วีดีโอ

Really interesting video. I used to play on the canal towpath (and sometimes in it) next to the old Frederick Road power station. We would get to it through Peel Park. That was in the mid Sixties.

Just after you go under the green bridge before water street on the right there in the building used to be a steam engine I used to play on it as a child back in the seventies

Isn't there someone trying to restore parts of this old canal? Does anyone know how far they've got, assuming they're still trying. And I once discovered a serious breach in the side wall of another part of this old canal near radcliffe which apparently happened in the 1930's and had never been fixed since but just left as it was and it was at a point where the canal ran at high level above a valley and the water had escaped through the breach and someone has since built a brick dam across the canal further along the route to contain water in the remaining section between radcliffe and bury which is now a nature reserve.

I live in Belgium, Fred is not well known here, but I admire him as a passionate story teller and a true craftsman, industrial historian and I tell about him to anyone who wants to hear it. As Fred, I admire the victorians who, not just in England, but all over Europe at that time, worked very hard in the Industrial Revolution to evolve to the welfare we have now. It was not build by academics sitting behind a computer, but hard working folk who paid a high toll, offered their lives as working slaves for very little wages, in the most appalling conditions, but with pride in their work and actually over do their craftsmanship to a work of art. And that's the story Fred told the world, from the workman perspective, the lost pride of these men and in a lot of ways he really lived that live. A man who unfortunately died to young, and loved by so many…

I lived on Redvales estate as a child, the girder bridge going across the river Irwell we called the monkey bridge used to walk past Foochow paint works better known as McPhersons paints to get to it, I worked there for a while, we used to go fishing on the canal near the Farmers Arms and in Elton reservoir, this would be in the early late 60's, happy days, now just a fading memory

I knew it well as a kid. Went to school off Regent rd / Oldfield rd . Played all aroun there.👏

Fantastic areas I knew well as a kid.👏👍

Thanks for putting this online for people to hear. 👍

www.youtube.com/@TheElectrikChairs for the official youtube channel.

Like it 👍

Yes I am related

That’s me singing

😎

I never thought I would see a video about this canal, on TH-cam. Great stuff. I still have some slides of the locks at Nob End in 1984.

Such a shame how the canals were abandoned. 😕

very cool. can you tell me, if Radcliffe wharf play a part in ww2 in any way? thanks. was it just mills for coal and textiles like iv read thanks

awesome, thanks for the radcliffe wharf history.. was it just mills and nothing else?

Superb. As always.

Off Oldfield road Salford there is a street called Upper Wharf Street. Looking at some old maps and at one time there was a wharf for docking barges it has been filled in and now built over and the canal I think the canal where it was joined to was the Bury canal.

I want this game.

I lived at warth as a child.the reservoir and the the farmers arm was our playground.i loved having picnics by dolly brook

John, it’s Ian here again. I tried the old landline number I have for you ********44. Is this still correct. Just left you a message on it! Enjoyed listening to this again. Reminds me of some happy happy times.

Growing up in Scholes St. and starting at Bury Grammar School in 1957, the canal and coal delivery by barge to Crompton's Paper Mill this was very much "in my own back-yard". Many fond memories!

I find this interesting i take my dogs at the back of our house near Radcliffe Road Bolton you can see old ruins of buildings and canal would love to see any photos of what it used to look like.

Could you make a vlog, walking the canal 🙏🇦🇺👍

History. Thank you.

I really like this song.

Brilliant track, love it!

One of the beauties of this record of our history is that it records the accent of the commentator also. These are fast disappearing. Is it Steven and is it very local? Every town seems to have its own throughout Lancashire. Amazing and beautiful. Thanks Lads.

Thanks John and Steven You both stoked my interest to explore Bolton and it industrial and canal heritage. After seeing local displays in the museum I was delighted to explore the area between old Freds House and Aquaduct. Really enjoyed it. Great Videos and commentary 👌

Thank you.

John, it’s Ian here. Tracking you down old mate. How’s tricks?

Durty old town, durty old town.

Amazing Steve..I have explored the Clifton aqueduct an viaduct..cheers

Caught my first fish ( a perch) from the locks at Nob End ( stop laughing at the back) many years ago now. Lovely vid

Dont gob off to the public about fall outs otherwise interesting

Thank you for this vid. Very fond memories of fishing with my Dad on the canal. 50s . Loverly , Lovely Memory to treasure.👏

Pure gold🐒🐻🤗👍

Fred was gone one year three months later,treasured interview time with a legend ,such a loss ,such a character such a brave climber no height scared him wonder if he finds looking down from heaven a pleasant view😮hope your in heaven, Fred had ten ladders, and you have enough ladders there Fred! generally a person has one ladder for general use😮amazing interview cock!

Cheers for this John

Best man ever no one like him 👍

Really engaging presentation. Excellent stuff. So heartfelt. Thank you.

Trying to find nice areas for mountain biking around rochdale and bury. Their aren't many :(

The most inspiring bloke ever

This is fantastic.

Thx u for this fantastic interview 10 ❤

The music is wonderful.

Twenty seven years and two divorces, the price of steam engines. Thank you for sharing this. I would have loved to have met Fred, we have a lot in common, and being the same age, we would have shared similar experiences growing up, him on one side of the Pennines, me on the other in Leeds. Greetings from Tasmania Australia-former Leeds Pom, born 1938 fascinating life in medical science, but wider interests in so many things of the past. Made many diverse items over the years, first model when I got a lathe was a Stuart Turnere Vertical 10 steam enging and boiler. Took me a year to machine, still have it. Special interest in building big telescopes in the UK and Tasmania. Southern Cross Observatory 42 South.

You would never get bored listening to Fred he learned the hard way he was the salt of the earth very knowledgeable and very wise I would call him a grafter I would have liked to met him may he RIP Dr Fred