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Foxton locks open 24 hours a day


Proper Charlie

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We have only been through Foxton once, and was grateful for the instructions. 

 

I am sure given some written instructions we could have figured it out ourselves and would hope the boat coming the other way had also read them. 

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White before Red, you'll end up dead

Red before white, you'll be alright

 

But I feel it a shame to stop passage at 7pm on some of the long summer nights when it is light way after 9pm. Some of my best boating memories are early and late cruising.

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5 minutes ago, mross said:

Can you cut and paste the actual message from CaRT?

Notice Alert

Leicester Line (Grand Union Canal)
Starts At: Lock 17
Ends At: Lock 8

Thursday 16 March 2017 until Sunday 1 April 2018 23:59

Type: Opening Times


 

Update on 13/03/2017:

 

Please note that Foxton Locks are open 24 hours a day.

The times below are when volunteer lock keepers are available on site to assist passage during manned hours.

 

Original message:

 

Foxton Locks Summer/Winter opening times for 2017/18 have been confirmed.


16 March 2017 - 2 April 2017

Mon - Thurs, 9:00am to 3:30pm (last boat in 2:45pm)

Fri - Sun, 9:00am to 3:30pm (last boat in 2:45pm)


3 April 2017 – 23 April 2017

Mon - Thurs, 8:00am to 5:00pm (last boat in 4:15pm)

Fri - Sun, 8:00am to 6:00pm (last boat in 5:15pm)


24 April 2017 – 10 September 2017

Mon - Thurs, 8:00am to 7:00pm (last boat in 6:15pm)

Fri - Sun, 8:00am to 7:00pm (last boat in 6:15pm)


11 September 2017 – 22 October 2017

Mon - Thurs, 9:00am to 4:00pm (last boat in 3:15pm)

Fri - Sun, 9:00am to 5:00pm (last boat in 4:15pm)


23 October 2017 – 1 April 2018

Mon - Thurs, 9:00am to 3:30pm (last boat in 2:45pm)

Fri - Sun, 9:00am to 3:30pm (last boat in 2:45pm)

 

As locks can be very busy, please allow yourself plenty of time to ensure passage

It takes approximately 45 minutes to pass through the flight and you must be through the flight by the time of closure.

Last boat will be allowed through the lock 45 minutes prior to closure.

You can view this notice and its map online here:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/10184/foxton-locks-summerwinter-opening-times-for-201718-leicester-line-grand-union-canal

You can find all notices at the url below:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices

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The idea of lock keepers controlling these flights is a new one.

If you had gone through 40 years ago, you would certainly have had no assistance, (and none of the paddle posts painted red!).

If people want to go through on their own, outside of attended hours, surely it helps alleviate the considerable congestion at these locks at busy times.  I've no idea what it has been like in recent summers, but I know waits of several hours have been common in the past, even to the point that people who have arrived by the advertised times are told they can't go through to the next day.

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I think this is a good move, although I also think this will result in both Watford and Foxton both being locked again within 12 months as something will go wrong or damage be caused.

I have used Watford flight quite a lot since the out of hours working came in unofficially and not advertised anywhere). It has helped greatly when moving boats.

The big danger to me is having a hire base at mkt Harborough and the first locks they hit are Foxton.

Edited by matty40s
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Quote

I think this is a food move

You go through whilst the volunteers are having lunch?

1 minute ago, matty40s said:

.....................although I also think this will result in both Watford and Foxton both being locked again within 12 months as something will go wrong or damage be caused.

There have, of course, been suggestions that some volunteers there have caused greater scares than you might get if allowed to work through on your own.

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One problem I have encountered with volunteers at both Watford and Foxton is their frequent insistence of following precisely the guidance on the notices (which should apply only when there is no lock keeper present) to adopt a one-up one-down routine in order - as the notice correctly states - to "Maximise the use of water". This of course is the last thing actually wanted; it also, of course, maximises the delays.

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When we got stuck at the bottom of foxton - refused transit despite arriving at 14:30 - I made a big fuss. The "employed" lock keeper boss-man said that it would be mayhem if the locks were left open 24 hrs and he would resign. So I presume he has gone!

As has been said, for many years of my earlier boating career these and other locks were never locked and we managed fine. I recall doing Bingley 5 rise unassisted in the 70s without any drama. So it is rather patronising of CRT to decide that we stupid boaters are not to be trusted, whilst their volunteers many of whom are not boaters, are.

I take the point about the MH hire base but perhaps they have agreed to instruct the hirers not to use the locks outside of manned hours? That would stop the rest of us having to be inconvenienced.

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Having in the dim past used both flights without the presence of any lockie at any time of day, I have always suspected that the only real advantage of the supervision is the avoidance (or at least minimisation) of canal rage. After all, the process of taking turns (and defining what that means) was always a source of friction amongst working boats. Out of the attended hours, I cannot see there being much competition for use - it is certainly frustrating to arrive at, say, Foxton top just as the padlocks have been applied (or even worse just before but with no further entries permitted) and having to wake early enough to make sure that you register with the lockie first thing and before a queue starts being let in at the bottom! An hour's delay by arriving at the 'wrong' time is not unusual, even if no-one else is waiting.

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1 hour ago, nicknorman said:

When we got stuck at the bottom of foxton - refused transit despite arriving at 14:30 - I made a big fuss. The "employed" lock keeper boss-man said that it would be mayhem if the locks were left open 24 hrs and he would resign. So I presume he has gone!

As has been said, for many years of my earlier boating career these and other locks were never locked and we managed fine. I recall doing Bingley 5 rise unassisted in the 70s without any drama. So it is rather patronising of CRT to decide that we stupid boaters are not to be trusted, whilst their volunteers many of whom are not boaters, are.

I take the point about the MH hire base but perhaps they have agreed to instruct the hirers not to use the locks outside of manned hours? That would stop the rest of us having to be inconvenienced.

The problem today of course is that " Common sense " is not very common as too many people now go to Uni. Also there is so much crap about boating on such as You tube that does not help. As a " For instance " I glanced at something on you tube yesterday and typed in narrowboat and up sprang hundreds of clips so I opened 3 or 4 from ( Liveaboards ) non of whom had obviously been doing it for two minutes and the cows droppings in every case where awful and very misleading to anyone without experience.

Edited by mrsmelly
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Just now, matty40s said:

You mean like the guy on radio5 who spends 80% of his time keeping his stove lit....

I hadnt looked on you tube before re boating and was amazed and dismayed at just how many people were on there offering ADVICE!!! :o

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The thing that the lock keeps adds is the organisation of how many up and how many down at once etc.   Without them it needs people to be sensible and check down the flight for anyone else before entering, bearing in mind that is is possible for one at least to cross in the middle pound.  With the hire base that could be the challenge.

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Get it wrong at Watford and you could put water over the towpath opposite the caravan sales place.

Get it wrong at Foxton and you could flood the pub and museum.

On the other hand, I first used Foxton in 1967 when there was a resident lock keeper.  He didn't work the lock for you, but he did carry chains and padlocks.

After you got into the top lock he'd chain it up, so no one could follow you.  He then walked down with you, drinking a mug of your tea.  As he let you out of the bottom, he'd let another up, again locking the gates behind them.  When he decided he wanted a break he just left both ends locked.

Big old lad, you wouldn't have argued with him, he'd have just waved boats around you.

Then, in all the times I've been up and down there since (last time was mid 90s) I've never seen anyone assisting.

The place is certainly busier than it was 50 years ago, but now we have more boats, it's a destination for day outers because of the museum and Plane Lift.

Was it last year an old lady fell backwards into a side pound and then reappeared in the lock chamber?

Whatever your view I see no need to get excited about delays.  It's an obvious bottle neck with potential danger to the unwary. Slow down and kick back a bit, if you're bothered about a delay or boating to such a tight schedule you just might be in the wrong hobby.

As for the volunteers, they're not in charge, you are, but is there really any need to whitewash them all negatively?

They are instructed that the person in charge is on the back of the boat, they control their boat and they control their lock. They are reminded that many people want to work their locks because it's a major part of their boating existence.

By the same token, being a volunteer lock keeper is a major part of how they spend their spare time. So live and let live a bit eh?

Some good news is, if you wanted the pub one evening and arrived at the top late and behind a queue of other boats, it's only an easy walk down to the pub and a slightly less easy stagger back up after. 

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I've yet to do Foxton, although I probably will this year, but I did go down the Watford staircase two years ago under instruction from an experienced boater, and there was a CRT man there too. To paraphrase the Pub Landlord, if you have too few rules there will be chaos, and if you have too many there will be a lot of waiting about. My feeling is that there should be a compromise which lets those who know what they're doing get on with it while those who don't get help.

If I were CRT I'd keep it open 24 hours, but make sure there are clear instructions in the form of notices and leaflets in suitable places, and try to encourage anyone new to staircase flights (or to boating altogether!) to break their duck when a volunteer is on duty. Nearby hire bases should be able to help with this, and I expect there already is a volunteer about at the times that new hirers are likely to turn up.

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Hmm I predict canal rage occurring.  A few years back on a Saturday afternoon I was number 4 of 6 boats at the bottom registered with the lockie's waiting for some boats to come down. As the last boat exited the bottom a just arriving shiny share boat charged straight into the lock, in front of the 1st waiting boat (who had waited over an hour). The lockies refused him passage and he was livid but after 20 minutes reversed out of the lock to the cheers of the audience. Fortunately for peace one of the vol lockies was about 6 foot 6 tall and almost as wide, so kept fists in pockets.  How is a anyone, particularly single handed supposed to check the passage is clear, return to the boat (out of view of the locks at the bottom), to go into the first lock and be sure that no-one at the other end has come in.

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19 minutes ago, Detling said:

Hmm I predict canal rage occurring.  A few years back on a Saturday afternoon I was number 4 of 6 boats at the bottom registered with the lockie's waiting for some boats to come down. As the last boat exited the bottom a just arriving shiny share boat charged straight into the lock, in front of the 1st waiting boat (who had waited over an hour). The lockies refused him passage and he was livid but after 20 minutes reversed out of the lock to the cheers of the audience. Fortunately for peace one of the vol lockies was about 6 foot 6 tall and almost as wide, so kept fists in pockets.  How is a anyone, particularly single handed supposed to check the passage is clear, return to the boat (out of view of the locks at the bottom), to go into the first lock and be sure that no-one at the other end has come in.

Sort of raises the question of whether it is a considerate act to attempt the staircase single handed, especially at a busy time? (I don't doubt for a moment that it is perfectly possible to do it).  

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