Cycling UK Forum

Sweep wrote:.
Now off to research how many facilities/showers they have - I do get the feeling that there maybe aren't a lot - mainly concentrated at Marina's etc?
.

The ones in marinas tend to be private, not CRT.
You might find the Open Canal Map app useful - it's free, generally up to date and detailed.

Just checked - I rather had the idea from previous delving into its depths that they were there.

OSMand shows SOME showers.

As with all the POI data in OSMand you can get them to appear on the map or just search for them.

You get a bit of detail on each one though am not sure how up-to-date accurate it is - exanmples of info given - 24 hour (if they are), whether there is a charge and an indication of the amount, saw one which said "not monitored".

There's a pretty horrible shower in Westminster.

Audax67 wrote: ↑18 Oct 2021, 8:19am There's a pretty horrible shower in Westminster.

Sweep wrote: ↑17 Oct 2021, 5:14pm May well get another one from the Trust shop - seems to be around a tenner with postage.

Or two for a fiver on eBay.

nirakaro wrote: ↑18 Oct 2021, 1:32pm

Sweep wrote: ↑17 Oct 2021, 5:14pm May well get another one from the Trust shop - seems to be around a tenner with postage.

Or two for a fiver on eBay.

tempting for sure - my lost one came from ebay for not a lot.
Do you have a link for one you have used?
As normal key copying can be often be wonky at the best of times.
Looking around there seem to be very few showers indeed but could be handy for toilets and water cabinets.

Sweep wrote: ↑13 Oct 2021, 8:23pm
I bought one once but lost it amongst my many keys and am not sure which one it is.

Why don’t you gather your impressive collection of keys together and match one against the waterways key?

By matching the notches I assume you mean?
Am pretty bad at such things but will try.
Thanks.

Probably been mentioned upthread, but the canal and river trust shows showers on its canal maps.

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-th ... er-network

but from a bit of time peering over I only managed to find one - at Greenberfield near Barnoldswick - funny, I have never noticed them when there - and even some places, major canal centres, where you would expect to find them don't seem to have them.

Part of the general poshing up of many pursuits I suppose - many boaters doubtless have their own very nice onboard facilities.

Still - useful for water taps in locked cabinets - more common - saw one at Salterforth just up the Leeds and Liverpool - if freecamping could be very useful for filling a water bladder of an evening.

andrew_s wrote: ↑14 Oct 2021, 12:10am

Sweep wrote: ↑13 Oct 2021, 8:23pm Do they ever change the key?

I would suspect not.
Getting new keys to all of the legitimate boaters would doubtless take longer than the time required for the new keys to have appeared on the interweb and got into the pockets of the non-legitimate users.

"Legitimate users" would be those that have paid a non inconsiderable sum for a Canal & Rivers Trust boat licence, which is the source of the money that pays for the facilities (as well as general river maintenance). It seems to be in the range of £500 to £1500 p/a, depending on how big the boat is.

Aren't they Radar keys? They can be bought on eBay.

Edit: Looking at the pic above it would seem we're talking about a proper door key. Radar keys for the barriers though, I think?

Surely buying them on eBay is taking the whotsit. A tenner going directly into the trust seems a lot more genuine.

CRT have asked people not to buy the eBay ones after a few incidents of them snapping off in the locks (though I guess they would say that!).

Richard Fairhurst wrote:CRT have asked people not to buy the eBay ones after a few incidents of them snapping off in the locks (though I guess they would say that!).

A similar thing happened with copies of copies of Radar keys a while back.

As a CRT volunteer I've not heard of any incidents of broken locks / keys locally. Neither have I ever been aware of misuse of locked CRT facilities around here.

I think one of the issues with the keys is the split between who runs which bit of waterway.

Some of the sailing clubs in tourist spots have paid showers available (normally £2), I'd feel a bit odd using one with no payment, though.

There was an issue on the Thames mid-pandemic, loads of boats went on holiday when allowed, then Hammersmith bridge closed. They re-opened, but only with pro-skippers and minimal crew making the trip. Loads of boats stuck on expensive day rate holiday moorings meant there was a large group of pro skippers with the correct certificate cycling down to a random quay in London, putting their bike on a boat, bringing it back to Teddington or Richmond, then repeating.

After 5 baking hot round trips, the showers on the Grand Union got good use (although many of the users were river licence holders).

A CRT key can be bought directly from the Canal and Rivers Trust for £7 + £2.95 postage and packing.

https://shop.canalrivertrust.org.uk/shop

If you know of any places where you can get free tap water or free showers please submit it on this website, I am trying to create a new free directory solely for free tap water/showers. www.watap.co.uk