Hajstorp lower

Fredrik Lundström tells this story:
The night between 29th and 30th of June in 1956 a rather unsual accident happened in Hajstorp. It was the steamer Ariadne belonging to Ångfartygs AB Göta kanal, that could not come to a stop in the upper lock on tour downstreams. If the wrong order was given from the bridge or if the right order was misinterpreted by the engine room staff is still uncertain. But instead of stopping, Ariadne got more speed forward instead of stopping in the upper lock.
She continued right through the lower gates and then also right through the lower chambers lower gates. All these gates were totally destroyed.
No persons were seriously injured and Ariadne only got some bruises in the colour, but the lock gates were totally destroyed and some other things around the locks were damaged too.
After the accident the canal company estimated that it would take them between three and four weeks to get the locks back in operational order. But as up to 25 persons worked around the clock, they managed to open the lock for traffic after two weeks
This way both costs and the traffic stop could be minimized.

But the accident was the beginning of the end for Ariadne. After that season it was sold as scrap in an attempt to save the shipping company from bancrupcy.

Lock keeper's house seen from the upper chamber	Lockage in the upper chamber	In the lower chamber	Lock keeper's house seen from lower chamber	Hajstorp lower seen from the waiting bridge for Riksberg

© Pictures by Bosse Arnholm, 2004

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