Anti vandal keys

[Chezzonmark]

Hi do you need an anti vandal key  for travelling on the river Trent onto the Trent and Mersey?

[StephenA]

A couple of the locks in Burton upon Trent used to have them but I can't remember if they are still needed,

[Jerra]

I think one at Etruria has.

[Rob-M]

From memory it is just the deep lock at Etruria that needs one.

[Jerra]

26 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

From memory it is just the deep lock at Etruria that needs one.

I think you are probably right.

[jonesthenuke]

27 minutes ago, Rob-M said:

From memory it is just the deep lock at Etruria that needs one.

Went through there last week, no key needed.

[Jerra]

7 minutes ago, jonesthenuke said:

Went through there last week, no key needed.

Was that because they have removed the anti vandal lock or somebody had failed to close the device after themselves?

[jonesthenuke]

Just now, Jerra said:

Was that because they have removed the anti vandal lock or somebody had failed to close the device after themselves?

We used the lock and I did not use an anti vandal key. I assume there are no locks fitted, I do not remember seeing any locks.

[Jerra]

Just now, jonesthenuke said:

We used the lock and I did not use an anti vandal key. I assume there are no locks fitted, I do not remember seeing any locks.

There certainly was last time I was through as I had to loan my key to somebody to unlock it.  That was a year to 18 months ago.

[Rob-M]

1 minute ago, Jerra said:

There certainly was last time I was through as I had to loan my key to somebody to unlock it.  That was a year to 18 months ago.

Same here, I was moored on the Etruria moorings and a chap came over asking if I could undo the locks as he was in the lock but didn't have a key to unlock the top paddles.

[cuthound]

49 minutes ago, Jerra said:

Was that because they have removed the anti vandal lock or somebody had failed to close the device after themselves?

 

The vandals had probably nicked it ?

[Chezzonmark]

Thanks everyone 

[StephenA]

It's always worth keeping a couple on board just in case.... they seem to crop up in a few odd places.

[JamesWoolcock]

And all of the Leeds & Liverpool where there are some newly made chain type locks that are machined too tight for most keys! Hopeless.....

[BruceinSanity]

Etruria is the only one at the moment. Trentham used to have one, but not for a few years now. OTOH, anti vandal keys are not expensive and widely available and it’s barmy not to have a couple on board, IMHO. The locks can pop up anywhere without warning if there’s a burst of trouble at a particular site.

[ditchcrawler]

11 hours ago, JamesWoolcock said:

And all of the Leeds & Liverpool where there are some newly made chain type locks that are machined too tight for most keys! Hopeless.....

We must have been luck there. The only problem we had was on the Tarlton bit where the boater ahead must have been a weight lifter, Had to use pliers on the key to undo a couple and not because the threads were tight

 

[Mike Todd]

11 hours ago, BruceinSanity said:

Etruria is the only one at the moment. Trentham used to have one, but not for a few years now. OTOH, anti vandal keys are not expensive and widely available and it’s barmy not to have a couple on board, IMHO. The locks can pop up anywhere without warning if there’s a burst of trouble at a particular site.

I am glad you posted that about Trentham because I was pondering adding that as I thought that I recalled that sometime in the past I had found one there. At least my memory was not entirely faulty!

 

BTW, smallish devices such as a handcuff key are all too easy to lose when working a lock. For some time now, the first thing I have done with a new one is to drill a hole thriough the main shank near the cross piece so that I can fit it to a key ring (needs quite a large one). A bit of a faff but worth it and the Watermate key can also join it, along with an EA Abloy or a Middle Level key if that is part of your history! For me, at least two, better three, sets at least of the handcuff and Watermate, are advisable.

[Jim Riley]

I zip tied a swivel and .5m lanyard onto mine, with a little holster on my belt, with a loop for the windlass. Not lost anything yet. They are always to hand.