Country File BBC1 Sunday 11th April 6pm

[magpie patrick]

7 hours ago, The Happy Nomad said:

 

If you say so. That section of the program was specifically about the Regents Canal though.

 

It was still inaccurate though!

[Guest]

2 minutes ago, magpie patrick said:

It was still inaccurate though!

 

Yes, I've previously acknowledged that.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2021 by The Happy Nomad

[cuthound]

5 hours ago, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Don't the National Trust own and maintain the Wey Navigation? From my recollection of travelling on there, their efforts at infrastructure maintenance are well below those of CRT. When getting onto the Wey from the Thames my journey was delayed whilst they nailed a piece of marine ply across a hole that had appeared in the lock gate, not a leaking paddle but a full-on hole through the gate. Most of the other locks needed maintenance.

 

Need to be careful what we wish for, the grass often isn't greener on the other side

 

They also owned and maintained the Southern Stratford canal which was in a poor state when they handed over to BW.

[Machpoint005]

22 hours ago, DaveR said:

So taking heat out of the canal water will be better for the environment on CO2 production but with no mention of the impact on the aquatic life.

 

CaRT have been populating the sides of the canal with reeds for many years, no mention on how they will control them or remove them when they block navigation, as they do in quite a few places now.

 

I will not knock CaRT for the sake of it - but I do wonder if they do give a thought to the boats and boater community in their many, rather wild ideas.

 

There speaks someone who hasn't looked at the numbers, or perhaps merely doesn't understand how much heat there is in umpteen megalitres of cold water. 

[Mike Todd]

21 hours ago, Alan de Enfield said:

 

 

A charity that has a proven history of looking after 200+ year old infrastructure, is well organised and managed, generates a huge amount of charitable giving, whose priority is :

 

The simple and enduring idea that people need historic, beautiful and natural places. They offer us perspective, escape, relaxation and a sense of identity. The natural world also gives us fresh air, clean water and clear seas.

 

A charity who are completely independent of Government funding and rely on income from membership fees, donations and legacies and revenue raised from our commercial operations, such as our tea rooms and holiday cottages. 

But I thought that last they were in such dire financial difficulties that they were making significant staffing cuts, getting rid of a lot of expertise and depending more on volunteers. Is that the recipe for the canals you advocate?

[Alan de Enfield]

10 minutes ago, Mike Todd said:

But I thought that last they were in such dire financial difficulties that they were making significant staffing cuts, getting rid of a lot of expertise and depending more on volunteers. Is that the recipe for the canals you advocate?

 

Yes indeed mid last year there were big 'cuts' planned due to C19, but these were later reduced (managing expectations ?)

And they say they are coming back bigger and stronger as restrictions are lifted >

 

 

The Trust has already announced it is stopping or deferring £124m of projects, and as a consequence 162 members of staff were told in August they were being made redundant or their contracts were ending early. It also introduced a recruitment freeze to reduce its staff costs. To help it get through the short-term impacts of the crisis it also drew on the Bank of England’s emergency coronavirus loan scheme and is grateful for support from some rescue and stimulus packages being offered by the government.

While these measures have helped reduce the financial impact, Hilary McGrady said the short-term hit, coupled with the longer-term implications of social distancing and suppressed trading, led to a full review of the organisation’s spending and priorities.

Since May the Trust has reopened its places following government guidance, and by the end of September it had welcomed more than five million visitors.

And this week Hilary McGrady pledged the Trust will ‘grow back stronger in the long-run’.

She said: “While the UK continues its fight to manage coronavirus and while government restrictions remain in place, we will continue to open as many places as possible.

“The places and things the National Trust cares for are needed now more than ever, and will continue to play an important role as our nations recuperate and recover their spirit and wellbeing. Our focus will remain on the benefit we deliver to people, every day. We must now focus on emerging from this crisis in a strong position.

“Our purpose is to benefit the nations we serve and bring people closer to nature, beauty and history. That was the vision of our founders 125 years ago and it remains undiminished today.  To achieve it we need to adapt to the changing world around us.”

[Tonka]

On 12/04/2021 at 11:57, Wanderer Vagabond said:

Don't the National Trust own and maintain the Wey Navigation? From my recollection of travelling on there, their efforts at infrastructure maintenance are well below those of CRT. When getting onto the Wey from the Thames my journey was delayed whilst they nailed a piece of marine ply across a hole that had appeared in the lock gate, not a leaking paddle but a full-on hole through the gate. Most of the other locks needed maintenance.

 

Need to be careful what we wish for, the grass often isn't greener on the other side

The Wey lock gates were built to a lighter construction method then the CRT canal ones are. They also have to be restored and maintained to the same construction method as they were originally. Which is why they get damaged easier. National Trust do no get a choice on what they can do.

[matty40s]

13 minutes ago, Tonka said:

The Wey lock gates were built to a lighter construction method then the CRT canal ones are. They also have to be restored and maintained to the same construction method as they were originally. Which is why they get damaged easier. National Trust do no get a choice on what they can do.

...and I'm quite sure all of those going to get stuck on the Middlewich for 2 weeks would be very happy if CRT just turned up with some sheets of ply and did a temporary fix until a proper replacement could be effected.

[cjeam]

On 13/04/2021 at 09:23, Alan de Enfield said:

 

bigger and stronger as restrictions are lifted 

I am currently peeved at the NT for supporting the A303 stonehenge tunnel plan, along with English Heritage, against UNESCO's opinion and a decent local campaign. There's extensive recordings of the debate at the NT AGM on the anti-tunnel website and it got somewhat heated, with the National Trust being accused of violating its principles and such. So I would not necessarily trust them to manage facilities as you would always wish. Though indeed they seem to do a pretty decent job with their existing portfolio. 

[restlessnomad]

On 11/04/2021 at 19:21, Murflynn said:

 

so you think it's appropriate that we should have to pay to watch CRT's propaganda that belittles the efforts and blood sweat and tears shed by so many forgotten amateur canal restorers?  

 

tonight's Countryfile has IMHO clearly established that the UK is now subjected to blatant fake news by the publicly-owned broadcasting company.    The Fox News of Britain.

every source has bias... bbc included

I would admit I am happy to pay the license fee but it should not be forced on people.

while we are on it, why is line of duty so popular...  they are all reading miranda rights to each other.... every 10 mins... such poor quality writing.

 

Edited April 14, 2021 by restlessnomad
double post

[starman]

On 11/04/2021 at 23:10, Tam & Di said:

 

 I too just watched on catch-up, but perhaps it was a different version as I certainly did hear said as Murflynn reported that the canals fell into disrepair after commercial use dried up, and only the intervention of CRT allowed the canals to be brought back from a state of dereliction, all achieved since 2012.

 

I did keep watching, but unfortunately Countryfile seems to be rather a non-programme and I can't imagine who it is aimed at. I was absolutely aghast at the section following the canal snippet which was about milk cows which apparently never saw the outside world or grass at any point in their lives.

 

I didn't have great expectations, but I did expect something with rather more thought behind it.

 

Tam

Just watched it on iPlayer and, like you, aghast at the news that the canals were in disrepair until CRT took them over and even more so about the poor cows who live in a cow factory being looked after by a woman with a voice like a banshee. And then a few minutes later the same programme saying how good our standards were compared with countries who we were about to sign trade deals with. 

[Chris Lowe]

Have we not yet learnt that the media is incapable of reporting anything canal related correctly.

[Murflynn]

8 hours ago, buccaneer66 said:

Have we not yet learnt that the media is incapable of reporting anything canal related correctly.

 

...............   corrected that for you     

[canalboat]

And another thing about Country File on the canals - Some years ago, it featured legging through a tunnel (Braunston I think it was) with Elle Harrison lying down with legs in the air and head in close contact with the head of a speechless waterways employee. I recall thinking that it would be all over this forum but it never got a mention. Perhaps one of the geniuses on here can find the clip and share it? What home is that employee residing in now?