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Midgham lock K&A


Richard T

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Midgham Lock must be the one most of us know as Woohampton I imagine. Where the River Kennet flows straight across the face of the lock tail? 

 

It's unusual to see a boat sunk in a lock going downhill. Does anyone know what actually happened?

 

Cilled I would imagine, even though the boat is tied to a bollard.

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This cill stuff is worrying me alot....ive never done a lock and i get my boat in 3 weeks....im bricking it i must say.....doesnt a boat get drawn forward normaly when filling a lock? 

 

Isnt he going up mike not down??? He is certainly facing up isnt he? Sorry if i misunderstood you mike 

Edited by Matt&Jo
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I haven’t done locks since my trip from Barton under Needwood to Manchester in 2011 but, from memory, it was pretty much common sense.

 

1) you won’t get cilled going uphill - but you might get caught on something which stops the boat, (or part of it), rising with the water. You need to be aware of this and be ready to stop the filling quickly... then empty as appropriate.

 

2) When going downhill keep the bow near the front gate, being careful it doesn’t catch on something. Better still, keep the stern, including rudder, in front of the cill mark that every, (most), locks seem to have.

 

Both of the above mean that, once the paddles are set, and lock is emptying or filling, you can’t just relax and have a chit chat... you need to keep a close eye on what is happening, and be ready to react as necessary. 99.99% of the time, nothing will go wrong but.........

 

If you are concerned, have you considered an Inland Waterways Helmsman Course. It covers everything you can think of, and more. If you have particular concerns, the instructor will cover them in more depth if you tell him/her.

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Definitely going uphill. Midgham Lock is after Woolhampton going towards Newbury, up hill. I notice there are 'gate' paddles at this lock, they a viscous and cause a fair amount wash. I could speculate that the top gate paddles were opened too quickly and water went into the well deck. But I won't.

 

Saw this boat a few days ago as I remember the gennie. Really really sad sight. The guys home probably.

Just had a notice to say a Rescue Team attending tomorrow and Lock should be open later Monday.

 

edited to add, that my judgement is totally incorrect. Midgham is before Woolhampton, the boat is pointing downhill. The gate paddles let the water out not in. The day may get better for me as it gets on. What time is bedtime?

Edited by Nightwatch
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43 minutes ago, Matt&Jo said:

This cill stuff is worrying me alot

It is unlikely to happen if you are aware of the dangers (as you appear to be),and paying attention in the lock.

 

It is a good idea to have a plan worked out first with your crew,incase the worst should happen. A shout, a whistle,a horn single.

 

We carry a whistle by the helm for such an occurrence.

 

Edited by rusty69
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Looks quite a short boat, so I would think a cilling is unlikely.

More likely is that, going downhill,  he tied to a bollard before emptying the lock.  A suicidal practice I have seen a number of times.

Pure speculation of course, and no help, unless it serves to warn other boaters not to fall in the same trap.

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2 hours ago, JV44 said:

With travellers causing mayhem just below that bit I wonder how long the Genny will stay put ,to heavy to lift out will be it’s saving grace I guess

There is also a major crime wave going on in Newbury just now but I don't think we should blame the travellers, I am sure its just a co-incidence ? .

A politically correct friend of mine told me that when travellers are in town all the local thieves work overtime knowing that the travellers will get the blame, but then that's political correctness.

 

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

1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:

Definitely going uphill. Midgham Lock is after Woolhampton going towards Newbury, up hill. I notice there are 'gate' paddles at this lock, they a viscous and cause a fair amount wash. I could speculate that the top gate paddles were opened too quickly and water went into the well deck. But I won't.

 

Saw this boat a few days ago as I remember the gennie. Really really sad sight. The guys home probably.

Just had a notice to say a Rescue Team attending tomorrow and Lock should be open later Monday.

 

edited to add, that my judgement is totally incorrect. Midgham is before Woolhampton, the boat is pointing downhill. The gate paddles let the water out not in. The day may get better for me as it gets on. What time is bedtime?

Facebook, source of all knowledge, says they somehow got hooked onto the paddle gear.

 

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

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Crimewave? Newbury? In all we must have been in or around Newbury for four or five weeks. Didn't hear of anything untoward.

 

There was a funfair in town when we were there. The owners and workers seem more civilised than in the fifties and sixties. More of a business nowadays.

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4 hours ago, rusty69 said:

It is unlikely to happen if you are aware of the dangers (as you appear to be),and paying attention in the lock.

 

It is a good idea to have a plan worked out first with your crew,incase the worst should happen. A shout, a whistle,a horn single.

 

We carry a whistle by the helm for such an occurrence.

 

Always and if in doubt ALWAYS have a hand axe at the ready to part taught lines.

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Just come from there as my boating's been held up by this and I wanted to know what was going on.  The owner told me the bow got stuck on the bottom gate as he was emptying the lock and the stern shipped water sinking the boat; he noticed but couldn't lower the paddles quick enough. Poor chap.  A salutary tale for all, it's not just the stern cilling we need to be aware of going downhill.

 

There's a couple of big pumps there trying to empty the lock so they can refloat the boat. Looks like an amateur endeavour at the moment and doesn't look as if it's an official CRT thing as none of their liveried vans are around.  Good luck, hope they succeed soon!

 

 

 

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CRT notice received as follows

Update on 20/05/2018:

 

A rescue team will be on site on Monday 21st May 2018 to recover the craft currently stuck in Lock 92 Midgham Lock. We expect to be able to re-open the canal by the end of the day (21st May).

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3 hours ago, Phlea said:

Just come from there as my boating's been held up by this and I wanted to know what was going on.  The owner told me the bow got stuck on the bottom gate as he was emptying the lock and the stern shipped water sinking the boat; he noticed but couldn't lower the paddles quick enough. Poor chap.  A salutary tale for all, it's not just the stern cilling we need to be aware of going downhill.

 

There's a couple of big pumps there trying to empty the lock so they can refloat the boat. Looks like an amateur endeavour at the moment and doesn't look as if it's an official CRT thing as none of their liveried vans are around.  Good luck, hope they succeed soon!

 

 

 

The issue with not been able to drop paddles quickly is a real danger on the K&A, have had a near miss myself. By the time you notice something wrong you have just seconds to sort it out and it takes ages to drop some of the paddles.

 

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

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Mattandjo. Please don't over worry about the locks on the K&A. They need respect but not afraidness. Go into every situation with knowledge and increasing experience. The Thames is enjoyable. Look at the big big houses and dream. Dream about being a servant in one of them. Please insert smilie here.

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1 hour ago, Nightwatch said:

Mattandjo. Please don't over worry about the locks on the K&A. They need respect but not afraidness. Go into every situation with knowledge and increasing experience. The Thames is enjoyable. Look at the big big houses and dream. Dream about being a servant in one of them. Please insert smilie here.

I look at those big houses and dream "If I had worked harder and had wealthy parents and/or no principals I could have owned one of those houses", I could sit in those big rooms and watch the boats going past, but hold on, I am the boat that's going past, its my boat and I live on it.

 

You can live next to the water, or you can live on the water.

 

(ok if I had one of those houses I would rent it out and buy more boats)

 

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

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