Paddle Gear

[Ray T]

I have just got hold of a Waterways World magazine dated March 1986.

 

I bought it because there is an article on The Ovaltine Boats, which hold a fascination for me at the moment.

 

Also there is an article on the disappearance of different lock paddle mechanisms. How many of these are left now?

 

 

 

[magpie patrick]

John Gagg thought it was bad then, the amount we've lost since...

 

I seem to recall one lock on the Staffs and Worcs near Kidderminster had double top paddles, and suspect some local engineer with an eye for detail (possibly my mate Jim Tinnion, it was once his patch and he won awards for his heritage work) commissioned new gates in the traditional style. At least two of the L and L types have disappeared completely, and much of what is left is much more scarce.

 

I can understand cost, having a central supply of rack and pinion gear is easier than having numerous different ones each needing to be cast, I can also see ease of operation, although I could work much of the traditional L&L gear aged 7! The safety argument is spurious, the River Wey persists with gear on the gates and paddles facing the water, presumably the National Trust have also rick assessed this concluded it is okay.

[Giggetty]

John Gagg thought it was bad then, the amount we've lost since...

 

I seem to recall one lock on the Staffs and Worcs near Kidderminster had double top paddles, and suspect some local engineer with an eye for detail (possibly my mate Jim Tinnion, it was once his patch and he won awards for his heritage work) commissioned new gates in the traditional style. At least two of the L and L types have disappeared completely, and much of what is left is much more scarce.

 

I can understand cost, having a central supply of rack and pinion gear is easier than having numerous different ones each needing to be cast, I can also see ease of operation, although I could work much of the traditional L&L gear aged 7! The safety argument is spurious, the River Wey persists with gear on the gates and paddles facing the water, presumably the National Trust have also rick assessed this concluded it is okay.

Sometimes it is the inevitable advance of modern technology which affects what is below the water line.

 

For example, the side-ponds on the Hanbury flight of the Droitwich Junction Canal orginally required four paddles. These were of the type usual in 1854, one pair to admit, and another pair to discharge into or from the corresponding lock. Each pair was cut to run in traditional elm frames, and chamfers facing opposite ways.

 

When the locks were reconstructed in 2002 replacement headstocks and paddles were installed. The new style polythene seals in metal frames could face both ways, so that one pair of paddles became surplus to requirement and was not replaced. This simplified operation (although drawing the new paddles requires some effort).

 

Until last month the apertures for the redundant paddle draw-bars could be seen in the sandstone platforms overlying the culverts. We have now employed them for safety fencing uprights.

[steelaway]

I have certainly seen an example off each of these and some others, so no I don't think have totally disappeared.

 

Alex

[magpie patrick]

Sometimes it is the inevitable advance of modern technology which affects what is below the water line.

 

For example, the side-ponds on the Hanbury flight of the Droitwich Junction Canal orginally required four paddles. These were of the type usual in 1854, one pair to admit, and another pair to discharge into or from the corresponding lock. Each pair was cut to run in traditional elm frames, and chamfers facing opposite ways.

 

When the locks were reconstructed in 2002 replacement headstocks and paddles were installed. The new style polythene seals in metal frames could face both ways, so that one pair of paddles became surplus to requirement and was not replaced. This simplified operation (although drawing the new paddles requires some effort).

 

Until last month the apertures for the redundant paddle draw-bars could be seen in the sandstone platforms overlying the culverts. We have now employed them for safety fencing uprights.

 

That's an interesting observation, of course, a paddle required to take a reverse head is quite unusual. Was this common on other sideponds I wonder? (and BTW, I think the value of recreating the sideponds outweighs the removal of one pair of paddles)

 

I have certainly seen an example off each of these and some others, so no I don't think have totally disappeared.

 

Alex

 

Taking the article posted, the crescent shaped L&L gear has now vanished I believe, and the scissorboards are much rarer. The wooden jack-cloughs often survive because replacing them with alternative gear is a fairly major job.

[pearley]

 

Taking the article posted, the crescent shaped L&L gear has now vanished I believe, and the scissorboards are much rarer. The wooden jack-cloughs often survive because replacing them with alternative gear is a fairly major job.

 

Certainly no longer on the L & L Wigan flight as captioned and allthe Jack Cloughs on the flight have also gone. But have been replaced with much easier to use and lock paddle gear.

 

Blackburn locks still have a fair variation of gear.

Edited February 2, 2012 by pearley

[Pluto]

Certainly no longer on the L & L Wigan flight as captioned and allthe Jack Cloughs on the flight have also gone. But have been replaced with much easier to use and lock paddle gear.

 

Blackburn locks still have a fair variation of gear.

Jack cloughs have some form of gearing for raising or rotating the paddle, hence the name. What were usually called box cloughs are upper ground paddles, sometimes now called screw cloughs. In the copies of carpenters books I have, the only other name is 'type', a name for paddle gear which was also used on the A&CN. I have not seen any mention of a specific name for the scissor action paddle or the up-and-over ground paddles, thought that does not mean they didn't have one.

 

The paddle gear on Blackburn locks is all new or modern second hand. Some years ago, BW replaced many gates on the Johnsons Hillock flight and used modern paddle gear. As the flight is listed, the local heritage officer required the modern paddle gear to be replaced by more original gear, and this was removed from the Blackburn flight, which is not listed, and used at Johnsons Hillock.

 

I am always unsure about how people can say that traditional L&LC paddle gear is difficult to use, the up-and-over type excepted. As Magpie Patrick says, a child can work it, and it is swift in operation, a much better design than the current Fenner and similar gear used extensively by BW. They are certainly going to have to reassess their attitude to heritage, such as traditional lock gear, if they want to be a charity.

[Tiny]

Jack cloughs have some form of gearing for raising or rotating the paddle, hence the name. What were usually called box cloughs are upper ground paddles, sometimes now called screw cloughs. In the copies of carpenters books I have, the only other name is 'type', a name for paddle gear which was also used on the A&CN. I have not seen any mention of a specific name for the scissor action paddle or the up-and-over ground paddles, thought that does not mean they didn't have one.

 

The paddle gear on Blackburn locks is all new or modern second hand. Some years ago, BW replaced many gates on the Johnsons Hillock flight and used modern paddle gear. As the flight is listed, the local heritage officer required the modern paddle gear to be replaced by more original gear, and this was removed from the Blackburn flight, which is not listed, and used at Johnsons Hillock.

 

I am always unsure about how people can say that traditional L&LC paddle gear is difficult to use, the up-and-over type excepted. As Magpie Patrick says, a child can work it, and it is swift in operation, a much better design than the current Fenner and similar gear used extensively by BW. They are certainly going to have to reassess their attitude to heritage, such as traditional lock gear, if they want to be a charity.

 

In my younger stronger days I bent the shaft of my Grand Union Windlass into an L on one of the type of Jack Cloughs shown - it being on the Wigan flight. I was so angry I bent the thing straight again on the same paddle. That windlass still bears a kink though given the thickness of metal God know how I done/undone it. But we loved all the old gear - including a profusion of types on the Stratford and the Trent and Mersey. Now most has gone and I even get nostalgic in case they get rid of the last hydraulics - a thing I hated when it replaced got old fashion gear - thank to Bw getting 1000 sets of the stuff. And while you are about it BW bring back the chains for lift bridges which is the next thing you saftyfied with all those gash hydraulics when you started going back to older fashioned paddles on locks under Sir Leslie in the 1990s. Back then there was loads of fasinating stuff around like swing bridges to trap cars on, lift bridges you hung onto the beam on to pull down and lots more - we often wondered if BW replaced them without ever knowing what they were replacing with the boring standard models.

 

As for the 'under the beam long winder' shown as was still in use on some locks (like Hoo Mill) on the T&M. It was fascinating how many chaps used to sit behind the end of the beam watching the ladies working the locks. Talk about plumber inch!

Edited February 5, 2012 by Tiny