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Subject: British Waterways - canals & stuff From: Steve Parkes Date: 17 Jun 99 - 03:58 AM There have been a few mentions and questions about British canals lately. Have a look at this website if your're interested. Steve I moved this message here from another thread on the same topic. The Feb 3003 thread begins in the next message. I also added (UK) to the thread title to differentiate if from the many threads on US canals. |
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Subject: Canal songs From: Roger the Skiffler Date: 10 Feb 03 - 03:39 AM I know several 'Catters are interested in these, not only those of us who come from the Venice of the Midlands ( why don't Italians call Venice the Birmingham of Italy?). While at the Skiffle Madness session I picked up a flyer from skifflers DPN+1 for a CD of theirs called The Unknown Boatman. (£6.50 inc P&P from Dave Illingworth tel: 0208 540 2919 for details .) Looks interesting. RtS (Push Boys, Push) |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: Dave Bryant Date: 10 Feb 03 - 04:51 AM Roger, since you come from Brum, do you have the words of the BCN song "There's miles and miles of poly round the blades" ? It goes to the tune of "She'll be coming round the mountain and describes all the sorts of objects that get wrapped round the propeller on a trip on the Birmingham Canals. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: Steve Parkes Date: 10 Feb 03 - 05:26 AM Did you know that BCNers have 23 different words for water? And 41 for things that get wrapped round the prop. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: Dave Bryant Date: 10 Feb 03 - 06:25 AM The usual word used just before you unclamp the weed hatch is F***K ! "There's an 8 mill porno movie round the blades and we'll have to watch it quick before it fades..." |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: AggieD Date: 10 Feb 03 - 06:35 AM The best one is getting a dead body round the prop, as happened to a fellow boater in Farmer's Bridge Locks 2 years ago. We were stuck overnight in the lock pound between locks 2 & 3 because the police reckoned someone had partaken of one too many pints of cider & slipped into the cavernous depths underneath the PO Tower. Guess what we have renamed Farmer's Bridge Locks now? Close second is someone's cratch cover round the prop. You can't cut that off so easily! |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: Steve Parkes Date: 10 Feb 03 - 06:52 AM But, Dave: any old-time boatman can cuss for two minutes without hesitation, repetition or deviation! AggieD: there was a tv series not so long back which featured the anual around-the-BCN-in-48-hours race. One of the boats took a wrong turn up a dead end and found their prop wash was disturbing some very toxic mud. It was full of nasty stuff that had been dumped there from nearby factories, and it didn't legally count as dangerous and so couldn't be cleaned up) so long as no-one disturbed the mud; but when a boat did, it was grounded until everything had settled down! Steve (BCN Society, 1976-7) |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: Dave Bryant Date: 10 Feb 03 - 07:18 AM I once picked up a heavy duty poly bag near West Drayton on the South GU. It was very dark and cold that night and as I cut the bag away, in the light of the torch, I saw pink flesh with white bone sticking out. I investigated further and found that it was the remains of a pig's carcass, but it gave me one hell of a scare. Another incident - again in the dark, reminded me of the scene in "Twenty Thousand Leagues under the Sea" where they fought the giant squid. The "tentacle" that reared up in the weed hatch turned out to be a piece of slimy 4" polythene tubing - there was about 4m of it - it was very useful for all sorts of jobs once I cleaned it up ! |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: GUEST,T-boy Date: 10 Feb 03 - 07:58 AM I think the 'poly round the blade' song was written by The Admiral. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: Roger the Skiffler Date: 10 Feb 03 - 08:24 AM I don't think I've got those words, Dave, I'll have a look at the Halliard/Black Country 3 stuff I've got and report back! RtS (and, referring to another thread: Poor Old Horse) |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: Dave Bryant Date: 10 Feb 03 - 08:36 AM I don't think that Tony did write the song, but he might know it. Dave Blagrove sings it, but he said that he didn't write it. I'll try and weedle the words out of him if no-one on the cat can supply them. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: The Admiral Date: 10 Feb 03 - 08:55 AM Thanks for the compliment T-boy but I got the words from the singing of David Blagrove and for years I thought that he had written it and always credited it to him but I have heard a rumour recently that it wasn't written by him (Dave B I think it might have been you who told me). All the same, a cracking song that I've had a load of fun out of over the years! As for weedbox diving, the BCN is a much cleaner place than it was, you still have problems but I can remember one year on the Birmingham Level not being able to travel more than 100 yards without another nip down the inspection hatch. They don't tell you about these things when you're looking through the glossy brochures! But just to slip in a quick Breezy type shameless plug, we have Dave Illingworth at Maidenhead FC on March 6th! |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs From: Dave Bryant Date: 10 Feb 03 - 10:25 AM Tony, if you've got the words, could you post them - I'm sure there's quite a few catters who'd find them amusing. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: GUEST Date: 10 Feb 03 - 12:18 PM 36 Miles away from the sea is about the building of the Manchester Ship Canal, and is a Chris While/Julie mathews song. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Jeanie Date: 10 Feb 03 - 03:30 PM Came across these today (whilst looking for something totally different !) for sale on the Folk in Education website: Cassette 6.95 (GB Pounds) 'English Canals' - Traditional songs about the building of the canals (John Kirkpatrick, Sue Harris, Jon Raven) Cassette 6.50 'Watching the Boats Go By ' - The waterways reflected in song for children. - jeanie |
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Subject: Lyr Add: TELFORD'S BRIDGE (John Warner) From: Charley Noble Date: 10 Feb 03 - 04:06 PM A truly splendid newer canal song was composed by Australia's John Warner who paid a visit to Thomas Telford's great iron canal bridge which arches some 120 feet over the River Dee. He and Margaret Walters do a great job of singing it on their CD WHO WAS THERE © 1997 Feathers & Wedge, available from Margaret at P.O.Box 615, Glebe NSW, 2037 Australia. ^^ TELFORD'S BRIDGE (John Warner © 1994) Her age might be forty, though wrinkles tell lies, And long years of labour are drawn in her eyes; She puffs her old pipe, leaning outboard to see Where Telford's great bridge spans the vale of the Dee. Her husband's asleep in his close, narrow bed, After fifteen hard hours, he could scarce raise his head; It's seventy feet from the helm to the bow; She leans on the tiller; it's her turn right now. Chorus: So butter some bread, Sally, brew us some tea, For it's cold on old Tolfred's Bridge over the Dee. It's a fine narrow boat that she handles with skill On the Shropshire Canal as it weaves through the hills, With coal for Llangollen or roof slates for Chirk, Three children to manage and long hours of work; Her Sally's below brewing tea hot and strong, If she's owt like her ma, she'll be courting e'er long; Aye, then there'd be childer before you could know, And small enough room in the cuddy below. She's painted the buckets with rich love and care, Wild roses and castles run riotous there, But there's no time for fantasy, dreams and such stuff, For the cut's narrowed down to the Bridge's lean trough. The aqueduct's channel is seven feet wide, With a stout iron rail on the broad towpath side; On the off-side there's nothing, no shelter at all; She steers from the hatchway, three feet from the fall; The Dee's foaming waters roar distant below; The wind up the valley will bluster and blow, And six year old Ted sits up high on the horse, But she's seen it before and she steers a straight course. (CHO) Captain, the Clydesdale, bows his noble mane, And plods proudly on through the fierce scuds of rain; The towline curves upward, wind-snatched to the lee, And ninty-five tons rides over the Dee; The stean engine's coming, or so she's been told, But she'd not trade old Captain for all the Queen's gold, And here's Tom a-waking,; he'll soon want his tea, Where Telford's great bridge spans the vale of the Dee. (CHO) Enjoy, Charley Noble PM me for Margaret's e-mail address |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Roger the Skiffler Date: 11 Feb 03 - 03:10 AM No luck on the words to the "poly/prop" song, Dave, the records I've got are all of "traditional" songs except the Dudley Canal Tunnel Song. RtS |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: AggieD Date: 11 Feb 03 - 06:02 AM Steve: I remember reading about that problem with the toxic mud. Same old thing: the cut is still looked on as a great dumping place for everyone's rubbish. The EA didn't like having to stump up for it's recent pollution of our 'home' stretch - the Leics GU - after discharging raw sewage - yummy! Jeanie: Thanks for the link, very interesting tapes hey have on that site Aggie |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: ced2 Date: 11 Feb 03 - 06:23 AM Is anyone aware of the half written song to the honour of Delesseps Bronte written when he was undertaking the building of the Bodkin 42 rise locks as part of the scheme to join up the Leeds & Liverpool to the Rochdale Narrow canal. The scheme envisaged leaving the L&L near Keighley, going up the Worth Valley and over the top to reach the R N near Summit(just outside Littleborough). |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: GUEST,Santa Date: 11 Feb 03 - 09:59 AM What about "When Manchester's a Seaport Town"? I know there has been a thread about Leeds ditto, but neither seems to be picked up in the search, and as the Manchester Ship Canal came before the link to Leeds, the song probably moved eastwards after composition. Any accurate information on this? |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Lady Nancy Date: 11 Feb 03 - 03:19 PM Nothing to do with canal songs, but I am currently running a coal yard alongside the Leeds/Liverpol canal which has been in existence for 116 years, initially on the south side. Whilst clearing out 116 years of dross and old papers we came across a wonderful joural/ledger from 1896 when the barges delivered the fuel via the canal and continued past my yard to Skipton, where lime was collected. A by-product of the yard I now run was the lime, which was burned in lime-kilns still visible in the canal banking, which was dropped off for treatment and then distributed to the farmers for their land. Narrow-boat and bargee family names appear in this journal, with detailed costings of the coal and lime, number of days the journeys took can then easily be worked out. And it took some time to do the round trip! Lime barges were still dropping their cargo here in 1941! Unfortuneately, from 1941 until 1962 there is a gap in the old paperwork in the office, as 1942 was when the yard moved to its present side of the canal. At the moment it is not quite sure what will become of these old papers; the family has yet to decide. Ideas being tossed around are our local museum (which is one to be proud of!), one of the Waterways museums, or a local history group. I wish someone had kept details of the songs and music.... Shame! |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Charley Noble Date: 11 Feb 03 - 04:58 PM Maybe I'll ask a "Joe Clone" to delete John Warner's song posted above. It doesn't seem to provoke any interest. Charley Noble |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: GUEST Date: 12 Feb 03 - 07:02 PM There's Robin Laing's song about the "Union Canal" which runs from Edinburgh to link up with the Forth and Clyde canal around about Falkirk / Grangemouth, words supplied if requested. There's also another song Robin sings about a boat race on the Union Canal that has some lyrics which can easily go wrong ie involving punts and punting which I cannot trace ...... the chorus starts "The starter fired his gun to start the rollicking fun The was pushing and grunting poling and punting ?....... |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: GUEST,Dagenham Doc Date: 13 Feb 03 - 02:30 AM Captain of the waterways.. now there's a 'grand ' canal song?? Doc. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: WHEN THE CHESTNUTS BLOOM IN FLOWER From: Dave Bryant Date: 13 Feb 03 - 06:10 AM One of my favourite canal songs is about the only serious one that Dave Blagrove has written "WHEN THE CHESTNUTS BLOOM IN FLOWER". ^^ It's five in the morn, an hour before dawn, And the frost it liming the bank. I'm down in the engine 'ole dipping the sump, And pumping the fuel to the tank. Then it's swing on the handle, compression taps drop, And let her run up to full power. It's just the same way on a morning in May When the chestnuts bloom in flower. When the chestnuts bloom in flower, When the chestnuts bloom in flower, It's just the same way on a morning in May When the chestnuts bloom in flower. It's a cold winters night, I run by the light, Of Waddington's headlamp the moon. My for-end is breaking a thin skim of ice, And I reckon she'll thicken up soon. The going is slow, there's two miles to go, And the boozer there shuts in an hour. But it's just......... A wet Autumn day, we've been hours on the the way, And I'm feeling knobbed-off with me mates. we're towing the butty uphill through the locks, With a hundred foot line round the gates. Me overcoat's soaked, the brasses are dull, And the motor's aground on a slough. But it's just......... A fine day in July, when the bright swallows fly, And the dragon-flies flit in the reeds. But I'm laid on the counter, poking the blades, Coz the bloody things blocked up with weeds. Then the cut starts to boil, as the thunder-rain drops, Lets hope that it's only a shower. But it's just......... I've probably slightly changed Dave's original words since I first learnt it - right after Dave sang it in public for the first time at "Bridge 61" Foxton Locks. I've accompanied him on guitar on many occasions since that first time. I should have the tune at home, I'll try and post it if anyone's interested. BTW - Does anyone know how things are going at Foxton. The last time I was up there (with the Admiral and his lady and I think, Leadfingers), the plans to knock down the old buiding and replace it with a new Beefeater-style gin palace were all going ahead. Tony Matts was always keen on a session im the old place - does anyone know what the score is now ? |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Tam the bam fraeSaltcoatsScotland Date: 13 Feb 03 - 10:46 AM I am still looking for the words to a song by the Spinners called 'The roving navvy' can anyone help me please. |
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Subject: Lyr Add: THE NAVVY BOYS From: GUEST Date: 13 Feb 03 - 02:28 PM Busbitter - Here they are: (from this site http://ingeb.org/songs/itsfirst.html) ^^ THE NAVVY BOYS
It's first when I set out on tramp
With my laddy fal de de,
When I became a navvy
On Monday morn when we go out
When the rain it does come on we are
When we meet a bad landlady,
When we meet a bonny lass
Come all you roving navvys (1) sub-contractors, 2)leave without paying. People who are unemployed, are those that wish to work, whereas beggars have a trade of a kind, which is sometimes envied by those in conventional occupations because of what they fancy to be its untrammelled nature. This is why itinerant tradesmen were often envied, especially since they were thought to take advantage of their travels for amorous adventures. Among other mobile workers of the nineteenth century were the navvies, who prided themselves on their prowess both at work and at play. Chords: D G D A D G DA D |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Mr Red Date: 13 Feb 03 - 05:02 PM plug Saul Boat Gathering and folk "do" @ Saul Junction July 4-6 2003 e-mail + www.junctionevents.org.uk/ Shameless plug - if you can't remember the URL it's on cresby.com I once wrote a canal song - never sung it in public - the right moment never seemed to come along. It was about Caggy Smith who still used a horse in the early 70's and apparently replaced it when that one died. Horse drawn allowed full length butties and only one pass through the locks. Anyone have any info on Caggy Smith who was based on the Warley side of West Brom. I'm thinking Great Bridge for some reason. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Roger the Skiffler Date: 14 Feb 03 - 09:59 AM The Admiral was too modest to direct you to THESE photos of Maidenhead Folk Club visiting the Midlands by narrow boat. RtS |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Ross Campbell Date: 13 Jan 08 - 11:46 PM The Guardian carried an article on Saturday 12th January, 2008, indicating that the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (Telford's Bridge in John Warner's great song above) is to be assessed for possible designation as a World Heritage Site. The item hasn't appeared on Guardian Online yet, but I did find this which has a couple of great aerial photographs and refers to other sites with more info:- GrannyButtons Ron Baxter of Fleetwood worked on a set of canal songs with Nick Dow some years ago. I'll try to find out more about them for possible inclusion here. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Skipper Jack Date: 14 Jan 08 - 07:01 AM I wrote a song for the Swansea Canal Preservation Society. It is simply called "The Swansea Canal" The canal runs from the Swansea Valley down to the North Dock. The song relates the history of the canal from the early days before the railways took over. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: LeTenebreux Date: 14 Jan 08 - 09:39 AM If canal songs on your side are anything like the ones over here, they're by real seamen, making fun of the wimpy canal-folk. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Ross Campbell Date: 14 Jan 08 - 10:48 AM Here's the Guardian link:- World heritage hope for canal aqueduct Ross |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Ian Hendrie Date: 14 Jan 08 - 05:13 PM Plea to SkipperJack (and any others with canal songs). Your song 'The Swansea Canal' would be a welcome addition both to Mudcat and my web-site of canal songs (http://www.waterwaysongs.co.uk/). |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Les in Chorlton Date: 14 Jan 08 - 05:20 PM Ian Wood from Frodsham Folk Club had a great collection of canal songs, does he still sing? |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Ian Hendrie Date: 14 Jan 08 - 05:26 PM I have only two of Ian Woods' songs (in a total, so far, of 88) on my web-site. If anyone knows any others or the whereabouts of Ian Woods I would appreciate the info'. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Susanne (skw) Date: 15 Jan 08 - 04:05 PM I hope they'll make it! I've been across Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, and to me it's one of the most spectacular experiences I've ever had. To clarify: I'm not a canal person at all, just took this one narrowboat trip over ten years ago, and loved it. Wish I could do it again some day. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: GUEST,PMB Date: 16 Jan 08 - 03:34 AM Pontycyclist will remain just as spectacular whether they call it a World Heritage Site or not. I missed out on my chance of fame by chickening out of steering across it in a raging thunderstorm. I could have been The Man Who Was Struck By Lightning While 120 Feet Up In A Narrowboat! |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: GUEST,Barnacle (at work) Date: 16 Jan 08 - 04:42 AM Tynesider Benny Graham sings lots of canal songs and produced an album with Geoff Dennison of such songs. He gave me the words to "Punters", the Robin Laing song. I sing this. He also sings the one where lots of things get wound round the prop. Try "googling" Benny. He is always extremely helpful. Sue |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Folkiedave Date: 16 Jan 08 - 05:07 AM Done the trip across - in a 45 foot springer. Awesome. Looking over the side where the towpath isn't is quite frightening. Dave |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Mr Happy Date: 16 Jan 08 - 08:01 AM PMB, Shame on you! Last year, me & the fiends were invited by Mudcatter White Dove + fiend to visit them at their overwintering moorings on the Llangollen canal near the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. Two of our fiends are blind, but nevertheless, when we were taken for a cruise down the cut & we all took turns steering, our visually deficient chum manoeuvred the vessel along the aqueduct session with minimal guidance from the owner. P'raps if you have to do it again, try it eyes closed! |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Ross Campbell Date: 16 Jan 08 - 08:55 AM I couldn't get Ian Hendrie's link above to work. This one seems to:- Ian Hendrie's Canal Song Menu Going back to read through it properly now! Ross |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Mr Happy Date: 16 Jan 08 - 09:01 AM http://czteryrefy.szanty.pl/ian/eian_woods.html |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: GUEST,PMB Date: 16 Jan 08 - 09:06 AM Kamerad Froehlich: I didn't chicken out because it was HIGH. It was the lightning that put me off. We moored up and had lunch, then crossed on the underside, just to show off. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: GUEST,Graham Bradshaw Date: 16 Jan 08 - 11:43 AM The Benny Graham/Jeff Dennison CD - They're coming back to the water - is still available. See here |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Mr Happy Date: 16 Jan 08 - 11:58 AM ..........the underside.........hmmmn, then you'd've noticed the elaborate overwrought ironwork holding up the structure. It was cast by imported labour from the Scottish Iron Founders, Cunningham, distant relations of my fiend Cindy's ex. I've heard of hang gliding, but in a narrow boat?? |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Ian Hendrie Date: 16 Jan 08 - 12:36 PM Unfortunately Jeff Dennison passed away a few years ago. An obituary can be found here. Benny Graham continues to present "They're Coming Back to the Water" with fellow north-easterner, the very talented, Bob Fox. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Ian Hendrie Date: 16 Jan 08 - 01:40 PM Earlier in this thread, albeit 5 years ago, the words to 'The Navvy Boys' were given as a response to a request for a song the Spinners sung called 'The Roving Navvy'. These two are not the same song but has anyone come across this song 'The Navvy Boys' before. At first sight the line about 'Paddy's Green Shamrock Shore' suggests something to do with the song of the same name but this is quite different. Apart from the lyrics of this song appearing on a German web-site internet searches have revealed nothing. Can anyone throw any light on this? |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Snuffy Date: 16 Jan 08 - 07:49 PM I've done Pontcysyllte by narrowboat, but the first time I crossed it was with a 2-man canoe. As it was January, the canal was frozen over, so we had to carry it on our shoulders as we teetered along the icy towpath, between a 100ft drop and a trough of icy water. You may think that was scary, but the Sergeant was much scarier, so we just got on with it. And lived to tell the tale. Many, many times. |
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Subject: RE: Canal songs (UK) From: Mr Happy Date: 28 Jan 08 - 12:04 PM ..........here ye go! http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=RtWNpV7wBkQ |
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