The location of the lock!

[Wumpty]

Hello all,

 

A few weeks ago I brought a video from a charity shop called The Bargee, This is a question for anyone who has seen it, do you know where it was filmed. Hears a brief description of the film for those of you that havnt seen it.

[Keeping Up]

It's a wonderful film, although its geographical accuracy leaves something to be desired.

 

"Leg of Mutton" lock is, I believe, Marsworth top.

[Chris J W]

And here CLICKY is a list of all the locations used. I really must get round to getting a copy of this.

[freedom]

Hello all,

 

A few weeks ago I brought a video from a charity shop called The Bargee, This is a question for anyone who has seen it, do you know where it was filmed. Hears a brief description of the film for those of you that havnt seen it.

 

Fantastic film! shame i can't seem to find it on DVD.

 

Anyone happen to know if it is available?

[Wumpty]

Try Amazon

[Hairy-Neil]

On a similar theme, a while ago I saw an old biographical film on the TV on the life of Douglas Bader. Think it was called Reach For The Sky?

 

In it Bader is shot down over occupied France and whilst evading capture is seen on a canal towpath along side what appears to be a Grand Union lock. It looked to me to be Cowley Lock, going by the bridge above having no towpath. Can anyone confirm this?

[Mac of Cygnet]

Hello all,

 

A few weeks ago I brought a video from a charity shop called The Bargee, This is a question for anyone who has seen it, do you know where it was filmed. Hears a brief description of the film for those of you that havnt seen it.

 

What a terrific cast list!! A roll call of many of our most loved British actors and actresses, past and present.

[3yc powered]

The Bargee is not available on DVD, we have tried to order it on a number of occasions.

 

Have seen it for sale once on ebay but it was a pirate copy

 

Funny film though!

 

There was also a film with Cliff Richard I believe where he lived on a Boat in Birmingham and commuted by Hovercraft!

[Hairy-Neil]

What a terrific cast list!! A roll call of many of our most loved British actors and actresses, past and present.

 

Agreed, it's a classic......

 

Just a shame they mocked the canals in the way they portray them. I've got some stamina, but a love session starting from Winkwell whilst poor Ronnie single handed a breasted pair to Stoke Hammond takes a bit of believing. No wonder the girl needed to bring her bike along.

[Keeping Up]

There was also a film with Cliff Richard I believe where he lived on a Boat in Birmingham and commuted by Hovercraft!

That was "Take me High". It's based round the ludicrous proposition that somebody could try and open a trendy Burger Bar overlooking the canal near Broad Street bridge. How unlikely is that?

 

Less likely is the fact that it was a narrowboat on the outside and at least 12 ft wqide inside!

 

Do hovercraft have to obey the 4mph limit? The film of him leaving the canal via the ramp on IIRC the Soho Loop.

 

We've got both on Video, I don't think either are available on DVD (except for the copy of each that I've made for my own use)

[johnthebridge]

The Bargee is not available on DVD, we have tried to order it on a number of occasions.

 

Have seen it for sale once on ebay but it was a pirate copy

 

Funny film though!

 

There was also a film with Cliff Richard I believe where he lived on a Boat in Birmingham and commuted by Hovercraft!

That film was called "Take me High", and it was responsible for me not going back to the movies for another 20 years.

[David Schweizer]

Fantastic film! shame i can't seem to find it on DVD.

 

Anyone happen to know if it is available?

I've got it on DVD, copied from the video provided by myself, by the Secretary of our Boat Club on his Gizmo machine. he also copied "Narrowboats" for me.

 

Smug, or what?

[WJM]

'The Bargee' starts in Brentford in the basin above the gauging locks. It makes its way up the Hanwell flight, the tea drinking scene is just approaching Norwood bottom lock after the Three Bridges. They then stop for orders at Bulls Bridge depot before making their way off up the Grand Union to parts of that canal I dont recognise so well!

 

Nearly forgot - the near collision with the cruiser twit is at the Slough Branch Junction (now Cowley Peachy Marina)

 

Brilliant movie if you are a canal anorak!

Edited December 17, 2008 by WJM

[mayalld]

That was "Take me High". It's based round the ludicrous proposition that somebody could try and open a trendy Burger Bar overlooking the canal near Broad Street bridge. How unlikely is that?

 

Less likely is the fact that it was a narrowboat on the outside and at least 12 ft wqide inside!

 

Do hovercraft have to obey the 4mph limit?

 

As I understand it, a hovercraft in flight is legally more akin to an aircraft than a boat.

[tripitaka]

'The Bargee' starts in Brentford in the basin above the gauging locks. It makes its way up the Hanwell flight, the tea drinking scene is just approaching Norwood bottom lock after the Three Bridges. They then stop for orders at Bulls Bridge depot before making their way off up the Grand Union to parts of that canal I dont recognise so well!

 

Nearly forgot - the near collision with the cruiser twit is at the Slough Branch Junction (now Cowley Peachy Marina)

 

Brilliant movie if you are a canal anorak!

Banstead, the boat shown in the film still has evidence of the cut outs in the hull where cameras were hung outside to film inside, if thsat makes sense. Banstead is moored in and around Hemel Hempstead so in and around a lot of the locations shown on hte film like the Roses Limejuice wharf which is now B&Q. If anybody is interested in looking the boat over I'm sure the new owners would be only to keen to show you around. Yes, we too have a parated copy on DVD. I can burn DVDs on board if anyone is interested. . . . . . . .

[alan_fincher]

As I understand it, a hovercraft in flight is legally more akin to an aircraft than a boat.

My understanding too.

 

I used many years ago to work on the Isle of Wight, and got there on the old SRN6 hovercraft betweem Southampton and Cowes.

 

It always amused me that it was in terms of surroundings very much like being on a bus, and the short round trip nature of it all also made it very bus-like.

 

But I believe the "captains" had to be fully qualified pilots, as you say.

 

They did need to be pretty on the ball - because of the speeds involved, such trips were often not without incident!

[Sir Nibble]

As I understand it, a hovercraft in flight is legally more akin to an aircraft than a boat.

So you could be done for low flying!

[Semitrad]

I worked on the hovercraft at Pegwell bay near Ramsgate for several years, all the "flight" crew were merchant seamen and had to have the relevant qualifications, the craft were regarded as ships by the board of trade.

[alan_fincher]

And here CLICKY is a list of all the locations used.

Not put together by someone with too much canal knowledge, I suspect - the Tring arm having apparently replaced the Wendover arm, for instance.

 

The Apsley buildings that Julian, (Idleness) has apparently identified as John Dickinson's definitely are. The film clearly shows one of the more imposing buildings there that was painted with camouflage in WW2, still shows it in the film, and the remains of which were still on the buildings by the time of their demolition.

 

I believe I have seen it reported that Harry H Corbett proved himself totally incapable of steering Banstead & Bellepheron. Certainly still in the film there is footage where they strike the edge firmly in a way that a working boatman would have been most unlikely to. Leaving Bull's Bridge, I think, but I could be wrong.

 

If anybody remembers the typical "Noddy Boater" from cruising clubs of the 196os and 1970s, then they will know exactly what the Eric Sykes character was parodying. I love that, particularly where he is being educated in boaters "folklore" by Corbett and Barker, and it is explained that Barker's father (I think) was a "canal prince", and had been ceremonially cremated by pushing out into the open cut on a burning barge, ("he made a lovely blaze!"....).

 

The storyline is politically incorrect crap, but the views of the working boats, (colour), are second to none.

[chris w]

The last scene in the film (by the bridge near Marsworth Top Lock) is such a contrast to today. As the camera pans out it shows low cut hedges either side and a deserted canal vista with no sign of people, boats or anything. Just a few telegraph poles. The same scene nowadays would show high hedges, lots of trees, both banks absolutely full of boats and lots of onlookers.

 

Incidentally, the house used in the film (again at Marsworth top lock) is still there and looks little changed, as is the pub, which is the "White Lion" at Marsworth. It's much tarted up now, but the bit where the father in the film staggers down the side of the pub back to the canal is much the same. The pub, in reality, is seven locks down the Marsworth flight from the house and not just along the path as in the film. The church that is seen in the background on a few shots is not Marsworth church but Ivinghoe Church (no spire).

 

Winkwell swing bridge and the pub next to it (The Three Horsehoes) still exist but is now electrically operated (the bridge, not the pub!!) and the Three Locks at Soulbury (Leighton Buzzard) look virtually identical nowadays as in the film. The pub there is also just as crappy nowadays IMHO..... some things never change.

 

Chris

[alan_fincher]

As they stagger back from the pub, they have hardly picked the best route, as they are seen crossing the top gates at Marsworth top, ("Leg 'O Mutton"), lock.

 

That really only leads to the dry dock, parallel to the lock, although arguably it is possible to walk the whole way up Marsworth locks on the non towpath side.

 

I can only agree about the Three Locks pub, having had bad enough experiences to now give it a miss. I have been told that it's a pub which is tenanted, but where the brewerey don't leave the same ones in situ for very long before moving them on. I don't know what the story really is, but it sure has been a crap pub on occasions.

[Hairy-Neil]

Incidentally, the house used in the film (again at Marsworth top lock) is still there and looks little changed......

 

Chris

 

Apart from the 'shit house' to the right from which the operations were directed during the stand off scene at the end of the film. I suspect it was a film prop as there is no sign today that it ever existed.

 

The White Lion is at Startops End rather than Marsworth.

[Chris J W]

I can only agree about the Three Locks pub, having had bad enough experiences to now give it a miss. I have been told that it's a pub which is tenanted, but where the brewerey don't leave the same ones in situ for very long before moving them on. I don't know what the story really is, but it sure has been a crap pub on occasions.

 

When I was there earlier this year it was bloody awful souless place, hence why I always refer to the area as Soulessbury. On the Saturday night I was the only person in there at 10pm, and had what tasted like a £1.99 frozen-pre-prepared roast lunch given to me for £5.99 on the Sunday. Awful place.

[alan_fincher]

It doesn't sound like attendance will be too promising if we try and arrange a banter at Three Locks pub, then !

 

(When I saw Neil referring to a s**t house in his post, I assumed he was on the same theme at first!).

[Hairy-Neil]

On a similar theme, a while ago I saw an old biographical film on the TV on the life of Douglas Bader. Think it was called Reach For The Sky?

 

In it Bader is shot down over occupied France and whilst evading capture is seen on a canal towpath along side what appears to be a Grand Union lock. It looked to me to be Cowley Lock, going by the bridge above having no towpath. Can anyone confirm this?

 

 

Nobody's seen this film then?