Hillmorton Lock Restrictions

[alan_fincher]

We are currently heading North on the GU in Northants.

 

Original plan was to go up Northern Oxford and Coventry, but the Hillmorton restrictions have made us wary.

 

Can anybody who has passed through since they closed the duplicate locks give an idea of likely delays to encounter, please ?

 

What is the water situation like up those canals generally, please ?

[churchward]

We are currently heading North on the GU in Northants.

 

Original plan was to go up Northern Oxford and Coventry, but the Hillmorton restrictions have made us wary.

 

Can anybody who has passed through since they closed the duplicate locks give an idea of likely delays to encounter, please ?

 

What is the water situation like up those canals generally, please ?

I was there at the weekend and it was OK no busier than normal for a peak season weekend in fact probably better. CANALCHEF if he was around will know best what it was like over the whole day.

 

I would avoid later morning to lunch time and a little after lunch as in my experience these tend to be busy times. If you can catch it right over lunch time when most are moored up getting their rations you can have a good passage and just like anywhere else early morning and later evening is OK too.

 

Edit to say water levels seem good particularly north of Hilmorton. I would say the level is down by about 3-4 inches or so max against mid winter full levels so pretty good for such a dry spell.

Edited August 8, 2011 by churchward

[Evo]

I cant believe its bad...water levels are fine where we are - near Rose Narrowboats - and were even OK up the Ashby (usually low anyway). Definately no problems between Hillmorton, Sutton Stop, and entrance to Ashby. Dont know what it is like further on up the Coventry but I cant see it being a problem.

[adam1uk]

We gave up waiting on Friday morning because we were ninth in the queue to go up, and as we were only out for the weekend we didn't really mind which way we went. However, we also heard tales of long queues at the Atherstone flight on the Coventry the same day, so it may be more to do with the time of year than the restriction.

 

Water levels below the Hillmorton locks were down a few inches, but not enough to cause a problem. The Coventry level seemed fine.

[jelunga]

I have just spoken to BW's Steve Morgan who made the decision on closing the parallel lox at Hillmorton. He accepts that if everybody used the locks properly by not stealing a lock from appriaching boats and filling when empty or emptying when full, there would not be a problem. But since there are so many impatient and ignorant people around, both hirers and owners, this step will help to ensure the water is used properly by creating a queue. So that when a biat exits the lock there will usually be somebody waiting to enter the lock so saving water. I suppose it is dumbing down, but I must agree with tgeir action to save water in this case.

He said also that the action they had taken on the GU Leicester line locks had saved a significant amount of water.

He also mentioned he was havni g several almost abusive phone calls a day on this subject. I feel sure they are doing their best to keep the canals operating in a difficult low water situation so in support, can I ask everybody to bath with a friend ( was not that what we all did last water shortage?) or at least pray for rain.

Thanks

[churchward]

I have just spoken to BW's Steve Morgan who made the decision on closing the parallel lox at Hillmorton. He accepts that if everybody used the locks properly by not stealing a lock from appriaching boats and filling when empty or emptying when full, there would not be a problem. But since there are so many impatient and ignorant people around, both hirers and owners, this step will help to ensure the water is used properly by creating a queue. So that when a biat exits the lock there will usually be somebody waiting to enter the lock so saving water. I suppose it is dumbing down, but I must agree with tgeir action to save water in this case.

He said also that the action they had taken on the GU Leicester line locks had saved a significant amount of water.

He also mentioned he was havni g several almost abusive phone calls a day on this subject. I feel sure they are doing their best to keep the canals operating in a difficult low water situation so in support, can I ask everybody to bath with a friend ( was not that what we all did last water shortage?) or at least pray for rain.

Thanks

Where are the locks paired like they are at Hilmorton on the Leicester GU then?

[jelunga]

Where are the locks paired like they are at Hilmorton on the Leicester GU then?

I didnt say they were.

[john6767]

The Napton to Braunston stretch had loads of water in it over the weekend, much better than last summer, so the top of Hilmorton must be fine too.

[benfordboy]

Can I ask everybody to bath with a friend ( was not that what we all did last water shortage?) or at least pray for rain.

Thanks

 

Have a Cruiser , so Don't Have any friends as my boat is too small I will pray for a bit more rain tho , as long as it stops for the Aug BH !

[c c]

I was there at the weekend and it was OK no busier than normal for a peak season weekend in fact probably better. CANALCHEF if he was around will know best what it was like over the whole day.

 

I would avoid later morning to lunch time and a little after lunch as in my experience these tend to be busy times.

 

If it wasn't for the amazingly ignorant two boaters who spent most of the day moored right in front of the one remaining lower lock, there would have been little problem at all compared to previous years and as I've said before - we've seen it far far busier a few years back, with all locks working. Water levels seem fine.

And please don't bash Steve, he's the only one in BW we rely on these days and certainly the only one who will give a civil and sensible answer to a question. How he puts up with it all we don't know.

 

We gave up waiting on Friday morning because we were ninth in the queue to go up, and as we were only out for the weekend we didn't really mind which way we went.

 

Dagnammit - and we were open !

[Jeanie920]

We had no problems late afternoon last Thursday. No queue

[Theo]

I have just spoken to BW's Steve Morgan who made the decision on closing the parallel lox at Hillmorton. He accepts that if everybody used the locks properly by not stealing a lock from appriaching boats and filling when empty or emptying when full, there would not be a problem. But since there are so many impatient and ignorant people around, both hirers and owners, this step will help to ensure the water is used properly by creating a queue. So that when a biat exits the lock there will usually be somebody waiting to enter the lock so saving water. I suppose it is dumbing down, but I must agree with tgeir action to save water in this case.

He said also that the action they had taken on the GU Leicester line locks had saved a significant amount of water.

He also mentioned he was havni g several almost abusive phone calls a day on this subject. I feel sure they are doing their best to keep the canals operating in a difficult low water situation so in support, can I ask everybody to bath with a friend ( was not that what we all did last water shortage?) or at least pray for rain.

Thanks

 

I would have thought that double locks were a good way of saving water. You have an extra chance of finding a good road trough one of them.

 

Nick

[Chertsey]

I have just spoken to BW's Steve Morgan who made the decision on closing the parallel lox at Hillmorton. He accepts that if everybody used the locks properly by not stealing a lock from appriaching boats and filling when empty or emptying when full, there would not be a problem. But since there are so many impatient and ignorant people around, both hirers and owners, this step will help to ensure the water is used properly by creating a queue. So that when a biat exits the lock there will usually be somebody waiting to enter the lock so saving water. I suppose it is dumbing down, but I must agree with tgeir action to save water in this case.

He said also that the action they had taken on the GU Leicester line locks had saved a significant amount of water.

He also mentioned he was havni g several almost abusive phone calls a day on this subject. I feel sure they are doing their best to keep the canals operating in a difficult low water situation so in support, can I ask everybody to bath with a friend ( was not that what we all did last water shortage?) or at least pray for rain.

Thanks

Ah, I do see the logic of this now. Sledgehammer/nut but I can see it would work.

[Allan(nb Albert)]

I was under the perhaps mistaken impression that back pumping was installed at Hillmorton.

 

Does anybody know if the large amount water that sometimes enters the canal above the top lock on the towpath side is back pumped?

 

If a backpumping system is in use why can't it cope?

[mikevye]

Just spoken to my mate Al Foster on Major Tom said it took them 3 Hours to do Hillmorton yesterday!!

[boatyboy]

I have just spoken to BW's Steve Morgan who made the decision on closing the parallel lox at Hillmorton. He accepts that if everybody used the locks properly by not stealing a lock from appriaching boats and filling when empty or emptying when full, there would not be a problem. But since there are so many impatient and ignorant people around, both hirers and owners, this step will help to ensure the water is used properly by creating a queue. So that when a biat exits the lock there will usually be somebody waiting to enter the lock so saving water. I suppose it is dumbing down, but I must agree with tgeir action to save water in this case.

He said also that the action they had taken on the GU Leicester line locks had saved a significant amount of water.

He also mentioned he was havni g several almost abusive phone calls a day on this subject. I feel sure they are doing their best to keep the canals operating in a difficult low water situation so in support, can I ask everybody to bath with a friend ( was not that what we all did last water shortage?) or at least pray for rain.

Thanks

Spell check

[c c]

Zero boats going though at present - Full water level.

[alan_fincher]

Zero boats going though at present - Full water level.

Well we have just gone out the bottom lock at about 17:00, and have been exchanging locks all the way down from the top.

 

Two waiting at the top to go down when we arrived.

 

No particular congestion at all.

 

This surprises me, as in the past at a similar time, I have seen both pairs of locks in use continually, and much bigger queues.

 

They do seem to have put people of coming this way!

 

(Thanks to all who advised!)

 

I was under the perhaps mistaken impression that back pumping was installed at Hillmorton.

 

Does anybody know if the large amount water that sometimes enters the canal above the top lock on the towpath side is back pumped?

 

If a backpumping system is in use why can't it cope?

Yes, if it's not a fairly fast flowing back pump, it is hard to know what it is.

 

I can only assume it can't cope with both sets of locks going at full tilt ?

 

(Not that they need to today).

Edited August 9, 2011 by alan_fincher

[churchward]

Well we have just gone out the bottom lock at about 17:00, and have been exchanging locks all the way down from the top.

 

Two waiting at the top to go down when we arrived.

 

No particular congestion at all.

 

This surprises me, as in the past at a similar time, I have seen both pairs of locks in use continually, and much bigger queues.

 

They do seem to have put people of coming this way!

 

(Thanks to all who advised!)

 

 

Yes, if it's not a fairly fast flowing back pump, it is hard to know what it is.

 

I can only assume it can't cope with both sets of locks going at full tilt ?

 

(Not that they need to today).

It is a back pump from the bottom section. However, can you imagine how many gallons per hour it would have to flow at to compensate for the amount of lock passages in real time? They flow necessary would be hard to get past in a boat. Think of how forceful the water coming into a lock is compared to the flow of the pump outlet at the top lock. The system is designed to catch up and equalise levels over time and over night rather than as the lock is used.

[magpie patrick]

It is a back pump from the bottom section. However, can you imagine how many gallons per hour it would have to flow at to compensate for the amount of lock passages in real time? They flow necessary would be hard to get past in a boat. Think of how forceful the water coming into a lock is compared to the flow of the pump outlet at the top lock. The system is designed to catch up and equalise levels over time and over night rather than as the lock is used.

 

Exactly, Hillmorton locks are fast and with both sets of locks operating demand will exceed 30,000 gallons every ten minutes or around 75 cubic metres. Back pumps are intended to re-balance over time, not instantly. I always make a point of falling over backwards laughing when someone suggests filling/emptying busy locks by pump.

 

It's a hefty pump that can pump 75 cumecs in ten minutes.

[Evo]

I felt sorry for the couple on our boat yesterday. All the stories of lock restrictions and low water and what happens...??

They have literally only been going a morning and get to Hilmorton locks. It then took 4 hours to get through them, why, because a BW knob in a dredger got stuck. The other side was closed unnecessarily and BW personel block up the only working side. Water levels are fine, no need for any of it, I would go apeshit at them if I had been stuck there for 4 hours for no reason other than incompetence.

[Ray T]

Just come through Hillmorton Flight at 4.30pm and all locks are open at the moment.

[Evo]

Went up Hillmorton Saturday morning and back again monday lunchtime. Flew through both times in very quick time with no retrictions at all. The BW notices are still up, but I dont know why, to my knowledge the never did shut one side of the flight.

[alan_fincher]

The BW notices are still up, but I dont know why, to my knowledge the never did shut one side of the flight.

That is not correct.

 

When we went through a bit over 3 weeks ago, all the offside was locked out of use, with tapes across each gate to alert you to this.

 

I have pictures if you need them!

[Evo]

Eh..why would I need pictures..?? I did say 'to my knowledge'. Cant of been shut for long.

 

This low water business is making our neck of the woods very busy. I'm told the hire fleet people get a weekly list of genuine restrictions and advise hirers from that.

 

South Oxford shit, Calcutt lock restrictions, Leiceseter crap (almost closed), Atherstone now restricted, we are stuck in the middle of all that lot with hire fleets all over the place. Never seen so many Ashby, Napton, Calcutt,Rose, Kate, and Willow Wren boats (amazingly there's more but I cant remember them) just go up and down.

Edited August 30, 2011 by Evo