Timothy West/Prunella Scales - Channel 4

[Laurie Booth]

PS. Want to do the K&A now.

I wouldn't, I've heard that there are two old gummers with a film crew bashing boats about.

[b0atman]

pity that there is no way to see a longer length programme with the edited out bits put in .I thought they wher so lucky to find a mooring every where they went LoL

[RLWP]

pity that there is no way to see a longer length programme with the edited out bits put in .I thought they wher so lucky to find a mooring every where they went LoL

 

That would be completely confusing. What would you do with the snippets going up Caen Hill where the boat was exiting the bottom gates, or descending?

 

Richard

[billS]

Huh - the whole thing was a set up. I don't think it was even filmed on the K&A. Did you see how they just seemed to moor alongside the bank whenever they felt like it?

 

Everybody knows that it's not possible to moor on the western K&A. The entire stretch is wall to wall with anarchic, violent continuous moorers and casual mooring is completely impossible. Even if there is a space, the water is so shallow that you have to stop in the middle of the canal and use a very long plank to get off. Oh, and CRT would take at least 6 months to fix that gate.

 

Clearly a fix. the shots of them mooring must have been made on a completely different canal, and spliced into the film, or perhaps even computer generated in a studio - just like Gravity...

 

Come to think of it - that's probably what the google bike was doing on the towpath last year - providing background images for the CGI.

 

NBW will pick up on it shortly.

[Athy]

Does anyone remember Timothy in Big Breadwinner Hogg on TV back in the 70s?

Now you've evoked a memory! I have no recollection of the plot or setting but I do remember the title.

 

We could not watch the programme as it clashed with 'Silk', and the Great Controller Of Televisual Viewing (Mrs. Athy) didn't video it. Can it be seen on one of these "catch up" channels?

Edited March 11, 2014 by Athy

[raymondh]

hmm I think I can get More4 + 1 on freeview

 

 

Err........no

Great prog, realy enjoyed it and More4+1 is on "freesat " so we watched Silk as well

Ray

[Nightwatch]

Thought Pru was steadier on her feet than Tim.

 

They obviously love each other still, after all the years.

 

Also thought the C&RT chap on the lock side was very obliging waiting for Pru to crawl along the boat with the rope.

 

Also, the couple who's boat they visited were 'normal' and not at all scripted.

 

Martyn

[larryjc]

So how did he manage to dislodge the lock gate? Locking up and got the bow caught under the beam? Impatient and tried to ram the gates before the lock was completely full?

 

We were stuck at the top of the flight while they were stuck at the bottom (they edited that bit out as they were there for several days). The story is not quite what came over. The chap caught his bow in the lock gate - the Caen locks don't have a full width riser plate rather a series of strips. Apparently he panicked and went ahead instead of astern. However most people would have forgiven him had he not then motored out without a concern. A boat (I won't name him) who was waiting to go down and was now stuck asked him if was going to report it, was met with the answer 'why should I bother I'm on holiday'. He was seen by other boats who all reported that he and his wife all thought it a bit of laugh. He is also reported to have hit another swing bridge and another boat we met claimed he hit them as he moored up ahead of them. We and many others were stuck for a whole week and some had their complete holidays wrecked - including several Americans who couldn't get their boat back. Needless to say there were quite a few boaters who would have liked to express their appreciation had they had the chance! So one good thing was I at last got sight of the chap - he seemed to have a different attitude when the TV cameras were on him.

 

I thought the documentary was excellent and certainly captured the reasons we like the canals. That said I wouldn't have been quite so polite about that stretch of the K&A, which seems to me to be totally overcrowded with charter boats many of which seemed to full of drunk stag parties. We're currently in Caen Hill marina and have the flight to look forward to on our first day back. Really looking forward to the next films and getting a view of some of the places we want to go in coming years.

Edited March 11, 2014 by larryjc

[Chagall]

Now you've evoked a memory! I have no recollection of the plot or setting but I do remember the title.

 

We could not watch the programme as it clashed with 'Silk', and the Great Controller Of Televisual Viewing (Mrs. Athy) didn't video it. Can it be seen on one of these "catch up" channels?

More 4, 18:35 on Saturday 15th March ...from the other thread, credit to JW1955

[David Schweizer]

Huh - the whole thing was a set up. I don't think it was even filmed on the K&A. Did you see how they just seemed to moor alongside the bank whenever they felt like it?

 

Everybody knows that it's not possible to moor on the western K&A. The entire stretch is wall to wall with anarchic, violent continuous moorers and casual mooring is completely impossible. Even if there is a space, the water is so shallow that you have to stop in the middle of the canal and use a very long plank to get off. Oh, and CRT would take at least 6 months to fix that gate.

 

Clearly a fix. the shots of them mooring must have been made on a completely different canal, and spliced into the film, or perhaps even computer generated in a studio - just like Gravity...

 

Come to think of it - that's probably what the google bike was doing on the towpath last year - providing background images for the CGI.

 

NBW will pick up on it shortly.

 

You forgot your tongue in cheek smiley Bill.

 

I must admit that finding a mooring at each location was a bit of a fluke, especially in August and especially at Devizes Wharf, which is usually occupied by hire boats and a trip boat! You are correct in saying that there are a lot of moored boats in the Bath to Bradford on Avon stretch, something which I thought the programm more than adequately illustrated, but in fairness to CaRT (and BW before them) the Visitor moorings at Bradford on Avon are well monitored, and there are often spaces available, if you get there early enough.

Edited March 11, 2014 by David Schweizer

[Athy]

More 4, 18:35 on Saturday 15th March ...from the other thread, credit to JW1955

Thanks for info. We shall be away but we can video it to watch upon our return.

[john6767]

It is of course avalable now on 4OD if you want to watch it online http://www.channel4.com/programmes/great-canal-journeys/4od#3666244

[Guest]

It is of course avalable now on 4OD if you want to watch it online http://www.channel4.com/programmes/great-canal-journeys/4od#3666244

Thanks for this John for some reason I am struggling to find this on our Sky planner/catch up.

[Albion]

The program that they are showing later in this series that is on the Canal du Nivernais was filmed using a boat from the hire fleet that operate our port in France. The boat that they were going to use was titivated up well to look its best (no surprise there then). We were asked if by the port owners and the program researchers if we could hang around, help with boat shuffling for the program and IIRC appear but, unfortunately, had our return trip and channel crossing already booked so had to decline. That was last October by the way. On the title images to last night's program they showed Pru and Tim looking out from the top of a of cliff-like rocky outcrop over the Nivernais way below and that was at Les Roches du Saussois that we often pass, not far from where we moor our barge.

Roger

Edited March 11, 2014 by Albion

[Kwacker]

Thoroughly nice viewing, looking forward to the next one.

[Guest]

Good program.. and yes looking forward to the French one

[Pete & Helen]

 

We were stuck at the top of the flight while they were stuck at the bottom (they edited that bit out as they were there for several days). The story is not quite what came over. The chap caught his bow in the lock gate - the Caen locks don't have a full width riser plate rather a series of strips. Apparently he panicked and went ahead instead of astern. However most people would have forgiven him had he not then motored out without a concern. A boat (I won't name him) who was waiting to go down and was now stuck asked him if was going to report it, was met with the answer 'why should I bother I'm on holiday'. He was seen by other boats who all reported that he and his wife all thought it a bit of laugh. He is also reported to have hit another swing bridge and another boat we met claimed he hit them as he moored up ahead of them. We and many others were stuck for a whole week and some had their complete holidays wrecked - including several Americans who couldn't get their boat back. Needless to say there were quite a few boaters who would have liked to express their appreciation had they had the chance! So one good thing was I at last got sight of the chap - he seemed to have a different attitude when the TV cameras were on him.

 

I thought the documentary was excellent and certainly captured the reasons we like the canals. That said I wouldn't have been quite so polite about that stretch of the K&A, which seems to me to be totally overcrowded with charter boats many of which seemed to full of drunk stag parties. We're currently in Caen Hill marina and have the flight to look forward to on our first day back. Really looking forward to the next films and getting a view of some of the places we want to go in coming years.

 

Nice to get the inside story on how it really was. I guess they tried to make the whole incident look as "nice" as the could for the cameras. I did think that they made the program look as natural as possible in all other respects though.

Shame about Pru though. there were times when she looked with it, and times when she looked old and frail. Think the hairdresser perked her up.

[Water Rat.]

I wouldn't, I've heard that there are two old gummers with a film crew bashing boats about.

 

[jacko264]

Very good looking forward to the Llangollen program as we did this last year FANTASTIC

Graham

[ditchcrawler]

 

Nice to get the inside story on how it really was. I guess they tried to make the whole incident look as "nice" as the could for the cameras. I did think that they made the program look as natural as possible in all other respects though.

Shame about Pru though. there were times when she looked with it, and times when she looked old and frail. Think the hairdresser perked her up.

If I am still boating at their age I will be happy

[haggis]

Me too, Brian!

 

haggis

[Québec]

Just watched it on 4oD. I thought it was very well done - allowing for the usual TV editing liberties - and very honest and moving about Pru's early dementia. As others have written, I just hope we're as active when we're in our 80s!

[tree]

Loved it. Am looking forward to seeing the Llangollen, only 5 weeks to go.....yipeeee!

sits sulking as moi cannot go due to work

 

really interesting programme from all aspects, also looking forward to the rest of them

Edited March 11, 2014 by tree

[Martin Megson]

Caught it last night on 4od. One of the best canal programmes I've seen in a while. I'm planning g to do the K&A this summer and that has whet my appetite. I've done the Llangollen - the aqueduct is stunning. Looking forward to seeing their trip on the HNC as I would like to do that but hear it can be congested each side of the tunnel.

[Tiny]

It was a nice prog but the canal seemed so crowded. Not like when we were there. We wondered how many film people were around on the boat getting in the way of the experts and asking for retakes. (Just back up and do it again dear.) There was at least one person by the cups.

We also wondered how much they interfered with the old ducks normal operations. The forgotten tie up seemed to be for a tea break and not a normal thing. Pru soldiered on through everything in a slightly not with it haze of delight at being out boating.

Meanwhile I wonder how much Tim was showing his age by suffering fools grumpily and not having his humour improved by steering a too big, heavy boat he wasn't use to doing long hours rather than stopping as they must keep to a schedule. His comment of ideally having someone ahead on the flight to set the locks was maybe a hint that he felt the film people should arrange help for Pru. With spare bodies and the odd lurking lock helper I often make such a suggestion that the wife might need help. Replies are often interesting and cause certain suggestions to be made to said persons if they refuse.

Going back to the programme the film often showed them moored at lock and bridge moorings while leaving the boat to visit canal side things. What it didn't show is the reaction of others trying to moor to use the bridge and finding a hire boat moored where they wanted to get off the boat.

Maybe there should be an out-takes version brought out as part of a dvd of the series.