are napton locks manned with volunteers in the week

[Karen Lea Rainey]

hi,

i will be going through the Napton flight up the Oxford tomorrow tuesday around midday and will be single handed, does anyone know if there are volunteers on the locks to help a little bit?

 

[b0atman]

very hit and miss only one on when I came down on a Friday worked with me from 3rd lock down

[john6767]

very hit and miss only one on when I came down on a Friday worked with me from 3rd lock down

Same for us, the few times there has been one it was only the bottom locks. It think you would be lucky to see one at all.

[matty40s]

I have only seen a volocky on the Watford flight so far this "cruising season" and they are there all year round

. None anywhere over Easter.

I have done Stoke Bruerne, Buckby, Braunston, Stockton, Hillmorton, Bascote since mid March - all of which would normally be volockied.

Edited April 18, 2016 by matty40s

[The Boater]

Normally with a little more notice I can jump on the motorcycle and come to help singlehanded through flights, but I am already committed tomorrow. I may be able to come up on Wednesday morning if that helps. If you make a note of my number for the future it is 07704 249 523. Ian. The Boater. You will find me in Crew Swap section.

[___]

Unlikely to help above the lower end even if there are any present. I locked down the bottom five early on August Bank Holiday Monday last year in persistent rain. Just me and my lad doing the work and when we got to the bottom lock I could see an X5 parked by the service block beneath the lock and figured it belonged to a volocky. Anyway we had just about finished, wet through and as my lad started to move out of the lock the volocky appeared from the old stables (guessing that's what the building was) and said "don't worry about that, I'll close the gates for you." Pretty much no help at all.

 

I experienced something similar at Astwood top lock a couple of weeks ago. Two volockies watched us work through the lock below and set the gates for us ready on the top lock but when we got there they didn't close the gates and wouldn't touch the paddles and watched from a bench as my lad worked them all. Then as we set off they got up and offered to lower the top paddles and shut the gate. It was as though they had a brief not to touch the lock while the boat was in the chamber.

 

JP

Edited April 18, 2016 by Captain Pegg

[matty40s]

 

I experienced something similar at Astwood top lock a couple of weeks ago. Two volockies watched us work through the lock below and set the gates for us ready on the top lock but when we got there they didn't close the gates and wouldn't touch the paddles and watched from a bench as my lad worked them all. Then as we set off they got up and offered to lower the top paddles and shut the gates. It was as though they had a brief not to touch the lock while the boat was in the chamber.

 

JP

watching the lockie at Watford Flight this weekend, I think the comment about the brief may be right.

[___]

watching the lockie at Watford Flight this weekend, I think the comment about the brief may be right.

 

I wonder if it's new recruits. I did get help at Hanbury at Easter but I think that particular lockie has been there a while. Seems little point in putting someone at Watford who isn't able to assist actively. I suspect many inexperienced crews are grateful for some guidance at Watford and Foxton.

 

JP

[jellybeano]

We had excellent, friendly, really useful volunteer help last week for a lot of Wilmcote flight. Then again for the top locks on Lapworth flight, and then again later at Black Delph. Could not fault their attitude and assistance. Thank you to all of you who helped us, as there were just two of us on the boat the time, the unexpected help was really appreciated.

[john6767]

Unlikely to help above the lower end even if there are any present. I locked down the bottom five early on August Bank Holiday Monday last year in persistent rain. Just me and my lad doing the work and when we got to the bottom lock I could see an X5 parked by the service block beneath the lock and figured it belonged to a volocky. Anyway we had just about finished, wet through and as my lad started to move out of the lock the volocky appeared from the old stables (guessing that's what the building was) and said "don't worry about that, I'll close the gates for you." Pretty much no help at all.

I experienced something similar at Astwood top lock a couple of weeks ago. Two volockies watched us work through the lock below and set the gates for us ready on the top lock but when we got there they didn't close the gates and wouldn't touch the paddles and watched from a bench as my lad worked them all. Then as we set off they got up and offered to lower the top paddles and shut the gate. It was as though they had a brief not to touch the lock while the boat was in the chamber.

JP

I am certain that we came down Napton on August Bank Holiday Monday last year too. I know there was a volockie to help at the bottom when we went up 2 weeks before, but I don't remember any help in coming down, but as you say it was raining :-)

[___]

I am certain that we came down Napton on August Bank Holiday Monday last year too. I know there was a volockie to help at the bottom when we went up 2 weeks before, but I don't remember any help in coming down, but as you say it was raining :-)

Theodora was there too. I think probably locked through late on the Sunday. I was on a Kate Boats hire aiming for a last night stop at the Folly Inn. Moored above lock five and walked.

Edited April 18, 2016 by Captain Pegg

[ditchcrawler]

When we moored at Napton the main reason for a volocky at the bottom was it was the first lock a lot of hire boats had ever seen. Braunston, Wigrams, Calcutt and Napton.

[john6767]

When we moored at Napton the main reason for a volocky at the bottom was it was the first lock a lot of hire boats had ever seen. Braunston, Wigrams, Calcutt and Napton.

Not the first lock for ones from Calcutt though!

[___]

When we moored at Napton the main reason for a volocky at the bottom was it was the first lock a lot of hire boats had ever seen. Braunston, Wigrams, Calcutt and Napton.

Wigrams and Calcutt being one and the same. I guess you meant to say Hillmorton; which were the first locks we ever operated as a family on a hire boat holiday, albeit nearly 40 years ago when no-one either staff or volunteer helped anywhere at all.

 

JP

[john6767]

Theodora was there too. I think probably locked through late on the Sunday. I was on a Kate Boats hire aiming for a last night stop at the Folly Inn. Moored above lock five and walked.

We were on our way back to Calcutt marina, before back to work on the Tuesday, so would have been at the bottom of Napton late afternoon.

[___]

Not the first lock for ones from Calcutt though!

Calcutt boats are between the locks aren't they?

 

I have been through them on two hires from Kate Boats at Stockton in the past two years so that's four transits and I haven't seen a lockie; nor at Braunston on either of the same two trips.

 

We all know Hillmorton has volunteers ?

Edited April 18, 2016 by Captain Pegg

[john6767]

Calcutt boats are between the locks aren't they?

 

I have been through them on two hires from Kate Boats at Stockton in the past two years so that's four transits and I haven't seen a lockie; nor at Braunston on either of the same two trips.

 

We all know Hillmorton has volunteers ?

Yes the hire boats at Calcutt start from below the top lock, so anyone new will have been instructed through the top lock by the person doing the handover. Never seen a volockie at Calcutt.

[Athy]

When we moored at Napton the main reason for a volocky at the bottom was it was the first lock a lot of hire boats had ever seen. Braunston, Wigrams, Calcutt and Napton.

Yes, exactly what I was going to say. There can be a lot of traffic there on hand-over days, and if some of them are totally inexperienced it can quickly become chaotic. I remember Mr. Crawler and I being unofficial volockies on one such day a few years ago!

[nicknorman]

Last couple of weeks we went from Fazeley into central Birmingham, down to droitwich / Severn, back up through Worcester to central Brum and back to Fazeley, all of which is a lot of locks. But not a single Volocky seen even when it was sunny. Mind you, very few boats on the move seen either. IIRC we passed one opposite direction boat all the way from Worcester to top of tardebigge, and zero boats from Brum back to Fazeley.

[Victor Vectis]

We had excellent, friendly, really useful volunteer help last week for a lot of Wilmcote flight. Then again for the top locks on Lapworth flight, and then again later at Black Delph. Could not fault their attitude and assistance. Thank you to all of you who helped us, as there were just two of us on the boat the time, the unexpected help was really appreciated.

There was a lone vlockie at Lapworth on Saturday morning but no boats about, only me going down to the pump out and back. I don't know his name but he was the bloke who is useful and knows what he is doing. As opposed to........

 

Earlier in the week, a hire boat going down the flight, in the last but one lock by the Boot but getting nowhere as they had all four paddles up. Two vlockies sat on the bench by the next lock down watching them (!)

[Sea Dog]

I was surprised to find the guys who do Hanbury were already there when we went through last month. They're great, as it happens. Tardebigge on the other hand, you'll just see a CRT guy going up and down on a CRT quad bike all day doing.... who knows what? We always say hello - I think he even replied once!

[nicknorman]

Yes we saw the guy on the quad bike too. No idea what he does. And he didn't acknowledge us either so don't worry, it's not just you!

[valrene9600]

Wigrams and Calcutt being one and the same. I guess you meant to say Hillmorton; which were the first locks we ever operated as a family on a hire boat holiday, albeit nearly 40 years ago when no-one either staff or volunteer helped anywhere at all.

JP

Wigrams and Calcutt are two different hire bases.

[ditchcrawler]

Not the first lock for ones from Calcutt though!

You are of course correct, I should have said the first narrow lock with paddle gear they have not seen before.

Last couple of weeks we went from Fazeley into central Birmingham, down to droitwich / Severn, back up through Worcester to central Brum and back to Fazeley, all of which is a lot of locks. But not a single Volocky seen even when it was sunny. Mind you, very few boats on the move seen either. IIRC we passed one opposite direction boat all the way from Worcester to top of tardebigge, and zero boats from Brum back to Fazeley.

Loads at Curdworth as they were trying to keep the level down in one pound to protect the slip weir. The said "Engineering" had locked one paddle at each end half open to do it, but we couldn't see any water flowing through and have you ever tried making a level with a paddle half open.

[dmr]

We came down Devizes flight yesterday, waited a bit hoping for another boat to share with but no luck. Got to the main "16" and two volunteers turned up and did the full 16 with us, one helping with the lock, one going ahead to set the next lock. Both boaters or ex-boaters and knew exactly what they were doing, all very calm and careful. They work Mondays so that's the day to do Devizes.

 

Maybe we need more retired old men/ex boaters running other bits of CaRT too!

 

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