Has anyone stolen "your" lock?

[keble]

I have to admit this hasn't happened to us very often (just once on our last trip), but what do you do when it happens?

We just didn't acknowledge them at all, a bit awkward, but very British!

 

Anyway, I'm reading "Anderton for Orders", a brilliant book (which I learned of on this forum - thanks to Carl I think). I came across this passage:

"Below and above each lock was a distance post, the first boat past one of these being able to claim the lock".

I wonder if any of these still exist?

 

All very fair but it doesn't take account of the state of the lock.

[frangar]

Yes they do....there are a few on the southern Oxford if memory serves.....they may be somewhere else tho....!!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

[Guest]

Written when money mattered to working boat men perhaps... latterly is it really that important

[Paul C]

Not stolen in the traditional sense, but we did have an issue when we arrived first at a double lock (the only one of the trip), waited for another boat to share it with, then they left the lock first without agreeing as such! Not an awful lot you can do but follow them. The next locks were all singles, which meant we had to turn each of these locks, so got progressively further behind etc.

[journeyperson]

I have to admit this hasn't happened to us very often (just once on our last trip), but what do you do when it happens?

We just didn't acknowledge them at all, a bit awkward, but very British!

Anyway, I'm reading "Anderton for Orders", a brilliant book (which I learned of on this forum - thanks to Carl I think). I came across this passage:

"Below and above each lock was a distance post, the first boat past one of these being able to claim the lock".

I wonder if any of these still exist?

 

All very fair but it doesn't take account of the state of the lock.

 

On the long straight before Cholmondeston lock on the Middlewich Branch I watched a chap hurrying around to cast off and get underway before I reached him, in order to get to the lock ahead of me. In that instance he and his crew refused to make eye contact with me as I waited to empty the lock when they exited. I just thought it was funny. It was a Sea Otter too. How does the ballast work in those??

 

I think on the rare occasions you run into a selfish type it's best just to let them get on with it; particularly if they are going the other way and you won't be seeing them for long.

[keble]

Written when money mattered to working boat men perhaps... latterly is it really that important

The importance is dependent on how wet, cold and tired you are!

So most of the time not a problem, and on a crowded flight like Lapworth you can see how trivial it is.

Just sometimes ...

[Richard Fairhurst]

Yes they do....there are a few on the southern Oxford if memory serves.....

Indeed, with the letters "DIS".

[bizzard]

A major undertaking is steeling a lock! I wish they did get stolen, they always seem to be bloomin well there when i arrive at em.

[alan_fincher]

Yes they do....there are a few on the southern Oxford if memory serves.....they may be somewhere else tho....!!

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

 

 

Indeed, with the letters "DIS".

And on the Southern GU, they are actually concrete posts that say "lock distance".

 

However, previous discussions on the topic concluded.....

 

1) They are not placed anything like the same distance from the lock on every canal.

2) There is ambiguity about their use - were they for boats traveling in the same direction, (first to pass it gets the lock), or for boats approaching the lock from either direction, (when the story goes they cracked the horse whip to establish their right to the lock, even if it was currently set for the boat approaching the other way, but which had not yet reached its marker).

 

People were entrenched in their opinions, but little evidence could (IIRC) be found to support any version of events!

 

Discuss, (again!......)

[Dominic M]

I believe the DIS ones on the Oxford were placed there by the lock keepers, to warn boatmen " not to dis my lock, innit". The boatmen would respond, "bovvered?" as this was then in hearing distance.

[keble]

I believe the DIS ones on the Oxford were placed there by the lock keepers, to warn boatmen " not to dis my lock, innit". The boatmen would respond, "bovvered?" as this was then in hearing distance.

Nice one

[NBMike]

And on the Southern GU, they are actually concrete posts that say "lock distance".However, previous discussions on the topic concluded.....

 

1) They are not placed anything like the same distance from the lock on every canal.

2) There is ambiguity about their use - were they for boats traveling in the same direction, (first to pass it gets the lock), or for boats approaching the lock from either direction, (when the story goes they cracked the horse whip to establish their right to the lock, even if it was currently set for the boat approaching the other way, but which had not yet reached its marker).

 

People were entrenched in their opinions, but little evidence could (IIRC) be found to support any version of events!

 

Discuss, (again!......)

I have often wracked my little grey brain cell to try to think what that meant

[ditchcrawler]

And on the Southern GU, they are actually concrete posts that say "lock distance".

 

However, previous discussions on the topic concluded.....

 

1) They are not placed anything like the same distance from the lock on every canal.

2) There is ambiguity about their use - were they for boats traveling in the same direction, (first to pass it gets the lock), or for boats approaching the lock from either direction, (when the story goes they cracked the horse whip to establish their right to the lock, even if it was currently set for the boat approaching the other way, but which had not yet reached its marker).

 

People were entrenched in their opinions, but little evidence could (IIRC) be found to support any version of events!

 

Discuss, (again!......)

I have often wondered this, surly there must be something in the Canal Company rule books about it.

[alan_fincher]

I have often wondered this, surly there must be something in the Canal Company rule books about it.

I think Dave Mayall probably nailed it as well as any last time, in This post

 

However this would suggest that a boat crew was allowed to "turn" a lock if they passed a marker 200 yards from it in one direction just seconds before a boat coming the other way passed the equivalent marker, even though the lock was already fully in their favour.

 

 

Given the long history of water shortages, and extreme restrictions that were often enforced as a result, such a rule has always sounded odd to me.

 

But, as Dave has said, the BW 1965 bye-laws do seem to support it.

 

On the other hand, others suggest it is a marker that says you can't overtake another boat, once past it, approaching a lock. See Tam Murrell's post here.

 

In many ways that sounds more reasonable, despite the quote from the bye-laws!

[Picard]

As a Newby, I am not quite sure when I can claim a lock. But as a rule, if I can see a boat coming it belongs to them. After all as it was told to me when I first started, "It's not a race."

[Dominic M]

Which, Picard, is absolutely right in this day and age. Courtesy should always be King.

Edited August 3, 2012 by Dominic M

[RLWP]

As a Newby, I am not quite sure when I can claim a lock. But as a rule, if I can see a boat coming it belongs to them. After all as it was told to me when I first started, "It's not a race."

 

'if I can see a boat coming and the lock is set for them it belongs to them'

 

Works for me, it's what I tend to do

 

The half-full leaky lock is always a puzzle though

 

Richard

[Ange]

I "stole" our lock the other day!

 

It was really funny. We'd just locked Dr Bradley down the Audlem flight and decided on the way down that we were going to move our boat from opposite the Shroppie Fly to the pound above, because it's more open so better for our solar panel

When we got to to the lock above our boat I stayed on the lock ready for Dave to come up, gates open and ready for him. After a while a boat came down towards me. Knowing that Dave had a bit of a walk and had to get in the boat, untie and set off I agreed with their advance party to turn the lock for them. As sods law would have it Dave arrived just as the lock was half full.

 

I only found out later that a boater moored outside the Shroppie shouted to Dave "hey, you know they turned the lock on you!" To which Dave replied "it's ok, it's my wife"

 

They must think he's stalked by a wife who turns locks on him!

Edited August 3, 2012 by Ange

[DeanS]

Those hire boats which have a party on board...managed by a hire firm....will steal your lock (even if you're coming in the other direction and it's set for you) just because "they're in a rush" ...;-) . I arrived just before they could close the gates on me, slid into the lock, and then had them standing around wringing their hands, as I took my time making sure my boat came up nicely......it was that deeeeep lock just before Wakefield.....when you come off the river....

Edited August 3, 2012 by DeanS

[FadeToScarlet]

Yes, a party of about 7 youths, crammed onto a little 15' cruiser. Bearing in mind that the locks around here are very slow (about 15-20 minutes to get through one particular one if it's set against you) and that we were in the lock cut and about 70' away from the gates when they started to close them, I was rather annoyed.

 

Then they happened to break down in the lock, I brought some tools up and helped them sort their engine, and was left feeling very smug and virtuous for not having ranted at them.

 

There's a lesson in there somewhere. I think.

[Ange]

The only time I nearly got ratty was approaching one of the broad locks on the GU. It was a gloriously sunny day and I was feeling really good. There was a long straight on the approach to the lock, and we saw a boat ahead of us moving into the lock. I waved to make sure they'd seen us coming, certain they'd share the lock, and therefore the work with us. The gate closed. A boater moored nearby commented on the rudeness. I leapt off the boat and, for a moment, was about to stomp up to the lock and confront the white haired lady now operating the lock on her own. Then I breathed, decided my day was far too good to ruin, sat myself down very close to the lock with my windlass on the grass and watched her labour alone.

 

I should add that I'm normally helping all and sundry behind or ahead of us at locks just because I love it, on this occasion I felt that she clearly didn't want any help so who was I to spoil that?

[keble]

'if I can see a boat coming and the lock is set for them it belongs to them'

 

Works for me, it's what I tend to do

 

The half-full leaky lock is always a puzzle though

 

Richard

Yes, the set of the lock is the key thing for us too.

On the S&W almost every lock leaks!

[Chris Pink]

 

 

The half-full leaky lock is always a puzzle though

 

Richard

 

Puzzle being; why did that numpty close the gates?

[RLWP]

Puzzle being; why did that numpty close the gates?

 

No, that isn't what I meant

 

I arrive at a lock that is half full. There is a boat approaching the lock from the other direction

 

Richard

[bottle]

Yes the half full, half empty conundrum................depends who gets the paddle first.