and the Longest pier in the World!

(Yeah I know the Thames offically finishes at Foulness!)

 

- ends -

 

Afraid Teddington lock not the longest lock:

 

Teddington Lock (L) 198.12m (W) 7.54m

KGV Lock (L) 244m (W) 30.5m

 

Wouldn't like to say that the KGV lock is the longest though

 

Tim

[WJM]

I hadnt heard it described as the biggest in britain before - It was the Lock keeper who described it thus. It is very long, perhaps he meant longest.

[fender]

I hadnt heard it described as the biggest in britain before - It was the Lock keeper who described it thus. It is very long, perhaps he meant longest.

 

perhaps it is very 'long' in terms of its dimensions

 

if you look down the barge lock at teddington it seems awfully long, but that possibly is due to the fairly narrow chamber making it look longer than it really is?

 

The lock was built for barge trains hence its rather unusual proportions

[WJM]

What is the logic behind Teddington Lock setup anyway;

 

24 hour operation, three locks, one of them especially enormous. Yet all the locks upstream from it are relatively modest in size. Why is Teddington so disproportionately large? What is the point, where were these great barge trains going? As soon as they clear Teddington they would have to be broken up to fit the smaller locks. Was there that much traffic up from London to Kingston to justify such a large installation?

[magnetman]

I think its related to kingston power station. Edited to remove incomprehensible triple posting

Edited March 20, 2008 by magnetman