Volunteers are instructed differently

Published: Friday, 27 September 2019

REGARDING Victor's comments about the volunteers at Foxton, I believe they are instructed differently from proper lock keepers, writes Helen Cripps.

I too remember the 'no nonsense' Crystal who ran the flight like clockwork, if necessary piling the boats in that 'passing' pound when necessary, and playing holy hell with boaters should they err from her instructions.

foxton flight 2Not volunteers fault

The result was if you arrived at the flight you were certain to get a quick passage and not, as now, be waiting as one boat slowing makes its way up from the bottom whilst others are stuck above.  But of course it is not the volunteers fault, but the instructions they have received from up on high to take great care at all times.

And so things must be done 'by the book', come what may, and so the volunteers can undertake no 'Crystal tricks' to get boats moving but abide by the rules.

The day that the authorities decided to get rid of the real lock keepers was a bad day indeed for boaters.