Ian Nairn and canals from '70's on BBC IPlayer

[Erie Canal]

There is a show on BBC IPlayer with Ian Nairn travelling through the Pennines by Canal. Well worth a look

[Nightwatch]

Nope. Can't find it!

[nicknorman]

Nope. Can't find it!

Search for Nairn across Britain. 3 episodes, only one is about canals. Unfortunately it won't let you download it, you have to watch it live.

[Nightwatch]

I was searching Ian Nairn. Drop the Ian and he appears.

 

Thank you.

[Guest]

For those having any problems finding it it's here -

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p01rwfkm/Nairn_Across_Britain_TransPennine_Canal/

 

It was referred to in another thread a couple of days ago.

[Derek R.]

There seems to be a Nairn revival going on from what I read. He certainly had a poignant style, almost apologetic, but sharp and incisive.

An enjoyable 30 minutes. Cars, buildings, dereliction and decay amidst concrete, sadness but a little hope too.

 

Compare to today, particularly Leeds basin.

[Guest]

There seems to be a Nairn revival going on from what I read. He certainly had a poignant style, almost apologetic, but sharp and incisive.

An enjoyable 30 minutes. Cars, buildings, dereliction and decay amidst concrete, sadness but a little hope too.

 

Compare to today, particularly Leeds basin.

 

Interestingly much of what he said would be good to happen in Skipton and Leeds seems to have come to fruition, Skipton certainly 'faces' it's canal now as does that area of Leeds, at least in terms of how the buildings were constructed.

[Nightwatch]

Yes I found his style pleasing direct and informative.

 

I watched all three available 'episodes' last night. Enjoyable.

 

Martyn

[Pete & Helen]

Just watched all 3 as well, very interesting and as said above some of his hopes have come to fruition. Pity the canal program wasn't longer so more time could be taken at different places, only a few moments in Wigan which has a host of interesting canal sights

[KevMc]

There seems to be a Nairn revival going on from what I read. He certainly had a poignant style, almost apologetic, but sharp and incisive.

An enjoyable 30 minutes. Cars, buildings, dereliction and decay amidst concrete, sadness but a little hope too.

 

Compare to today, particularly Leeds basin.

 

Yes there is - I saw a documentary about him in the last week or so - he defintiely seemed a driven person with strong ideas - even if his delivery wasn't quite as polished as we see today.

 

It was interesting to see how scant the credits were at the end of the program compared to what we see today - I'd say there were 4 maybe 5 credits and no mention of the boatcrew who Nairn completely ignored while on camera - it would be interesting to know if they are still around and what he was like with them.

[Derek R.]

Precisely! I wonder if Pluto knows the faces? Like to know a bit about DUCHESS too.

 

I think others of his About Britain series begins with him leaving 14 Eccleston Square, climbing into his Morris Minor and setting off.

[johnthebridge]

Precisely! I wonder if Pluto knows the faces? Like to know a bit about DUCHESS too.

 

I think others of his About Britain series begins with him leaving 14 Eccleston Square, climbing into his Morris Minor and setting off.

Good watchable piece.

Anyone who drives a Minor convertible, dresses in "knackered foreign correspondent chic" and likes a good beer is alright with me. Nice straightforward, well considered and unglamorous delivery, unlike so many "presenters" today, who smile constantly and gurn at the camera, whilst talking to their audience as if they were pre-school children (Like the blasted weather forecasters!). Interesting character, ex RAF pilot, died of cirrhosis of the liver through alcoholism, and it seems a great many people thought him a good egg.

From the stern, and the cabin, the Duchess looks familiar, like a boat built at Norton Canes, but the fore-end seems unfamiliar. There weren't that many builders doing that sort of boat in 1972, when I think the programme was made, so who, apart from CTS, Braine and Graham Parker, was there?

[Janet S]

Thank you for posting that...absolutely fascinating.

 

I too would like to know more about the boat and the crew.

 

Very strange to see the town centres of Burnley and Skipton as I remember them from my teenage years!

 

Well worth watching!

 

Janet

[archie57]

The boat as I recall belonged to John Heap, a leading light in the NW IWA. He was a bank manager and owned Lyneal Wharf near Ellesmere

[Pluto]

Precisely! I wonder if Pluto knows the faces? Like to know a bit about DUCHESS too.

 

I think others of his About Britain series begins with him leaving 14 Eccleston Square, climbing into his Morris Minor and setting off.

The boat was, I think, John Heap's, as mentioned above. The programme certainly brought back memories, with the brief appearance of the coal traffic to Wigan Power Station, as well as the vandalism associated with the new buildings in Blackburn and Burnley town centres. A small group of us tried to get the old Canal Mill, opposite Eanam Wharf, added to the conservation area, to no avail. The planners thought they knew better, and there is a poor quality modern building there now, instead of an area of historic buildings. The problem with East Lancashire is that the local authorities are too small to retain good and enthusiastic staff, as well as the parochial nature of all the small towns along the route of the canal.

 

I didn't have anything to do with the programme, but had helped with 'Pluto' on one called 'Black Safari' around the same time after David Lowe's 'Wye' had an engine failure. It was a skit on safari programmes, with a group of Africans coming here to find the centre of England. This was me around then:

[Psycloud]

Thank you for posting this - watched all 3 and loved them!

[jam]

It is indeed correct that Duchess was John Heap's boat. I have distant memories of a sociable night on her at the National Rally of Boats, Birmingham in 1969. Not sure who the builder was though, but in 1969 the boat was not very old and by canal boat standards at the time was quite luxurious.