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Ex Working boats on Thames

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Whitewater Collaborator

Whitewater

Posted
Posted

The Byelaws seldom say why any particular regulation exists, but here are relevant extracts from THAMES NAVIGATION LICENSING AND GENERAL BYELAWS 1993 (amended 2010). By implication it would suggest that a steam boat would only be put through a lock on its own.

 

Vessels to be made fast: I locks

48 The master of a vessel (including a tug with a tow) after entering a lock shall ensure that the vessel is controlled by mooring lines from the shore to the bow and stern of the vessel in such manner as to prevent the vessel from running foul of the gates or works or other vessels in the lock. Provided that this Byelaw shall not apply to vessels in use by the Navigation Authority or by the police, fire and ambulance services when in the execution of their duties.

 

Precautions while waiting to enter and when in a lock

50 (a)The master of any vessel shall ensure that no liquid fuel container or tank shall be opened or manipulated on a vessel while the same is in or waiting to enter any lock on the river.

While any vessel is waiting to enter any lock on a river, the master of such vessel shall take all reasonable care to prevent annoyance of other persons on the river from the escape of fumes from the exhaust.

[c]When a power-driven vessel enters any lock on the river, the master of any such vessel after complying with the requirements of Byelaw 48 shall then immediately stop the vessel’s engines. The master shall ensure that the vessel’s engines are not restarted until the lock-gates are opened for the egress of the vessels then in the lock. Provided that the provisions of this paragraph of this Byelaw shall not apply to a vessel when no other vessel is passing through the lock at the same time.

(d)No person on board any vessel in any lock on the river shall knowingly cause to be ignited any match artificial lighter or other means of producing a flame.

 

 

edited as letter 'b' or 'c' in brackets converts into other symbols. But see also subsequent mail re steam engines :D

There are several reason, imagine a lock, full of boats all with their engines still running, all those fumes in a lock that could build up. The other reason who can hear themselves with the engine running, so if anything goes wrong how can hear what to do.... so please turn off your engines as a matter of course

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David Mack Veteran II

David MackDonate to Canal World

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In the days when I was on the Thames, before the locks were converted to push button, when the lockie wasn't about the plastics always left it to the narrowboaters to be in charge of winding the handle..... :rolleyes:

And after they had left you to do all the work, the trick was to open the gates just enough to leave a 7 ft gap in the middle for the narrowboats to exit!

 

David

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furnessvale Influencer

furnessvale

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Easy to overcome though. Just stick the bow into the opening, rest the rubbing strip on the gates and give her some revs. Gates open easily then ;)

 

Well done Phylis, I have not met many of the GRP persuasion prepared to do that with their boats!

 

Incidentally I forget, but does the last boat out of a Thames lock have to close the gates or are the G & T brigade exempt from such mundane tasks?

 

George ex nb Alton retired

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

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Well done Phylis, I have not met many of the GRP persuasion prepared to do that with their boats!

 

Incidentally I forget, but does the last boat out of a Thames lock have to close the gates or are the G & T brigade exempt from such mundane tasks?

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

We are not too gentle on our rubbing strip. Its what it is there for. We have however promised NC she can have a new one when she gets to 10 years old (i.e in 2013), we may change out attitude at that stage :)

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Daftmare Proficient

Daftmare

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Well done Phylis, I have not met many of the GRP persuasion prepared to do that with their boats!

 

Incidentally I forget, but does the last boat out of a Thames lock have to close the gates or are the G & T brigade exempt from such mundane tasks?

 

George ex nb Alton retired

 

 

If we are last boat out, we close the gates if no boat is in sight coming the other way.

 

I believe it to be a rule that you do this after hours, and I would say that everyone who wants to follow the rules, does. Whether they are steel or GRP.

 

J.

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alan_fincher Veteran II

alan_fincher

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Having tried to tug the gates of a Thames lock open with a team of chaps on the rope, when the electrics were off, and the hand cranked hydraulics didn't work, I remain unconvinced that even Naughty Cal could have achieved thrusting it's way through. It's not about overcoming the gates, it's about trying to make hydraulic fluids flow through hydraulic systems where there is no inclination to flow. We had to have someone winding the (otherwise not working) handle too, for the gates to move at all, and then we only achieved "narrow boat separation" with some effort........

 

The catch about (more normal!) "self operation" of Thames Locks, (in my view)), is that in terms of making sure nothing silly happens, it is good to appoint yourself "button pusher". The downside is, if nothing arrives to go the other way, you have to stay put to close the gates, and your boat has to pull in and wait while you do so. As some of the locks landings are some way from the lock and the buttons, this almost certainly means you will not be lock operator at the next lock! (All in our recent experience, only).

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Naughty Cal Veteran II

Naughty Cal

Posted
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Having tried to tug the gates of a Thames lock open with a team of chaps on the rope, when the electrics were off, and the hand cranked hydraulics didn't work, I remain unconvinced that even Naughty Cal could have achieved thrusting it's way through. It's not about overcoming the gates, it's about trying to make hydraulic fluids flow through hydraulic systems where there is no inclination to flow. We had to have someone winding the (otherwise not working) handle too, for the gates to move at all, and then we only achieved "narrow boat separation" with some effort........

 

The catch about (more normal!) "self operation" of Thames Locks, (in my view)), is that in terms of making sure nothing silly happens, it is good to appoint yourself "button pusher". The downside is, if nothing arrives to go the other way, you have to stay put to close the gates, and your boat has to pull in and wait while you do so. As some of the locks landings are some way from the lock and the buttons, this almost certainly means you will not be lock operator at the next lock! (All in our recent experience, only).

 

We have yet to have the pleasure of visiting the thames (it is on the cards) but it is a technique we have used on the locks on the Witham, Ure and Ouse. Linton Lock is the one that stuck out. There was no hope of me opening the gates enough as they are very heavy. NC did the hard work so i didnt have too.

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Daftmare Proficient

Daftmare

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We have yet to have the pleasure of visiting the thames (it is on the cards) but it is a technique we have used on the locks on the Witham, Ure and Ouse. Linton Lock is the one that stuck out. There was no hope of me opening the gates enough as they are very heavy. NC did the hard work so i didnt have too.

 

 

I think you and NC will LOVE the Thames !

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