River Severn locks in winter

[Romi]

We are thinking about traversing the river Severn in late October. Looking on the Waterscape website it appears that we cannot get through on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and that we have to book our passage through the locks 24 hours in advance. Is this correct? When we book will we be asked for a specific time? Why is it that we have to book in advance in the winter but not in the summer?

[muddywaters]

At a guess I would say cost cutting.

BW have to pay a locky to opperate them you know

[magpie patrick]

This has been the system for a few years now, and the answer is that even when they did have lockies on duty there was hardly any traffic

 

The Tuesday and Wednesday thing is the same as the G and S canal, so if you are between Stourport and Sharpness on a Tuesday or a Wednesday in winter you can only move as far as the next lock or bridge, or if you are on the right reach you can get off up the Staffs and Worcs, the Worcs and Brum or the Avon.

 

I recall on February weekend a couple of years ago when two bridge keepers were both paid for an 8 hour shift on a Saturday and a Sunday for one boat to go through on each day. I know this because it was my boat!

[Romi]

Oops, I didn't realise the 5 day opening applied to the G&S too. We're planning on coming down from Worcester to Saul and back, so we will probably spend a couple of days exploring Gliucester.

 

When we book our locks for the Severn, will they want to know an approximate time of passage?