Bruce Napier wrote: > On 1 Jun 2009, at 13:36, Brian on Harnser wrote: > >> On these lock flights apart from the top and bottom locks there are >> two >> paddles. A white one at the bottom of the lock which empties the lock >> into the side pond/pound and a red one which fills the lock from the >> side pond/pound. >> Basically before you empty lock 1 going down, you draw the red paddle >> to fill lock 2, the water from lock one is then let out into the side >> pond/pound to replace the water used to fill lock 2. > > > Nice one, Brian, I was just winding up to do an explanation myself > when your post arrived - much more concise than I would have managed. > > To come back to your original point, AIUI, the weir crests are not > much above the cill level between the two locks concerned, and in > some cases, the side pond leaks well before the weir overflows, hence > the anxiety to make sure that the lower lock starts filling first. > > Trevor, there is a rhyme to help you remember the sequence: > > Red before white > You'll be all right > White before red > You'll wish you were dead!
Ed Mortimer's claims his dad, who used to be the BWB Leicester Section Inspector, invented the ditty. It was certainly about inthe 1960's. > Some years ago, there were a pair of lockies on the flight, Mick and > Crystal, who could make that last line literally true. Mick in > particular could do a good impression of Windsor Davies playing an > enraged CPO addressing a defaulter. > > On the occasion seared into my memory, I had attempted to be helpful > by drawing a red paddle in anticipation of it's being needed, and he > wasn't pleased. We were in Streamline, our Ownerships boat at the > time, and his final, immortal observation was > > "You Ownerships people think you are something special, but you're > just glorified hirers really." > > Glorified hirers has remained our name for share boaters ever since. At least Ownership boaters...well boat...unlike the new influx of liveaboards (now that is something I can agree with Adrian) I still think it should be part of the licence fee conditions to have a "National Boating Day", when *everyone* has to go boating...or how about you have to boat continuously for at lest 2 weeks? :-) Talk of boating, I am finally doing some on Friday, after a (Earnest) hiastus of 8 months....well that assumes the old wreck can get off its moorings... -- Neil Arlidge NB Earnest - Out of it. TNC...The Wilderness Years... http://www.tuesdaynightclub.co.uk/tour.html
