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The end of the Thames Lock Ladders!


nipper

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The end to The river Thames lock keepers Ladders!

I went through a lock today on the Thames, on the side were a gaggle of chaps and a camera man, filming!

Word has it that it was the BBC news team filming boats through a lock, including my boat, for a news program about the Lock Keeper Ladders.

Apparently the Health and Safety people, have deemed that this Ladders are too dangerous to be used in an event of someone falling into the lock, because they could hurt someone, and are wanting them taken away!

In place of these Ladders, apparently, In the event of someone falling into the lock, one will have to dial up 999 and request Help!

Honestly, you couldn't make it up could you!

In any event, don't shoot the messenger!

Nipper

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I have reviewed my own safety arrangements.

 

On the basis that I might drop a fire extinguisher on my foot, or trap the skin of my finger in that snappy catch on a life jacket, I have thrown the whole lot overboard.

 

So, potential harm averted. Phew!

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I have reviewed my own safety arrangements.

 

On the basis that I might drop a fire extinguisher on my foot, or trap the skin of my finger in that snappy catch on a life jacket, I have thrown the whole lot overboard.

 

So, potential harm averted. Phew!

I dropped a bottle of wine on my foot two days ago. Does that mean I have to throw away all the wine stored behind the sofa?
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I'm a bit confused, as I thought the Thames locks (all of them?) have staircases with handrails, rather than ladders.

These ladders are proper ladders, like what you go up your roof with!

 

I think they have them because they can be put exactly where the person in the water is!

 

With the proposed need to ring 999, i expect the rescuers will use exactly the same, but about 15 minutes later, to get the drowned person out!

 

Nipper

Edited by nipper
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You have to donate a bottle at a time to passing boaters

At the speed most of them passed us yesterday and this morning that would be a bit difficult!

I'll help you dispose of it

Phil

Unfortunately we've left the Fens and are now back on the canals.

 

The volunteer lockie at Fradley Junction Lock yesterday had a throwline.

Edited by pearley
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These ladders are proper ladders, like what you go up your roof with!

 

I think they have them because they can be put exactly where the person in the water is!

 

With the proposed need to ring 999, i expect the rescuers will use exactly the same, but about 15 minutes later, to get the drowned person out!

 

Nipper

 

Ah yes, thanks - I do now remember seeing them stored on brackets by Thames locks, but I've never seen them used.

 

PS I have a 25m throwline, it's rather good!

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Yes, throw lines are good unless your throwing them from a boat to a crew gone overboard.

 

If he doesn't grab it or can't grab, it then it's almost impossible to get it closer to him by using the boat!

 

The end follows the boat and whatever you do, can't seem to get the end near to the bloke in the water,

even if you turn in ever decreasing circles, it never seems to get near him! boat.gif

 

Nipper

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I'm a bit confused, as I thought the Thames locks (all of them?) have staircases with handrails, rather than ladders.

Same here

I'm a bit confused, as I thought the Thames locks (all of them?) have staircases with handrails, rather than ladders.

Do they still have the long poles with a loop at the end?

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There's been an horrendous lot of fuss and disinformation about these ladders and fire extinguihers - even from boaters ON the Thames.

 

This is my take as a 'local:-

 

ALL Thames locks have very nice stairways with handrails on either side that you can use if you don't mid the slime that often forms on them. The ladders are as others have said are stored on the side of the lock and probably go back to the days when some of the locks' stairwells ended above the water level (e.g. Marlow) -( so it was difficult to climb out). These have all been fixed 'long since. The ladders are very long and very heavy - too heavy for even a fit person to lift and deploy on their own. As locks (when they are actually manned...) are invariably single handed lockies have been forbidden to use them and they (the ladders) will be removed.

Fire extinguishers are also being removed because Elfin-safety have deemed that lockies are not trained in their use - so now they have to wait until the fire brigade arrives which will in all probability be not until the boat in question has sunk because there aren't any fire engines available / they don't know where the locks are / the access is over muddy fields (cynic..)

 

So folks - don't come on the Thames, it's dangerous, you'll sink in the locks and the locals are revolting....

  • Greenie 1
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Yes, throw lines are good unless your throwing them from a boat to a crew gone overboard.

 

If he doesn't grab it or can't grab, it then it's almost impossible to get it closer to him by using the boat!

 

The end follows the boat and whatever you do, can't seem to get the end near to the bloke in the water,

even if you turn in ever decreasing circles, it never seems to get near him! boat.gif

 

Nipper

So if my wife falls in on the Trent & Mersey and I deploy my throw line, is it ok to cruise up and down between winding holes until she grabs it?

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There's been an horrendous lot of fuss and disinformation about these ladders and fire extinguihers - even from boaters ON the Thames.

 

This is my take as a 'local:-

 

ALL Thames locks have very nice stairways with handrails on either side that you can use if you don't mid the slime that often forms on them. The ladders are as others have said are stored on the side of the lock and probably go back to the days when some of the locks' stairwells ended above the water level (e.g. Marlow) -( so it was difficult to climb out). These have all been fixed 'long since. The ladders are very long and very heavy - too heavy for even a fit person to lift and deploy on their own. As locks (when they are actually manned...) are invariably single handed lockies have been forbidden to use them and they (the ladders) will be removed.

Fire extinguishers are also being removed because Elfin-safety have deemed that lockies are not trained in their use - so now they have to wait until the fire brigade arrives which will in all probability be not until the boat in question has sunk because there aren't any fire engines available / they don't know where the locks are / the access is over muddy fields (cynic..)

 

So folks - don't come on the Thames, it's dangerous, you'll sink in the locks and the locals are revolting....

Not all of the stairwells have been fixed, the one at Abingdon lock finishes some way above the water level when the lock is empty. As for the ladders being heavy, they are made from Aluminium so can’t be that heavy.

The lockkeepers are even being told not to step on someone’s boat even if it’s to help pull someone out of the water and can be disciplined for it.

Some of the lockkeepers are getting very despondent about all of the health and safety measures being taken by the EA.

Edited by F DRAYKE
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Yes, throw lines are good unless your throwing them from a boat to a crew gone overboard.

 

If he doesn't grab it or can't grab, it then it's almost impossible to get it closer to him by using the boat!

 

The end follows the boat and whatever you do, can't seem to get the end near to the bloke in the water,

even if you turn in ever decreasing circles, it never seems to get near him! boat.gif

 

Nipper

There's a word I'm looking for

I'm sure it sounds like a word for those things you put oars in.

I blame my age and fading memory unsure.png

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This sounds to me like a simple case of the EA not being prepared to properly train their staff and finding that it's cheaper to remove any rescuing responsibility from the lock-keepers job description.

 

I can understand why that could happen given the recent threads on here criticizing CRT volockies for not protecting vessels from potential damage in locks. Alan Fincher's recent near-miss being a typical example.

 

I'm not sure if there's a simple solution to all this. Whatever the navigation authority does is likely to cause criticism from some quarters.

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There's a word I'm looking for

I'm sure it sounds like a word for those things you put oars in.

I blame my age and fading memory unsure.png

Have you ever tried it?

 

Tie a life belt with a fair length of warp and see if you can get it near the casualty!

 

Only, mind your end of the line because you might just get caught on what your trying to remember!tongue.png

 

Nipper

It seems i and my boat have been on the Southern news!

 

Now thats a first!

 

Nipper

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Have you ever tried it?

 

Tie a life belt with a fair length of warp and see if you can get it near the casualty!

 

Only, mind your end of the line because you might just get caught on what your trying to remember!tongue.png

 

Nipper

 

 

That is why the standard advice when sailing on lumpy water and you unfortunately lose a crew member overboard is that you throw everything that floats over the side after him/her.

 

Don't tie a life belt to anything before you chuck it - just chuck it. It stands a much better chance of getting within grabbing distance of the casualty if it isn't being hindered by a piece of string, particularly if you are on water with a current. And, let's face it, it is more important that the casualty can float, you can worry about recovery once they are safely attached to something buoyant.

Edited by lockedout
  • Greenie 1
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This plan was obviously submitted by Strathclyde fire and rescue (you know.. the lot that wouldn't go down a mine shaft because they hadn't been trained to use the safety equipment they were issued with! The woman died after 7 hours and the mountain rescue team had to go and get the body....using the same equipment the fire brigade had!) Thinking about it, it would take Strathclyde about

that long to get to the Thames!

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Well, it was Cavasham Lock, The lady lock keeper could easily lift up the aluminium ladde,r as did the news reporter on the news report.

The official bloke spoke and looked like he had just crawled out from under his desk, where he had been lurking in case someone wanted him to justify his salary!

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