Will Chapman wrote: > Sue Burchett wrote: >> After working up a flight of locks I am convinced Adrian is correct. >> It then crossed my mind, how many of the advocates for closing gates >> actually do this, or is it left for their womenfolk. >> > Thats exactly how I can to write the original post. > We came off the Wey where the convention is to > leave them open and when I got back on the canals > (and did another 150 locks or so) I started thinking > it would make more sense to reverse the existing > practise; leave gates open and put notices to the > contrary on those that leak so badly that it is > better to close them. > > I'd like to see a trial run where BW try it for > a year and measure the difference in terms of > faster movement of boats and difference amounts > of water lost. The Atherton flight would be a > good test site IMO. To make it work there should > be clear notices on every lock to explain what > was going on.
IMHO we don't need a trial, anyone who has boated on the Lea and Stort for a few years (obviously that's at least Adrian and myself) will confirm that it really does work. Naturally one needs to check that the gates staying shut are actually doing a good job, but that's not a difficult task and can be checked before the lock is completely full/empty. In areas where water is very short then there is a case for being vigilant, but we all know plenty of canals where the by-wash is always running at one hell of a pace - obviously the rivers plus the Llangollen as they have all have a natural flow, but one could probably name plenty of others - e.g Audlem - how often have most struggled to steer with the by-wash exits! How about some sort of colour code for the locks? The beams are all painted black with white ends (so they are seen in low light I guess), why not add a colour band between the white and the black, say a 6" wide band. Red could mean must close, and green for OK to leave open. Ron Jones Process Safety & Development Specialist Don't repeat history, unreported chemical lab/plant near missesa at http://www.crhf.org.uk Only two things are certain: The universe and human stupidity; and I'm not certain about the universe. ~ Albert Einstein Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/canals-list/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
