Stenson Lock

[alan_fincher]

When we worked down this lock in the summer, one of the three volunteers, (and why can one single lock possibly need 3 volunteers?), insisted that he had to see us in the lock on our own, before deciding whether the boat we were travelling with could be allowed to enter as well, (it was a short Springer).

It transpired he had never seen a full length ex-working boat in the lock, and wasn't sure that anybody else could fit in as well.  Of course eventually we were allowed to put both boats in, and, surprise, surprise they fitted with the usual margin in such a lock.

I have to say we got through it a lot faster on the return uphill trip, as no volunteers were present then.

[Guest]

Just found this in my collection on my hard disk. This was the day we got stuck as per my post above. And for anybody not familiar with the lock under discussion.

 

 

 

 

[X Alan W]

There must have been changes at Stenson Lock although from the photo's the only top end change is deflectors over the gate paddles? In past times it was never a problem I presume we are referring to uphill working full length boat up to cill forward gear /motor at tick over ground paddle drawn on side opposite to boat if singe in lock this used to keep it laying on side it was on lock entry  water half way up cill draw other ground paddle when flow from gate paddles won't flood boat open gate paddles IIRC Swarkstone Lock was a rougher ride if not done correctly

[Keeping Up]

If you have your bow up to the cill the horizontal battens that cover the wall below the cill are guaranteed to rip your front fender to shreds, or worse, as the boat rises. I have found that it is essential to take the centre line back to the low-end bollard to prevent this from happening.

[Guest]

1 hour ago, X Alan W said:

There must have been changes at Stenson Lock although from the photo's the only top end change is deflectors over the gate paddles? In past times it was never a problem I presume we are referring to uphill working full length boat up to cill forward gear /motor at tick over ground paddle drawn on side opposite to boat if singe in lock this used to keep it laying on side it was on lock entry  water half way up cill draw other ground paddle when flow from gate paddles won't flood boat open gate paddles IIRC Swarkstone Lock was a rougher ride if not done correctly

For info. that photo was taken in 2010.

[X Alan W]

3 hours ago, Keeping Up said:

If you have your bow up to the cill the horizontal battens that cover the wall below the cill are guaranteed to rip your front fender to shreds, or worse, as the boat rises. I have found that it is essential to take the centre line back to the low-end bollard to prevent this from happening.

That will be the change then the cill used to have slam boards that a bow fender would ride up no problem  March of progress improvements &all that

[alan_fincher]

3 hours ago, Keeping Up said:

If you have your bow up to the cill the horizontal battens that cover the wall below the cill are guaranteed to rip your front fender to shreds, or worse, as the boat rises. I have found that it is essential to take the centre line back to the low-end bollard to prevent this from happening.

An excellent reason not to have a front fender deployed when working uphill with a full length (or near full length) boat then!

16 minutes ago, X Alan W said:

That will be the change then the cill used to have slam boards that a bow fender would ride up no problem  March of progress improvements &all that

I think this was Stenson last year?  Not the cleverest of cills!
 

 

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by alan_fincher

[noddyboater]

From my experience running the bow fender up the cill/gate is enough to put a lot of boaters in shock! I regularly get helpful people waving their arms around and shouting, even volockies on narrow locks don’t expect it and rarely give me time to nudge up before the paddles are lifted.

[alan_fincher]

EDIT:

Mind you this one looks like it could present even more hazards?

 

Edited November 27, 2018 by alan_fincher

[X Alan W]

9 minutes ago, noddyboater said:

From my experience running the bow fender up the cill/gate is enough to put a lot of boaters in shock! I regularly get helpful people waving their arms around and shouting, even volockies on narrow locks don’t expect it and rarely give me time to nudge up before the paddles are lifted.

I t's a shame that the the "tricks"for the most efficient lock working along with other "dodges" used for years by working boatmen have been more or less now declared a NO NO ,mind time & additions modifications, have been carried out on canal furniture  small amount improvements mostly detriment to easier more efficient boating  + the odd occasion that venturing back on the cut & using the old ways invokes a tirade from some one that"s been boating for a month that what you are doing is all wrong & not allowed anyway

[X Alan W]

19 minutes ago, alan_fincher said:

EDIT:

Mind you this one looks like it could present even more hazards?

 

That"s brilliant a sinking waiting to happen Is that Stenson lock as is now ? the designer & fixer of those plates wants their P45 straight away + the timber bauks /Walkways? could stop the gate closing properly with crap stuck on the mitre that butts to the lock wall coping stone "First class C&RT keep up the good work"

[noddyboater]

15 minutes ago, X Alan W said:

That"s brilliant a sinking waiting to happen Is that Stenson lock as is now ? the designer & fixer of those plates wants their P45 straight away + the timber bauks /Walkways? could stop the gate closing properly with crap stuck on the mitre that butts to the lock wall coping stone "First class C&RT keep up the good work"

Don’t worry though, I’m sure there’s a new sign nearby saying “Attention dogs! Grrr, bark, woof” 

[X Alan W]

As said in post 12 the use of a bow fender has to be deployed with care, back in the day though you would get a lengths man/lock keeper give you a"rollacking"if you were caught up hilling with an out of position bow fender it was a case of "Wev'e fitted slam boards & sliders we don't want you smashing through them with yo're stem irons "considering the slam boards were 3" elm as composite boat bottoms they took a bit of stick but lasted much longer with contact with fender rather than stem Iron

[ditchcrawler]

2 hours ago, noddyboater said:

From my experience running the bow fender up the cill/gate is enough to put a lot of boaters in shock! I regularly get helpful people waving their arms around and shouting, even volockies on narrow locks don’t expect it and rarely give me time to nudge up before the paddles are lifted.

Join the club

 

[deckhand]

We have memories of Stenson Lock.  We were bringing our new boat from Nottingham to Mercia Marina.  So Stenson was just around the corner of our destination.  We had already done several big locks on the way from the Trent. Hubby steered boat in, we were by ourselves . He got up onto the roof as centre line had dropped , threw the line up to me which i got hold of, only to see him disappear over the side of the boat.  He had slipped .I had firm hold of the boat and luckily, a chap having a coffee at the cafe saw what happened. He climbed down, made a loop in the end rope and helped hubby back on board.

We went through the lock, moored up and got hubby into the shower as quickly as we could.  The water was cold, this was in October. 

Horrible experience.  We did do Stenson a couple of times after that but it was never our favourite. 

[Nightwatch]

I really don’t like falling in the water. I took a dip in February a few years ago. My wife took a dip in the summer of a few years ago. Same amount of trauma.

 

I have read recollections of people have a bit of a giggle when one of their party takes a dip. Whatever the circumstances it’s no laughing matter.

Just saying. 

[Heartland]

The remarkable thing about Stenson, on the Trent &  Mersey, is that it was made 250 years ago. It is on the section that opened first. That would make Hugh Henshall responsible for the original construction.