work at lock 46 cow roast tring

[boatboy]

Hi can anyone help me plz I need to bring my boat pasted the Stoppage at Lock 46, Cow roast Lock I have phoned bw for moor info but they tell me to check the web site. not a lot off help

 

 

What I won’t to no is

If the lock is going to finish on time or lat or before time

And how is the ice there

 

Thank Kris

[alan_fincher]

Hi can anyone help me plz I need to bring my boat pasted the Stoppage at Lock 46, Cow roast Lock I have phoned bw for moor info but they tell me to check the web site. not a lot off help

 

 

What I won’t to no is

If the lock is going to finish on time or lat or before time

And how is the ice there

 

Thank Kris

To answer first question last.....

 

There is still a great deal of ice on the canal this far up, which would make getting anywhere quite hard work, unless you have a big beefy engine, and a large prop. (Although there is a wonderful pic in Waterways World of Mr & Mrs Baldock breaking their way up through Berko pre-Christmas).

 

I need to go and transact some business at Cow Roast at some stage over the next few days. If you have not had an answer before then, I'll try and find out.

 

It seems very likely that some of these stoppages will run late, or not happen, as the weather has been so severe, but I understand Cow Roast is leaking quite badly, so I guess that's not an obvious one for the chop.

 

You are aware others are also planned ? - depends where you are, and when you want to move, of course!

[LEO]

Hi can anyone help me plz I need to bring my boat pasted the Stoppage at Lock 46, Cow roast Lock I have phoned bw for moor info but they tell me to check the web site. not a lot off help

 

 

What I won’t to no is

If the lock is going to finish on time or lat or before time

And how is the ice there

 

Thank Kris

 

Hi,

 

They are making progress on the lock and have erected safety fencing and stop planks. Weather conditions amy cause work to overrun

 

No ice between the lock and the marina entrance and it is thawing as one gets to the cutting with one or two boats breaking the ice to get to the water point.

 

Difficult to say if works will overun, obviously dependant on the weather forecast not brill for the next few days.

 

Leo

[boatboy]

thank you for the info

 

kris

[Chris J W]

(Although there is a wonderful pic in Waterways World of Mr & Mrs Baldock breaking their way up through Berko pre-Christmas).

 

 

Ooo! This months edition?

 

(Scan ... please! If not this months)

[alan_fincher]

Ooo! This months edition?

 

(Scan ... please! If not this months)

Yep,

 

The edition is just out, I think.

 

I no longer normally succumb to this publication, but an article later showing lots of historic pictures of working boats just tipped the balance for me this month.

 

I do wish WW would print these archive photos big enough to actually see some detail though - a great shame they do not!

[Chris J W]

Ta, Mr F.

 

Will have to play 'hunt the copy'.

[alan_fincher]

Hi,

 

They are making progress on the lock and have erected safety fencing and stop planks. Weather conditions amy cause work to overrun

 

No ice between the lock and the marina entrance and it is thawing as one gets to the cutting with one or two boats breaking the ice to get to the water point.

 

Difficult to say if works will overun, obviously dependant on the weather forecast not brill for the next few days.

 

Leo

Well lots of BW work boats at the lock, and more fencing than I have ever seen before, but no sign of anybody on site when I took a look (3:00 pm today).

 

What Mike says about no ice above the lock up to the marina entrance is of course correct. However try and go any further than that, and two days further on it is still solid across the cut, (don't know how thick, but it's right up to all the boats).

 

Marina is also fully iced over still.

 

If anything has broken through either, I'd say it's not for several days now.

 

There is no real evidence of any new wood around the lock gates, but I suppose it's early days yet.

 

Why, oh why, does a lock stoppage now appear to need two continuous lines of fencing erected each side of the lock - one on the lock side itself, and another (higher) a metreor two back. Given that until a few years ago it was achieved with no fencing, isn't one row enough ?

[Chris J W]

Any photos, Alan?

[alan_fincher]

Any photos, Alan?

Sorry no!

 

They really have got it so quarantined off that it wouldn't be possible to picture very much.

 

There are planks in at both ends, and the top gates are swinging free, but the chamber is not particularly pumped out. There's really very little to see.

[Chris J W]

Shame.

 

Blimey - doesn't feel like two years ago I was winter moored there!

[LEO]

Well lots of BW work boats at the lock, and more fencing than I have ever seen before, but no sign of anybody on site when I took a look (3:00 pm today).

 

 

 

Why, oh why, does a lock stoppage now appear to need two continuous lines of fencing erected each side of the lock - one on the lock side itself, and another (higher) a metreor two back. Given that until a few years ago it was achieved with no fencing, isn't one row enough ?

 

Alan,

 

Basically to protect the workers, in this case falling several feet into the lock if they miss their footing. At this lock works are needed to the gates and a safe walkway is needed from one end of the lock to the other. Not unreasonable and now normal practice on work sites where sheer drops are found.

 

Site safety must always be of paramount importance, something which is sadly overlooked in many instances.

 

To be fair to BW they have been working on the lock in adverse conditions and better for the job to over run than have staff injured when it could have been avoided.

 

Leo.

[alan_fincher]

FWIW,

 

I have driven over the canal, (on bridges, mind!), at a few points in the Berkhamsted area.

 

In most places it is still iced up, fairly bank to bank, even near the bridge holes.

 

However the cracks are just starting to appear, with some ponded water on the surface in places, so if anybody had an urgent need to break it,it would probably no longer be too difficult.

[LEO]

Hi,

 

I checked this morning, the guys are woking hard, it would seem to be a split contract.

 

Repairs to the bottom gates are complete and the lock has been re-watered.

 

Workers are working on the upper gates and hoping to complete repairs on time.

 

I asked about the need for 2 fences - it is protect the workmen (fence by the lockside), and the public (fence two the outer one).

 

This is not a case of H&S gone mad but instead reasonable working requirements.

 

At this lock access is required on the towpath side and by moorers on the non towpath side and by the occupiers of the the former lock keepers cottages (both sides), which seriously restricts access by workers.

 

The guys on site should be congratulated for efforts to date in adverse weather conditions.

 

Ice persists to the end of moored boats (NTP side) but is thinnning quickly.

 

Some 14 day moorers have broken ice to get back to the water point, one persists in running his engine 'full ahead' for some reason for most of the day.

 

ATB

 

Leo.

 

I shall now get back to studying reports on 2 workers killed in accidents on two building sites in nearby Aylesbury, the first worker was run over and killed by a telescopic loader ( heavy fines paid by the Contractor) the second, a worker killed when a 2.5 mt. trench for a house extension was being excavated, collapsed - not sure why the deceased was in the trench.

 

It's so easy to become a statistic these days, let's keep playing with our 'Boy's Toys''.

 

L

[boatboy]

Hi all anyone no if the lock is back open now

 

thank you

Edited January 21, 2010 by boatboy

[LEO]

anyone no if the lock it back open

 

thank you

 

Spoke to the guys on Monday and they were on schedule to complete works on time.

 

Leo

[Jim Batty]

Spoke to the guys on Monday and they were on schedule to complete works on time.

 

Leo

 

Yes, except for that heavy blanket of snow a week and a half ago they seem to have been working all through. Apparently Cowroast lock works weren't initially scheduled for this year, but the guys on the ground insisted that the lock gates be re-lined because of last year's leakage during the dry spell. (It being a large-ish pound).

 

I walked the towpath from Cowroast to Tring Station yesterday morning -- still a bit of ice opposite that little industrial basin with the ring moorings opposite. This morning the entire stretch was unfrozen and clear.

 

In one way I'm sad to see the white hills dark and bare again. Although its nice to get water. With snow on the towpaths, they were easy to see and walk at night.

[alan_fincher]

Yes, except for that heavy blanket of snow a week and a half ago they seem to have been working all through. Apparently Cowroast lock works weren't initially scheduled for this year, but the guys on the ground insisted that the lock gates be re-lined because of last year's leakage during the dry spell. (It being a large-ish pound).

 

I walked the towpath from Cowroast to Tring Station yesterday morning -- still a bit of ice opposite that little industrial basin with the ring moorings opposite. This morning the entire stretch was unfrozen and clear.

 

In one way I'm sad to see the white hills dark and bare again. Although its nice to get water. With snow on the towpaths, they were easy to see and walk at night.

We were quite surprised to find a lot of ice still on the canal between Berkhamsted and "Sewage" on Tuesday evening, although it could have been broken easily.

 

Don't forget if you want to get through this stretch that a stoppage should be starting at "Top Side" lock (56) on the Southern fringes of Berkhamsted, starting Monday 25th. (Some BW boats already there on Tuesday). After that there is only a weekend's respite before the next lock, "Bottom Side" is supposed to have a stoppage.

[bigcol]

We were quite surprised to find a lot of ice still on the canal between Berkhamsted and "Sewage" on Tuesday evening, although it could have been broken easily.

 

Don't forget if you want to get through this stretch that a stoppage should be starting at "Top Side" lock (56) on the Southern fringes of Berkhamsted, starting Monday 25th. (Some BW boats already there on Tuesday). After that there is only a weekend's respite before the next lock, "Bottom Side" is supposed to have a stoppage.

 

 

Hi all Thankyou very much for keeping us informed

 

We collected my son in laws boat from Uxbridge on Sunday and reached Cow Roast area on Tuesday.

With the 2 boys doing locks, and me getting in the way, as I had the car I was demoted to Ground support

 

This is due to me falling in on Monday,(as in all the way, it was so cold!!!) I was lucky My son in law pulling me out, loosing a lock key, a hammer, boat pole and then taking a tumble at the bridge at Cow Roast on the tuesday.

 

Just shows doing 16 years of boating on the coast, it took just a few months of gentle canal boating for me to make a pratt of myself in front of the boys, who I have to admit i do keep preaching on about boat safety.

 

Here I am on my own boat in MK, and their out side on the tow path, discussing if they should let me join them on the final leg to get their boat from

Cow roast to MK (bloody cheek).

 

Hopefully it looks like the lock be open on Sat???

 

Just promised them, I be good,

 

 

Col

[Keeping Up]

When the work is complete, does that mean we will no longer have to leave the lock empty after use?

 

It always amused/frustrated me that the lock beams carried two notices side-by-side, one advising me to shut all gates and paddles to save water and another advising me to empty the lock to avoid leakage.

[alan_fincher]

When the work is complete, does that mean we will no longer have to leave the lock empty after use?

 

It always amused/frustrated me that the lock beams carried two notices side-by-side, one advising me to shut all gates and paddles to save water and another advising me to empty the lock to avoid leakage.

I doubt it will make any difference, Allan.

 

The requirement to leave the lock empty relates to leakage from the lock walls filling up cellars of the lock-side cottages.

 

My brother used to be length-man living in one, and if the lock was left full for too long, you could only access his cellar in waders!.

 

As far as I know all work in progress at the moment relates to quick fixes to leaking gates, not to lock walls. (This was an emergency change to the stoppage one - much needed repairs to a "Gas" lock in Berkhamsted having been the victim).

 

In fact the "leave empty" signs disappeared at some fairly recent point. I don't know if that was because it had become self emptying anyway - I'm not clear which gates were deemed to be leaking worst, as they appear to have planned to work on both, according to Leo.

 

There are many locks on this stretch, (as I'm sure you know), that have the mixed message of "leave all gates and paddles shut", but also tell you to leave a bottom paddle drawn, (and on Aylesbury Arm too). Nearest lock (southwards) to our home mooring at Pitstone is such a beast.

 

Still we are continuiing to acquire further little posts with reflectors at points where it is deemed there is now a high risk of people driving their cars into the cut, (whilst big subsided holes and pilings continue to get more of the "red plastic barrier" treatment).

 

I'm glad BW continue to spend money where it is most needed. :lol:

[alan_fincher]

Just to confirm.....

 

I dropped in at Cow Roast today, and the stoppage has indeed ended.

 

Looked like BW were just doing their final packing up.

 

I thought Ian Tyler was supposed to have taken his terms! - He still seems to be involved in the work crews.