A slightly odd one this.

We need someone to build a replica lock in public with public help over August Bank Holiday weekend in the middle of London.  See below for details.  Please forward to anyone you think might be interested.  Thanks

Cathy

A Consultancy Brief

Engineering Designer/Demonstrator
The consultant will be a capable explainer, able to work with adult and child members of the public at a public event, to explain his or her work and enlist the participation of members of the public in the construction of a model canal lock.
In addition, the consultant will do some simple design work for the model in advance and will procure, (either him/herself or through LCM) all the materials needed.
The Event
On August 28th and 29th 2015 a festival of knowledge will take place in a new public area north of King’s Cross Station. The museum wishes to have a presence and contribute to the advancement of public education through the on-site construction of a model canal lock. The festival is to be managed by the King’s Cross Business Partnership, a commercial body, but the King’s Cross Knowledge Quarter, of which the museum is an active member, will be participating and the museum wishes to make this contribution. The festival hours are expected to be 1000-1800 each day.
The model
A working canal lock will be built from miniature bricks using suitable mortar. We have identified the firm of Richard Stacey, of Chichester, as a probable supplier of miniature building materials.
The model does not have to be an accurate scale model of a real lock and it does not have to be accurate in every detail. The main principle is that it will work in the same way as a real lock and be representational of the way in which a real lock is built.
A base of plywood will be needed on which the lock and two pounds will be built. The pounds need to be big enough to hold enough water to allow the lock to be used once without spillage at the lower level, or drainage at the higher level. We propose to “back pump” water using a simple hand pump in between passages through the finished lock by a toy boat that will represent a canal boat.
A filler material will be used to represent the surrounding land and to fill in behind the retaining walls of the lock and the two pounds that are either side of it. This may well be sand.
The lock gates will be made of wood on site and painted black. They will be of simplified design ideally with two gates at each end as is usual in London. 
Culverts will be created in the ground using plastic tube installed during construction. A single paddle will be made of wood, in a channel of either wood or masonry, to create a realistic paddle. To construct a winding mechanism on site may present problems and this may need to be prepared in advance and kept as simple as possible. If a ratchet and cog wheel can be bought in advance and used to lower and raise the paddle this will be the best approach. The paddle will most probably form an imperfect seal, not completely blocking the culvert formed of a plastic pipe. This is realistic and acceptable; some leakage is bound to occur through this mechanisam and through the lock gates. It will be necessary to back-pump regularly.
Before the Event
The consultant will estimate quantities of materials and either obtain them, or ask the museum team to obtain them. It is important that we have all the materials and tools available on site for the two construction days as last-minute purchases will be difficult.
Detailed drawings are NOT expected but the consultant will be expected to give thought to the design and make sketches from which the model will be built. To avoid excessive cutting of timber on site, pieces of wood will be cut to convenient sizes in advance.
A meeting will be held to consider safety issues and formulate a risk assessment.
The Construction
The masonry will be built on the Saturday so that the mortar can set overnight.  The Sunday will see the timber components cut on site and added. On the Sunday afternoon water will be added and manual back-pumping initiated at intervals. Demonstrations will take place using a toy boat that will be passed through the lock.
At all stages members of the public including children will be encouraged to participate subject to limits of safety. All public participation will be supervised by the consultant. Children should be able to do tasks such as laying bricks but will not be able to use sharp tools. 
After the event, the consultant will take part in the demolition of the model.
The model will be branded in some way to be determined and will display logos of the museum and the Knowledge Quarter. The consultant will be expected to wear branded clothing, to be supplied, e.g. a t-shirt.
LCM will provide one staff member to assist with answering public questions, questions about canals and the museum generally, and any crowd management. The museum will also arrange transport of the materials to site from the museum, probably by boat.

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