How to use the online alarm clock
Breaking away from another lock-side job at 8:15 am can be the only way to open the canal gate for the first boat on time. An alarm at that exact minute marks the point to stop what you are doing, gather the windlass and head to the mechanism. Once the boat is through, there are still 45 minutes before 9:00 am for the next part of the morning’s work.
With the first boat due, the chosen signal needs to be audible above water, engines and activity around the lock. The browser alarm may appear ready while the phone or laptop remains in silent mode, so checking the sound setting beforehand avoids relying on a signal you cannot hear. If you close the browser page or let the phone or laptop sleep, the alarm cannot sound, and the boat may be left waiting at the unopened gate.
Getting from home, a yard or another stretch of canal to the lock may take longer during the early commuter period. A route that is clear before 8:00 am can slow near school entrances, station approaches or temporary roadworks by 8:15 am. Allowing a few extra minutes for that journey makes the alarm a cue to leave, rather than a warning that the gate should already be opening.
Common questions
Will it still be right when the clocks change?
Yes. It reads your device's local clock, so the move between GMT and BST at the end of March and October is picked up automatically, as long as the computer's date, time and time zone are set correctly.
Can I use this on a phone?
It works in a mobile browser, but phones lock the screen and suspend background tabs far more readily than a laptop does, which can stop the alarm sounding. For anything important, a desktop or a plugged-in laptop is the steadier option.
Does the alarm still work if I close the tab?
No. Everything runs inside this page, so closing the tab — or quitting the browser altogether — ends the countdown there and then. Leaving it open in the background is all it asks, and switching to another tab makes no difference.
What happens if my laptop goes to sleep before 8:15 am?
The tab sleeps along with it and the alarm will not sound on time, if at all. If you are relying on it, change the power settings so the machine stays awake, or keep a phone alarm running as well.
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