1 00:00:05,520 --> 00:00:09,440 Hello and welcome to this special Christmas edition of the 2 00:00:09,440 --> 00:00:12,840 Water Rd podcast. I'm at the National Waterways 3 00:00:12,840 --> 00:00:17,120 Museum at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire, where Santa Claus is 4 00:00:17,120 --> 00:00:20,880 in residence and the elves are running boat trips for the 5 00:00:20,880 --> 00:00:42,240 children. So, Missus Claus, I reckon you 6 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,440 must have the most important job here today, because you're not 7 00:00:45,480 --> 00:00:48,000 only looking after the children, but you're looking after Santa 8 00:00:48,000 --> 00:00:50,880 himself, aren't you? I'm very, very busy today. 9 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:53,280 There's lots of excited children got on the boat. 10 00:00:54,680 --> 00:00:58,440 When they get back, we shout, Are you ready, Santa Claus? 11 00:00:59,320 --> 00:01:02,520 And hopefully he's finished playing with the reindeer. 12 00:01:02,840 --> 00:01:06,400 He's tied them all up safely and he's sitting in his armchair 13 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:08,640 waiting for the children to have their presents. 14 00:01:08,880 --> 00:01:10,840 And of course he will be, because you'd have sorted him 15 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,280 out, weren't you? Well, I'd hate to say anything 16 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:22,040 about men who are quite slow at times, but Father Christmas is 17 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:25,680 getting a little old and you do have to chivvy him along at 18 00:01:25,680 --> 00:01:27,520 times. And he loves his cup of tea. 19 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:31,320 But he will be ready. His beard is trimmed and 20 00:01:31,320 --> 00:01:35,040 sparkling, he's got his hat ready to put on, reindeers are 21 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,760 looking stunning, and yes, he's going to be ready for the first 22 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:42,160 children off the boat. And are they usually quite 23 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:43,520 excited when they get off the? Boat. 24 00:01:43,520 --> 00:01:45,920 Oh, bubbling. Absolutely bubbling. 25 00:01:46,040 --> 00:01:48,000 They can't wait to get through the curtain. 26 00:01:48,480 --> 00:01:51,120 We have to slow them down. And then they go in and their 27 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:54,760 eyes just pop because the grotto looks exciting and lovely. 28 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:57,760 Some of them are a bit spellbound. 29 00:01:58,920 --> 00:02:01,960 Grannies and granddads love it because they're remembering all 30 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:04,080 the times they went to see Father Christmas. 31 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,840 Mummies and daddies are making sure that the children really 32 00:02:07,840 --> 00:02:11,200 enjoy it. It's just exciting for 33 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:13,640 everybody, including me. I really love it. 34 00:02:13,760 --> 00:02:17,040 It's really good. And there's Mother Claws coming 35 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:20,120 from the North Pole just once a year to meet all these wonderful 36 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:22,360 children. It's really, really fun. 37 00:02:23,160 --> 00:02:27,560 So it must be quite important the the museum here to Santa and 38 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:29,920 to Ute for you to spend such a lot of time here. 39 00:02:30,440 --> 00:02:34,040 Well, we've traditionally had Santa here for many years now 40 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:37,520 and the the idea of he comes here is known in the 41 00:02:37,520 --> 00:02:42,080 neighbourhood and with thanks to all the social media then of 42 00:02:42,080 --> 00:02:45,560 course he's known far and wide, lots of Santa's. 43 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:47,880 But we think we've got the best by far. 44 00:02:48,200 --> 00:02:51,640 We've certainly got the only boat ride, haven't we? 45 00:02:53,960 --> 00:02:57,120 And in other times of the year, I mean, have you been to the 46 00:02:57,120 --> 00:03:03,400 museum before, Mrs Claus? Well, yes, of course, because in 47 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:05,880 the summertime, when I'm not needed to help make the 48 00:03:05,880 --> 00:03:09,960 presents, I come down and I like to go and have a look at the 49 00:03:09,960 --> 00:03:12,720 cottages. There are four of them. 50 00:03:13,000 --> 00:03:17,000 They're in different time zones, so they hark back to when the 51 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:21,280 port was really, really busy, because of course it wasn't 52 00:03:21,280 --> 00:03:23,400 Ellesmere Port until the canals came. 53 00:03:23,920 --> 00:03:27,120 It was a little village, and then they decided that the 54 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:32,200 canals would come here to complete the journey from the 55 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:36,560 ship canal latterly. But originally the boats used to 56 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:40,600 sail up the Mersey and through past a tiny little lighthouse. 57 00:03:40,600 --> 00:03:44,200 You would wonder how they could see it and the bottom basin, as 58 00:03:44,200 --> 00:03:47,120 we call this big expanse of water at the bottom here, would 59 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:50,000 be full of sailboats. And that's something that the 60 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:52,680 children don't always realise because we say it would be full 61 00:03:52,680 --> 00:03:57,600 of boats and then really you have to take them back in time 62 00:03:57,960 --> 00:03:59,720 because it's hundreds of years old. 63 00:03:59,720 --> 00:04:04,200 The first cottages were built in the 1830s, so you can imagine 64 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,400 how much development they've seen. 65 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:09,920 And of course, the port built up as the as the boats happened 66 00:04:10,480 --> 00:04:14,840 until the trains came and took all the custom away and it 67 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:18,160 slowly slid into decline. But we're having great 68 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,000 anniversaries because of course, the boat museum has been going 69 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,920 for many years now. And then they built up the 70 00:04:23,920 --> 00:04:26,280 wonderful collection of boats that we have here now. 71 00:04:34,870 --> 00:04:38,030 So Nigel, you're one of the skippers of the boats and yes, I 72 00:04:38,070 --> 00:04:39,710 gather you do the trips all year round? 73 00:04:39,710 --> 00:04:42,070 We do the Christmas ones. Must be a bit special. 74 00:04:42,070 --> 00:04:46,360 Well, they are because Christmas time is a special time anyway. 75 00:04:46,360 --> 00:04:50,240 So are we trying to make it fun for the, for the kids and also 76 00:04:50,240 --> 00:04:52,600 the parents as well? Because they all, because I 77 00:04:52,600 --> 00:04:55,320 mean, last trip we had three kids and nine parents. 78 00:04:56,720 --> 00:05:00,840 So, so everybody enjoys Amelia's very good at getting them all 79 00:05:00,840 --> 00:05:02,440 singing and, and stuff like that. 80 00:05:02,440 --> 00:05:03,880 So it's good, good, good, good fun. 81 00:05:04,000 --> 00:05:05,640 Are they the noisiest trips of the year? 82 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:07,760 Yes. Without a doubt. 83 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:09,840 Without a doubt. But that we don't mind that. 84 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:12,520 Have they ever managed to drown out the noise of the boat 85 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:15,320 engine? No, no, it's always, it's always 86 00:05:15,320 --> 00:05:18,520 there in the background. So yes, three cylinder Lister, 87 00:05:18,840 --> 00:05:24,000 sort of a a traditional canal boat engine, but three cylinders 88 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:26,400 is is something a bit special. And tell me about the boat, 89 00:05:26,400 --> 00:05:29,000 because it's doesn't look narrow enough to be a narrow. 90 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:29,640 Boat. It isn't. 91 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:34,120 It isn't. It's 9 foot 6 wide and the gaps 92 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,200 we've got to go through 11 feet, so it's quite a tight fit to 93 00:05:37,200 --> 00:05:40,640 going through, up the canal through the the slip, the 94 00:05:40,640 --> 00:05:43,680 slipway bridge and also the M53 bridge as well. 95 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:45,880 So why is this boat that width then? 96 00:05:46,560 --> 00:05:48,600 It was, it was built here actually over in the boatyard 97 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:53,440 over there or 1970s, probably 80s, I'm not quite sure when it 98 00:05:53,440 --> 00:05:59,320 was built for this situation. And then because originally it 99 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:02,960 could take 60 passengers and that brings in all sorts of 100 00:06:03,160 --> 00:06:06,280 requirements, insurance and, and registration and stuff like 101 00:06:06,280 --> 00:06:08,280 that. So we're now running it with 102 00:06:08,280 --> 00:06:11,560 volunteers with a maximum of 12 passengers. 103 00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,680 So it's, it's quite big for that number of passengers. 104 00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:18,280 But it it you know there's plenty of space there for them 105 00:06:18,280 --> 00:06:20,600 to create havoc. Because you'll have to have your 106 00:06:20,600 --> 00:06:22,920 proper licence too. We do, so if you help want a 107 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:26,360 helmet boat, you have to go through a a Houndsman's Cats 108 00:06:26,640 --> 00:06:29,760 certification process. And what's the most difficult 109 00:06:29,760 --> 00:06:31,360 bit of the trip? Is it getting through the 110 00:06:31,360 --> 00:06:33,360 bridges or is it turning round at each end? 111 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:35,960 It depends on the weather turns on the weather. 112 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:40,720 Today there's not a breath of air, so turning and winding is 113 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:43,040 quite easy. So the most difficult bit is is 114 00:06:43,040 --> 00:06:46,760 the going to the bridges when it's windy, the northwesterly 115 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,720 wind coming straight through there from straight off the 116 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:53,400 Mersey, straight off the Irish Sea, that can be a bit naughty. 117 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:58,160 Or like it was on yesterday, it was a southeasterly wind and 118 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:01,480 that created all sorts of problems winding at the top end. 119 00:07:01,480 --> 00:07:03,320 So yeah. But you enjoy the challenge. 120 00:07:03,320 --> 00:07:06,040 Oh gosh, yes, yes, and. Even in the back, we've got 121 00:07:06,040 --> 00:07:08,880 everything ready. Yeah. 122 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:10,000 Are we ready to? Just one Earth. 123 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:11,240 That we wish. You Merry Christmas. 124 00:07:11,880 --> 00:07:16,080 Everybody 321, we wish you a Merry Christmas. 125 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:18,040 We wish you. A Merry. 126 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:27,040 Christmas, we wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 127 00:07:27,040 --> 00:07:29,440 So, Father Christmas, you're all geared up for the arrival of the 128 00:07:29,440 --> 00:07:32,280 kids then, are you? Oh yes, I've I've said every 129 00:07:32,280 --> 00:07:36,400 year I do this and it's so brilliant to see the kids coming 130 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:38,760 in. And how excited are they 131 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:40,880 usually? Oh, they're very excited when 132 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:43,200 they get off the boat. They've been on there with a few 133 00:07:43,200 --> 00:07:47,880 hours and they're wound up, appropriately wound up. 134 00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,480 And they're very joyous and they come up along shrieking and they 135 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:55,600 can't come through the the curtains quick enough and. 136 00:07:56,040 --> 00:07:59,640 Have you noticed that kids always ask for particular things 137 00:07:59,640 --> 00:08:01,680 from you? They're usually primed by their 138 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,120 parents as to what they're likely to get, which is really 139 00:08:05,120 --> 00:08:07,200 nice because then they get what they want. 140 00:08:07,800 --> 00:08:10,400 They come in and they select a presence and then they come and 141 00:08:10,400 --> 00:08:13,800 see me and show me the presents and I sort of ceremoniously 142 00:08:13,800 --> 00:08:17,520 present it to them. So Ellesmere Port must be quite 143 00:08:17,520 --> 00:08:20,240 important to Santa then, as you're spending such quite a lot 144 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,520 of time here. This museum is very important to 145 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:27,000 me. Well, I'm not doing Santa then. 146 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:32,200 I'm on one of the boats. I got my wide beam boat 147 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:36,679 certificate two years ago. We went out a few years ago and 148 00:08:36,679 --> 00:08:40,120 it was I stopped when I was at the front of the boat with a 149 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,360 great big pole smashing the ice so we could take the kids up and 150 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:44,240 down the canal. Do you? 151 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:48,240 Want to tell me what you've been doing say? 152 00:08:48,960 --> 00:08:52,280 Yik Thug. Have you been? 153 00:08:52,440 --> 00:08:54,000 Able to sleep. Should we see? 154 00:08:54,000 --> 00:08:56,720 Should we shout? So on the count of three, we 155 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:59,440 have to shout. Are you ready, Santa Claus? 156 00:08:59,920 --> 00:09:04,720 OK, Loud. Yeah, 1/2. 157 00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:08,640 Are you ready? Santa Claus. 158 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:16,240 So you're all just back from the from the boat trip. 159 00:09:16,440 --> 00:09:18,960 What did you make of it it? Was very good. 160 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:21,440 Singing. And everything, mate. 161 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:25,480 Wonderful. Did you manage to find all the 162 00:09:25,480 --> 00:09:28,280 things that the elves had lost? Yes, we found them all. 163 00:09:28,280 --> 00:09:30,040 We had the bells and everything. Yeah. 164 00:09:30,560 --> 00:09:32,680 And the mites. Couldn't spell all of them but 165 00:09:32,680 --> 00:09:37,480 that's OK, we still found them. I suppose you you probably 166 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:39,840 enjoyed it because you remember doing this sort of thing years 167 00:09:39,840 --> 00:09:40,400 ago. Right. 168 00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:42,240 Yes, yes. So wonderful. 169 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,480 In a few moments, we'll be hearing memories of Christmases 170 00:09:47,480 --> 00:09:49,400 Afloat from some boating friends. 171 00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:53,000 But first, I wanted to say thank you for making the first series 172 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:56,200 of the Water Rd such a success. I really do appreciate you 173 00:09:56,200 --> 00:09:58,840 listening, following, and sending your comments. 174 00:09:59,360 --> 00:10:02,640 The podcast will be taking a break until the spring, so 175 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:06,040 please make sure you follow or subscribe depending on where you 176 00:10:06,040 --> 00:10:09,960 get your podcasts from so you'll be alerted when the new series 177 00:10:09,960 --> 00:10:13,600 starts in March. But now back to Christmas and 178 00:10:13,600 --> 00:10:16,120 stories of the festive season on the Cut. 179 00:10:17,680 --> 00:10:20,400 Hello Adam, this is Pip from Narrowboat Oliana. 180 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,240 My Christmases tend to start far earlier than most people's. 181 00:10:24,480 --> 00:10:27,240 I'm a theatre designer and over the last few years I've designed 182 00:10:27,240 --> 00:10:30,000 the scenery for the pantomime at the theatre Chipping Norton. 183 00:10:30,880 --> 00:10:35,000 My Christmas prep tends to start early, around late spring, early 184 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:36,920 summer. It's quite odd being in the 185 00:10:36,920 --> 00:10:39,680 depths of panto when there's a heat wave going on outside the 186 00:10:39,680 --> 00:10:42,080 boat. During October, rehearsals 187 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:44,240 happen. For the first few years we'd 188 00:10:44,240 --> 00:10:46,520 move Oliana down onto the South Oxford Canal. 189 00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:49,640 I'd head off to do a week's work in Chipping Norton, painting 190 00:10:49,640 --> 00:10:53,280 scenery and sorting props, and then on a Saturday evening I'd 191 00:10:53,280 --> 00:10:55,920 climb on a bus and head to find the boat somewhere between 192 00:10:55,920 --> 00:10:59,000 Oxford and Banbury. After four weeks of rehearsals, 193 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,120 the show opens and excited audiences take over the 194 00:11:02,120 --> 00:11:05,280 building, laughing, shouting, booing and singing along with 195 00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:07,520 the actors. I just hope that I haven't 196 00:11:07,520 --> 00:11:10,560 peaked too soon, as there's still another four or five weeks 197 00:11:10,560 --> 00:11:13,960 to go before the big day. And here's hoping that Father 198 00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,840 Christmas finds us wherever we're moored, because we don't 199 00:11:17,840 --> 00:11:19,960 always know where we're going to be moored for Christmas. 200 00:11:20,200 --> 00:11:23,040 This is Chris here of the Narrow Boat Empire. 201 00:11:23,120 --> 00:11:26,760 I thought I'd just share a memory from about a Christmas 202 00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:30,800 memory from about which I believe 50 years ago, 1975 203 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:34,240 actually. But I was on my boat, my first 204 00:11:34,240 --> 00:11:37,800 working boat with a large Woolwich boat called Epsom and 205 00:11:37,800 --> 00:11:40,360 it was my first Christmas on my own that wasn't all together 206 00:11:40,360 --> 00:11:43,360 alone as with my doggy Edward and a big Dalmatian I had with 207 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:47,800 me for 1415 years. Right opposite where I was more 208 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:51,080 at the junction at Bar Bridge, there's a pub called the Jolly 209 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:54,240 Tar, gone now, long gone and I think it's been replaced by 210 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:58,320 houses when I was more there and and the evening progressed more 211 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:03,240 and more lively, joking and laughing and generally enjoying 212 00:12:03,240 --> 00:12:05,240 themselves because it was after all Christmas Eve. 213 00:12:05,560 --> 00:12:09,400 I must admit to a certain extent I was a bit fed up, I suppose, 214 00:12:09,400 --> 00:12:12,440 because it was the first time on my own and I suppose all the 215 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:14,840 jollity and the hilarity that was going on sort of made me 216 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:18,520 feel a bit more withdrawn. It was cold I had before I go 217 00:12:18,520 --> 00:12:21,520 in, but my battery was flat so I had no radio or TVI. 218 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:26,560 Retired early, got into my bunk and the next morning it was a 219 00:12:26,560 --> 00:12:30,800 very crisp, lovely sunny sky, bit of ice on the canal and the 220 00:12:30,800 --> 00:12:34,440 dusting of snow. Very soon there was a succession 221 00:12:34,440 --> 00:12:38,600 of people walking dogs and pushing prams and shouting Merry 222 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:40,960 Christmas and how are you and all. 223 00:12:40,960 --> 00:12:43,240 That's the sort of stuff. And you know, my spirits were 224 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,040 lifted. I was where I wanted to be, I 225 00:12:46,040 --> 00:12:50,880 was on a boat on the canal, as close as you can get to nature 226 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:53,160 and I couldn't have wished for a better Christmas present. 227 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:56,880 Hey there, it's MB Hogarth. We used to be continuous 228 00:12:56,880 --> 00:13:00,520 cruisers and have spent many a Christmas aboard, starting all 229 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:04,320 the way back in 2008. That first year we were iced in 230 00:13:04,320 --> 00:13:07,640 at Foxton and now we're gearing up to relive the experience, 231 00:13:07,680 --> 00:13:10,720 minus the ice. Hopefully this year we're 232 00:13:10,720 --> 00:13:13,720 teaming up once again with a crew of MB Caxton for another 233 00:13:13,720 --> 00:13:16,840 festive cruise. Last Christmas we met at Norton 234 00:13:16,840 --> 00:13:20,200 Junction on the Grand Union and headed, fingers very much 235 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:23,160 crossed, to Stoke Bruen hoping to snag a mooring. 236 00:13:23,840 --> 00:13:27,040 The boating God smiled on us and we managed to bag the perfect 237 00:13:27,040 --> 00:13:30,600 spot for both Hogarth and Caxton right opposite. 238 00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:34,960 The boat in Christmas Eve was spent exactly as it should be, a 239 00:13:34,960 --> 00:13:38,680 cosy pub visit for a couple of pints and some glorious cheesy 240 00:13:38,680 --> 00:13:42,240 chips, followed by an afternoon of enthusiastic veg prep. 241 00:13:42,240 --> 00:13:45,920 Back on board that evening we wandered up to Stoke Brewing 242 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,320 Church for lovely Carol service, which set the tone perfectly for 243 00:13:49,320 --> 00:13:52,040 the big day. Christmas Day itself was a 244 00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,720 beautifully choreographed operation. 245 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:58,960 The Turkey, roast potatoes and parmesan parsnips were expertly 246 00:13:58,960 --> 00:14:02,920 cooked on MB Catson before being ceremonially marched down the 247 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,200 towpath and delivered through Hogarth's side hatch, much to 248 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:08,640 the amusement of passing boaters and dog walkers. 249 00:14:09,680 --> 00:14:12,840 Once everything was assembled, we all tucked into a fantastic 250 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:16,360 Christmas lunch together. The afternoon was reserved for 251 00:14:16,360 --> 00:14:19,800 the new Wallace and Gromit Vengeance Most Foul, complete 252 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:23,680 with its high speed narrow boat chase followed by card games as 253 00:14:23,680 --> 00:14:27,000 the light faded. It was MB Caxton's first 254 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:29,960 Christmas aboard and the fact that Eager to do it again this 255 00:14:30,040 --> 00:14:32,600 year tells you everything you need to know. 256 00:14:32,600 --> 00:14:37,280 Hi, Adam, it's Mick from Oliana. We spent a winter on our first 257 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:40,880 boat, Liliana on the Macclesfield Canal and Peak 258 00:14:40,880 --> 00:14:44,480 Forest Canal. During the week before Christmas 259 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:49,800 we went to a the wedding of my niece in Rochdale and after that 260 00:14:49,800 --> 00:14:53,520 wedding lots of family had rented a holiday cottage nearby 261 00:14:53,520 --> 00:14:57,240 to Bugsworth Basin. On Christmas Day. 262 00:14:57,520 --> 00:15:03,880 It was Pip's 50th birthday so her family rented a another 263 00:15:03,880 --> 00:15:07,320 holiday cottage in Buxworth itself. 264 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:09,320 We had a lovely few days with them. 265 00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:12,360 We had Christmas dinner at in their holiday accommodation. 266 00:15:13,120 --> 00:15:17,640 We had plans to leave Bugsworth Basin a few days after Christmas 267 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:22,160 'cause our time there was up. As we were preparing to leave, a 268 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:26,720 friend of ours on marabout Bleasdale turned up. 269 00:15:27,640 --> 00:15:31,960 We'd first met Heather on Bleasdale at Little Venice in 270 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,200 London. We didn't know her cruising 271 00:15:34,200 --> 00:15:37,400 plans and then there she was and she said oh, you must stay, you 272 00:15:37,400 --> 00:15:40,280 must stay. We're having a New Year's Eve 273 00:15:40,280 --> 00:15:45,960 party on board the old historic boat Narrowboat Tench, which was 274 00:15:45,960 --> 00:15:49,600 owned by her friend. So we stayed there for New Year 275 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:51,160 as well. We had a lovely New Year's Eve 276 00:15:51,160 --> 00:16:02,840 in the hold of Tench. But that's all for this 277 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:06,520 Christmas edition of the Water Rd with special thanks to the 278 00:16:06,520 --> 00:16:10,680 staff and volunteers here at the National Waterways Museum at 279 00:16:10,680 --> 00:16:13,400 Ellesmere Port. The podcast is produced and 280 00:16:13,400 --> 00:16:16,880 presented by me, Adam Porter. Don't forget that all previous 281 00:16:16,880 --> 00:16:19,400 episodes are always available to listen to. 282 00:16:19,920 --> 00:16:22,480 We'll be back with Series 2 in the spring. 283 00:16:22,840 --> 00:16:26,640 Thank you for listening to The Water Road and Merry Christmas.