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Some Old Time Radio enthusiasts are seeking recordings of various BBC documentaries about canals, waterways, and the folk who live and work on them. They were all aired by the BBC North West from Manchester. Most are referenced here: http://www.cpatrust.org.uk/bham_ballads/ "They Brought The Sea To Manchester" 1969 There was a Radio Ballad-type documentary called "They Brought The Sea To Manchester." It features some songs too. In January 1894 Queen Victoria declared the canal open without leaving her carriage which was par for the course for her. Apparently when the lock paddles were opened for the first time the pressure of the water was so great several villages / towns got well flooded as the canal filled up. "The Big Ditch" 1975 This was in Series 3 of the Ballad of the North West. Again this was about the building of the Manchester Ship Canal. "Narras and Flats" 17th July 1973 This was part of the BBC North West series Ballad of the North West. This was in the canals episode which was broadcast on 17th July 1973. ==== Folks here might be interested that the lost Radio Ballad "A Cry From The Cut" is available here: https://www.mediafire.com/folder/odkpo4m988a8m/Radio_Ballads_-_The_Birmingham_Ballads Here's a version of the same recording from 1962 with historic slides (but sans music and songs) Details are here: http://www.cpatrust.org.uk/bham_ballads/ http://www.mustrad.org.uk/enth13.htm ==== Many thanks. Chris J Brady
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One of the better songs about our waterways is "When the Chestnut Blooms in Flower" by David Blagrove (lyrics below from 'Songs of the Inland Waterways' website). One thing puzzles me - Why is the moon referred to as Waddington's headlamp? Any suggestions? It's five in the morn, an hour before dawn, And the frost is riming the bank. I'm down in the engine hole dipping the sump, And pumping the oil to the tank. Then it's swing on the handle, compression taps drop, And let her run up to full power. It's just the same way on a morning in May When the chestnut bloom's in flower. When the chestnut bloom's in flower, When the chestnut bloom's in flower, It's just the same way on a morning in May When the chestnut bloom's in flower. A wet Autumn day, we've been hours on the way, And I'm feeling knobbed-off with me mates. We're towing the butty uphill through the locks, With a hundred foot line round the gates. The brasses are dull and me overcoat's soaked,, And the motor's got fast on a scour But it's just......... A cold winters night, I run by the light, Of Waddington's headlamp, the moon. Me fore end is bosting a thin skim of ice, And I reckon t'will thicken up soon. The going is slow, there's two miles to go, And the boozer there shuts in an hour. But it's just......... A day in July, when the bright swallows fly, And dragonflies dart in the reeds. I'm laid on the counter, poking the shaft, 'Cos the blessed things blocked up with weeds. The cut starts to boil as the thunder rain drops, Lets hope that it's only a shower. But it's just......... And what does 'fast on a scour' mean?
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Some time ago frustration with the state of the waterways caused me to write a 'canal protest song' called 'The Bridge and the Swan' which, when mentioned on this forum, came in for some criticism. Two years later I've been at it again and have produced 'Waterway SOS' which can be found on the 'Songs of the Inland Waterways' website. It's hard to write a protest song which does not oversimplify and is therefore liable to possible misinterpretation so I'd like to make it clear that this is not intended to offend volunteers whose work has been essential in the past in saving our waterways and is continuing to be so. What I object to is the cynical use of non-paid workers to increasingly carry out tasks previously done by paid employees. I'll leave it at that. I look forward to reaction to the song with a little trepidation. The recording is just a 'first effort' and will be replaced with a better quality one where I sing the right words when I manage to record one.
