Volunteers

[Doorman]

Yes I'm not sure I'd have got on too well at a Catholic school.

 

 

Having been christened a catholic and also being coerced into attending our local church every Sunday, it didn't take long for me to recognise the total injustice of a priest coming to our terraced house every week and asking for a subscrption to the fund, when clearly, we couldn't afford that luxury!

 

My children on the other hand, have been left to make their own choice on what, if any, religious faith they should follow.

 

It seems quite ironic for an agnostic to have a surname such as mine: Christian.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Doorman

[Domino_2]

When people say "Where there were none before" how far back are they going?

 

I can't think of many big flights that didn't have a lock keeper or two, before they were amalgamated and homogenised into the all purpose green man (later to become blue) and the cottages were sold off as holiday lets.

 

I can think of one very big flight of locks that doesn't have a lock keeper - the Tardebigge - which is incidentally the longest flight of locks in England - we never saw a lock keeper on it last year. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember seeing a lock keeper on the Lapworth flight, the Hatton flight, Audlum flight, or Farmer's Bridge. I'm sure there are many other flights of locks which would benefit from lock keepers (paid or unpaid), I just don't think the locks at Fradley warrant 2 volunteer lock keepers.

[Bobbybass]

Remember 'Bob a Job Week'? When the eager young scout would knock on the door and offer to service your expensive sports car for a shilling, parts and labour included.

 

Wow, that was even cheaper than KrapFit!

Hey...you remember me !!

 

I always had 2 'Bob a job' cards...

One for the Scouts...one for me...

I started making my millions young !!

[Chris Pink]

I can think of one very big flight of locks that doesn't have a lock keeper - the Tardebigge - which is incidentally the longest flight of locks in England - we never saw a lock keeper on it last year. Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember seeing a lock keeper on the Lapworth flight, the Hatton flight, Audlum flight, or Farmer's Bridge. I'm sure there are many other flights of locks which would benefit from lock keepers (paid or unpaid), I just don't think the locks at Fradley warrant 2 volunteer lock keepers.

 

This is a recent development (last ten years or so) that BW decided flights don't need lockkeepers.

 

 

I would love to see (volunteer) lockkeepers again they were one of the best parts of the BW system.

 

Substituting by whipping boys for arrogant boaters like mayalld is worse than useless, not least because it devalues the authority that officers of BW do have.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Chris Pink

[Doorman]

Hey...you remember me !!

 

I always had 2 'Bob a job' cards...

One for the Scouts...one for me...

I started making my millions young !!

 

 

Any wonder with that sort of guile!

[carlt]

I can think of one very big flight of locks that doesn't have a lock keeper - the Tardebigge -

The Tardebigge Lock keepers cottage.

 

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't remember seeing a lock keeper on the Lapworth flight,

The Lapworth Lock keeper's cottage:

 

the Hatton flight

The Hatton Lock Keeper's cottage:

 

Audlum flight,

Audlem Lock Keeper's cottage:

 

I'm sure there are many other flights of locks which would benefit from lock keepers (paid or unpaid), I just don't think the locks at Fradley warrant 2 volunteer lock keepers.

and finally, Fradley Junction Lock keeper's cottage. (Duly corrected )

Edited May 15, 2012 by carlt

[Chris Pink]

The size and construction of those buildings show, to me, the esteem these posts carried in their day (which I continue to remind people was not that long ago)

[RLWP]

<snip>

 

The Hatton Lock Keeper's cottage:

 

<snip>

 

There is another one at the top, and I think one in the middle, by Middle Lock Lane

 

Richard

[carlt]

There is another one at the top, and I think one in the middle, by Middle Lock Lane

 

Richard

At least one more at Lapworth too.

[Domino_2]

The Tardebigge Lock keepers cottage.

 

 

The Lapworth Lock keeper's cottage:

 

 

The Hatton Lock Keeper's cottage:

 

 

Audlem Lock Keeper's cottage:

 

 

and finally, Fradley Junction Lock keeper's cottage. (Duly corrected )

 

And do any lock keepers currently live in these lovely old cottages, and do any lock keepers work these flights?????

[carlt]

And do any lock keepers currently live in these lovely old cottages, and do any lock keepers work these flights?????

 

You obviously didn't read the post of mine that you quoted, except the bits you highlighted?????

 

Try again...

When people say "Where there were none before" how far back are they going?

 

I can't think of many big flights that didn't have a lock keeper or two, before they were amalgamated and homogenised into the all purpose green man (later to become blue) and the cottages were sold off as holiday lets.

Edited May 15, 2012 by carlt

[Guest]

Why are we suddenly talking in italics??

[carlt]

Why are we suddenly talking in italics??

I don't know??

[Guest]

I don't know??

 

I thought it was a new political leaning for you - a bit more to the right than we've come to expect...

[carlt]

I thought it was a new political leaning for you - a bit more to the right than we've come to expect...

If it's good enough for Karel Čapek, it's good enough for me.

[dor]

It seems quite ironic for an agnostic to have a surname such as mine: Christian.

 

Reminds me of the time that Chris (Christian) Bonnington, when planning one of his himalayan expeditions, commented on one of the porters being called 'Islam'. "Bit odd to have someone called after a religion" said Bonnington. "what, you mean a bit like 'Christian' " came the response.

 

Paraphrased as I can't remember the exact words said.

[carlt]

Atheists often follow such conventions, too.

 

My sons' middle names are "Teapot" and "Flying Spaghetti Monster".

[Leni]

I'm a dyslexic insomniac agnostic. I lie awake at night wondering if there's a dog.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ooops! Sorry! Wrong thread! (and wrong day of the week! )

[Domino_2]

You obviously didn't read the post of mine that you quoted, except the bits you highlighted?????

 

Try again...

 

 

I think we are talking at cross purposes here.

 

Yes there were lock keepers on those flights I previously mentioned, BUT what I am pointing out is that there are big flights of locks that would reap a greater benefit from having a lock keeper than the locks at Fradley.

 

I think its a great pity that the lock keepers cottages were sold off - but that is going .

[carlt]

Yes there were lock keepers on those flights I previously mentioned, BUT what I am pointing out is that there are big flights of locks that would reap a greater benefit from having a lock keeper than the locks at Fradley. .

I wasn't talking at cross-purposes.

 

I understood exactly what I was trying to say and you evidently misquoted.

 

Let's hope there are people who want to volunteer for those flights too but I cannot see what harm it will do if someone wants to help at Fradley and is adequately trained.

[Chertsey]

 

PS Do you really think its safe for someone to be inside a narrowboat, peeling potatoes, during going through a lock? I guess you've not read this: MAIB Drum Major Accident Report

When I read that I thought you meant the steerer, and I was going to say well, OK, maybe, if they know what they are doing.

But did you really mean ANYONE AT ALL, even with someone else steering? Surely I must have misunderstood.

 

ed. for double posting.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Chertsey

[mayalld]

I wasn't talking at cross-purposes.

 

I understood exactly what I was trying to say and you evidently misquoted.

 

Let's hope there are people who want to volunteer for those flights too but I cannot see what harm it will do if someone wants to help at Fradley and is adequately trained.

 

Provided that they accept that they should only help if people want them to help, and that they should ASK first, I would agree.

[Chertsey]

I don't even like people packing my bags for me in the supermarket, but it can be very hard to say no (I do say no, but then I come out looking like the bad guy).

 

Likewise, if I want help at a lock, I'll ask for it (and sometimes I do, when the gates are heavy, but any passer by will do for that).

 

There is a big difference between locks where BW assistance is vital to the safe and/or efficient running of the waterway, and locks where it's done on a whim - which is dangerous as someone else has pointed out because it might not be there one day for someone who has come to rely on it.

 

In the former case they really should be employing professionals; in the latter they should just leave well alone. There are plenty of more useful things that volunteers could be doing, and I can see lock 'keeping' appealing to the very type of person who shouldn't be doing it.

[Tiny]

While we would both be happy with volunteer lockkeepers (or anyone!) setting locks on flights or even odd locks the wife prefers to actually be in control of the paddle gear - though she is happy if others open/close gates. The permanent lockies we know respect this. As for volenteers we have seen a number but none helps boaters as they are more the litter pickers.

 

Having said this one whose actual title is 'canal ranger' was telling all his mates he was 'the lock keeper at ...' We let him get on with it if it makes him feel big.

 

However what we did not like was some of the rubbish he was spouting about how efficient BW were, how canals are monitored daily by a process that we could not understand so any breach would be detected and fixed before it happened. There was no discussing this with him - he worked for BW and knew it was right. Strangely enough this every thing is sorted, wonderful line has come out in conversations with much more rational seeming volunteers. Basically BW can do no wrong. We wondered if by training these chaps and indocrtinating them Bw were ensuring there would always be a large number of pro-BW persons to fill in their questionaires - ones we never get offered to make our comments on.

[carlt]

Provided that they accept that they should only help if people want them to help, and that they should ASK first, I would agree.

There are those who see the good in people and those who only look for the bad.

 

I would like to think all volunteers are doing it for the good of the waterways and genuinely want to help.

 

I imagine a "No thanks. I'll do the lock myself." will cause them to let you get on with it but, being mindful of their responsibility for the safe operation of the lock, will keep an eye on you...just in case you may think you know it all, but you actually don't.