Loughborough Lock - photos

[Richard T]

I wnet to have a look at Loughborough Lock open day yesterday and took a few photos. The event appeared to be well attended - we had to queue for about 1/2an hour, we were then part of a group of about 9 people given a guided tour of the lock. This was quite informative and the CRT guide explained what works had been done.

The works were as follows:-

Inserted new timbers into the mitres of the bottom gates along with steel re-inforcing strips to try and minimise boat wear.

Rebuild a quite large area of lock wall where a previous repair had been badly done and was not properly bonded.

Repoint other areas of brick work.

Re-fix ground paddle supports.

Renew all bolts between paddles and rods.

Generally tidy up the lock.

Remove about 15tonnes of debris from the bottom of the lock - included 2 bikes but only 1 windlass.

 

Tail of lock showing cill which was replaced about 4 years ago and repair to bottom gate.

 

Bottom stop planks

 

 

Repair to bottom gate

 

 

Floor of lock - thought to be original. The construction is thought to be brick invert, timber cross beams and then longitudinal timbers nailed to the beams. The bail heads are standing proud.

 

 

 

Top cill and culvert

 

 

 

Ground paddle - horizontal metal strip is to reinforce the support post.

[nipper]

Good pics, far better than the ones I took.

Yes, we went there at around 10 in the morning and had time to chat to the Cart lads as well.

All that was missing was a bacon sarney and a coffee!!

 

Apparently a good number of mobile phones where found as well, but I bet that was my windlass I lost over the side whilst helping the missus to close the bitch of a bottom gate just before Christmas!

Nice to know she wont have to struggle next time, in theory!

 

The lock should be available to be used tomorrow, pity us that are stuck in Loughborough and want to go northwards cant use it because of the River Sour is back in flood.

Hopefully sometime next week, 3 weeks is enough in any one place!

 

Nipper

[Mrs Trackman]

Yes. Thanks for the pictures. We set out to visit the lock but trains from Nottingham were in chaos so we gave up.I am looking forward to being able to shut that bottom gate without help!

We too are getting fed up with the same stretch of cut. The Trent is well up today again, it's going to be another week at least. Having given up on getting a train yesterday we went to check the river levels and found a boater about to go out onto the river. We talked to him and he was insistent that he had to go and that other boats had gone through. This surprised me as the boats he mentioned have been waiting for the levels to fall. However, we have seen the boats he mentioned today so I guess he saw them go by to the facilities and assumed they were going on the river..

[nipper]

Well, there is always someone who can't wait!

 

I'll go and have a walk down to Bishop Meadows Lock later and have a look at the traffic light, but i know what colour it will be showing!

 

It's a pity Cart took the water level board away at the river side of that Lock, because at least that gave you an indication of what the hight was and how far down the yellow marker was, now you only have red or green and nothing in between!

 

Never mind, Food, Coal, Gas, Water and Grog are in plentiful supply within a hundred hards or so here.

What more can anyone ask in January!

 

Nipper

[Richard T]

Just biked along the towpath past the lock. It is now open again - the lock was full and was still leaking. Some was from gaps in the gate planks and some from around the gate and quoin. As it was dark and raining heavily could't take a picture.

 

I did confirm on Saturday that the rig is now heading for Junction Lock to look at the top ground paddles, this is of course dependent on the river levels which are currently rising.This will involve a one day stoppage with stop planks being put in at the top of the lock so that the paddles and culverts can be inspected. These paddles have not worked for a couple of years.

[Maffi]

Just biked along the towpath past the lock. It is now open again - the lock was full and was still leaking. Some was from gaps in the gate planks and some from around the gate and quoin. As it was dark and raining heavily could't take a picture.

 

I did confirm on Saturday that the rig is now heading for Junction Lock to look at the top ground paddles, this is of course dependent on the river levels which are currently rising.This will involve a one day stoppage with stop planks being put in at the top of the lock so that the paddles and culverts can be inspected. These paddles have not worked for a couple of years.

It might close up when the wood is good and wet

[Angela C]

I always wonder what they find on the bottom of the lock, must be a lot of things lost by boaters.

[Mrs Trackman]

Well, there is always someone who can't wait!

 

I'll go and have a walk down to Bishop Meadows Lock later and have a look at the traffic light, but i know what colour it will be showing!

 

It's a pity Cart took the water level board away at the river side of that Lock, because at least that gave you an indication of what the hight was and how far down the yellow marker was, now you only have red or green and nothing in between!

 

Never mind, Food, Coal, Gas, Water and Grog are in plentiful supply within a hundred hards or so here.

What more can anyone ask in January!

 

Nipper

I agree it's really annoying not to have a marker on the lock. For anyone who isn't aware-even when the soar becomes navigable the Trent will often be in flood so it's probably better to stay put near Loughborough's facilities until both rivers are down-whenever that will be!