Waterway Navigation Locks

This is just the end of a lock beam. It’s a modern, steel one, and not even a traditional wooden type either. But it symbolises what is inevitable for canal systems if they are to survive. There are no original materials here, even the brickwork is new. I like this image for its diagonal composition and the contrasting colours (Black-White and Blue-Red) which help it to stand out. Contrary to the title, I can see that this is part of Lock 60 on the River Trent. It’s a striking lock image, however, so I’ll forgive the naming ambiguity.

This is a lovely shot of Camden Locks (at a time when not besieged by Duckweed). The clear water has just enabled some interesting reflections and you were blessed with an interesting sky. The image has been cropped to something not quite square, when it could have been. I would suggest, however, that you try to use your iPhone in landscape mode for this kind of shot, to capture more of the scene and less need to discard precious pixels. I do like the symmetry you’ve achieved here and the colour tones are delightful.

I love the colours of the Sodium(?) lighting in this after-dark image. The lock gate is sliding open as a couple of silhouetted onlookers watch. The Panama Canal is big. Very big. You might get to have a feeling for the size of this lock by looking at the diminutive size of the buildings on the shore. Our cameras often ‘go to bed’ at dusk but this image might encourage us to keep them active for a little longer. There were so many images of English canals in my “Waterways Navigation Locks” contest that it was a pleasure to see something from further afield. (When I get to discover the photographer, it may well have been taken by another Englishman who was passing through on a cruise ship!)

The Panama Canal is most significant for allowing ships to pass between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans without having to travel a vast number of miles. The maximum size of vessel (“Panamax”) that can pass through defines the size of many cargo and passenger ships. Size is defined by the height above the waterline, to pass under bridges, as well as the draught (depth below) to pass over the lock cills. Then, the length and breadth need to be small enough to fit into the locks with a margin for safety. The size may be restrictive, but it’s still pretty big! I like this documentary image of the canal because of the inclusion of a container ship as it proceeds out into the ocean from a bottom lock. The number of containers across the back, and height of them, indicate the magnitude of a vessel that can pass through, although I imagine that some may be even larger. I am left to wonder where it may be headed and the contents of all those containers. A good picture says a thousand words and this one certainly qualifies!

I love the mix of old and new in this image. The canal lingers on, whilst all its original surroundings have been replaced with modern-day requirements. When built, these locks would have been an important thoroughfare for trade. Now it is kept in use for pleasure.

Canals were a means of providing easy transport of goods from places of availability to those of need, so this city-like scene provides a good example of a canal destination. Nowadays, these inland waterways serve the leisure industry rather than heavy goods and, having declined in use, the presence of graffiti is not at all uncommon. Luckily the artwork here is colourful and mildly attractive, drawing attention to the image. The beams are now being used as a seat for a couple to enjoy a leisurely snack. This is a completely different scene from what would have been in its hey day but an excellent representation of change taking place. Even the grey sky seems to be hinting at this waterway’s future, but canals were built to be functional rather than glamorous.

I love the dreamy colours of this waterside scene. The cottage is now, no doubt, a private dwelling and the lock only used occasionally. To me, this image spells peace and tranquillity. I can imagine John Constable sitting in this very position to paint it. Indeed, the image has a very pleasing ‘painterly’ appearance.

The Bingley Five Rise set of locks is a staircase system, where the exit gates of one lock become the entry gates for the next. It enables a boat to rise very quickly from one level to the next. This one’s an impressive construction and draws a lot of interest from gongoozlers (spectators), especially on a fine day like this. There are assistants to make sure that people use the system correctly as many of the boats are on hire for just a week and it can be easy to make a mess of things if you’re not sure what to do. A wide beam boat (like this immaculate one) cannot be passed by a boat coming the other way but other boats may follow it down in convoy. When narrow boats are negotiating this staircase it’s possible for them to pass each other within the locks, so that it’s not necessary to wait for those coming the opposite way to complete their passage first. You cannot see much of the staircase in this image, because they descend so quickly, but the view ahead gives a good indication of the drop involved and is probably far more interesting than the one looking up. There were two offerings of this particular occasion but I prefer this landscape version over the other as I can enjoy more of it on my computer screen. Colours help to liven-up a picture, so the boat serves two useful functions here: brightening-up the scene and demonstrating a busy lock system in use.

This could well be one of the most observed pair of locks in England due to its highly populated location and availability of popular taverns. The Duckweed is typical, in my experience, but the lack of crowds much less so. The barriers keep the crowd from the edge to allow boaters to proceed without interference or knocking them in! This is a very busy scene in terms of detail and you can spend much time studying it. Now just a tourist attraction, rather than a thoroughfare, one can only imagine the differences between the time when this was surrounded by warehouses and productive activity and what it has become today. Being such a popular and accessible spot, it was not surprising to see quite a few shots of these locks but I felt this one to captured it in the most imaginative way.

The maintenance of lock gates is much reduced, these days, and weeds often inhabit the furniture, where plenty of water can be found to sustain them. Anyone who has travelled our inland waterways will be familiar with this sight, except that they are not always as well-light as this pair appear to be. I love the detail in these gates. I can study the grain in the wood and the metalwork used to strengthen and protect them. An added interest is that these ones are host to more than one variety of plant. Gates tend to last about 25 years and their patina describes their life history. It’s often the little details that fascinate most and this image has captured them well.

It’s a shame to see things in decay but, sometimes, nature can add a beauty to them that humans would otherwise try to control. No longer in use (did I need to say that?) it remains as a monument to the past. The canal ahead is dead straight but what catches the eye are the wonderful reflections of what remain of these gates and a fluffy-blue sky. You either had to wait for such good conditions, or perhaps you wer just lucky (it happens)? Either way, thank you for submitting this lovely image of a sea lock before they disappear.

I love the mix of old and new in this image. The new red brick stands out from the old grey stone of the canal and its lock cottage, providing a stark contrast. Somewhere ahead is the Eurostar terminus. It reminds us of the time when canals formed the highways of Britain, before rail came along, and connected cities with the hubs of industry. To the right, new buildings have been erected in and amongst some old gasometers. As time goes by, we find a new purpose and this image has managed to record how the landscape has changed here over the last 200 years or so. This image is so full of detail and information that I have studied it for hours.

Although the title does not say so, I believe theis image to be of Audlem locks, on the ‘Shroppie’ canal. This is an excellent example of a flight of locks. Individual locks that are close together to enable boats to climb or descend a greater height than a single one could accommodate. The pounds between enable boats to pass before using the next lock along. This image includes a boat and its crew about half way up. They complete the scene without being the major subject which was, of course, “Waterway Navigation Locks”. A great and interesting capture.

It’s good to see industrial traffic on the waterways. Just imagine how many lorries or rail trucks this amount of cargo would amount to. I’m not sure where this has been taken but it looks like it could be on the Rhine. Sadly, traffic here has been threatened by low water, such would appear to be due to the effects of climate change. This image may not be ‘pretty’ to some, but I still find it fascinating as an engineer. A great documentary image.

The Caen Hill Locks at Devizes present an arduous passage for boaters (and even visitors on foot), taking several hours to conquer. It’s a large construction, covering two miles overall, so difficult to capture in one shot, unless using a drone. I like this one, however, because of the inclusion of the extra lock beam (bottom left corner) which hints that the series of 16, just ahead, is only part of an even larger system. My “Waterways Navigation Locks” only required one lock (or even just part of one) but, when confronted with such an impressive line of them, it’s difficult to overlook. No extra points for the quantity, however, just admiration for the quality of this wonderful scene.