Looking for the name of a Canal Documentary

[WiggyDiggyPoo]

Hi There!

 

I'm looking for the name of a canal documentary, I'll describe it as best I can and if anyone can offer suggestions what it might be called that would be great.

 

I believe it covers one of the Lancs<>Yorks canals (Leeds/Liverpool, Rochdale or Huddersfield) and is about the restoration of the canal, in particular it covers the story of the first journey for several years along the then nearly abandoned canal with the aim of proving it is still a viable navigation to prevent closure. The journey was made by at times dragging the small boat (it wasn't a barge type as far as I remember) through parts that were too shallow but the journey was made and the closure prevented.

 

I'm sure it was about either the Rochdale or Huddersfield as AFAIK the Leeds/Liverpool canal has never been abandoned, I may also be only remembering a small portion of a larger documentary/series. It was made in the mid to late '00s I think, possibly BBC.

 

Ps Apoligies my first post is a question!

[john6767]

There is this perpetually on BBC iPlayer

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p01rwfkm

[WiggyDiggyPoo]

Thanks I'll put it on the watch list.

[jake_crew]

Would it be the Impossible Dream - the Huddersfield Narrow restoration completed in 2001?

 

Photos show Tom Rolt et al taking the Ailsa Craig along the canal ad through the Standedge tunnel in the late 40s IIRC.

 

Later photos and film show the restoration in progress through to completion.

 

I had a copy of the VHS video until recently but have some screen grabs from it.

[WiggyDiggyPoo]

10 minutes ago, jake_crew said:

Would it be the Impossible Dream - the Huddersfield Narrow restoration completed in 2001?

 

Photos show Tom Rolt et al taking the Ailsa Craig along the canal ad through the Standedge tunnel in the late 40s IIRC.

 

Later photos and film show the restoration in progress through to completion.

 

I had a copy of the VHS video until recently but have some screen grabs from it.

 

It could be, I'd need to watch it to be sure. It's been available on DVD and VHS so I may be able to track down a copy. This link says it was narrated by Timothy West which makes sense - I've watched quite a lot of him and Prunella Scales on their own 'Great Canal Journeys' series.

[Hudds Lad]

1 hour ago, WiggyDiggyPoo said:

It could be, I'd need to watch it to be sure. It's been available on DVD and VHS so I may be able to track down a copy. This link says it was narrated by Timothy West which makes sense - I've watched quite a lot of him and Prunella Scales on their own 'Great Canal Journeys' series.

 

There's a DVD edition on fleabay, £30 though   HERE

 

I'm too tight to pay that much or i'd have snapped it up  

[WiggyDiggyPoo]

7 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

 

There's a DVD edition on fleabay, £30 though   HERE

 

I'm too tight to pay that much or i'd have snapped it up  

Aye I spotted that, £30 is a lot and I'm trying to save not spend at the moment anyway....👍

[Chris Lowe]

i would have a look at @Tim Lewis web page on canal films Historic Canal Films

[WiggyDiggyPoo]

23 minutes ago, buccaneer66 said:

i would have a look at @Tim Lewis web page on canal films Historic Canal Films

 

Lovely thanks, lots of links there!

[Ray T]

Restoration of The Huddersfield Narrow was also covered on the BBC 4 film The Golden Age of English Canals.

[jake_crew]

I can confirm that the Impossible Dream about the HNC is narrated by Tim West.

[Ray T]

 

[WiggyDiggyPoo]

On 29/04/2022 at 15:02, Ray T said:

Restoration of The Huddersfield Narrow was also covered on the BBC 4 film The Golden Age of English Canals.

 

Thanks! This was exactly the film I was looking for.

[Ray T]

DVD on ebay:
The Golden Age of Canals DVD (2014) cert E Highly Rated eBay Seller Great Prices 5055298049564 | eBay

[Heartland]

The successful restoration of the Huddersfield Canal and Rochdale Canal came at the time of the Millenium (1999/2000) when there was important funding provided for the essential replacement infrastructure and diversions of specific sections. With funds provided from different directions the important engineering using skilled engineers helped support the restoration conducted by volunteers,

Any name might reflect this historic development. A question which must be raised is that which relates to the use of new engineering on the scale that led to the restoration of these two northern waterways and acted as a catalyst for other canal restorations.

 

Something along the lines of the Huddersfield Canal a pioneer waterway for canal restoration.