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LOCKING DOWN IN PHOTOS.
The photographs are showing a two handed crew locking down on the Tardebigge flight, on the Worcester and Birmingham Canal. They have collected their boat from the yard at Tardebigge, and instead of taking the easy way round the Worcester/Stourport ring via the 14 mile level pound to Birmingham, have chosen the longest lock flight in the country.
The Worcs/B'ham canal is famous for the first set of locks, out of the 58 locks on the canal, the first 30 come together in the first 2 miles.
This is not an easy introduction to lock working, but you learn fast, our demonstrators whilst not being boat owners are not novices to the canals having had three hire boats out in the past.
They volunteered to be photographed for the web page but declined to be named, so they are for this purpose anonymous, and I thank them for their co-operation and hope they enjoyed the rest of the holiday. These photographs were taken in June 2004.
The first photo shows the lock being prepared, in this case the lock was empty, first the bottom gate paddles are check to see that they are closed. Then the top paddles are opened, when the lock is filled it will be possible to open the top gate with ease.
Make sure the pawl clicks round as you open the paddle; if it doesn't the windlass will spin around when you take your weight off, To avoid this always remove the windlass on completion of opening or closeing the paddles.
Here we see the couple who are our demonstrators for this exercise, the lady is the steerer in this instance. The man will find it easier to open the paddles and the gates due to his extra weight and strength.
The correct way to open the gates is to lean on them with your backside resting against the beam, get a firm grip with your feet. Don't push the gates, this will make you tired very quickly.
Never pull the gate, there is a danger that you could slip and fall into the canal.
Steer into the lock gently, remember it is not a race, keep your cool, even the most experianced boaters nudge the approches to the locks more often than they will admit to.
Take the boat well forward in the lock to avoid the stern resting on the lock sill when it's almost empty.

The Tardebigge flight is made of narrow locks, as you see here, there is no need to tie the boat as long as one stays aboard, the person emptying the lock must always keep an eye on the boat, any problems and the paddles should be dropped immediately.
Note that the Tardebigge Flight has two types of paddle gear, this is the old type, both serve the same purpose.
This is the more modern type of paddle gear.
The boat is now steady in the lock and the bottom paddles are opened letting the water out into the lower pound, there are no pawls on this type of lock gear.
Note the red arrow pointing to the marker, this is to show you from a distance if the paddle is open or shut.
The wrong way to close the gate.
The easy way to close or open it.
Use your weight not strength.
Keep a good grip on your
WINDLASS
The jumping across from gate to gate is
not recommended.
You could slip, and there's only one way down, and its wet.
If you find the paddles to much for one person, it's possible to fit another windlass to the other side, then two can wind it; half as easy as one.
One may lose strength with age, but to compensate you gain in wisdom, sometimes!
At Worcester the canal enters the River Severn, all the locks on this river are operated by lock keepers.
Sometimes you may have to work the last two locks on the Worcs/B'ham canal, these are wide locks and need to be handled differently.
The lock keeper lives in the cottage at the side of the first lock and will assist you.
The River Severn, after Worcester has high wooded banks with no riverside towns until you get to Stourport going north, or Tewkesbury going south.
Like all river navigations it must me treated with respect, it is deep and wide. After heavy rainfall there will be an increase in the current.
The locks are much larger than canal locks.
Do as instructed by the lock keepers.
Enjoy your boating.