Jump to content

Tardebigge Times


Mike Todd

Featured Posts

There was a time when this sort of information could be quite important to those travelling the canals but that era has gone.  I'm left wondering whether the more importance one attaches to how quickly it can be done nowadays, the more one is missing the point of travelling by canal. Just a thought... :)

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Travelling by a canal has many variables.

It may be as part of a ring for a hire crew who have to do 8 hours a day to get back to base on time.

It may be moving a boat from A to B for a customer and you may have other work planned.

It may be as part of a long term cruise, with a specific lock passage or sea pilot booked so you have a deadline.

It could be a swift trip taking a boat over a weekend to a booked blacking or other boatyard activity.

Or it could be a lovely pleasure cruise with no deadlines and no itinerary.

I did it single handing in May, left the middle of the North Stratford after a 61 lock day at sunrise, entered Tardebigge top lock at about 12pm, and moored at the Droitwich canal junction at 7.30pm.

Edited by matty40s
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, matty40s said:

Travelling by a canal has many variables.

A good point well made Matty. However, when these variables meet, particularly if the "record setters" catch up with someone more leisurely, less able or simply less capable in a place like the in the Tardebigge flight, there does seem to be  potential for them to get frustrated and react badly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

A good point well made Matty. However, when these variables meet, particularly if the "record setters" catch up with someone more leisurely, less able or simply less capable in a place like the in the Tardebigge flight, there does seem to be  potential for them to get frustrated and react badly.

Every lock except one was against me, and the one of 5 volockies who 'helped ' me do one lock actually slowed me down......and then he left the gates open and a paddle up! !!

  • Happy 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 hours ago, matty40s said:

Travelling by a canal has many variables.

It may be as part of a ring for a hire crew who have to do 8 hours a day to get back to base on time.

It may be moving a boat from A to B for a customer and you may have other work planned.

It may be as part of a long term cruise, with a specific lock passage or sea pilot booked so you have a deadline.

It could be a swift trip taking a boat over a weekend to a booked blacking or other boatyard activity.

Or it could be a lovely pleasure cruise with no deadlines and no itinerary.

I did it single handing in May, left the middle of the North Stratford after a 61 lock day at sunrise, entered Tardebigge top lock at about 12pm, and moored at the Droitwich canal junction at 7.30pm.

You were in the leisurely cruise category that day then :D

2 hours ago, matty40s said:

Every lock except one was against me, and the one of 5 volockies who 'helped ' me do one lock actually slowed me down......and then he left the gates open and a paddle up! !!

I think I fell out with one of volockies on Tardebigge last time we went down there when I explained to him he needed to shut the paddles at the bottom end of the lock before opening the top paddles.  He disappeared after that and didn't help.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

There was a time when this sort of information could be quite important to those travelling the canals but that era has gone.  I'm left wondering whether the more importance one attaches to how quickly it can be done nowadays, the more one is missing the point of travelling by canal. Just a thought... :)

The need for speed is irrelevant now days I think my best time with around 10/12 tons of steel piles on a single motor was around 2,1/2hrs in 1959

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 26/10/2017 at 11:08, ditchcrawler said:

For some that is the point, to use the equipment as efficiently as possible.

Which of course can be done at any rate of travel, and I do see the enjoyment in swift and efficient.

 

On 26/10/2017 at 12:49, Rob-M said:

 

... one of volockies on Tardebigge.....  

Really? I've often dreamed there'd be a helping hand there, but the only thing close to a volunteer I've ever seen on Tardebigge is the CRT bloke on the quad bike who travels up and down the towpath for no apparent reason and appears to have difficulty in even acknowledging a cheery wave from a boat, let alone helping! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see CRT give you a certificate if you make it all the way to the top of bottom. I don't know how many boaters don't make it. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/new-recognition-for-boaters-completing-tardebigge-lock-flight-the-longest-flight-in-the-country

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, ditchcrawler said:

I see CRT give you a certificate if you make it all the way to the top of bottom. I don't know how many boaters don't make it. https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/new-recognition-for-boaters-completing-tardebigge-lock-flight-the-longest-flight-in-the-country

Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs! Hang on  - they only give a certificate to those who complete 30 locks?  Is there a consolation prize if you only manage, say, 25 then? What happens to those who don't make it? 

There's an army of volunteers? The little tinkers must see me coming and run off! Anyway, if an army of volunteers helps you up you hardly deserve a certificate. Bah humbug. And what good is a certificate (or a record for that matter) if the local wrvs have done all the hard work?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Sea Dog said:

Well I'll go to the foot of our stairs! Hang on  - they only give a certificate to those who complete 30 locks?  Is there a consolation prize if you only manage, say, 25 then? What happens to those who don't make it? 

There's an army of volunteers? The little tinkers must see me coming and run off! Anyway, if an army of volunteers helps you up you hardly deserve a certificate. Bah humbug. And what good is a certificate (or a record for that matter) if the local wrvs have done all the hard work?

Thankfully they always seem to be going the other way when I see them. Some are OK but they are normally boaters anyway and yes you can tell.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

Thankfully they always seem to be going the other way when I see them. Some are OK but they are normally boaters anyway and yes you can tell.

I'm going up Tardebigge in a couple of weeks so I hope I get to experience their help. I suspect it's a bit late in the 'season' though. Actually,  I quite like volockies as I've mosly had good experiences. The guys at the Hanbury 3 further down are usually boaters and are generally excellent - particularly for for those unfamiliar with what is quite an unusual flight. Actually,  I might propose CRT award a sticker or a badge for that one! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I'm going up Tardebigge in a couple of weeks so I hope I get to experience their help. I suspect it's a bit late in the 'season' though. Actually,  I quite like volockies as I've mosly had good experiences. The guys at the Hanbury 3 further down are usually boaters and are generally excellent - particularly for for those unfamiliar with what is quite an unusual flight. Actually,  I might propose CRT award a sticker or a badge for that one! ;)

Don't hold your breath. I have only seen a volunteer on the flight once in my last six transits and he was more hindrance than help. Seems like I am not the only person to experience that judging by comments above.

In the first instance he lent on a gate while chatting to my crew member and neglected to actually open it as I approached and then after slowing us down through a few more locks left us to start fussing about water levels and got so pre-occupied running water down he failed to notice that there was a boat coming down two locks above him that would have done it naturally and probably would have appreciated some help.

JP

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, Sea Dog said:

I'm going up Tardebigge in a couple of weeks so I hope I get to experience their help. I suspect it's a bit late in the 'season' though. Actually,  I quite like volockies as I've mosly had good experiences. The guys at the Hanbury 3 further down are usually boaters and are generally excellent - particularly for for those unfamiliar with what is quite an unusual flight. Actually,  I might propose CRT award a sticker or a badge for that one! ;)

I can't say for Tardebigge, but the chap on the top Droitwich locks said that this is the last weekend of the season for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for the informative replies - in my OP I was far from wanting to imply that it was a race or anything similar. However, we do get satisfaction from trying to work efficiently and smoothly - actually it often feels that in so doing one is also being the safest. As two old codgers plus one son we managed the flight in a couple of minutes under three hours. Son said that he thought that it ought to be possible with a larger and well trained crew to do it in under 2 hours 30 min but I said that I flt that it would be hard to take a full minute out of each lock as in most of them we were moving at full speed as soon as the gates were open (at 60ft we had space to revers back to the cill to get a well-timed run at the exit) The rest of the operations were pretty smooth as well. The only 'avoidable' delays came from three boats we met coming up, one of which was not at all experienced.

The flight is 1.75 miles and each one took four minutes to empty. Assuming that the travel between locks averages 2mph (actually quite good going in terms of efficient timing) that equals 52 minutes which gives a total of 2 hours 52 mins so unless something unapproved is done to open gates quicker, I'd say that we were approaching an optimum. With only one person to open the gates we did take an extra 10 - 12 seconds by opening gates in turn rather than together.

As I say, not about racing but practical industrial archaeology in trying to understand how working crews achieved optimum performance when time rally mattered. It is sometimes not obvious (even to those who simulate working boat operating) how it was done - every canal is a bit different and it is apparent that designs evolved in response to user feedback. Just one example - look at where tail gate landings are located and on which side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

I can't say for Tardebigge, but the chap on the top Droitwich locks said that this is the last weekend of the season for them.

Thanks Mike, it's usually about now-ish for the Hanbury 3 to go back to self help. I won't miss the help going up Tardebigge cos I've ever had any, but if my run up is anything like your run down I'll be happy enough.  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Sea Dog said:

Thanks Mike, it's usually about now-ish for the Hanbury 3 to go back to self help. I won't miss the help going up Tardebigge cos I've ever had any, but if my run up is anything like your run down I'll be happy enough.  :)

I was specific in asking about down times as up and down can be quite different depending on how the locks are designed and operated. NOt all fill and empty in the same time and some boaters are uncomfortable with just whacking up both ground paddles as quickly as possible. (Certainly not brilliant if a single boat in the Droitwich Barge locks - as also K&A, whilst other wide locks can be like pussy cats in comparison)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

i would say myself and mr .can do them in in 4/5 hours the best way to do them is take your time and enjoy the scenery we love that part of the canal ..but i surpose we got better at it having done them 3 times in one week .also some years ago there use to be a very  nice  fella there with is jack russell .who took it upon is self to help boaters i think he use to live in the wolverhampton area ..it was always nice to see him ..forgot is name at the minute ..do others remember this guy 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

I was specific in asking about down times as up and down can be quite different depending on how the locks are designed and operated. NOt all fill and empty in the same time and some boaters are uncomfortable with just whacking up both ground paddles as quickly as possible. (Certainly not brilliant if a single boat in the Droitwich Barge locks - as also K&A, whilst other wide locks can be like pussy cats in comparison)

Tardebigge locks are well designed, going up you can just “whack” both ground paddles and the boat will hardly move (not like the locks on the T&M round heartbreak hill). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.