Volunteer Lock Keepers

[jonny]

The Lockie at the Bratch on the Staffs&W has told me he gets abuse and he's being doing it since time began!

He also says that they have a job getting volunteer's, and when they've done their training they very often don't turn up for their shift!

But would you, if your being abused?

[alan_fincher]

I don't believe there was ever an expectation that they work locks for you, but in our experience some do.

 

Some do it with great efficiency, others frankly rather less so. The least effective, in my view, tend to stick at one lock in a flight, and place constraints on how it is worked, often causing congestion at that one single lock, and mayhem in those surrounding it, that might have been avoided if they had stayed at home! When I politely tried to point out to one at Braunston that some pounds were way down because everybody was queuing for "his" lock, I was told very plainly "I can't be at all of them, can I? - I'm sticking with this one!"

 

I think it is luck of the draw whether they help you through though, (which some may see as a good thing, and others may rather prefer that they didn't).

 

I doubt there is a policy other than "there is no policy".

 

Some of them are very good, but when you ask, they are invariably the ones who are boaters! There is a chap regularly on at Stoke Hammond Three Locks who is particularly good, and manages to see hire boat crews doing daft things at the bottom lock, and nip down and sort them out, even if he himself was actually supervising the top lock at the time. Not many of them are quite that slick though.

Edited October 8, 2013 by alan_fincher

[Jigsawged]

Who is dropping all this litter? That's what I'd like to know!

[Lockie 1]

As mere humans, volunteer lock keepers are simular to boaters. There is a difference shown in this forum though and that is the VOLUNTEER lock keepers are not moaning and whinging about individual situations that arise during their volunteer days.

[dmr]

I think the lack of help on the Hatton flight was extra disappointing because the previous day we had met the volunteer locky on the top of the Lapworth flight. He was an ex boater and a big help through the locks. However even more interesting were his stories, his father had worked on the K&A before it was abandoned and he said he still had all his dads diaries detailing such things as replacing a lock gate in a day and a half without the use of a modern crane!

 

..............Dave

[Tuscan]

I don't believe there was ever an expectation that they work locks for you, but in our experience some do.

 

Some do it with great efficiency, others frankly rather less so. The least effective, in my view, tend to stick at one lock in a flight, and place constraints on how it is worked, often causing congestion at that one single lock, and mayhem in those surrounding it, that might have been avoided if they had stayed at home! When I politely tried to point out to one at Braunston that some pounds were way down because everybody was queuing for "his" lock, I was told very plainly "I can't be at all of them, can I? - I'm sticking with this one!"

 

I think it is luck of the draw whether they help you through though, (which some may see as a good thing, and others may rather prefer that

 

I doubt there is a policy other than "there is no policy".

 

Some of them are very good, but when you ask, they are invariably the ones who are boaters! There is a chap regularly on at Stoke Hammond Three Locks who is particularly good, and manages to see hire boat crews doing daft things at the bottom lock, and nip down and sort them out, even if he himself was actually supervising the top lock at the time. Not many of them are quite that slick though.

Agree with you we have had the single lock volunteer at Stoke Breune and Buckby, the guys at Foxton and Watford seem ok. The guy at Soulbury Three is a BW staffer as he is normally keen to point out and he trains the volunteers there , nice guy.

Edited October 8, 2013 by Tuscan

[majorminor]

I, for my sins, regularly work as a Volunteer Lock Keeper. I work on supervised locks. I have received excellent training from the full-time lockies (who are a brilliant bunch of guys), who have spent huge amounts of time imparting their skills and knowledge to me. In return, I spend the whole of my time giving the very best I can to the safe passage of boats through the locks, as well as interacting with the "towpath visitors" who enquire about the working of the canals on a daily basis.

 

After 30 years of working the canal network, I feel that I am now able to help my fellow boaters far more than I ever could before.

 

99% of the folks I meet seem happy with what I do, which is nice - although I did meet an Australian lady, the other day, who remonstrated with me for the fact that I described myself as "JUST a volunteer".

[Top cat]

We have been most grateful for the assistance we have received from volunteer lockies at various locations and have always found them helpful , polite and efficient. We really appreciate them giving up thier time to help people along.

 

TC

[jelunga]

I think what needs identifying is what are the criteria for being a volunteer lock-keeper, what training are they given and as pointed out earlier what are their duties?

Its only speculation, but if they are not very experienced and in their mind they are trying to do things as they have been shown, then come across experienced boaters that tell them (maybe in not to nice a tone) that they don't know what they are talking about, then I could well understand them not been keen to present themselves to none hire boats in case they get more of the same.

Most of my cruising seems to have been devoid of any lock keepers so I have not been able to form an opinion of them yet. But if they are there trying to help then lets support their efforts.

Is there anyone out there that's a volunteer lock keeper, or who has been one that can answer my initial questions?

My wife and I were VLKs last year. I am employed this year as a seasonal lock keeper. However, we operate the powered locks on the River Trent. We have volunteers who cover my days off and holidays and similarly on all the non tidal Trent locks (6 in all). Their training is they must do the Health and Safety course, and have operated the locks under supervision for 20 hrs minimum. They also have to "pass out" on each individual lock.

But, when they are on duty they are in charge of and operate the lock.

[comfortably numb]

Like some of you others we have found VLK's to be virtually non existent. My wife and I have been out for 4 weeks and have covered 230 locks, 90% of which have been set against us.

 

But the only VLK we came across was at the 3 Hanbury Locks on the Droitwich Canal, However today we did have the help from an unofficial volunteer through the Stourbridge flight today and he was brilliant, going ahead and getting the next locks ready for us.

[mrsmelly]

My wife and I were VLKs last year. I am employed this year as a seasonal lock keeper. However, we operate the powered locks on the River Trent. We have volunteers who cover my days off and holidays and similarly on all the non tidal Trent locks (6 in all). Their training is they must do the Health and Safety course, and have operated the locks under supervision for 20 hrs minimum. They also have to "pass out" on each individual lock.

But, when they are on duty they are in charge of and operate the lock.

Yes and although at times they make mistakes they are always amenable to advice, especialy when helping us in the locks as we only use a forespring which some have never come across. Lets face it the word VOLUNTEER says it all, they are giving up their time to assist as best they can and deserve our gratitude.

 

Tim

[Pete & Helen]

My wife and I were VLKs last year. I am employed this year as a seasonal lock keeper. However, we operate the powered locks on the River Trent. We have volunteers who cover my days off and holidays and similarly on all the non tidal Trent locks (6 in all). Their training is they must do the Health and Safety course, and have operated the locks under supervision for 20 hrs minimum. They also have to "pass out" on each individual lock.

But, when they are on duty they are in charge of and operate the lock.

Thanks for that bit of insight.

[Doorman]

 

They managed to pull a wheelie bin out of one of the pounds as well as loads of floating rubbish in and around the locks.

 

Steve

A wheelie bin in one of the pounds in Wigan? Surely not Steve.

 

We were once trying to navigate out of the lock next to the DW Stadium, where the usual problem of a drained pound halted our progress. I knew that I'd topped the levels up sufficiently when I could no longer see the backs of TV sets, or the wheels of shopping trolleys peeping out from the muddied waters.

 

 

Who is dropping all this litter? That's what I'd like to know!

Mostly English people. The foreign boaters have better manners than 'some' of us! :-(

 

 

As mere humans, volunteer lock keepers are similar to boaters. There is a difference shown in this forum though and that is the VOLUNTEER lock keepers are not moaning and whinging about individual situations that arise during their volunteer days.

That's because they're usually too busy lock wheeling for us moaning and whinging boaters. Or should be, lazy gits!

 

 

However even more interesting were his stories, his father had worked on the K&A before it was abandoned and he said he still had all his dads diaries detailing such things as replacing a lock gate in a day and a half without the use of a modern crane!

 

..............Dave

 

Did it make mention of the name of the hire boat that buggered it up in the first place Dave?

Edited October 8, 2013 by Doorman

[Mike Todd]

Not sure what role there is for them on the BIngley 5? The paid lock keeper can do all the supervising that is needed and, in my experience, keeps a pretty tight rein on things! It's the gongoozlers on a good weekend that need herding!

 

as others have said - I've yet to meet any of these volunteer lockies... but wholly in support of having them and I don't think its reasonable to expect them to just do 'litter picking' and other menial tasks of course they should get involved with working people through the locks and basic maintenance...

 

I did ask a CRT chap about why there were no volunteer lockies on the L&L and he said they hadn't really 'got it going' but did have a few on the bingley 5 rise....

 

the big provisio for me is that they should be supplementing the full time staff not replacing....

[dmr]

 

Did it make mention of the name of the hire boat that buggered it up in the first place Dave?

 

I know we all feel superior when a hire boat breaks a lock but I would love to know more about what it was it like in the old days.

I bet getting a motor and a butty through a lock, or even a horse drawn boat, with a "time is money" philosophy resulted in some very brutal locking!

 

............Dave

[Doorman]

I know we all feel superior when a hire boat breaks a lock but I would love to know more about what it was it like in the old days.

I bet getting a motor and a butty through a lock, or even a horse drawn boat, with a "time is money" philosophy resulted in some very brutal locking!

 

............Dave

As usual Dave, it was a tongue in cheek remark. We are intrigued too about the old working boat days and love the rare footage sometimes seen on TV.

 

As for brutal locking, I've witnessed that too and from a member on here with his ex-working boat.......

[dmr]

As usual Dave, it was a tongue in cheek remark. We are intrigued too about the old working boat days and love the rare footage sometimes seen on TV.

 

As for brutal locking, I've witnessed that too and from a member on here with his ex-working boat.......

 

They are just making a real effort to recreate the history of the canals....flat cap, red hankie round the neck, drinking too much beer, swearing at other boaters.......and crashing into locks!

 

(bad news here...Gillie just got a flat cap from the rag market in Birmingham.....other boats beware)

 

.............Dave

[DaveC]

The only VLKs I've seen this year were on the river Thames - and all except one were brilliant. (That one closed the lock gates when we were about 150 yards away because he was too busy nattering to look to see if any boats were approaching.)

 

 

Dave

[beardshave]

I came down Lapworth flight-19 locks-single handed and with a duff knee two weeks back. Volunteer Brian did all 19 and took my rubbish away. The volunteer brigade are thus very high in my esteem.

[alan_fincher]

 

They are just making a real effort to recreate the history of the canals....flat cap, red hankie round the neck, drinking too much beer, swearing at other boaters.......and crashing into locks!

 

Tongue in cheek, possibly? Possibly not?

 

Frankly not a very helpful remark.

 

Any comment that tars a whole class of boaters based on the observed behaviour of a few is unhelpful, in my view.

 

You cut the boating community up anyway you like, and I could almost certainly find both impeccably behaved boaters and total plonkers in any group you care to mention.

 

I have seen some very poor boating by people calling themselves "roving traders", and claim to love the canals they have been on for years, but would not chose to stereotype all "roving traders" based on the observed behaviour of a few.

[Arthur Marshall]

The least effective, in my view, tend to stick at one lock in a flight, and place constraints on how it is worked, often causing congestion at that one single lock, and mayhem in those surrounding it, that might have been avoided if they had stayed at home!

I met one bloke on the T&M who had applied to be a VLK and had been told that he would have to stay at one particular lock rather than help people up the flight. He declined as he reckoned he's get bored waiting, but is usually there most of the summer anyway helping people through - does it as a hobby.

Like everything else, I think it's being worked out as it goes along - after all, it's a recent innovation. Generally, they've been great, and on the rare occasion when they haven't, it's no different from when there's no-one there anyway. And it's always nice to see people about.

Edited October 9, 2013 by Arthur Marshall

[nicknorman]

Tongue in cheek, possibly? Possibly not?

 

Frankly not a very helpful remark.

 

Any comment that tars a whole class of boaters based on the observed behaviour of a few is unhelpful, in my view.

 

You cut the boating community up anyway you like, and I could almost certainly find both impeccably behaved boaters and total plonkers in any group you care to mention.

 

I have seen some very poor boating by people calling themselves "roving traders", and claim to love the canals they have been on for years, but would not chose to stereotype all "roving traders" based on the observed behaviour of a few.

I think its the pretentiousness that riles. Everyone makes mistakes, some misunderstand how to operate undetrimentally, some just don't care. But only one group dresses up in an attempt to pretend that they are real working boaters. For that group one would expect a higher standard of competence. I don't mean dressing up for a parade, that's just a bit of fun, but dressing as (their idea of) a working boater all the time. And part of the act seems to be that, since one in supposed to be working, and working is a pain, we must look and act very glum and miserable because it sure is a hard life!

 

Generalisation of course, but for that subset of working boater clones, its harder to tolerate incompetence or negligence.

[Semitrad]

Yes and although at times they make mistakes they are always amenable to advice, especialy when helping us in the locks as we only use a forespring which some have never come across. Lets face it the word VOLUNTEER says it all, they are giving up their time to assist as best they can and deserve our gratitude.

 

Tim

 

Could you explain what a forespring is please?

[nicknorman]

Could you explain what a forespring is please?

I think its posh yachty-speak for a rope at the pointy end - as opposed to the more normal 2 ropes, one at the pointy end and one at the blunt end.

[ditchcrawler]

I think its posh yachty-speak for a rope at the pointy end - as opposed to the more normal 2 ropes, one at the pointy end and one at the blunt end.

Its a system that works well when going up the wide locks on the Gt Ouse