Bath Deep Lock

[GuyBarry]

A bit surprised there's no existing thread on this.

 

Last year the gate mechanism was replaced and a rack-and-pinion system was installed - you use your lock windlass to wind the lower gates open and shut.  I've done it a couple of times now, once on the way down and once on the way up.  I also helped out a poor guy who was about halfway through closing the gate and looked exhausted - I'm told it takes around 130 rotations though I haven't counted them myself!

 

I've no experience of what it was like operating the gates before the new mechanism was brought in but some people tell me that it was easier before.  Personally I can't imagine pushing those gigantic gates open and shut without help. 

 

It is an awful lot of winding though, particularly when you have to do the paddles as well - the paddles at the upper end are also hard work.  There's a little red disc that's supposed to show you how far up you've gone, but you can't actually see the disc from the side where the winding mechanism is, so you either have to get a passer-by to shout out to you or keep putting your head round to look.

 

I'm told there are C&RT volunteers on that flight but I haven't seen a single one on the three occasions that I've been up there.  There should be permanent paid staff in my opinion - some people locally never move between the canal and the river because they're daunted by that lock.

 

What are your thoughts on this?

[mrsmelly]

12 minutes ago, GuyBarry said:

A bit surprised there's no existing thread on this.

 

Last year the gate mechanism was replaced and a rack-and-pinion system was installed - you use your lock windlass to wind the lower gates open and shut.  I've done it a couple of times now, once on the way down and once on the way up.  I also helped out a poor guy who was about halfway through closing the gate and looked exhausted - I'm told it takes around 130 rotations though I haven't counted them myself!

 

I've no experience of what it was like operating the gates before the new mechanism was brought in but some people tell me that it was easier before.  Personally I can't imagine pushing those gigantic gates open and shut without help. 

 

It is an awful lot of winding though, particularly when you have to do the paddles as well - the paddles at the upper end are also hard work.  There's a little red disc that's supposed to show you how far up you've gone, but you can't actually see the disc from the side where the winding mechanism is, so you either have to get a passer-by to shout out to you or keep putting your head round to look.

 

I'm told there are C&RT volunteers on that flight but I haven't seen a single one on the three occasions that I've been up there.  There should be permanent paid staff in my opinion - some people locally never move between the canal and the river because they're daunted by that lock.

 

What are your thoughts on this?

We moored on here in 93 at Bathampton for a year and also at Foxhangers. Also came back in 2003 ish for a few weeks. Did the locks again last month down and back from Bristol. The opinion of the staff who always does such things is they were better before. This is the same over much of the system in such places were  for instance perfectly workable lift bridges and swing bridges have over recent years been mechanised/electrified often to their detriment, its typical of " Progress " Im afraid.

[GuyBarry]

Another thing I would point out is that there are absolutely no instructions - I only knew what to do because I'd been told by other people.

 

Also, if you're up there operating the gates and paddles, there seems to be no way of communicating with the person steering the boat.  I couldn't actually see the boat from my position on the lower gates and had to guess when it had gone through.  I'd have thought this could cause an accident.

[Boat&Bikes]

3 hours ago, GuyBarry said:

Another thing I would point out is that there are absolutely no instructions - I only knew what to do because I'd been told by other people.

 

Also, if you're up there operating the gates and paddles, there seems to be no way of communicating with the person steering the boat.  I couldn't actually see the boat from my position on the lower gates and had to guess when it had gone through.  I'd have thought this could cause an accident.

Works though doesn’t it! 

[dmr]

5 hours ago, mrsmelly said:

We moored on here in 93 at Bathampton for a year and also at Foxhangers. Also came back in 2003 ish for a few weeks. Did the locks again last month down and back from Bristol. The opinion of the staff who always does such things is they were better before. This is the same over much of the system in such places were  for instance perfectly workable lift bridges and swing bridges have over recent years been mechanised/electrified often to their detriment, its typical of " Progress " Im afraid.

Trouble is the canal is becoming a big retirement home for folk not in the best of health and fitness, and a lot of new boaters have an expectation that everything will be neat, tidy and work easily, and also almost all male boaters stay on the boat and expect their wives to work the locks. The Bath deep lock bottom gates could be opened by one reasonably strong person,  but it was a lot easier with two. There were almost always a few gongoozelers who were very willing to help.

 

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

[Robbo]

I have a winch for stubborn lock gates.   Not had to use it yet tho, a swing bridge on L&L tho!

[mrsmelly]

1 minute ago, dmr said:

Trouble is the canal is becoming a big retirement home for folk not in the best of health and fitness, and a lot of new boaters have an expectation that everything will be neat, tidy and work easily, and also almost all male boaters stay on the boat and expect their wives to work the locks. The Bath deep lock bottom gates could be opened by one reasonably strong person,  but it was a lot easier with two. There were almost always a few gongoozelers who were very willing to help.

 

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

This is all true of course. trouble now is gongoozlers dont often carry one of those winding things women use whereas before they could just shove the beam. Keep the women well fed is the way to go.

[Nightwatch]

Don't they feed themselves? Mine does.

[dmr]

4 minutes ago, mrsmelly said:

This is all true of course. trouble now is gongoozlers dont often carry one of those winding things women use whereas before they could just shove the beam. Keep the women well fed is the way to go.

and keep em off the beer, these new fangled strong Brewdog style craft IPA's are particularly attractive to women and much too strong.

 

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

[mrsmelly]

3 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

Don't they feed themselves? Mine does.

Yes they do dont they, it was just a figure of speech. Mine feeds herself after she has cleaned up and cooked my dinner ?

[Nightwatch]

They're good aren't they.  I must have chosen well, still in good working order. In the main. 

[ditchcrawler]

20 minutes ago, dmr said:

Trouble is the canal is becoming a big retirement home for folk not in the best of health and fitness, and a lot of new boaters have an expectation that everything will be neat, tidy and work easily, and also almost all male boaters stay on the boat and expect their wives to work the locks. The Bath deep lock bottom gates could be opened by one reasonably strong person,  but it was a lot easier with two. There were almost always a few gongoozelers who were very willing to help.

 

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

Diana managed OK, what her and I couldn't do was pull the mattress out of the lock, luckily my son came to visit that afternoon and between us we got it out

[mrsmelly]

5 minutes ago, Nightwatch said:

They're good aren't they.  I must have chosen well, still in good working order. In the main. 

I  got it wrong first time, she was ok and a good cook but a bit weedy and the type that needed  one of those hairdryer gadgets  so I traded her in for this one.

[Nightwatch]

There's not a lot I can say to that. I'm even allowed to go to Torquay wiv me bruv. (She hasn't surveyed the bank account yet!!)