Making sense of the potty poetry
THE Canal & River Trust open day at Hillmorton Locks on the Oxford Canal on Sunday to witness 'history in the making' was a disappointment with less than 150 attending, writes Allan Richards.
The 'history in the making' was CaRT's description of the hanging of the first two of a series of lock gates to commemorate the inaugural year of the CaRT. The gates were designed by sculptor Peter Coates and inscribed with a poem by Roy Fisher.
Lock chamber
Even good weather and the opportunity to descend into a drained lock chamber did not attract the crowds. However, it was obvious that the few visitors were much more interested in climbing down into the locks and hearing about them rather than trying to make sense of the potty poetry.
It is the top gates at locks 4 and 5 that have been replaced. The part of the lock beams that are normally painted black have been left unpainted apart from the carving on both sides which is picked out in white. For some reason, handrails which are normally white are painted black.
Does not disguise the rot
The bottom gates on these twin (or 'side by side') locks will not be replaced. However, rather than matching the new ones, the beams and handrails have been repainted black and white in the traditional manner. This does not disguise some rot apparent in one of them!
After some some head scratching, it was decided that to read the poem one had to look downhill and read the beam on lock 4 followed by lock 5, then move about ten metres such that the other side of the beams could be read in the order lock 5 followed by lock 4.
Potty poetry
This gives 'Working water climbs carefully down. This door makes depth captive for a while'.
Truly inspirational!
As an aside, it was very noticeable that the lock ladder in lock 4 needs lengthening. As such, it is hoped that nobody falls in the chamber trying to work out which way to read this nonsense.
£100,000
The poetry carved into lock gates at Hillmorton is part of a £100,000 commemorative lock gate and poetry project known as Locklines which celebrates the inaugural year of the Canal & River Trust.
Later this year more commemorative gates will be installed at Gargrave (Leeds and Liverpool Canal) and Farmers Bridge (Birmingham and Fazeley ) followed by Milnsbridge (Huddersfield Narrow Canal) early in 2013.
Waste of money!
Some despair at CaRT's disregard for its own heritage. Many condemn this latest attempt at self aggrandisement as yet another example of waste of money.
....and what of that previous waste—£25,720 for the bunting and balloons? Whilst we were told that it would be used for other events, it seems 'history in the making' has no need for such frivolities.
It is again money that could be better spent actually maintaining the waterways, and you don't have to go far to give an example of where it could be spent.
The two picture shown were taken at Hillmorton on Sunday.