Volunteer Lock Keepers

[mayalld]

There have been a number of interesting comments regarding volunteer lock keepers. Without debating whether or not volunteer lock keepers should or should not have been introduced, they have been, and it's up to us as waterway users to make the best of this. At one time locks had full time British Waterway's lock keepers who generally lived on site.

No they didn't.

 

VERY few locks indeed had lock keepers.

[Shockabilly]

I find them (CRT volunteers) to be 'very nice well-meaning people who are happy to nod & pass the time of day', however, as my wife & I give the general appearance of being fairly fit (we can both walk unaided without falling over...ha ha) & in our mid-fifties we've had very little help from them, so I'm never quite sure what their role is apart from being 'very nice well-meaning people who are happy to nod & pass the time of day'...again!

 

I recall over summer a number of the nice volunteer people scurrying up & down Hatton Flight but again, they never offered us assistance (perhaps they were put off by our sporadic domestics!!!), we were given help by a very nice lady at Watford Flight who was actually a NB owner & had help from a champion volunteer descending into Stratford, in fact he was one of the most helpful chaps I've ever known in any walk of life, however on our return up the Stratford he was not about & we just saw lots of 'very nice well-meaning people who are happy to nod & pass the time of day'...again!

[alan_fincher]

At one time locks had full time British Waterway's lock keepers who generally lived on site. This was fazed out and replaced with roaming lock keepers who over time became very thin on the ground;

 

If talking "British Waterways" I would also take issue with this statement.

 

There were a few particular locations where locks had their own keepers - the twinned locks on the Regents or the Lea, for example, but on your average typical rural canal, I don't believe so.

 

In my personal experience of the Southern GU from the early 1970s, a BW lock keeper was actually a "length man" looking after a stretch that would typically have multiple locks. My late brother was employed as one at Cow Roast, and the next one was based in Berkhamsted., so each covered a stretch with quite a few locks. Their role was to look after levels, and the like, and it was not to assist in working boats through locks. Whilst they might have occasionally done so, it was not their reason for being there.

 

Unfortunately most of the current volunteers do not seem to be empowered to do water control, and look after levels. I find it frustrating working down a short flight that has several volunteers in attendance, but having to plug through mud because some pounds are as much as a foot down. This certainly applies at at least Buckby, Braunston and Hillmorton.

[Tuscan]

I share your frustration as to the continuing lack of water but I am glad that we don't have volunteers managing water levels. However if they were able to understand and report on the levels so that action was taken this would be very helpful.

[nicknorman]

I think the clue is in the name. They were lock keepers, not lock operators.

[Dalesman]

No they didn't.

 

VERY few locks indeed had lock keepers.

I can think of quite a few on the Leeds & Liverpool that did have.

[Tim Carter]

Ok, I'm not going to debate how many lock keepers I can remember throughout the network, to clarify, we now have volunteer lock keepers and we are all in a position to help shape the future of this in a way that works for everybody.

[haggis]

We are on the Weaver just now and the locks are a joy. Well maintained, grass cut, painting fresh, and friendly efficient lock keepers who obviously take a pride in their job

Not seen any volunteers and we're not missing them at all

 

Well done theCRT guys on the Weaver

Haggis

[Victor Vectis]

Well done theCRT guys on the Weaver

 

I agree. This was our experience on the Weaver. The lockies were friendly, helpful and well informed.

 

As to 'working the locks being part of the fun', well yes, up to a point.

 

I'm off down Hatton tomorrow and up the other side the day after with a novice to boating friend.

Anyone who wants to set ahead and close up after is more than welcome to do so!

[madcat]

A hand at the locks is always good.

[magnetman]

A hand at the locks is always good.

I don't know if you are thinking of any particular locks but I would suggest that if that is a general comment then there would be a lot of people disagreeing.

 

Worth a poll?

[Dharl]

hand with opening and closing Gates are always welcome, especially when short handed in a wide lock. But prefer that paddles are done by the boats crew (ok self or Mrs Dharl) rather than a passer by or Vol-Lockie.

 

My understanding of a Lock Keeper (at least in the more traditional sense) was some one who maintained the locks and water levels and assisted the working of locks (if they had time), however the actual working of the locks was not their main point of being.

[magnetman]

That's a good point about lock keepers. Getting rubbish out of the lock, bodies and weed etc

And painting things

And leaving boaters alone

[alan_fincher]

A hand at the locks is always good.

 

No it definitely wasn't "good" for us.

 

"A hand at the locks" coupled with a refusal to do what one of my crew wanted very nearly sank one of our boats.

 

If the boater and their crew is not fully in charge, (which CRT say should be the case, but wasn't in the case of our near miss), then I'm now firmly against the idea now I'm afraid.

[mango]

Since volunteer lock keepers started to appear I have felt that boaters should be asked if they would like help. In my younger days, doing the locks was part of the fun.

 

There is no doubt that many are happy to accept help and it would be a great pity if volunteers were driven away from canals.

[mayalld]

hand with opening and closing Gates are always welcome.

Not here they aren't.

 

As a tall-ish person, when dealing with a narrow lock with no tail bridge, I sometimes step over from open gate to closed gate to save the walk. (Yes I know, frightfully unsafe)

 

Not so long ago, I was just stepping over towards the end of the still closed gate when some well meaning person decided to lend a hand and open the gate, leaving me with nowhere to go.

[MtB]

Not here they aren't.

 

As a tall-ish person, when dealing with a narrow lock with no tail bridge, I sometimes step over from open gate to closed gate to save the walk. (Yes I know, frightfully unsafe)

 

Not so long ago, I was just stepping over towards the end of the still closed gate when some well meaning person decided to lend a hand and open the gate, leaving me with nowhere to go.

 

 

 

I step over the gates too, and that's a risk which had not occurred to me until now. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

Did you fall in or save yourself at the last second before committing?

[John V]

As a tall-ish person, when dealing with a narrow lock with no tail bridge, I sometimes step over from open gate to closed gate to save the walk. (Yes I know, frightfully unsafe)

 

 

As someone who is slightly perpendicularly challenged, I used to do that.

Now as a slightly perpendicularly challenged person who also now a wrinkly, it is a pastime I resist.

[nicknorman]

I step over the gates too, and that's a risk which had not occurred to me until now. Thanks for pointing it out.

 

We do that too, although it is potentially dangerous so I always pause for a moment to check for the things that might cause a fall, of which clothing catching on the gate you are stepping from is probably the most likely (especially when wearing waterproofs etc). Complacency is the greatest enemy.

 

Falling into a deep empty lock may well be fatal (due to insufficient depth of water to cushion the fall). But then again, so might twitching the steering wheel to the right on a fast busy A road, spearing my glider into a mountain etc.

The world is a dangerous place, one just has to be careful to avoid doing such things!

[tidal]

It was a habit of mine at one time too
But having ended up badly bruised and very wet on one occasion I have since always taken the longer route across the gates that won't be opened.
Though to be fair it was a member of my own crew that did it to me

[MtB]

We do that too, although it is potentially dangerous so I always pause for a moment to check for the things that might cause a fall, of which clothing catching on the gate you are stepping from is probably the most likely (especially when wearing waterproofs etc). Complacency is the greatest enemy.

 

 

 

Yes this is my constant horror too. It's the fear of feeling that tug from behind stopping my foot quite reaching the opposite gate or even just disrupting my balance that raises my heart rate every time I do the step over. I don't do it in wet conditions or when I'm wearing heavy clothing, or in the dark. I always look down at my clothes before stepping to make sure there are no cords or anything dangling...

[Dyad]

I enjoyed my time as a volkie the other year. I was on Cranfleet lock, usually two of us but sometimes just one. Our primary role was to assist with getting boats on their way on busier weekends, especially when the local sailing club were out. We would watch for approaching craft and set the lock accordingly, we'd do the gates and paddles unless anyone or any crew wanted to do it themselves then we would stand out of the way but be around if needed. Everyone was happy to see us there, especially the single handlers as it is quite a deep lock.

[MtB]

But until now I've not thought to raise my eyes and check there is no-one at the other end of the balance beam about to open the gate!

[emoss]

Volunteer lock keepers are fantastic. They do a valuable role (not a 'none job' - I find this disrespectful and demotivating for the volunteers) of saving water, helping many boaters, doing practical work, sharing local knowledge, increasing face to face contact with the Trust and so much more which really adds to the life of the canals. Undoubtedly those who are negative about our work will counter this post with examples where they didnt help in these ways but, as the thread was started by a celebration of volunteer lock keepers, many of the posts already support and add to the benefits that volunteer lock keepers bring.

 

We could also have a debate over the difference between lock keepers of old and the current role or we could just say thank you to all those who are giving their time to improve and sustain the waterways. Whilst things may not always go to plan 100%, the positive responses that we regularly receive show that many people really appreciate the support and help of the people who volunteer.

 

I would ask that those making such negative comments think about the impact these comments have on the volunteers who, with equal passion and interest, are giving their time freely to sustain the waterway network you feel so strongly about. With regard to the roles that people volunteering do being pigeon holed into maintenance tasks, seem to ignore that the Trust is led by volunteers, our Trustees and Council. And that volunteers are giving experience and expertise through Partnerships and Advisory Groups.

 

Across the Trust people give skills and experience to a range of specialist skills. I'd like to take this opportunity to say that you to all those who volunteer with the Trust either directly or through the 250+ partner groups. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

 

Edd Moss - Volunteering Manager for the Trust

[nicknorman]

Volunteer lock keepers are fantastic. They do a valuable role (not a 'none job' - I find this disrespectful and demotivating for the volunteers) of saving water, helping many boaters, doing practical work, sharing local knowledge, increasing face to face contact with the Trust and so much more which really adds to the life of the canals. Undoubtedly those who are negative about our work will counter this post with examples where they didnt help in these ways but, as the thread was started by a celebration of volunteer lock keepers, many of the posts already support and add to the benefits that volunteer lock keepers bring.

We could also have a debate over the difference between lock keepers of old and the current role or we could just say thank you to all those who are giving their time to improve and sustain the waterways. Whilst things may not always go to plan 100%, the positive responses that we regularly receive show that many people really appreciate the support and help of the people who volunteer.

I would ask that those making such negative comments think about the impact these comments have on the volunteers who, with equal passion and interest, are giving their time freely to sustain the waterway network you feel so strongly about. With regard to the roles that people volunteering do being pigeon holed into maintenance tasks, seem to ignore that the Trust is led by volunteers, our Trustees and Council. And that volunteers are giving experience and expertise through Partnerships and Advisory Groups.

Across the Trust people give skills and experience to a range of specialist skills. I'd like to take this opportunity to say that you to all those who volunteer with the Trust either directly or through the 250+ partner groups. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Edd Moss - Volunteering Manager for the Trust

Edd, what you say is all very well and totally reasonable - from the perspective of the volunteers. But what about the perspective of the boaters? Do you care about that? Especially the recent case on here where a volunteer wilfully ignored the emergency instructions of a boater and very nearly sunk the boat. How many boater's sunken boats is the morale of the volunteers worth?

 

Personally I have found the volunteers a mixed bunch. Most, I welcome. A few, I would rather be without. Surely as the manager you should be wondering why there is some "anti" from boaters, rather than just trying to diss those boaters.

Edited September 9, 2015 by nicknorman