The Canal Invention you DO NOT want to use.
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 19 พ.ย. 2022
- Quick note: We had no clue that we would meet some lovely people along the route at Pewsham, so this video should have been about 3 mins shorter. We didn't want to take the title and intro out though to fot the last bit so hopefully you'll still enjoy it!
Welcome to our first walk along the Wilts and Berks Abandoned Canal. This week we take a walk along the western section between Lacock and Pewsham, restored by the amazing volunteers. Huge thanks to Basil for his time on the day.
You can visit the Wilts and Berks trust here: www.wbct.org.uk/
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That overflow was certainly impressive, and thank you for going "off script" to include Basil and his wonderful enthusiasm.
Glad you ran into Basil, what a gem he is. Very interesting video this week. The horse shoe overflow looks like a work of art in itself.
No, it's a work of engineering.
Artistic engineering.
@@gordanmilne7034 no such thing. If it's beautiful, it's through form following function, not art.
@@mgutkowski Codswallop.
@@gordanmilne7034 go look up the definition of art and tell me how it applies.
The overspill was a very clever design. Very often older engineering solutions just work. They are designed to be simple and effective. Some research I did in the past revealed something very similar local to me. It was a "cut" delivering water to power machinery. If the water got too high it fed into a pipe. The pipe took the water over a large bucket and the weight of the water acted on a lever to open a sluice. The bucket had several holes so when the pipe stopped flowing the bucket would drain and the counterweight closed the sluice. Today engineers make things way too complicated. 🙂
Engineering should only be as complex as is absolutely necessary.
Simplicity is the hallmark of good design, not complexity.
What things do engineers make too complicated today? I certainly appreciate this old engineering, but such appreciation doesn't require the denigration of the skill of modern engineers.
@@Milamberinx Patent-right and legally mandated industry standards arising from lobbying by commercial interests makes a financial virtue of complexity.
Occams Razer : The simplest explanation/solution is usually right
Fascinating to see the canal beong rebuilt and thank heavens for enthusiasm volunteers! Lovely to see you both. Thank you as allways .
* being *
@@ThatCoalSoul
* boooonnnnngggg *
We in the USA do not have the appreciation of the canal system built in Great Britain hundreds of years ago and the civil engineering involved. Today this would be a great way to see the country and learn about a lot of history at the same time.
You have the Erie canal & thats bigger then uk canals!.
Basil was a gem in his own right!
Great episode
David basil what gent and dont get better them that ever
Thank you so much basil for what you and others do ,from a gratefull noverner
Basil is a legend and still kicking at 85! What a rock star!
Thank you, P+R it actually made me think that as a retired person a volunteer job might be just what I need. I love the little slices of what it takes to put our history back together
If you have the means, time and physical ability, I heartily suggest volunteering. Imagine the satisfaction and even the fellowship to be had from sharing your particular life-skills for a cause!
I’m exhausted after doing my bit, but it encourages me to exercise in between to stay ready for the next session. Win win!
This country would fall apart without volunteers the majority of whom get little recognition or seek it.
I spent some time between jobs volunteering for the Cotswolds Wardens - they are active in restoring and clearing footpaths in the area. It was hard work, but when I'm out and about nowadays I remember working on things and always appreciate the work the volunteers do.
Go for it, Bryan!
Obviously, you're going to have to video and upload your work.
See my separate post: it's not all sweetness & light...
Interesting to see this being rebuilt. This area was my stamping ground as a child and teenager. I remember my dad telling me about the old canal and looked at where it crossed the road between Pewsham and Derry Hill. The Lysley Arms, just up the road, famous for a murder in the 60s. Also when I went to Swindon there were far more signs of the canal although they may now have gone because of Swindon redevelopment in the 1970s. This section of canal was important and was the reason why Swindon became the central engineering works at Swindon. It meant that they could get bulk raw materials to Swindon relatively easily and cheaply.
It’s really great to see our heritage being restored back to it’s former glory, so that we can show our grandchildren how we used to live! Thanks for sharing another great video with us Paul and Rebecca 👍🏼👍🏼 look forward to seeing next week’s video!
I want to be as fit and healthy as Basil at 85! There's the benefit of looking after your health right there. What an amazing guy he is. Brilliant video Paul but I would have thought the circular overflow you were looking at wasn't the horseshoe one you were after! It did become obvious though. Other TH-camrs might have edited that out so thanks for leaving it in.
Your vids are top drawer miles better than the plurile crap on tv keep up the good work👍👍👍
Basil's knowledge is amazing. People like him should always be listened to and respected. Great episode!
Ahh, a rare moment when the TH-cam algo' recognises one of my more eclectic tastes in channels.
Fascinating project, and delightfully presented. All that reclaimed brickwork is beautiful. Instant subscription 🙂
Welcome. Now get binging on the other 250 videos!! 😊
That gentleman has this well in hand. What an awesome guy. Love it.
Wow - what a great episode. That volunteer was one of the most interesting and inspiring people you have ever featured. I had no idea that the Wilts & Berks was so actively being restored. Back in the day when I was a member of IWA and WRG (circa 1977 - 1992) the focus was all on the Kennett & Avon, and the view on the Wilts & Berks was that it was effectively B.E.R (beyond ecconomic repair) to use an old engineering phrase. So it is fantastic to realise that whilst I have been busy quietly getting older, the whole restoration bandwagon has marched on so very effectively. Really positive news - more like this please!
Totally ran into this channel by accident, but I love old industrial engineering, trains and canals both! Bumping into Basil couldn't have been a more fortuitous happening, lots of lovely info, and a look at how they do the repair. Splendid!
I'm in the USA and it's different to hear you talk about the King. I knew you had a King but I'm just so accustomed to hearing about the Queen my entire life that it was almost shocking to hear citizens refer to having a King. It's probably become normal over there since the Queen passed but I had to pause and remember that their has been a change.
It's still very odd to hear it, but believe me the royal family aren't talked about by people as much as the media like to. They have no bearing on our lives at all really.
As a Dutchie i cannot comment on limey feelings, but i’m still not used to having a king after more then 100 years of queens & he’s been that since 2013!
Koningsdag(kingsday) simply doesn’t sound as good as Koninginnedag(queensday).
I’m a republican(NOT the yankee kind tyvm!) anyway so my feelings on this subject get ignored by the general public...
Liefs leafs(^.^)
Impressed to see restoration happening, it's always good to see a canal reopening. Thanks.
Can I just say what an excellent production this is. Interesting subject with good interviewing and editing and nicely balanced sound. Keep up the good work!
Stuff like this, the off path things most people will never even know about, is always so interesting to learn about. The amount of time, resources, and knowledge put into things like this without much recognition is crazy! I hope it can be fully repaired to it’s full potential soon!
The joy you all get from talking about the canals is contagious! Now I have to watch more about them!
That old boy certainly knows his stuff!
My local walk! Been watching the restoration for years. It used to be a real challenge to get to Lacock without sinking into the mud of the canal! Still intrigued how they're going to cross the A4 at Pewsham 🤔. Lovely video as always.
nice one,basil sure knows his stuff
Fascinating. I was not aware of that type overflow. And great input from your impromptu interviewee as well.
Brilliant! My locks!
I was born and bred in Chippenham and for a while lived close to Pewsham locks. When I found the locks in the 80s it was massively overgrown. The towpath was impenetrable and although you could get to Top Lock, you had to scramble through branches, trees and brambles to get to the start of the Middle Lock. That was as far as it was possible to get.
Top Lock was relatively well preserved, although almost hidden in trees, but I read somewhere that Middle and Bottom locks were part destroyed by army demolition practice during WW2. Trouble is, they were far too overgrown to get near enough to check it out.
There was a branch from Pewsham to Chippenham and while bits remain today (if you know where to look) most is now gone. Back in the 70s there was a lot still to see and I still have some (poor quality) B&W photos of bits of it. My first ever attempt at taking photos!
Now I live “Up North” it’s not so easy to get back to visit, but I need to!
Kudos to Basil and the volunteers!
Enjoyed it immensely, in part thanks to Basil, who looks much younger than 85. Thanks, all three of you.
Interesting video and enjoyed Basil’s knowledge which clearly demonstrated just how hand to mouth in cash terms many of these vital volunteer organisations are.
I love this! An enthusiast with a lot of knowledge about canals hands over to an older enthusiast with even more!
I reckon Basil's an amazing piece of history in his own right! Top geezer!
I live near the canal, and is a overflow, one of many. Impressive engineering.
Your canal videos are always fascinating, especially when we see some restoration work going on. You have to take your hat off to the volunteers who do such important and valuable work with such limited funding.
A nice tours and explanations. Thank you for the tour today. Enjoy the week ahead. Cheers mates! 😊❤
Basil is amazing for his age a gaffer who gets things done never mind his age remarkable fellow well played talking to him
Indeed, had I had to guess, I would have said he was in his mid-seventies. Hopefully I'll still be as fit on my feet and in my head at his age.
Fascinating - thanks for sharing. Lovely engineering, I was lucky enough to work on the railways with some wonderful engineers. We should be more proud of our country and its achievements, it's helped civilise and feed the world ✌️👍😊
Basil, is a similar age, to my spritely, father, still active, so much knowledge 👍😊
Liked and subscribed. When I watched this I teared up a bit because it reminded me of the things me and my wife used to do together. Good stuff.
Welcome to the channel Sir. I hope we can continue to bring you a little joy and maybe some memories
Well done, guys. I applaud the way you did this. Unexpected real time encounters are definitely worth it. Kudos to the restorees too.
Grew up in Lacock (a bit, then moved to Corsham...), know the area well. Lovely to see it again, it's been a while 😊
Fascinating. The waste weirs I've seen at our canal in Maryland are likewise adjacent to streams or other culverts under the canal. The beauty of the engineering and construction of these early canals, even of things that will never be seen, amazes me. Our National Park Service restores the structures as they were originally built so dry laid masonry for the lock structures.
Thank you Paul & Rebecca for taking me along on your walk. Also a big thanks to Basil and his team for volunteering and sharing their knowledge.
Thanks to the cost of living crisis; When you referred to the pound (The basin between the locks) the first thing I thought of was _„How many of those buy a loaf of bread now?“_ ⛵💷🤣
Many thanks for the great video, and especially for showing off the Horseshoe Overspill! It's great to see the canal network being restored and made navigable again, especially as dwindling resources mean these will probably be bought into use again for carrying heavier, bulkier freights in the near future! 😇
Gave me the feeling of Smarter Every Day the way you prompted the knowledge from that amazing man! Learning from those who dedicated their life to a passion is truly something special.
I used to take that route to walk between Chippenham and lackham college, always wondered what they where doing with all that equipment, they been working on that for quite some time will have to visit again when its finished.
I knew that many canals had been left to rot, but I hadn't heard before that anyone was working on restoring any. That's great--it's a bit of history that shouldn't be left as ruins, I think. Where I live, historic constructions keep getting destroyed, and it seems about like no one cares.
Love the overspills. They remind me of the water sculpture they have at the lock in Newbury.
HT I was thinking exactly that. I have never been there when it was working.
Great spot, I went down there last year, met the guys working on it and had a great chat. I've got some great photos from there too. Yes, that's camilas house with the elephants.
What a real nice genuine person that Basil is. And at 85 he looks well. I do hope you go back again soon and see how he is getting on.
Great video, I'm going to subscribe 😁👍
Lovely video. Basil is a treat.
He was wasn't he!
These British canals are so tiny, it doesn't look as if two boats could even pass each other... I am used to living by the Welland Ship Canal in Ontario Canada, which is from 200 to 500 feet wide at the surface, it's locks are used by ships up to 80 feet wide and 730 feet long
I am fascinated by you canals, that fact there are so many and you are restoring them!
That is amazing work!
I live in Ottawa Canada, home of the Rideau Canal, we didn't have any where near the building of canals .
Enjoying your channel!
Cheers!
Another excellent and interesting video.
Basil looks amazing for 85!
Boop!!
Great video!! Big thanks to Basil for explaining the restauration.
Good luck from Spain!!
I live quite close to the rebuilt section of the canal at Royal Wootton Bassett. This section is fed by springs that come out of the hill the town is built on. At one end they have rebuilt a lock, but also have overflows for the springs to carry on it's natural path.
When you come back try to have a look at the aqueduct over the River Marden at Stanley, which collapsed in 1906 and was the cause of the closure of the Wilts & Berks Canal to all traffic and resulted in it being finally abandoned. The short branch to Calne starts nearby.
The canal network is still one of the most useful things constructed in England. Amazing that people can even live on the extensive network that's still operating
Most enjoyable as always. Very enthusiastic. Thank you.
That was excellent, thanks folks. Question is though, if the horseshoe trough was the 2nd structure what was the first?
"Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?" - It's just up ahead... good video, thank you. I love learning this sort of thing.
So great to see these volunteers rebuilding history -- and the flow of public and private funds.
I hope I'm as active as Basil when I'm 85. Very interesting video.
Likewise!!
SO glad to see this video here. I found ithe Cana in Aug 220 and then joined. I sent your Hereford and Gloucester canal reference and link to wilts and Berks soon after and encouraged them to get in touch with you. Wether they did, had already I don't know but delighted to you are now progressing it to hopefully the Thames. I have following you for a year, with my guy, you seem to exactly like the things we like in the way and humour we do.
You were lucky to stumble upon this wonderful gentleman.
Absolutely
Nice to see you back on a Canal. There is something about old canals, they seem to have an atmosphere all of their own. Must put the Wilts and Berks on my explore list as it's not too far away and looks fascinating. I thought Basil was great. Would be great to be like him at that age. Great vid.
Basil certainly added flavour to this composition.
Congratulations to Paul remembering that there is a current King and even who his spouse is! And also congratulations to another incredibly interesting and yet also relaxing video that makes me forget about time for a while!
I love that you left-in the footage of the incorrect overflow. hahaha
Gotta be honest!!
In spite of my being to understand you well enough I watch your channel with subtitles enabled as the software that provides the text of your speech often has an interesting way of interpreting you. Some amusing things occur from time to time. I am an old Canadian fellow who loved to walk back when I could, but now I let youtubers take me on their walks. Cheers from Canada. ~ulrich
I've been on that walk, or at least part of it. I'm looking at that big wooden wall and thinking "That looks like the Parker Bowles' property." Seems I was right. 🤔
Lovely episode
I love Rebecca’s face pulling in the background!
hello again Paul and Rebecca , another good very interesting video , hello basil , really well done and thank you 😊
Like so many of these marvelous engineered devices you show us, the horseshoe-overflow is a work of art-
Basil has to be the most coherent and understandable old Brit I've ever seen.
Love the idea of canal restoration. Thanks.
Great video, it's actually quite and elegant structure for something they didn't want to build 😉. It's always good when you bump into a volunteer, they usually have so much knowledge.
Thank you P+R, & also to Basil! 🙏🙏
Love the double entendres Rebecca getting her leg over😍
Cheers for you both and Mr Basil.
Interesting video, randomly got here and found something I will enjoy watching more of!
Welcome
Great vid. I am American. Love all kinds of engineering, construction, and history. Thank you.
85 years old? I would never have guessed, imagine what he's seen change over the years
Another wonderful video. Basil rocks!
Fascinating video. Thank you for sharing
“Just ahead a bit”is the walking equivalent of the classic driving “are we there yet”
Wonderful explanation from Basil.
If you are ever up at Capernwray there is a good spillway from the Lancs canal down to the river Keer by the Keer Aqueduct - a drop of 40 foot - there is also the packhorse bridge over the river nearby
I am so glad that our canals and locks are being refurbished and renavigated again.
I'm pretty lucky, where I live in Lancashire, we've got some amazing canals here. Leeds Liverpool being the main one.
I've always been fascinated by canals. I grew up in Lincolnshire, and the local canal was the Grantham - Nottingham canal.
So pleased I've lived in St Helens, Lancashire (Merseyside) where the Sankey Brook Navigation later known as the St Helens Canal was the first canal opened in 1757, way before the Bridgwater canal.
Nice to see the restoration
I go past this canal often in the Swindon area. Good to see it being restored in parts.
The Algorithm certainly picks some odd but interesting videos at times.
I always feel a bit sad when I see a disused/abandoned industrial transport system, like a canal or a railroad. So much effort and work to make them, variable use gained from them, and then forgotten by most. So nice to see that some English care to preserve history.
It takes a special sort of person to commit to a job that you will never see completed. Respect to all involved. I've always thought the the canal system should be extended nationwide as originally intended. That would be a massive shot in the arm for the leisure industry, the local and national economy as well as providing a means to move water from one end of the country to the other in a national grid during droughts, thus ending the water companies illegal local monopolies.
Always a pleasre to see you Paul & the lovely Rebecca
Another great video and nice to see some canal restoration. It would be great if you could include more sections of this canal. Look forward to seeing you both next week.
Great vid I'm fascinated by canals. Horseshoe sluce is great design/architecture.
Great vid guys thanx and all our love from the snowy City of Hamburg Germany.
What a great random meeting - in his 80s and he gets about better than me jeez. Great video P&R thank you
Just found your channel and am very much enjoying it. Thank you.
Give me more Basil! What a dude! :) Fascinating stuff, and all these structures are surprisingly beautiful. Gorgeous nuggets of history, thanks guys.
Was epic wasn't he