This footage will be watched long after we're all gone. It's a great record of our times and you were right to concentrate on this kind of content. Think you might eventually break your view count record with this one.

"Tea is always useful" - I think that will be my quote for the rest of the month

I love that the Trust is keeping these old boats working and that people come out to volunteer as crew. Not only do they help keep the old knowledge alive, the act of running these boats pays homage to those that came before, honouring those who made a life on the canals feeding the factories that made England the greatest industrial nation of the age.

Engine next to the loo at least means it is warm when you have to drop the trousers 🙂

Brilliant David … sat next to those boats many an afternoon waiting for Rick Cooper ( when he remembered ) to transfer coal from his van into my transit van last winter. Has you know Rick was back chugging again after suffering a shoulder injury, the last time I personally saw him was at Mancetter and it was to be my last supply from him. So sad, but like the people in this video, people like Rick are essential to those of us living on the canals. Things I love about Canal life, these boats, our great heritage and burning dry wood and coal, on cold nights and in winter!

Well done, David. I love that people are keeping the old traditions alive. Gloria 🐂

The "kerthump-kerthump of a low-revving lump" is quintessential CTC. Along with the all-world content and quality of this channel, there is the very important aspect of documenting a unique way of life, and done with such aplomb as to astound even the most discerning viewer. David, you do a great service to the narrowboating community as well as your viewers. Well done sir, and much appreciated. You are inimitable. Cheers!

This is great to see that there is people teaching volunteers and others how to handle the old vintage boats. In this way, the skills of yesteryear or yester-century will never be lost. It’s also great that in this manner, you’re raising awareness of the boats, and what they do, and make people aware that there is a way of learning the skills if they are so interested and inclined. Fascinating video, looking forward to your future content Ben from Australia 🇦🇺

Thanks David. Wonderful that there are people who give their time and energy to the preservation of our national heritage.

Always nice to listen to David's soothing presentations. Thank you for another history lesson ❤

Outstanding work by the trust! As an American I'm fascinated by the canals and the fact that ya'll have preserved them.

"Tea is always useful." Best quote I've heard in ages.😂

Lovely to see the old working boats actually working.

Couldn't do it myself but it's good they are keeping these old boats going!! 🤷🤘

I've been stuck in America for 45 years but just the sound of the Lister marine engine got me back to ten years of boating and doing restoration at Claverton, taking a 60 ft boat across Kildwick Moor in a thunderstorm, interrupting a fishing competition in Leeds, etc. This was a treat, and I'm lucky I found it. Thank you. Juliet Miller (former secretary of the Narrow Boat Trust around 1975)

Your content is the best on youtube. Thank you David❤

THIS is your BEST historical explanation of classic canal boat usage.

David is like a modern day Jack Hargreaves, without the pipe! Nicely done David.

I'm Irish, so I'm totally all for a coal fire. You can't beat a good old open fire with coal or peat, especially on a cold wintry night. No lights, just the glow and flickering of the fire. It's a pity people are so sensitive nowadays that you had to say that. Anyway, loved the video..I'm still watching it! I think it's cool you can take part. I wonder would they accept an Irish lass. Thanks again for the video...I'll keep quiet and keep watching the rest 😊

We have to keep the old ways going. Thanks David👍🇦🇺🙏

Another gem of a video , David. THank you so much for producing these, very enjoyable!

Great history, I do admire the volunteers who work all over the canals

Wonderful report. I sometimes think these videos are better than when you were living aboard. So much interest and information and history of the canals. Thank you for sharing. Have a great day and stay safe.🙂🙂

Hello David. That was a memory from the 70’s. my friend and I had just started up a Scout Group in South |||Wales. We didn’t yet have tents or camping gear. We decided to hire two boats on the Brecon Monmouth canal. A couple of months before we went it was cancelled, the bank of the canal had given way. We found an ad in the Scouting magazine for canal hire on the Grand Union canal. We drove up to Braunston with two other leaders and their wives along with my brother and his mate. We had two boats, Ant & Axe, two 70ft boats with a cabin in the leading boat with a boatman and his lady and 12 scouts, the leaders and party had the butty boat, the one leader who brought his wife and kids had the boatman’s cabin. The boat was not vey comfortable. It had 12 beds in bunk formation, a chemical elsan, a sink and a 4 burner cooking range, table and chairs. The roof of our barges were blue glass binre pieces, every other one was placed on the next so the boatman or his lady, Sandy, could run from one end to the other at the lock when the barges would tie up abreast. I asked my mate why the kids take to their bunks when we tied up abreast. My friend told me the kids realised that Sandy was Commando, she didn’t wear underwear. Overall it was a great trip. I had taken two canoes and we used them very often.

Another absolutely cracking video! What a particularly lovely bunch of volunteers, especially good time to be reminded of the essential kindness and decency of many people when the 'bigger' picture might not look quite so rosy.

I was struck today by the pacing of your videos. They are perfect to allow us to concentrate on your commentary whilst soaking up the quality visuals. Thank you so much for this body of work.

If I lived in England, and was near those boats. I'd volunteer! Such an interesting way of life.

Hi. I've been a longtime fan. Finally connected. This episode was wonderful. My husband and I have a 1949 built sailboat, 40 foot sloop with a Tiny Tot coal stove for heat. We buy pea coal at our local steam train. We live in the US near the Essex Steam train station, so it's a great place to buy real coal. Funny, we live near Essex, which all of our town names came from you guys! We have the original Volvo Penta engine, and a battery, with oil lamps in the saloon, alcohol stove. Not fancy but wonderful. Thanks for such great videos on the water. I love it. Would love to rent a narrowboat-- on my bucket list!

As a child I remember bulk loaded narrow boats on the Leeds-Liverpool canal with coal, or grain or heavy non-perishable goods. Many of them were still horse drawn until after WW2 to save fuel. The contrast between the cargo and the bright floral paintwork on everything down to the kettles and pans was a source of wonder to us as children.

We saw them on their return journey just above marston doles on the Oxford. Was such a sight😍 being only 21 my dream would be to own an old working boat one day

Awesome that living history is still going strong 😊😊😊😊

After 30 or so years I have finally found out what my Uncle Barry gets up to on the infamous "Coal Run" - what a great film - thank you!

As always a joy to hear your voice.

that's some history we can see today, cheers Skipper

Your videos are so informative. You share things that most of us will never see or experience. Thank you for sharing your stories and videos.👍

Wonderful tribute to these historical boats. Thank you, David! 😎🥰😎🥰😎💕💕💕

thanks for watching ? Thanks for uploading - what a history come alive there; great stuff; bravo from Belgium

Enjoyed this one being it gave some of the history of the canals as well as the working boats that were so critical in the past years. Being I am from the colonies I was never exposed to the canals or the boats that used them.

one of the best video on this channel!

Charlotte Fleming's hat is AMAZING!!!

"Tea is always useful." Thank you for this video! Greetings from northern germany 😃

Fantastic to see this tradition still in operation - long may it continue.

Ahh, the glorious sound of the Lister. Very interesting video. Glad to see such traditions being kept alive. 👏👏 Thank you for sharing. 👍😀

Thanks for sharing that fascinating trip with us here on the other side of the world. Many of our ancestors worked on the canals or relied on this transport system as part of their everyday life before immigrating to New Zealand. My great grandfather, who was a stone mason, used to tell us as children how he helped unload the barges and what back braking work it was. They certainly earned their living in those days.

Many homes here in Central Pennsylvania still heat with raw coal ore. Granted, it is locally mined, really clean burning, hard anthracite coal, so quite possibly equal to or better than those UK briquettes.

Before I watch I just have to let you know, your original video on the coal boats was the first I'd ever seen your channel and I've been watching ever since! The thumbnail reminded me of it immediately. So happy DownieLive went to the UK to go narrow boating so you'd pop up with the YT algorithm

whilst hard work, it is certainly nice to do it at a slower pace than modern day. Wonderful to maintain the history and traditions of old. Thanks for the great content. Cheers.

Another excellent, and informative video David. I use the same 'coal' in my greenhouse fire. Toast and toasted sandwiches are extra special done on an open fire. If they fall in and get a bit charred, so much the better 😄😄😄.

Great to see the tradition continued hoping the can get volunteers

Thank you David, you seem to find the best parts of the canal life and everything else that goes hand in hand with it , well done .

Coal or wood fires are lovely. Very comforting in the winter.

Another great video David. Thanks so much. I love that these volunteers are keeping our history alive. Wonderful stuff.

Ah the life a narrowboat! Thank you for sharing this peaceful and interesting video!

History and tradition.. Such a fine combination.

Hello from Detroit Michigan USA Great video Brother thank you for taking us on your adventures on the cut

Well done! I hope the Trust has more volunteers after this video. What a wonderful opportunity!

Nice one David! You'd think that, after seven years living on a narrowboat, I'd get bored with more - but this was fascinating!

The strum at the beginning of the videos always make me smile.

Here's me hoping this one gets the same amount of views as Coalfinger!

Love your channel, it's like wee mini-documentaries good work Sir, ATB

Thank you very much David. This reminds of the brilliant piece of reporting that is Coalfinger.

Bloody brill David. Superb production and so interesting on what could have been a dull subject….you certainly have a skill…more please

PS, great vlog (as always)... Luv ya work...

I love that they are keeping bits of unique history alive like this!

Could listen to that Lister all day ❤️

Superb vid David! Thanks

Thank you David.. Yet another glimpse into the past, on how coal and commodities were delivered. All though not in plastic bags back then. Great to see the Trust volunteers keeping the tradition going, and yes it's always great to see the old working boats still floating about on the cut. Great work all.. 😊

In Derby in the 1960's I grew up lighting our coal fireplace every morning. I'd be around six years old. We got a gas fireplace replacement in the early 1970''s.

Thanks for the shot of the duck!

Been watching your videos for awhile now. I hope people appreciate the mass of volunteers it takes to keep the canals running. My hat is off to all of them ! :) Please keep up the good work David.

Thanks David, very interesting. I remember watching these boats on the GUC in the 1950's.

Being a history buff and Living in upstate NY next to the Erie Canal my whole life all of your videos really peak my interest David but these mini documentaries if you will take my interest to another level! The Erie Canal was inspired by the UK canal and river trust waterways and built back at the height of its use in the 1800s and most likely constructed by the same immigrants and their ancestors that worked on the British canals at one time or another. Fantastic video! Renting a narrow boat to explore the waterways in the UK is most definitely at the top of my bucketlist and I am planning on checking it off very soon!

Wow, that's pretty badass crew taking on such an effort. Grand effort.

Not watched yet, saving for tomorrow be a nice treat with a cup of tea, just had to comment that I wouldn’t expect you to use an Atomic Kitten reference. I don’t hate it though.

Ooo this looks amazing! Definitely something we would love to do one day 😍 great to know they welcome volunteers! absolutely love the history of the working boats.

This reminds me a bit of "Coal Finger", the first narrow boat video I ever saw.

Awesome video

Sir, another fine telling of a great little adventure. Very much enjoy your continued coverage of the cut. 😃 ♫

Once again: thank you, David, for sharing an interesting video on an interesting topic. Yes, I remember you picturing a present-day coal (and more) vendor. Yes, I agree that this aspect of life is worth preserving. After all, it constitutes a parallel to the many heritage railways (though this is older): start counting those to fall asleep... Of course, the procedures and the vocabulary should be included in that preservation - just like those of the railways. Comparing waterways and railways, the Narrowboat Trust could eventually expand back in history and demonstrate horse-drawn transport. But that will require an additional army of volunteers and money. So this pair of narrowboats loaded at Braunston. Long tunnel! Wasn't that a tunnel without a towpath, where the boats used to be "walked" through? (If so, that would be proof of the impression your videos make.) That "walking" would have to be revived in that expansion, too. - Volunteers? This might be presented as part of a team-building course, to be booked by businesses and organisations... £££

Completely irrelevant, but I love Charlotte's hat 😀 Another great video.

Another great vlog, strangely familiar & nostalgic without experiencing such. I think it's the connection with simpler times. I remember your "Coalfinger" vlog from a few years... one of my favourites

Lovley boats these would love a little one myself one day once the kids have gone 😂a man can dream eh....

They love there job's. Good video and thanks

Thanks for the video David. A real working history lesson.

Love that vlog, what a delight to watch and learn about our heritage on the canal and those continuing to upkeep it!🤗

Loved this video. Thank you!!!

Very good video as always excellent interview

The dedication of the volunteers is impressive.

Nice David

Fabulous vibe, and very informative. Cheers David. 🎃

That was very enjoyable. Thanks very much.

As usual another very informative video! Keep it up!

I must say that I still enjoy watching your show; even though you are not living on the canal anymore. I can feel the disconnect. Perhaps at some point you will have the best of both worlds; a home base and a narrowboat to cruise. I see the adverts creeping in during your vids too... Cheers!

Interesting and quality as always

Thanks David, this is great to know about. I've done volunteer vacations with other organizations and enjoy that, and I want to cross the pond and do a trip on the canals. This looks like it could be an opportunity where I could combine both things.

Very cool!

Lovely story, well told.

What a glorious vlog David, showing us how these beautiful work horses of boats are still being used in the style for which they were built. Like many, we sailed past these two earlier this year at Alvecote and admired them close up so it was a treat to see them featured here in work mode. Thankyou as always for wonderful vlogs. X

Very interesting to watch, thank you David.

Thanks again David! I'm very glad you keep making these.