What is it with lock beams?

JUST what is it with lock beams these days? Writes T. Lang.

They seem to be failing like ninepins resulting in one causing a stoppage of five weeks. Then 'bodge-up' jobs of attempting to repair that Victor showed and the one by contributor Rodney Hardwick showing a temporary lock beam that didn't look very robust at all.

Two failed in one day

The lock beams are failing left, right and centre with Keith Gudgin all too often telling of a failure, in fact telling of two lock beams failing last Saturday. Braunston Lock 3 having what was ridiculously described by CaRT as 'an unplanned failure'.

Then the Staffs & Worcs had a lock beam failure on Lock 33 on the same day.

But why is it?  Obviously the lack of maintenance has a lot to do with it, and perhaps not being replaced within the stated amount of use, as was in British Waterways time.

Whatever it is, it is certainly helping the falling numbers of boaters on our waterways that have their cruises ruined.