All Aboard! The Canal Trip On BBC 4 HD now

[Siddy]

Just found a program on BBC 4 HD showing a trip on the Kennet & Avon Canal a couple of hours long.

 

Another starting at 1am.

 

 

Sorry if this has been listed already but not seen it.

 

 

 

 

[deebee29]

Thanks for that. Just set it for 1am

[ranworthbreeze]

Sorry guys,

 

I did not see the program listed until I had left the forum last night, I ended up recording the program on the 1.00am slot. I have yet to watch it.

 

Regards

Alan

[smellyloo]

Wow ..... watched the entire 2 hour trip (not in fast forward) note to self ..... get a life!!

 

Highlights:

 

At 8:55 passing large sunken canal boat.

 

Gentleman's launch passes 3 times ..... must be a friend of the producer.

 

Sometime in the last hour passing a Broads bathtub.

 

The ghosts from the past where quite well cut in.

 

Can't wait for the sequel ..... perhaps videoing a fishing match.

[ExUserGone]

Watched 5 mins of it, got bored rigid and channel hopped.

Cruising and watching someone else cruise is just not the same.

[Polly]

It was the next best thing though.

[fishtone]

Watched 45 minutes of it, interesting but nowhere near the one with Pru in. could watch that time and again.

[webntweb]

Wow ..... watched the entire 2 hour trip (not in fast forward) note to self ..... get a life!!

 

Highlights:

 

At 8:55 passing large sunken canal boat.

 

Gentleman's launch passes 3 times ..... must be a friend of the producer.

 

Sometime in the last hour passing a Broads bathtub.

 

The ghosts from the past where quite well cut in.

 

Can't wait for the sequel ..... perhaps videoing a fishing match.

 

I think the bathtub was a Caribbean which given the location probably came from one of the defunct Thames hire fleets but could have got there via a Broads fleet.

 

There was also another wide beam grip which I think was a 27ft Seamaster.

 

 

I was also wondering about the wooden launch. As the two swing bridges were opened for the boat perhaps the launch was ferrying somebody ahead to open them.

 

I suppose the producers chose to make the film early in the season so that they could have a clear run with little traffic. If the film was made to entice people onto the canals they really would have been better filming say about June when the banks would have been full of colour and more wildlife about plus more moving boats to add interest. Also a more winding, rural section would have been more interesting.

 

It all looked rather bleak and the rows and rows of boats, a lot of which would have been at their winter moorings and would have been out cruising later in the year, gave the impression of one long linear boat park.

 

Bit of a missed opportunity to me.

 

Roy

[smellyloo]

I think the bathtub was a Caribbean which given the location probably came from one of the defunct Thames hire fleets but could have got there via a Broads fleet.

 

There was also another wide beam grip which I think was a 27ft Seamaster.

 

 

I was also wondering about the wooden launch. As the two swing bridges were opened for the boat perhaps the launch was ferrying somebody ahead to open them.

 

I suppose the producers chose to make the film early in the season so that they could have a clear run with little traffic. If the film was made to entice people onto the canals they really would have been better filming say about June when the banks would have been full of colour and more wildlife about plus more moving boats to add interest. Also a more winding, rural section would have been more interesting.

 

It all looked rather bleak and the rows and rows of boats, a lot of which would have been at their winter moorings and would have been out cruising later in the year, gave the impression of one long linear boat park.

 

Bit of a missed opportunity to me.

 

Roy

I must say from watching the program I left with the impression that canal boating was like passing a long line of parked boats. But as you say this is probabably early season slumber.

 

I had hoped that the program would be instructional ..... lock passing and bridge dodging. Particularly with a view of assessing the viability of single handed helming.

 

This video was no good at all in this regard. Tim & Pru's adventures were much more informative.

[Hylander]

Can you get this on catch up at all,   as we missed it.

[ranworthbreeze]

 

Can you get this on catch up at all,   as we missed it.

 

Hi Monica,

More than likely do a search on BBC4 for The Canal Trip

Regards

Alan

[smellyloo]

Yep ........ enjoy

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b05t7kc1/all-aboard-the-canal-trip

[ranworthbreeze]

 

I must say from watching the program I left with the impression that canal boating was like passing a long line of parked boats. But as you say this is probabably early season slumber.

 

I had hoped that the program would be instructional ..... lock passing and bridge dodging. Particularly with a view of assessing the viability of single handed helming.

 

This video was no good at all in this regard. Tim & Pru's adventures were much more informative.

 

Hi Smellyloo,

These days the amount of boats you encounter at every village or junction is out of hand, the River Trust (ex BWB) seens to rent out large areas of long term mooring on the tow path side of the canals; the results are that if you can find a mooring it is more than likely outside of the village you want to stop for the night.

It can be very time consuming traveling past all these moored boats, more times that not there may even be private mooring on the oposite canal bank.

Speeds tend to be very low due to the boat being on almost tick over. Most people struggle to achieve the four lock/miles per hour we have been down to less than two miles per hour especially if also encountering a tunnel.

We still like the canals but are not going this year, but hopefully next year.

Regards

Alan

[Soundings]

 

 

Hi Smellyloo,

These days the amount of boats you encounter at every village or junction is out of hand, the River Trust (ex BWB) seens to rent out large areas of long term mooring on the tow path side of the canals; the results are that if you can find a mooring it is more than likely outside of the village you want to stop for the night.

It can be very time consuming traveling past all these moored boats, more times that not there may even be private mooring on the oposite canal bank.

Speeds tend to be very low due to the boat being on almost tick over. Most people struggle to achieve the four lock/miles per hour we have been down to less than two miles per hour especially if also encountering a tunnel.

We still like the canals but are not going this year, but hopefully next year.

Regards

Alan

It is not all like that, Alan, believe me. There are miles of uncluttered canals and connected rivers where linear mooring is very light indeed, Where was this BBC production filmed, do you know? There are issues and especially in London (and similar) where so called continuous cruisers do not cruise at all (or hardly), they just tie up, get a job and end up using what is towpath or visitor short stay space as a residential mooring. They call them "continuos moorers". C&RT is trying to get to grips with it and I believe it will succeed but there are a number who are in vocal opposition, believing they have a right to do as they damned well please and that to question that is a breach of their human rights!

[webntweb]

It is not all like that, Alan, believe me. There are miles of uncluttered canals and connected rivers where linear mooring is very light indeed, Where was this BBC production filmed, do you know? There are issues and especially in London (and similar) where so called continuous cruisers do not cruise at all (or hardly), they just tie up, get a job and end up using what is towpath or visitor short stay space as a residential mooring. They call them "continuos moorers". C&RT is trying to get to grips with it and I believe it will succeed but there are a number who are in vocal opposition, believing they have a right to do as they damned well please and that to question that is a breach of their human rights!

It was filmed between Bath top lock and Dundas Aqueduct on the Kennet & Avon canal.

 

Once the boat had cleared the suburbs of Bath it did seem to be continual ribbon mooring for a good half hours cruising. The journey was about five and one third miles so they probably were travelling at about 3mph.

 

There were a lot of widebeam canal boats moored, some of which would be residential/long term and others possibly winter only, so if the programme had been made a little later in the year some of these boats would have been away cruising.

 

I agree with Soundings that this is definitely not typical of what you could expect on most of the canal system.

 

Roy

[ranworthbreeze]

Hi Roy,

 

I am watching the recoding of the programme whilst I am typing away, one benefit I have not appreciated that Tan has commented on in the past is the tranquillity of traveling at the front of the boat, the engine can hardly be heard and the only other sounds are of the lapping of the water on the hull.

 

I agree that canals are not for everyone, my youngest son says boring and at 4 mph even worse, we however have always managed to unwind  very quickly both here and on the Broads, sadly the car journey home always comes as a sharp shock of reality.

 

I noted when the camera paned of into the field from a bridge, needless to say there was a boat coming in the opposite direction through the bridge (it is always the case especially if the bridge is on a bend).

 

It always surprises me the amount of stuff that is on the roofs of the live aboard boats, and the number of Dawn Craft there are on the canals.

 

We will have to keep this recording if we are in need of inner peace.

 

Regards

Alan 

[Soundings]

 It was filmed between Bath top lock and Dundas Aqueduct on the Kennet & Avon canal.

 

Once the boat had cleared the suburbs of Bath it did seem to be continual ribbon mooring for a good half hours cruising. The journey was about five and one third miles so they probably were travelling at about 3mph.

 

There were a lot of widebeam canal boats moored, some of which would be residential/long term and others possibly winter only, so if the programme had been made a little later in the year some of these boats would have been away cruising.

 

I agree with Soundings that this is definitely not typical of what you could expect on most of the canal system.

 

Roy

The K&A is one of those locations where there is a known issue re "continuos moorers". A lot of people put it down to the cost/shortage of housing. Personally I do not buy into that 100% (or any percent really) but that is another story

 

I was reminded about long lines of moored boats when I drove over Ludham Bridge earlier this evening 

[webntweb]

Hi Alan,

 

Yes, travelling along more or less at water level at the front of the boat without the engine noise is superb. Unfortunately I have never managed to do much of that as i am usually relegated to the blunt end.

 

As you know you can rarely exceed 3 mph and most of the time usually not much more than 2 mph, and to me that is the secret of an enjoyable canal holiday. My advice to anybody taking their first canal holiday would be work out how far you can go in your allotted time at 4 lock miles per hour then aim to do not much more than half that total.

 

You mentioning the Dawncraft made me think how much I enjoy seeing old grp canal boats that have been around since the 60s such as Normans, Nauticus, Creightons, Morgan Giles etc.

 

Roy

[Poppy]

Well, watched the recording this afternoon, and I now understand why we are seeing more 'Narras' on the Broads.

Ive never seen so many piles of unloved JUNK in my life. Admittedly there were one or two decent, clearly cared for vessels there, but junk with rubbish piled on the roofs( and hanging over the sides in some cases.

I wonder how many were even insured, let alone with a valid BSS certificate!