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Restriction Notice For Hillmorton Locks


alan_fincher

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They are coming in thick and fast now!......

 

EDITED TO ACKNOWLEDGE:

 

The title I have given is wrong, based on this stoppage notice.

 

If taken as it stands, one set of locks will actually remain in use overnight

 

Sorry title misleads!

 

END EDIT

 

Restriction: North Oxford Canal Hillmorton Locks 2-7

 

19 Mar 2012 until further notice

 

Associated Regional Office: South East Waterways

 

From Monday 19th March one side of Hillmorton Flight will be locked overnight from 5.00pm - 9.00am.

 

Additionally, until 31st March the existing maintenance works will also restrict daytime opening to single side only. Thereafter, Lock keepers will operate single or tandem locks throughout the day as traffic needs require.

 

(Enquiries: 01908 302 500)

Edited by alan_fincher
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I all looks the same as last summer really, I see Calcutt will only be open 9-4 as well.

 

I don't fully understand the Hilmorton strategy though, given they are as busy if not busier than Calcutt, and let water down from the same pound. Why does Hilmorton not have an opening time restriction as well? I though the idea was to protect he level in the "Braunston pound" and it was being back pumped up Napton?

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Lock keepers? I've never seen a lock keeper at Hilmorton, I've alsways worked the locks myself! Or is this a new positon for water saving specifically?

The plan is, I believe, to use larger numbers of volunteers, to provide more "keeper" presence at the key locations.

 

Please note I'm only repeating the BW line, not necessarily believing all these flghts will have a permanent gang of "staff" ensuring we get it right. I know some forum members have encountered stroppy volunteer keepers actually insisting on actions that waste, rather than save, water.

 

We can only hope these ones are better trained, (and don't, as has been suggested, only turn up if it is sunny, and they haven't got anything else to do that day!....)

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I don't fully understand the Hilmorton strategy though, given they are as busy if not busier than Calcutt, and let water down from the same pound. Why does Hilmorton not have an opening time restriction as well? I though the idea was to protect he level in the "Braunston pound" and it was being back pumped up Napton?

 

Hilmorton is to be restricted. However, my thinking would be:

 

1) To encourage more boats down onto the long pound below Hilmorton (a reservoir in itself due to its size), rather than down (and then back up) the locks leading to Leamington from Calcutt.

2) I may be wrong on this, but is there more likely to be a water volume saving on 2 x Hilmorton locks vs 1 x Calcutt lock full? Perhaps reading more in that than BW though!

3) There are more berths on the North Oxford/Braunston pounds versus the GU North/Braunston pounds?

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Whilst Hilmorton is restricted, it seems to be limited to closing one side only over night, rather than restricting passage through the flight to specific times of day. So as was discussed last year, that probably encourages more of a one up, one down strategy. So perhaps as you say it is to encourage people to go that way off the pound. Not sure about 3) though, Calcutt and Ventnor Farm alone must be close on 1,000 berths.

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Whilst Hilmorton is restricted, it seems to be limited to closing one side only over night, rather than restricting passage through the flight to specific times of day. So as was discussed last year, that probably encourages more of a one up, one down strategy. So perhaps as you say it is to encourage people to go that way off the pound. Not sure about 3) though, Calcutt and Ventnor Farm alone must be close on 1,000 berths.

I have to say that whenever I have been through Hilmorton, there has always been a queue in both directions, which automaticly creates a one up, one down strategy.

Edited by David Schweizer
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I do hope they don't decide to close one of each pair during the daytime as well. They have done so in the past, on the grounds that "obviously" having only one lock open means that only half as much water gets used. It is galling to have to turn a lock round when the adjacent lock is in your favour but is out of use to save water.

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I have to say that whenever I have been through Hilmorton, there has always been a queue in both directions, which automaticly creates a one up, one down strategy.

Certainly how it was last August, when the duplicate locks had been taken out of use.

 

It also discouraged people from going that way at all, I think - we experienced less delays with only one lock of each pair open than we have in the past experienced when both were open.

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I have to say we are confused about the opening and closing times of the locks at Hillmorton as we received more than one email today about the closures and they contained different times.

It does seem clear that when they are open then only one set will be operational.

The volunteer lock keeper we had last year was very good.

There is a limit to the speed at which water can be pumped back up to the top lock and apparently they try to limit the water used going down to help the volume which can be replenished via the pump.

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This is what is on the web now

 

Restriction: North Oxford Canal Hillmorton Locks 2-7

19 Mar 2012 until further notice

 

Associated Regional Office: South East Waterways

 

From Monday 19th March one side of Hillmorton Flight will be locked overnight from 5.00pm - 9.00am.

 

Additionally, until 31st March the existing maintenance works will also restrict daytime opening to single side only. Thereafter, Lock keepers will operate single or tandem locks throughout the day as traffic needs require.

 

 

(Enquiries: 01908 302 500)

 

That is why I made the earlier comment. It seems that they are never closed (like the other restrictions), just that overnight they are restricted to one side only, but during the day both sides or one side will be open as needed.

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Yes,

 

Based on what the restriction notice actually says, it does at the moment look like one set of locks will be left in use outside the period the keepers are there.

 

Unfortunately I can't change the title, but if a mod sees this, perhaps they would.

 

We need to get to Birmingham, if we can, so with real restrictions at Calcutt, but these seemingly staying open, going via the "Bottom Road" is currently looking our stronger option, as we are already likely to be much delayed by the combination of Stoke Bruernr / Buckby / Braunston.

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