Cruising the Cut
Season 2018
A documentary series following former UK television news reporter David Johns who quit his job, sold his house, bought a live-aboard narrowboat, and films his travels on the historic British canals.
Where to Watch Cruising the Cut • Season 2018
34 Episodes
- New Year's HonoursE1
New Year's HonoursIt's the start of a new year and since there'll be nothing much to watch on telly this New Year's Day, I thought I'd throw out a few suggestions of utterly splendid YouTube channels for you to enjoy instead; these are some of the people I watch regularly and I hope you like 'em too. Happy New Year! - Rusty Newbolt (1)E7
Rusty Newbolt (1)This is Part 1 of a three part mini-series about classic / vintage narrowboat engines as often heard chugging past on the canal. In this episode, I talked to Chris Wenham aboard NB Herbert about his Russell Newbury engine. He tells me why he bought it, why he likes it so much - and how much polishing it needs! - Star GateE10
Star GateEvery winter the Canal & River Trust shut parts of the network down for a time in order to do maintenance which often includes taking out broken or old lock gates and replacing them. New lock gates are not something you can just order in from Amazon however, so the CRT have to make their own and in this video I visited their Birmingham workshop to see how the process works. - London CallingE11
London CallingEvery Spring Bank Holiday, London's Little Venice hosts the IWA (Inland Waterways Association) "Cavalcade", a gathering and procession of narrowboats celebrating life afloat. I'd been meaning to visit for ages but finally found the time this year - and I bumped into some special guests on the way! - Drawing CurrentE14
Drawing CurrentFollowing a few recent questions and comments from viewers, here is a beginners guide to how electrics work on a narrowboat. It may also have general relevance to people in campervans, motorhomes, caravans and RVs although there are slight differences but the gist is similar. - Grand PlansE17
Grand PlansNo, I have not sold the boat. No, I do not live in a van now. You might not believe it - but I'm going off cruising. Yes, in my own boat. Before the winter maintenance shutdown begins in November, I've got two months to chug around the canals so I've decided to head south, down the Grand Union towards London. I won't go anywhere near the centre of the City - or really much towards the outskirts - because it's so busy and just plain grotty down there. Big cities are not my thing. However, I'll head down in that general direction until the end of September and then turn around and come back up again before mooring for winter once more. This is the first of my trip vlogs. - SouthboundE18
SouthboundIn the second of my Autumn cruising videos for 2018, I leave Norton Junction on a blustery morning and turn 90 degrees right, to head south down the Grand Union canal on my narrowboat. The first thing to deal with is the Buckby lock flight of seven locks, then it's just a couple of miles to a mooring at Weedon Bec. - Wiggly BitsE19
Wiggly BitsAnother little jaunt along the Grand Union canal in the narrowboat saw me departing from Weedon after a pleasant couple of days, and heading towards Gayton Junction. On the way, I stopped to refill the water tank and met a lot of boats coming north from Stoke Bruerne after a big event that's held there every year. I end this vlog about a mile before Gayton so as to stop in the countryside. - The Ghost of Blisworth TunnelE20
The Ghost of Blisworth TunnelIn this video I take my narrowboat on the Grand Union canal from near Gayton Junction to Stoke Bruerne, via Blisworth - and Blisworth tunnel - all 3,075 yards of it. Weirdly, as I went through, there was a bit of an unsettling ghostly apparition... - Sign o' the THAMESE22
Sign o' the THAMESAt the start of September 2018 I joined Jo and Michael of "Minimal List" as well as London Boat Girl, Lorna, and we went on a rather exciting and interesting voyage up the tidal river Thames from Limehouse lock to Teddington. Narrowboats are not at all designed for any swirly waters so the choppiness of the tidal Thames around Limehouse, London Bridge and the Houses of Parliament makes for an interesting - and wobbly - experience which requires confidence and a steely hand on the tiller, all of which Michael has in spades. - Stormy DenialsE24
Stormy DenialsAfter a few days at different places in Milton Keynes, it was time for me to move on but the weather had different ideas and a tree across the canal put paid to movement for an evening. Eventually I was able to get going again and back out into the countryside, ending up near Stoke Hammond. - What's the Buzz?E25
What's the Buzz?In my continuing narrowboat adventures for autumn 2018 I finally exit Milton Keynes and out into the countryside through Soulbury and down towards Leighton Buzzard and Linslade, where I stop to restock my food supplies at a very handy mooring next to a supermarket, then go on to the countryside again, almost not getting a mooring due to low water levels. - The Sleeping CowE27
The Sleeping CowFilmed in the last week of September 2018, this was the last part on my autumn cruise in which I headed south; the plan always was to turn around at the end of the month and go back. For logistical reasons - LOTS of upcoming locks! - it also made sense to do a 180 degree turn at this point. - Wending My WayE28
Wending My WayHaving turned around at Cowroast, my narrowboat journey on the Grand Union canal now continued north but with a diversion down the short length of the restored Wendover Arm. The navigable canal is only about 1.5 miles long so far and I found it quite narrow and shallow but quite scenic. I moored right at the far end where there's a large winding hole. Then I went back up the Arm and down the Marsworth locks before pausing one lock before the end of the flight. - I Should Be So LockyE29
I Should Be So LockyIn anticipation of both some friends coming to join me for an afternoon, and then some special guests from overseas coming aboard a few days later, I edged just a few miles further north on this leg of my trip up the Grand Union canal, mooring my narrowboat at a point where both sets of visitors could easily find and get to me. - senyeK notliME30
senyeK notliMStarting from just above Stoke Hammond lock, in this trip I did a mammoth journey (for me) on a beautiful sunny October day, up through Milton Keynes, continuing through Cosgrove and ultimately ending up at Yardley Gobion where there was a boatyard I could ask about a newly-found and substantial diesel leak on my engine. - I Canuck Believe Who's Aboard!E31
I Canuck Believe Who's Aboard!It was a great pleasure in amongst my canal cruising this autumn to welcome, all the way from Canada, the RV Geeks onto my boat. Peter and John were enjoying a vacation in England, touring in a rented motorhome, and stopped off at Grove Lock Marina campsite just a couple of locks up from where I'd moored the boat the night before. They joined me for a day to experience narrowboat cruising, even taking the tiller and steering the boat as we did a circular route up into Leighton Buzzard, back south for 3/4 locks, and returning to Grove lock at the end of the day. - The Ghost of Blisworth PastE32
The Ghost of Blisworth PastAfter several days at Yardley Gobion, during which time I had the boatyard opposite look at - and hopefully fix - the diesel leak, I carried on with my return journey up the Grand Union canal, going back through Gayton, up the Stoke Bruerne locks and up through Blisworth tunnel (no signs of any ghosts this time round). - The End is NighE33
The End is NighAfter several weeks, at last I embarked on the final leg of my autumn 2018 cruise along the Grand Union canal, the return stretch taking me from Blisworth, through Gayton, Weedon, Norton Junction and ultimately to Braunston. Video includes me singing, please exercise appropriate caution. - Market ResearchE34
Market ResearchAt the beginning of the month (December 2018) I took the train into Birmingham to visit a floating Christmas market - essentially a gathering of trading narrowboats on the canal outside the Arena. The weather was mild but dull and the streets and towpaths were almost deserted. There weren't many traders either but I had an enjoyable afternoon and this is the video of the trip.