The Water Road

It's Christmas, and Santa is in his grotto at the National Waterways Museum at Ellesmere Port in Cheshire. The elves are running boat trips so children can help them find all the decorations they've lost, and Mother Claus is keeping the whole show on the road. We hear from her, Santa himself, and one of the boat trip skippers, and learn some history about Ellesmere Port along the way. Plus there are memories of Christmases afloat from some boating friends.Special thanks to the Canal and River Trust volunteers who make this event possible.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter. If you enjoy what I do, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/thewaterroadMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/cory-alstad/the-night-circusLicense code: 6C2EOHGE8YVPWENR

The Montgomery Canal is under restoration, and has been for more than fifty years. In this episode of The Water Road we speak to Chris Chambers, a lock keeper at Frankton Locks, who's been involved in the restoration since the 1960s, and we hear from Tom Fulda, the Shopshire Union Canal Society's Restoration Project Manager, about what's happening right now to extend the navigable length. Plus we hear about the canal centre at Llanymynech, which will one day be connected to the main canal network.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.If you enjoy what I do, consider supporting me on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/thewaterroad

In this episode of The Water Road we reach Llangollen, at the end of the Llangollen Canal, and explore the Horseshoe Falls a couple of miles from the town, which supply the canal with water from the River Dee. Plus we hear about the horse drawn boat trips up to the falls, and learn about the horses that do the work.Produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road we cross the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal, one of the wonders of the waterways. We get the facts and figures about this record-breaking aqueduct, and talk to people who've walked, boated, or kayaked across.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road, we begin a journey along the Llangollen Canal, and discover why the water flows so strongly. Hurleston Reservoir near Nantwich in Cheshire takes around 40 million litres of water a day from the canal, which brings it nearly fifty miles from North Wales. We speak to Rob Moore from United Utilities, who explains why the water is needed and what happens to it next. And CRT's National Hydrology Manager, Dr Adam Comerford, tells us about how water transfer schemes could be expanded to other parts of the canal network.Produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road, we walk a couple of minutes from the Shropshire Union Canal in Cheshire to the Hack Green Secret Nuclear Bunker. This underground building was on permanent alert in the 1980s and 90s, standing by to become the seat of government for north west England in the event of a nuclear attack. We learn about the site's history, and about the museum it has become. Back on the Shroppie itself, we travel through the Hack Green Locks, and find reminders of other bygone times.Produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road we're at Cholmondeston Lock on the Middlewich Branch in Cheshire, where members of the local branch of the Inland Waterways Association are working boaters through the lock during a fundraising and awareness raising weekend. Hear from volunteers and boater's they've helped. We'll also try to get to the bottom of how the lock's name is pronounced.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this extra episode of The Water Road, we examine the issue of the moment -- extreme water shortages which have led to canal and lock closures in the north of England and the Midlands. We hear from businesses affected, including Kingsground Narrowboats on the South Oxford, Braidbar Boats on the Macclesfield Canal, Chamberlain Chandlery on the Middlewich Arm, and Grand Union Narrowboats in Northamptonshire. And we speak to Dr Adam Comerford, the National Hydrology Manager for the Canal and River Trust, who explains why this year has been so bad, and answers some of the criticism directed at the Trust.Produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road we travel along the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal. We visit the Bratch Locks near Womborne, which look like a staircase but aren't. We speak to Craig Williams from the Birmingham Anglers Association who was hosting a Let's Fish event, and we hear from the owners of a house which has a lock bywash flowing underneath it.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road we visit a floating market on the Shropshire Union Canal, and hear from some of the people trading from their boats. Guests include Julie Tonkin of the Roving Canal Traders Association who tells us about her canal art; Helen Tidy of Wild Side Preserves; the artist, Emma Bradley; Kate Newman who makes glass items; and Paul Partridge from the Baked on Board pizza boat.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

This episode of The Water Road comes from Beeston in Nottinghamshire, where the Beeston Cut leaves the River Trent. The main focus of the episode is the Canalside Heritage Centre, a buzzing community hub in a row of canal cottages. We hear from Stewart Craven, who masterminded the project to save the buildings from dereliction -- and he tells us about the latest attraction, which shows one of the cottages as it would have been in 1942.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road we investigate the world of electric propulsion boats, with a visit to the Electrika boat show. We hear how the show came about, learn about the different types of hybrid systems, drill down into the green credentials, and discuss some of the challenges for the future. Guests include Rob Howdle and Caroline Badger from the boat builders, Ortomarine; Ricky Lee from Finesse Boats; and Matthew Symonds from the Canal and River Trust. Plus we hear from the owners of electric boats about life on board, including the crew of Tethys, stars of Channel 4's Narrow Escapes.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this episode of The Water Road we reach Foxton Locks, where we have quite a wait to get down Britain's longest flight of staircase locks. A volunteer lock keeper tells us why it's so important to operate the paddles in the right order, and gongoozlers tell us why they decided to visit the site. Plus we hear about the history of the inclined plane boat lift, which replaced the locks for a while early last century -- and why it proved a failure.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this special edition of The Water Road, we talk to Richard Parry, who's stepping down this summer as Chief Executive of the Canal and River Trust. He answers questions about the performance of the charity, and warns that funding cuts means there's potential jeopardy for the canals in the future.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

In this bumper episode of The Water Road we visit the Crick Boat Show in Northamptonshire -- the biggest show of its kind for the inland waterways. We talk to boat builders, Aquavista Marinas, the Inland Waterways Association, Emma Culshaw Bell one of the stars of Narrow Escapes, CRT's head of boating Matthew Symonds, and Paul Knox-Johnston from the insurers Haven Knox-Johnston, and the show's favourite ice cream man. Plus we'll talk to the winner of the boat which won the public vote for the Favourite Boat at the show.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

Join us as we continue our travels on the waterways of England and Wales. In this episode we reach the end of the Caldon Canal. While our boat can't fit through Froghall Tunnel, we find a trip boat which can -- and we experience the Churnet Valley steam railway.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.If you have any boating questions, leave them in the comments and I'll try to answer them in future episodes.

Join us as we begin a journey along the Caldon Canal in Staffordshire in our narrowboat. We ascend the Beford Street staircase locks in Stoke, and travel on to Cheddleton where we learn about the fascinating history of Cheddleton Flint Mill with its two waterwheels.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

Join us at our mooring on the Trent and Mersey Canal at Westport Lake in Stoke-on-Trent. We hear from the boat builder, Tim Tyler, about how narrowboats are fashioned out of steel; and we talk to the co-ordinator of Stoke's Green Door project, which runs an accessible cycling scheme at Westport Lake.The Water Road is produced and presented by Adam Porter.

Join us as we set off on our narrowboat, and travel through the Northamptonshire village of Stoke Bruerne. We speak to a volunteer lock keeper and hear about the history of some of the canal side buildings, before entering Blisworth Tunnel.Produced and presented by Adam Porter.