Volunteer Lock Watchers

[Guest]

I and the memsahib have. However, we trained on large power operated locks. With these they are normally manned and operated by BW / CaRT staff during the day and in self service after hours.

So yes, we operate the lock and the boater sits in their boat attending to the tying up to the slidders .

 

Depends where you are but not where we are they aren't...

 

Self service all the way - except for the commercial boats.

[Canal Rat]

Ever considered that she might not LIKE steering the boat? Especially through locks? My wife won't & I've put up with an awful lot of "You've got it easy, haven't you mate!" jibes over the years. I love to do lock work, but unless I boat with someone to help with the steering, I rarely get the opportunity.

 

My wife will not take to the tiller. I have repeatedly asked her if she would like to learn but the reply is always she doesn't want the responsibility of navigating our HOME through the canal system or locks. Prefers to leave that to me and is happy operating the locks. Yeh, sometimes we struggle but usually manage and it's her choice. She's happy and I don't argue. We live a happy life.

 

Have a greenie Spud

[carlt]

....the very friendly manner of the staff......We are moving into a new British era!

"Have a nice dayee!"

 

 

Oh I really hope not.

[BargeeSpud]

My wife will not take to the tiller. I have repeatedly asked her if she would like to learn but the reply is always she doesn't want the responsibility of navigating our HOME through the canal system or locks. Prefers to leave that to me and is happy operating the locks. Yeh, sometimes we struggle but usually manage and it's her choice. She's happy and I don't argue. We live a happy life.

 

Have a greenie Spud

Cheers, Canal Rat, hope to see you around some day, have one for me!

 

[twbm]

"Have a nice dayee!"

 

 

Oh I really hope not.

 

Couldn't agree more. There is nothing more irritating than an aggressively chirpy cheerful tw*t in a shop or cafe determined to make you smile no matter what.

[sueb]

My wife will not take to the tiller. I have repeatedly asked her if she would like to learn but the reply is always she doesn't want the responsibility of navigating our HOME through the canal system or locks. Prefers to leave that to me and is happy operating the locks. Yeh, sometimes we struggle but usually manage and it's her choice. She's happy and I don't argue. We live a happy life.

 

Have a greenie Spud

I do hope she can handle the boat in an emergency. I've met several who can't and are completely stuck if anything happens to the main steered

[carlt]

Couldn't agree more. There is nothing more irritating than an aggressively chirpy cheerful tw*t in a shop or cafe determined to make you smile no matter what.

I don't mind "chirpy cheerful" if that's obviously the natural demeanour of the person but the way the Americans "train" cheerful effusiveness into people who clearly don't want a career flipping burgers is just nauseating.

 

(Okay, to be honest, being a Yorkshireman I find natural cheerfulness a bit intimidating but at least it's tolerable as long as the bubbly person can tolerate my natural miserable grumpiness).

[Guest]

Couldn't agree more. There is nothing more irritating than an aggressively chirpy cheerful tw*t in a shop or cafe determined to make you smile no matter what.

 

It is a bit OTT sometimes yes but I'm afraid I prefer that to the interminably miserable dour faced shop assistants that we so often encounter over here, or the ones who don't break off from a conversation with their colleague while they serve you, only just managing to break off to fit 'PIN and enter' in between gassing.....

[carlt]

I do hope she can handle the boat in an emergency. I've met several who can't and are completely stuck if anything happens to the main steered

I agree.

 

If your partner (of either sex) is not confident enough to control the boat when necessary, then they really should go on a helmsman's (helmsperson?) course, even if they never take the tiller again.

[cotswoldsman]

I love it when someone in a shop says "how are you today?" I then start with a long monologue about my bad back, my hearing problems, that I never seem to get a good nights sleep.......I think after about 5 minutes they wish they had never asked.

[Tuscan]

I love it when someone in a shop says "how are you today?" I then start with a long monologue about my bad back, my hearing problems, that I never seem to get a good nights sleep.......I think after about 5 minutes they wish they had never asked.

 

 

 

 

Excellent , I will try that .....

[jelunga]

I and the memsahib have. However, we trained on large power operated locks. With these they are normally manned and operated by BW / CaRT staff during the day and in self service after hours.

So yes, we operate the lock and the boater sits in their boat attending to the tying up to the slidders .

Should have added "on the non tidal Trent"

[Hairy-Neil]

Should have added "on the non tidal Trent"

 

Are there many locks on the tidal Trent....

[jelunga]

Are there many locks on the tidal Trent....

At one end

[Guest]

At one end

 

[the grinch]

At one end

 

& 2 in the middle!!

[Guest]

& 2 in the middle!!

 

They don't count do they? as they are actually on their respective navigations not the Trent itself... and isn't it four, Keadby, West Stockwith and Torksey...and the entrance to the Idle.

 

ed. to add - though I'm note sure the entrance Idle is protected by a lock rather just a gate...

Edited August 10, 2012 by The Dog House

[twbm]

I don't mind "chirpy cheerful" if that's obviously the natural demeanour of the person but the way the Americans "train" cheerful effusiveness into people who clearly don't want a career flipping burgers is just nauseating.

 

(Okay, to be honest, being a Yorkshireman I find natural cheerfulness a bit intimidating but at least it's tolerable as long as the bubbly person can tolerate my natural miserable grumpiness).

 

Agreed again. I think it's a Northern thing. Apparently 'Fook Off and mek mi tea' is unacceptable - at least that's what the man from South West Trains says.

 

Going wildly off topic - it was suggested in the bar last night that if Yorkshire was a country in it's own right, it would be 11th in the medal tables at the moment. Even viewed with Lancastrian bias, that's impressive.

[the grinch]

They don't count do they? as they are actually on their respective navigations not the Trent itself... and isn't it four, Keadby, West Stockwith and Torksey...and the entrance to the Idle.

 

ed. to add - though I'm note sure the entrance Idle is protected by a lock rather just a gate...

 

the torksey and river idle ones are accessed by a cut rather than almost in the main river (plus i'd forgotten them! )

[Tuscan]

Agreed again. I think it's a Northern thing. Apparently 'Fook Off and mek mi tea' is unacceptable - at least that's what the man from South West Trains says.

 

Going wildly off topic - it was suggested in the bar last night that if Yorkshire was a country in it's own right, it would be 11th in the medal tables at the moment. Even viewed with Lancastrian bias, that's impressive.

 

 

 

 

Christ that must mean the entire county must go to private school according to some of the posts on the Team GB thread.

Edited August 10, 2012 by Tuscan

[carlt]

Christ that must mean the entire county must go to private school according to some of the posts on the Team GB thread.

In Yorkshire we prefer the term "Approved School"

[the grinch]

now now Carl that is harsh, funny as but harsh

[MartinClark]

Most I have met have been ok, though one told me off for handbraking top gate paddles down, then told me I would be reported.

If he had said that to me, I would have suggested to him that his comment shows he has not had much experience of actually operating locks. As others have said, handbraking paddles is something that real lock keepers can be seen doing. Surely, the "rule" is not to let the paddles fall freely (apart from those designed to do so, as at Hatton, Calder & Hebble, etc.).

 

So let me get this straight your both infirm, and struggling to operate your boat, and you are slagging of a member of the public because he didn't spring to help you, I don't think that is fair.

These volunteers are hardly simple "members of the public". They wear S&RT clothing, they have undergone some sort of training and, according to some forum members, purport to be C&RT's representatives on Earth. They are not exactly present at a lock as gongoozlers.

[MartinClark]

The reason of this is that if someone sees a lock keeper hand braking, they may be tempted to try this and get it wrong, - as has probably happened recently at both Marple and Diggle, the result being a broken paddle/frame and an unnecessary stoppage whilst the broken paddle is repaired.

I would only "handbrake" at suitable locks. There are certainly some that the safest means of lowering the paddle is by using the windlass. I would not advocate "handbraking" on all occasions.

 

The stoppages you mention are not the result of someone doing this. The paddles at Diggle only have spindles - nowhere to hold onto to "brake" and most are too stiff to fall without being wound down. The stoppages at Marple were due to a leaking pound and a collapsed wall.

 

Agreed. Twitter is for " Twits "

Ah, the usual smart response that comes from people who don't understand how to use Twitter!

[luctor et emergo]

I don't care who operates the lock for me. Going down, I simply step of the boat, and take charge if need be. Coming up, Magpie Patric showed me that even the fierced lock around here, holds no fear for my boat...

 

Bottom line, if somebody else works the lock for me, that is a bonus. Bring on the volunteers.