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Interesting details from the bottom of a lock.


MoominPapa

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We're having a few days out of the marina, and currently moored at the top of Foxton, which is having a CRT open-weekend, where the public can visit the bottom of the drained locks.

I noticed this feature, which I thought might be interesting to you peeps. First picture shows the outlet from the upper side pond on the left, where the water comes in. Opposite it is a recess in the wall which breaks up and disperses the flow to avoid the boat getting bashed around. Second picture shows the recess in more detail, with the wrought-iron support for the brickwork above.

 

Finally, the third picture shows what's in the bottom of the short pound halfway down the flight. All those black "sticks"? Side fenders. Dozens of them. I always thought fenders in locks was a silly idea.

 Cheers,

 

MP.

 

 

 

 

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2 hours ago, Bod said:

The size of the water channels is quite surprising, as is the depth of water still in an "empty" lock.

 

Bod

Was it the year before last a little old lady fell into an emptying lock and emerged, still breathing, in the side pond, having passed through the culvert?

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11 minutes ago, BruceinSanity said:

Was it the year before last a little old lady fell into an emptying lock and emerged, still breathing, in the side pond, having passed through the culvert?

Even more scarily, it was the other way around. She fell into the side pond, and emerged in the lock. Very fortunately, the lock was occupied by a short boat.

 

MP.

 

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I visited Foxton not long after that happened and there were some hastily erected barriers around the ends of the sideponds closest to the locks. The grassy bank was quite steep and the hazard of a flowing culvert completely invisible. Easy to see how someone slipping on wet grass could end up being sucked into the culvert. She was lucky to survive.

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29 minutes ago, David Mack said:

I visited Foxton not long after that happened and there were some hastily erected barriers around the ends of the sideponds closest to the locks. The grassy bank was quite steep and the hazard of a flowing culvert completely invisible. Easy to see how someone slipping on wet grass could end up being sucked into the culvert. She was lucky to survive.

The culvert inlets are now protected by permanently installed guards.

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1 hour ago, MoominPapa said:

Even more scarily, it was the other way around. She fell into the side pond, and emerged in the lock. Very fortunately, the lock was occupied by a short boat.

 

MP.

 

Yes, right. I couldn't remember which way round it was.

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2 hours ago, Ray T said:

The inlets of Napton Bottom Lock for comparison.

Moomin Pappa, I'll see your fenders and raise you a Walsh windlass. :D

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I suppose that is one way to retrieve a lost lock key/windlass !

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On 2/10/2018 at 15:28, MoominPapa said:

I noticed this feature, which I thought might be interesting to you peeps. First picture shows the outlet from the upper side pond on the left, where the water comes in. Opposite it is a recess in the wall which breaks up and disperses the flow to avoid the boat getting bashed around. Second picture shows the recess in more detail, with the wrought-iron support for the brickwork above.

Thanks for all this as it is really is most interesting.

Being a 'buildings man' and a retired surveyor I don't think the wrought iron work is simply a support. There would be a lot of integrity in the entire lock wall structure, albeit there is little immediate support other than an iron plate over the aperture and no stress relieving archwork or the like. But it seems also to be a baffle too to my thinking and there to help break up the flow.

Clever?

Now, go on you Chartered Civil Engineers, shoot me down.

I've been to the pub!

James

 

 

Edited by JamesWoolcock
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On 10/02/2018 at 18:50, MoominPapa said:

The culvert inlets are now protected by permanently installed guards.

I assume if she fell in now she would be sucked against the guards under water while the lock filled. Hopefully not, it can get very crowded there on a sunny day.

Came down the flight early January, only boat and not a lock keeper in sight not even to book in. Had to run some water down as middle pound was full,

 

Edited by Tuscan
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1 hour ago, Tuscan said:

I assume if she fell in now she would be sucked against the guards under water while the lock filled. Hopefully not, it can get very crowded there on a sunny day.

It seems to have been thought out fairly carefully. The guards are not simply grilles across the entrance to the tunnels, they're substantial box-like constructions maybe a metre cubed with grilles top, front, left and right. The top grille is above normal water  level. It looks like it would be impossible for a human body to simultaneously block enough of the entrance area to be stuck irretrievably against the culvert by the water pressure.

Cheers,

MP.

 

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17 hours ago, JamesWoolcock said:

Thanks for all this as it is really is most interesting.

Being a 'buildings man' and a retired surveyor I don't think the wrought iron work is simply a support. There would be a lot of integrity in the entire lock wall structure, albeit there is little immediate support other than an iron plate over the aperture and no stress relieving archwork or the like. But it seems also to be a baffle too to my thinking and there to help break up the flow.

Clever?

Now, go on you Chartered Civil Engineers, shoot me down.

I've been to the pub!

James

 

 

I have not seen one of these before. I agree its not likely to be a support for the brickwork. Is it possibly intended to stop anything catching under the lip of brickwork as the water level rises?

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On 2/14/2018 at 00:27, JamesWoolcock said:

Thanks for all this as it is really is most interesting.

Being a 'buildings man' and a retired surveyor I don't think the wrought iron work is simply a support. There would be a lot of integrity in the entire lock wall structure, albeit there is little immediate support other than an iron plate over the aperture and no stress relieving archwork or the like. But it seems also to be a baffle too to my thinking and there to help break up the flow.

Clever?

Now, go on you Chartered Civil Engineers, shoot me down.

I've been to the pub!

James

 

 

From a non professional viewpoint.


It looks to me like the lock side wall was getting worn away by the work of the water coming across from the other side. so at some point it was modified by making a deliberate "hole" in the brickwork where the water was cutting into it and the iron support was put in as a structural support because the original brickwork was not designed to have a void under it.


Its got nothing to do with boats being banged around in the lock its simply damage limitation. And I think if it was original the iron support would have been much more corroded - specially with aerated water there.

 

 

 

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