Bartimaeus

Before leaving Doncaster I had phoned about booking into a flight of locks that takes you into Sheffield. I was giving the requested forty eight hours notice. I was told someone would ring me back the next day. It was good to feel it was going to be organised.  We enjoyed going down the big Don and our evening stroll, despite getting wet feet, seeing a sunset and some rainbows. The rainbow was far to big to fit in one picture and the trees opposite the sunset turned golden as though it was Autumn.

By the afternoon of the next day, I hadn’t had a call back and we were both a bit anxious about the bookable flight. You couldn’t just rock up at them. They would not be open and there might be a time to arrive by. I rang back as the number to ring was a Monday – Friday office hours number but we were requesting to go through on a weekend so we weren’t at all sure if that was allowed. I was given a soothing reply and call back from the central call centre saying that they were expecting us and would get a call tomorrow. This was reassuring on one level but also it was much like I had been told last time. Shane had read up where to wait though, so after some awkward access heavy locks we moored up at the lock before the flight.

Meanwhile another uncertainty was being cleared up. Heather was coming in the morning to join us in the flight. Then Benny said he was coming too. The Sheffield contingent would be joining us. I put my phone by the bed in case of early calls. 

Of course the lock keeper called when I had just got up and was in the toilet. I called him back and we both were leaving each other voicemails. He rang again and in fact he had been on holiday and was just reading his emails and annoyed that the system meant he had been unable to call me back promptly. I said we weren’t in a hurry. He told us where to wait. He had to get to the other end of the flight and let a boat going the other way get in. It was all coming together.

We set off after breakfast and watching a wagtail (essential viewing) and I let Heather know we were moving to the next lock. While we were waiting for the lock keeper, she arrived on her bike. We decided inside the boat in front of the TV was the best place and I found an old sheet so it couldn’t fall against the tv, should the locks be a bumpy ride. Then the lock keeper, David, arrived and was very welcoming and careful to explain procedures and while the boat was rising in the first lock he called to Heather and Shane that it would be a cardiovascular workout.

He was going ahead to set locks and then go to help the other boat and we were to leave gates open as we left so they were ready for it. Straight away out of habit I was preparing to close it so he and I charged Heather and Shane with reminding me to leave them open. 

I got back on and then had to leave by climbing up the ladder at the side of the next lock. These were indeed fierce locks and needed gradual opening of the paddles. The gates were very heavy and sometimes two people were needed to shut them. We were also keeping in touch with Benny who was on his way, also by bike. When he appeared he was immediately pressed into service helping with a gate. Then his bike was stored on the roof. 

The lock keeper did scoot back and given the next set of instructions as to where we would meet up next. He taught us a new trick if it was hard to wind. We put two windlasses on at the same time on the same spindle and do half turns with another person opposite, then switch handles and repeat, so there’s twice the strength and no getting stuck at a weak point in the cycle. I got Benny to help me with a reconstruction.

Although they are one flight, there could be a bit of a walk, or time to ride between them. We were shown where to moor for water and lunch before finishing off the flight. One lock was particularly deep and this was because two had been put together. So as not to renumber the other locks it was simply called Tinsley lock 7 & 8. We also saw double with a pair of bridges on top of each other.

I would really have struggled with this set without all the help from Benny, Heather and the lock keeper. They were all set for us ready to go in and we didn’t need to close any behinds us.  I did get help from an angler setting up beside the lock, to close a gate too. The flight still took over four hours.

The help and humour of David made all the difference to a challenging set. They were all set for us ready to go in and we didn’t need to close any behinds us.We were shown where to moor for water and lunch before finishing off the flight. Then at the top our friendly lockie shook our hands and told us we should ring him direct to book our return trip.