The Hatton 21

[Guest]

Driving past Hatton last week I stopped to look at the Hatton 21.

When I was at Foxton Locks there was a Lock Keeper who supervised the operation of the locks as the boats went through. He looked as though he was making a value judgement of each crew and deciding who he needed to spend time with and who he could just check visually. It seemed to work very well.

Does the Hatton 21 flight have a Lock Keeper also?

Looking at the flight I kind of thought that there would have to be a whole team of them, or perhaps they don’t have any at all … ?

Didn’t see any in the 2 hours I was there but there weren’t any boats going through either, so that didn’t mean anything.

Or is it that a staircase needs supervision but a flight just needs normal locking? I would have thought that if anyone screwed up on the paddles on a big flight it would potentially have a disastrous effect.

 

Peter

[DHutch]

I dont know about hatton, but at wigan (23locks) during peak times there are often 4-5 lock keepers helping it all move along, they comunicate on twoway radios and try to get boats going though in pairs etc.

 

Daniel

[Bill Kennedy]

We did the Hatton flight twice last year (up and down). There are no lock keepers and you are on your own unless you join another boat to share the locking. Going down we shared the locks with another boat for most of the way. Some weeks later going up we did it alone fortunately with most of the locks set for us. That took about 3 1/2 hours. The paddle gear is well maintained and not too difficult to operate. The pounds between locks are quite generous and some mooring is available I think.

 

We are going to attack the Caen Hill flighton the K&A this year so am intersted to see how they compare.

[John Orentas]

When I hear discussions about the numbers of lock keepers on a flight, I realise that we on my part of the system are not very well served, my local flight, Marple on the Peak Forest Canal is a flight of 16 deep locks which are inevitably heavy in operation but made worse by minimal maintenance.

 

In the 30 or so times I have traversed the flight I don't believe I have ever seen a lock keeper or any other BW employee in attendance at the locks.

[Jon]

There are a number of BW staff on hand during the summer months, this is partly due to the training centre being located half way up flight.

 

Hatton is no different to any other locks, they are just a lot of broad locks close together, so you don't need any particular skills.

 

Jon

[Bill Kennedy]

Forgot to mention we also did "the 21" at Wolverhampton last year. No lock keepers there either. You need a water conservation key and the paddle gear, I'll be kind, needs some maintenance. There were also some dodgy looking characters about, evidenced by the security patrol of 3 young men on bicycles we saw chatting to a young lady who was either contemplating her navel or throwing herself in the canal. It was a relief to reach the top lock.

 

Another adventure was traversing the Northgate locks at Chester. Easy on the way down - with the help of a friendly BW man. Not so easy on the way up later in the day after a trip to the waterways museum at Ellesmere Port. Now at this stage we had a grand total of 3 weeks on a narrowboat.

 

I had the easy job of driving while my wife did the locking. The bottom gates opened and in I went only to be immediately swept out by a torrent of water coming over the front gate. The water kept coming and coming until I was sure we were going to drain the Shroppie. By this time a number of "interested bystanders" were offering all sorts of helpful advice but only one couple offered to actually help.

 

We eventually discovered that one of the paddles on the top gate was open although my wife swore she had closed it. Having righted the wrong we slunk away into the gathering darkness - this had taken over 2 hours to unfold.

 

I know this is a off topic but I have quite a few adventures I would like to share perhaps I should move to another discussion forum.

Edited March 12, 2005 by Bill Kennedy

[Geoff]

Have been up and down Hatton a couple of times last year and hopefully again this Easter.

We found the locks well maintained and we had no problems. Some of the pounds are quite big so a bike is a good idea if you've got one to send the wife off to get the next ones ready!!

No dedicated lock keeper that I know of but often friendly staff about.

Theres a BW cafe a couple of locks from the top to either get your strength up before, or revive you as you complete the climb.

Difficult to say how long it takes to get through (we shot through in just under 3hrs) but it does pay to try and team up with another boat if possible.

Geoff

[David Schweizer]

I first did the Hatton Flight nearly forty years ago, there wasn't a lock keeper in sight then, and they were hard work. There is a permanent lengthman these days, I know that because I met his colleage at Stockton on Thursday trimming back the hedging!

[Jo and Paul]

May be a little but at least its in the right area of the forum,,,,

 

What do lock keepers actually do anyhows??????

[NB Willawaw]

Here on the Thames, they do the lot. Work the paddles with an overgrown steering wheel and open the gates. It took quite a lot of getting used to, for us to just stand holding the ropes.

 

Best Regards

 

Mark and Sonia

 

NB Willawaw

Tadpole Bridge, River Thames - downstream

 

May be a little    but at least its in the right area of the forum,,,,

 

What do lock keepers actually do anyhows??????

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[Richard Lacy]

May be a little    but at least its in the right area of the forum,,,,

 

What do lock keepers actually do anyhows??????

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I cannot answer for lock keepers on the narrow canals but I was a keeper on the River Severn . A typical day started just before 8am , first task was to report in to our control point by phone or radio , then commence checks on lock equipment , mechanism , electronic controls , the surrounding area which was several acres , moorings , moored boats , water levels , weather station , control cabin and record all actions and observations . By 9am I would have probably heard from locks below or upstream of me that there were boats on the move so would know when to expect them at average speeds , it would not be unusual to lock through 100 plus in a day and these would all have to be supervised (No lock operation by boaters allowed) given information or advice , licences checked , boat details recorded ,in between there were hugh areas of grass to cut ,fences to repair , hedges to trim , flower beds to weed or plant , painting to be done ,repairs and maintenance tasks, fishing licences to be issued ,litter to be picked up , towpath walkers to talk too and advice and local knowledge dispensed , and when the opportunity arose grab a meal or brew usually while you were doing something else.At the end of a 12 hour shift you were usually pretty nackered and you would often do 8 or 9 days straight before a couple of days off. Not a quiet life that boaters assume but very enjoyable if you like boats and boaters.

[Paul Evans]

With all that to do, how is it that the Severn keepers are always so relaxed and friendly? I've had nothing but helpful service from them every time I've been on the river! (BW - Please note!!)

[Richard Lacy]

With all that to do, how is it that the Severn keepers are always so relaxed and friendly? I've had nothing but helpful service from them every time I've been on the river! (BW - Please note!!)

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Most of the lads on the Severn have been doing the job for a long time which means they enjoy their work and that rubs off on their attitude to customers . They are a great bunch to work with and its one aspect of the job I really miss.

[jmj]

As far as I can think.....

 

Long narrow staircases (Foxton, Grindley Brook) have lockeepers because 1) if you don't know what you're doing you can end up sitting on the bottom with no water 2) they need to be operated with a minimum loss of water and 3) when it's busy, someone has to make a decision on when to change from letting boats up letting boats down.

 

Long broad staircases (Bingley - maybe that's the only one?) have keepers because you can put the boat on the bottom (see above) and boats can be kept moving by crossing in the middle, and most people won't sort this out properly without someone being in charge.

 

Long flights with short pounds/water shortages (Caen Hill) have keepers to keep the traffic moving without wasting water/ make sure 2 boats go in the locks

 

Hatton doesn't qualify on any of these as it's not a staircase and has longish pounds.

 

(rivers have lockkeepers because, errr....., they do!)

[DHutch]

3) when it's busy, someone has to make a decision on when to change from letting boats up letting boats down.

 

Surely you just operate a one-up, one-down, system. Unless there alot more trafic in one direction (ie loads of peeps going too/from a show)

 

- Also, what wrong with siting on the bottom...

[Paul Evans]

At Watford, the lock-keeper normally operates a 3 up-3 down system. I'm not sure that it makes the passage much faster but it certainly keeps queues moving when the flight is busy. The Foxton flight is split into 2 5-lock staircases and again the lock-keeper operates a 3 up-3 down system which makes some sense (as long as those going one way don't work the locks faster than those coming the other). Again it keeps the queues moving.

 

The lock-keeper at Bingley is essential because the locks are no longer all of the same depth so you have to know the optimum water levels. Mind you the same is true of the other staircases on the eastern L&L but there you are left to fend for yourself. I recall sitting on the bank above the 3-lock staircase at Bingley and watching something like 8 or 9 boats passing through at the same time. There was a certain amount of animated discussion but eventually those involved worked it out.

 

As for sitting on the bottom of a lock - how do you know what's down there? You could end up with the boat sitting on something other than the bottom and tipping dangerously.

[DHutch]

As for sitting on the bottom of a lock - how do you know what's down there? You could end up with the boat sitting on something other than the bottom and tipping dangerously.

 

Cos ive done it!

 

It was on one of the staircases with diffrence depths, we'd got that sorted, but it one of the paddels stuck slightly up, so it keeped letting more water out (according to a localman, its had been doing this all year).

 

 

Daniel

[MarkAdrian]

So as a relative newcomer to boating, and we havn't yet done a staircase, whats the process involved? I think I read fill the top two chambers first if going up, is there a rule of thumb? thanx.

[Richard Lacy]

As a general rule you are right to say going up a staircase you should have the bottom lock empty and the ones above full - remember you can have 2 rise , 3 rise , 5 rise etc flights some of which can have layby provision between groups so it will depend on the individual flight as to how many locks you can have ready up ahead.

Going down the general rule is top full and others empty , but again this can have exceptions for example Botheram 2 rise and Stourport River Locks on the Staffs & Worcs have overflow weirs as the lock capacities are different so there is no need to have the bottom lock empty if you dont want to but it does slow down lock operation a little.

[John Orentas]

There are a thousand variations and exceptions, I seem to remember talking about crossing in the middle of the Bunbury Staircase with 2 boats going up and 2 boats going down.

 

A bit like the Indian rope trick.

[DHutch]

As a general rule you are right to say

-Going up a staircase you should have the bottom lock empty and the ones above full

-Going down the general rule is top full and others empty

 

You can remember this, becuase you travel down an empty staircase with a lockfull of water (water goes down), and on your way up you travel though a full staircase with a empty lock.

 

- But thats in an ideal world, with lock chambers that are all the same size and depth, and paddel and gates that seal 100% - All locks are diffrent. some harder than others.

 

- There arnt that many, only where they needed very steep fall in leval.

 

Daniel

[Richard Lacy]

There are a thousand variations and exceptions, I seem to remember talking about crossing in the middle of the Bunbury Staircase with 2 boats going up and 2 boats going down. 

 

A bit like the Indian rope trick.

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I have got myself in a bit of a mess several times at Bunbury performing the cross over manouvre - but its usually 2 up and 1 down or vice versa - is the 2 up 2 down actually physically possible ?

[DHutch]

I have got myself in a bit of a mess several times at Bunbury performing the cross over manouvre - but its usually 2 up and 1 down or vice versa - is the 2 up 2 down actually physically possible ?

 

Yes, ive seen it done. But one of the boats needs to be a small one (although im not sure how small)

 

- Can anyone find the old lock thread? becuase that had a link to how its done, and well as a link to a "virtual lock"

 

 

Daniel

[Liam]

There are a thousand variations and exceptions, I seem to remember talking about crossing in the middle of the Bunbury Staircase with 2 boats going up and 2 boats going down. 

 

A bit like the Indian rope trick.

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I worked this system of the "indian rope trick" last year when I was on my way to the Port

 

Saves both time, and water

[DHutch]

Was that with four boats then?

 

 

Daniel