The boat that Guy built

He really should be called Reckless Eric.....

2.3.11

Written as I watched it:

I have had calls all day long from friends and relatives telling me all about this new canal boat programme, screened over 6 weeks as he restores a down at heel trad along with his carpenter friend Mavis.

This is a showcase for industrial revolution technology, hung together as they build all they need to restore nb Reckless. Guy's delivery is Fred Dibnah - esque, complete with blue boiler suit and Lancashire accent, supported by Liza Tarbuck who provides the background commentary.

These guys seem to have started on the Bridgewater but in a flash  they are onto the Anderton Boat lift and in the next scene they are at the Black Country Museum to cast / smelt Iron, then to Stone to throw a pot or two (I thought Wedgewood was closed?). Challenging boating geography, but mouthwatering stuff.

Smelting Iron - I love it! I have never seen this process before, raising the temperature and getting mix just right - " as delicate a balance as making a souffle". It looks dangerously exciting to me. Now its "green sand casting" - that's something I remember from my schoolboy metalwork classes. Tragedy - the resulting metal is more lumpy slag than pure iron, so 20th century technology is drafted in to save the day and create the perfect pot. It may have been a semi failure but it does serve to illustrate how clever those industrial revolution boyo's really were.

Conclusion? Interesting and educational but maybe not as much about boat restoration as I had expected. None the less, it's definitely one to watch.

I miss Fred and maybe Guy is the man to step into his hobnailed boots.