The location of the lock!

[alan_fincher]

Nobody's seen this film then?

I know the film, (assuming you mean the Kenneth Moore one), but it's years since I last saw it. I have no memory of a likely canal scene in it, but maybe it was made at Elstree or Pinewood, and somewhere like Cowley would be a possible place to go filming.

 

I do recall Denham Deep being used in an episode of "The Troubleshooters", ostensibly a continental location where a barge containing an important cargo was not being allowed through. As they used a BW tug as the so called barge, ("Ruislip", possibly?), it rather failed to give the impression it could be carrying much cargo!

[Chris J W]

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!).

 

I think the staff would faint if more than two people were in the bar at any one time ... so sounds like a good reason!

[Hairy-Neil]

I know the film, (assuming you mean the Kenneth Moore one), but it's years since I last saw it. I have no memory of a likely canal scene in it, but maybe it was made at Elstree or Pinewood, and somewhere like Cowley would be a possible place to go filming.

 

Yes, that's the one. Its the bit just before he hides up in the barn and then gives himself up when they start searching the hay with pitchforks.

 

I used to live in Slough and we would regularly recognise film locations, especially in things like Z Cars, The Professionals and the Carry On films. There was one of the latter where the 'team' were on a coach outing and they drove up and down the same length of th A412 several times in as many minutes. I guess you were not meant to notice what was going on outside the windows. I remember an episode of Z Cars was filmed along side the Slough arm at what is now called Marish Wharf.

Edited December 18, 2008 by Hairy-Neil

[alan_fincher]

Yes, that's the one. Its the bit just before he hides up in the barn and gives himself up when they start searching the hay with pitchforks.

Well Christmas is coming - there's a good chance it will be shown (yet) again! If I spot it's on, I'll try and take a look, (just as long as I don't have to watch it all).

 

I prefer "Battle of Britain", as Bovingdon air base was used as a base for many of the planes filmed, and quite a bit of the action took place over our school, with a a big orange painted Mitchell bomber used to film dog fights between the Brits and our German cousins. I'm not sure how much of the footage ever made it into the film, as no local landmarks can be spotted in any bit I ever saw.

[mykaskin]

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

 

We didn't get to do much boating at the southern end of the country, and so I didn't really know the area well. I knew the arm went further, but considering that the arm hasn't gone further than Tring for the last 100 years... In fact unless they restore it in the next 6 years back to Wendover (which I hope they do manage eventually) the branch will terminate at Little Tring longer than at Wendover! :-)

 

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.

 

Indeed, and even though I scouted around the area after being told I still didn't quite realise until recently just where the building was. In fact of the southern GU that was my most vivid memory when returning from the Brentford National, walking up to the lock with tall buildings (and a tall wall IIRC on the towpath side) - now look at it!

 

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.

 

I thought I read in a magazine (Waterways World?) about the filming, and thought that it said that Harry H caught on quickly?

 

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!"....).

 

One of the best bits of the whole film! Apart from the boats of course.

 

Cheers,

 

Mike

 

http://shoestring.zapto.org/ (Boat based web server!)

(Currently not playing ball - either thanks to some power work on the moorings, or BT's poor ADSL service)

[David Schweizer]

I thought I read in a magazine (Waterways World?) about the filming, and thought that it said that Harry H caught on quickly?

 

http://shoestring.zapto.org/ (Boat based web server!)

(Currently not playing ball - either thanks to some power work on the moorings, or BT's poor ADSL service)

 

I was around the GU in the 60's when "The Bargee" was filmed, and witnessed some of the filming done around Cowley Peachy. As far as I can remember it was Joe Safe who did most of the steering.

Edited December 19, 2008 by David Schweizer

[mykaskin]

I was around the GU in the 60's when "The Bargee" was filmed, and witnessed some of the filming done around Cowley Peachy. As far as I can remember it was Joe Safe who did most of the steering.

 

IIRC Joe moved the boats when they weren't filming, but sometimes Harry H had to steer the pair (with I suspect Joe hiding in the cabin ready to control the engine/gearbox when needed).

 

Mike (whos memory is never what it should be!)

[hughc]

Whilst rebuilding Banstead we were puzzled by the welded up cut-outs on the hull. It was IIRC Ron Hough, sometime steerer of Banstead, who suggested that they had been cut to allow the boat to be supported whilst being swung in the rotating frame at Bradley workshops in order to be rebottomed just prior to the filming. It would be interesting to know which is the true reason. Regards, HughC.

[Hairy-Neil]

IIRC, 'Barnet' also has similar welded up cut outs. Perhaps Lawrence can confirm? Don't know that it was ever in a film.....

[alan_fincher]

We didn't get to do much boating at the southern end of the country, and so I didn't really know the area well. I knew the arm went further, but considering that the arm hasn't gone further than Tring for the last 100 years... In fact unless they restore it in the next 6 years back to Wendover (which I hope they do manage eventually) the branch will terminate at Little Tring longer than at Wendover! :-)

OK fair enough - my comment was perhaps a bit harsh!

 

That said Tring and Little Tring are two distinctly different places, and few living in Tring itself would consider that the Wendover Arm ever went there, (although it's closer to Tring than Tring railway staion is!).

 

The canal still does terminate (in water) at Wendover - there is just the issue of that dry stretch that lies between the two "wet" bits!