All Aboard! The Canal Trip - BBC 4

[ChrisJBrady]

A two-hour, real-time canal boat journey down one of Britain's most historic waterways, the Kennet and Avon Canal, from Top Lock in Bath to the Dundas Aqueduct. Using an uninterrupted single shot, the film is a rich and absorbing antidote to the frenetic pace and white noise of modern life.

Taking in the images and sounds of the British countryside, underpinned by the natural soundscape of water lapping, surrounding birdsong and the noise of the chugging engine, this is a chance to spot wildlife and glimpse life on the towpath while being lulled by the comforting rhythm of a bygone era.

Along the journey, graphics and archive stills embedded into the passing landscape deliver salient facts about the canal and its social history.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05t7kc1

===

Best BBC t.v. prog. for years.

CJB

P,S. From overseas use something like Hola with Chrome to view as though you were in the UK.

 

[Laurie Booth]

Switched it off.

[Bobbybass]

Saw my 'late' boat.....Cleo No3

[zigspider]

Switched it off.

Why ?

Would really like to know.

Jerry

[mark99]

Why ?

Would really like to know.

Jerry

 

I caught 6 mins of it and turned it off too. Mundane. Previous night however, I watched the dawn chorus slow telly prog.

[the barnacle]

i told my lad there was a cracking film coming on - we lasted about 10 minutes (@;

[Mike Tee]

By 8:30 I'd fallen asleep twice so gave up - always said boating was the most relaxing holiday ever.

[Derek R.]

What one expects from a TV program on canals is usually a continuous narrative and dynamic shots of the past and present in a hare'm-scare'm race to fill 30 or 40 minutes. But for this, one has to switch off the impatient button, and just relax.

 

I skipped quite a bit, but did spot some interesting craft. A wooden motor with 'snakes' along the bow early on, a couple of GU butties, and CAPELLA was seen tied on the offside at 1hr 43m, and looking quite smart in two tone blue with the Bucklesbury address. The little wooden 'steam' launch appears near the beginning - and the end (going past, so it must have overtaken at some point I skipped), and I liked the black and white overlay of historic scenes - could have done with more of them. The ultimate joy was the final aerial shot rising above and showing in full glory the Dundas Aqueduct. Splendid change from non-stop innate prattle.

 

Book a couple of hours private time, and relax.

 

Edited to add:

 

This was a far more interesting interlude than the eight hours of program on Norwegian TV showing wood burning in a grate. No narrative, just cracking wood for eight hours non-stop. But some folk have flat screens set in fireplaces, so a theme can be used for a focal point in a room.

 

Takes all sorts.

 

I am told that someone in Ireland recorded eight hours of a waterfall with background birdsong. It's gone global, and many claim it has helped them sleep better, especially those with insomnia. Therapy - a much needed thing today!

Edited May 6, 2015 by Derek R.

[paulmeds]

Not having a boat yet I found it most informative,

I imagined myself on the boat and couldn't find a mooring spot for the first 45 mins. some interesting looking craft though.

Did I see a sunken wide beam?

[Pluto]

Back in 1993 I worked with a Bavarian Television crew on a tourist programme about the Leeds & Liverpool. They also took shots for a similar relaxing programme of just ten minutes, which was a regular feature on their channel. It seems BBC4 is 22 years behind the times when it comes to commissioning programmes.

[ChrisJBrady]

What amazed me is that many years ago a bunch of enthusiasts actually restored this canal after complete abandonment. What a monumental task. Now I realise why the Wilts & Berks and the Wey & Arun are taking so long to restore. CJB

[Laurence Hogg]

Boring, badly produced (if "produced" at all), incorrect graphics in places, badly researched and enough boredom to bring on falling asleep. What anyone could have learnt from this beggars belief. Even CRT could have produced a better programme!

How cheap can TV programmes get?

[Laurie Booth]

Why ?

Would really like to know.

Jerry

Dreadful cheap TV, boring etc...

[pete harrison]

I skipped quite a bit, but did spot some interesting craft. A wooden motor with 'snakes' along the bow early on, a couple of GU butties, and CAPELLA was seen tied on the offside at 1hr 43m, and looking quite smart in two tone blue with the Bucklesbury address.

I missed the first 45 minutes or so but the rest of the programme was on in the background whilst I messed about on the computer. For me I enjoyed it for the nostalgia as I lived in Bristol from 1985 to 2008 and spent some time on this length monitoring 'historic' narrow boats.

 

The wooden motor with 'snakes' on the fore end will have been F.M.C. Ltd. ASTER although I missed this bit. The first G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd. butty was KESTREL (TRIAGULUM), tied near a bridge singled out behind a modern unconverted motor. The second G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd. butty was the fully converted and motorised ASTON. CAPELLA frequently moves between Claverton and Bristol Floating Harbour. I also noticed a couple of former B.C.N. day boat conversions, one being CONSTANCE - originally converted in 1971 as KINGSTON

[David Schweizer]

I missed the first 45 minutes or so but the rest of the programme was on in the background whilst I messed about on the computer. For me I enjoyed it for the nostalgia as I lived in Bristol from 1985 to 2008 and spent some time on this length monitoring 'historic' narrow boats.

 

The wooden motor with 'snakes' on the fore end will have been F.M.C. Ltd. ASTER although I missed this bit. The first G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd. butty was KESTREL (TRIAGULUM), tied near a bridge singled out behind a modern unconverted motor. The second G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd. butty was the fully converted and motorised ASTON. CAPELLA frequently moves between Claverton and Bristol Floating Harbour. I also noticed a couple of former B.C.N. day boat conversions, one being CONSTANCE - originally converted in 1971 as KINGSTON

 

And did anyone else recognise Chris Pink emptying his toilet bucket into the canal as the filming boat passed. Not joking, it really was him, not Alf Roberts, or Dave Clinton.

Edited May 6, 2015 by David Schweizer

[Bobbybass]

Waaaaahhhh...I miss my boat even more now

[the barnacle]

Not having a boat yet I found it most informative,

I imagined myself on the boat and couldn't find a mooring spot for the first 45 mins. some interesting looking craft though.

Did I see a sunken wide beam?

 

I thought ther was a sunk boat - a light blue one? looked like a short wide beam.

[gazza]

Great TV, got me off to sleep a treat

 

Better than counting sheep!

[pete harrison]

 

And did anyone else recognise Chris Pink emptying his toilet bucket into the canal as the filming boat passed. Not joking, it really was him, not Alf Roberts, or Dave Clinton.

Yes, but I decided not to mention that

[Rose Narrowboats]

I missed the first 45 minutes or so but the rest of the programme was on in the background whilst I messed about on the computer. For me I enjoyed it for the nostalgia as I lived in Bristol from 1985 to 2008 and spent some time on this length monitoring 'historic' narrow boats.

 

The wooden motor with 'snakes' on the fore end will have been F.M.C. Ltd. ASTER although I missed this bit. The first G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd. butty was KESTREL (TRIAGULUM), tied near a bridge singled out behind a modern unconverted motor. The second G.U.C.C.Co. Ltd. butty was the fully converted and motorised ASTON. CAPELLA frequently moves between Claverton and Bristol Floating Harbour. I also noticed a couple of former B.C.N. day boat conversions, one being CONSTANCE - originally converted in 1971 as KINGSTON

I thought that was probably Aster (right windows and cabin proportions) but I've not seen her for years, so thank you for confirming.

 

My Mum still has the mental and physical scars from bringing "that" back to life after the Fieldings had her. Always fondly referred to as disASTER round these parts after some wag's efforts with a piece of chalk late one night!

 

Dad's a slow learner - he's still got a wooden boat

Edited May 7, 2015 by Rose Narrowboats

[Heartland]

There has been many comments on the Waterways History Group (R&CHS) regarding historical inaccuracy in modern TV documentaries. Could it be that there is a deliberate lack of care and the need for the cheap and cheerful as opposed to taking care to make an interesting and informative program. After all these programs are aired and re-aired with regularity over the many channels with programmers willing to pay for them, regardless of content. Perhaps the solution is for those who object to what is broadcast to have the means to lodge complaints. Fortunately the BBC has such a system in place and perhaps more should contact them with their positive or negative views.

 

Ray Shill

[Derek R.]

I have had cause to complain to the BBC about program content in the past, and can assure that the effect is similar to complaining to politicians about government spending.