99. Visiting the Anderton Boat Lift on my narrowboat (Trent and Mersey canal / River Weaver) 

I have no idea why watching this man pottering about on his boat is so endlessly fascinating and so strangely relaxing.

Tugging him off smut everywhere😁😁😁😁

'Kindly tugging him off' 🤣🤣🤣

Sitting here in Pakistan.. Dealing the stress of covid your videos are really helpful.. Initially I was in awe of your narration skills and attention to details.. Somewhere In the middle I found out you are a TV journalist, pretty much sums up.. Your profession helping you out 🙂

There's no better feeling than getting tugged off !

Tugging him off🤔. A friendly bunch boaters.

Boaters being tugged off and bribery. This is the spicy canal life I want to sign up for!

I love how when people take apart and put bsck together even something as big as this they still end up with spare parts!

Lovely to hear about boats kindly tugging eachother off.

I think these are the most quintessentially british vlogs. I'm not quite sure why they appeared in my recommendations but I'm glad they did. Stuff like this lift are simply amazing

"Tugging him off".... made me chuckle mate 😊🤣

I got kindly tugged off once, made a mess but we all went away happy

1875? And the technology is obviously a testament to building great structures the old-fashioned way; with iron and steel and trusted craftsmanship that you just can't find anywhere! Hats off to the architect and original craftsman who put their heart and soul into machinery Thanks again for a great tour

The quality of this set of vlogs is outstanding. I don't think there are any better anywhere.

Amazing piece of industrial era engineering. We visited as spectators after a narroboat day hire on the Union Shropshire Canal. Having visited the Falkirk Wheel the week before the difference is profound from the modern technology with rotating cassons instead of vertical lifts. Bravo.

I'm American and this is so cool. This would be a cool way to visit the UK.

Very admirable they made the lift working again. It's a proverbial time machine.

your channel popped up in my feed thank you something I would never have seen or in fact no about looks great I have never been to UK was not appealing but might just pop in and rent a boat for a couple of days

How wonderful! Your ability to articulate what we were seeing and feeling at the boat lift, gave a real sense of being there. Thank you so much David.

Beautiful vlog David. Thanks for your time in making it for us.Ken

Always enjoy your videos and especially appreciate the natural sounds and no overpowering annoying music

2.13 ' kindly tugging him off'😂

"With another kind boater tugging him off"...

If you venture north of the border the Falkirk Wheel is a must see, along with the Kelpies, giant horses head sculptures!

We've got a couple of these in Ontario Canada, probably about twice as big in all dimensions. Canal cruising in England looks a lot more calm and slow than what I'm used to over here. But a lot of the Canals connect to rather impressively large lakes, so bigger boats, bigger locks, and rougher waters outside of the enclosed canals. It's good to see that no matter where you are, boaters are generally courteous and friendly though. Watching you traverse those tight and maze-like canals makes me nostalgic for many summer spent boating on the Trent Severn here in Canada when I was younger. Having so many intricate canals to explore seems nice, sadly, we don't have a ton in Canada. We would have had more, but the Trent was basically obsolete by the time it was done. There was a branch that would have headed right down to the city next to where I used to live, but it was never finished. Sadly, it's now just a bunch of empty, doorless locks sitting in the middle of a forest, with no connecting canals.

"Kindly tugging him off." Fnarr!

Taking a trip down these canals is now one of the top things I plan to do when I eventually visit the UK. Hello from Savannah, Georgia U.S.A. 👋🏻😁

Twice visited the Anderton lift, once when it was operated by electric motors back in the early 1970s but I wasn't on a boat as my visit was by car when spending a short break with my late wife in the area. Second visit was in 1992 and we were on a narrowboat together, a one week holiday I had won in a national newspaper competition but of course that was during the period it was closed for restoration and conversion back to hydraulic power.

This keeps popping up in me feed and I keep watching it. Its informative and relaxing so thanks cruising the cut for the good lunch break video.

Don't know how I got here, but it is incredibly relaxing ! Bucket list for the retirement, I guess :-)

I am falling in love with the beauty of the canals. I especially like the, somewhat, overgrown areas with hanging tree limbs; surreal.

What an absolutely _marvellous_ bit of kit! I too love some "chunky" iron, bolts and rivets Industrial Revolution era engineering. It's wonderous what they were able to achieve for the time, I often wonder if we'd be willing and able to come up with something like that from scratch today - and I mean something _really_ built to last like this lift. Wonderful video, I enjoyed every minute of it! 😁😊

Yet another fantastic video ! Each one of them a great look into the U K for us yanks ! Truly amazing how that lift operates ! Thanks for posting !!! Truly ! 👍👍👍🇺🇸

Good morning David. We’ve been watching all your vlogs and have enjoyed them all.m, and appreciate your time and effort. We are currently getting ready to move aboard or 62’ narrowboat. After moving our boat for the first time from Jones’s boatyard fenstanton to Hartford marina ( 4 hours ) 2 locks, I thoroughly enjoyed every moment. But to do this alone, I take my hat of to you. You are a inspiration. We hope you have more wonderful journeys. Regards Craig & Tracey

The boat lift is a spectacular engineering achievement. Perhaps one day I'll have the pleasure of seeing it myself!

David, I don't understand thumbs down reviews. If you don't like the videos, don't watch. Your enthusiasm and joy in your narrow boat make the videos more watchable. Is it that people don't like the content or that they have different ideas to you? Don't get it myself

Thank you for your expertly produced, well scripted presentation It brought back many memories. My father had a boat on the Leeds & Liverpool canal. One year,I think it was either 1957 or 58, we went on a trip via the Leigh branch, Bridgewater canal and the Trent & Mersey to Winsford and the flashes beyond. The Anderton lift was busy and I remember that we had to wait for quite some time before descending due to the number of waiting working narrowboats. In those days the lift was operated using the cogs etc. which were lubricated with grease, of which occasionally parted company with the machinery and by way of gravity were deposited on the boats below! I have a collection of 9.5mm cine film from these times, but unfortunately the gate on the projector is out of sync and rips the film. Maybe this will give me the impetus to fix it. Sadly, my father died before the canals were viewed as an asset. He campaigned tirelessly to for sections of the Leeds & Liverpool to be kept open, in particular the stretch from Aintree to Liverpool. If closure had occurred, the canal would have been filled in (as many wanted,) and the Liverpool Dock Link may never have been achieved.

You could sell these videos to a major tv network and they could show them every day through summer. You'd be a very rich man :)

Nice video. Some years ago, I visited Anderton and they had their own tour boat that would take visitors up and down the lift. It was fun and I recommend it to anyone who finds themselves in the area.

Two thumbs up for the ice cream, three thumbs up for the dog, and four thumbs up for assisting another boater.

Just found your channel and I really love it. You sound so well prepared and professional, just as good a proper TV show!

If you're ever in Canada, get in a boat and go on the Peterborough lift lock. The world's largest. And right beside the Canadian Canoe Museum. Who could resist?

I can’t put into words how much I enjoy your videos! Every now n then I just pup into your channel for a quick getaway on the canals and it’s my own little holiday! Thank you

I’m guilty of generally skipping through videos to the interesting part or the educational parts but in this case I watch the whole thing simply because I was fascinated as this man is with industrial engineering! I learned about these lives a couple years ago I learned about their existence correction! But this was very enjoyable!!

These long, skinny houseboats are really interesting. I like them!

"And I saw another boat kindly tugging him off". Haha. I know, immature... but funny. 😁

I do love these vlogs, perfect pace and variety of information and sights. Watched this a couple of times already

Being that close to the famous lift, I think you made the right move to visit it and book a ride down and then back up. Just another couple of days in paradise (even with the sprinkles).

Interesting, beautiful scenery...! Thanks David.

Wonderful... was neck deep into a 600 page legal screed, took a break and stumbled onto this. Thank you for a very enjoyable distraction. I do have one complaint though. Now I have no interest in returning to the 600 pages, and instead want to go narrow-boating on your canals. Sigh...

That Anderton Boat Lift is really something. Amazing engineering for that time. Loved every minute of this vlog. Thank you

All the paraphernalia of canal journeying. There's an entire industry catering to it. Admire the people who took the trouble to work out solutions for the different problems that were encountered even at that time. Thanks for the lift.

The cool thing about boat lifts is that, whether there's a boat in them or not, they always weigh the same amount. This is because the amount of water displaced out of the caisson weighs exactly the same as the boat doing the displacing, that's Archimedes' principle. This means that the two caissons function as perfect counterweights making the whole system use very little energy considering the amount of mass being moved around. They are better counterweight than those found in human-scale lifts which end up having to use more energy to lift particularly heavy loads or particularly light ones (like if the lift is empty). Incidentally, I really hope that, by the time I'm able to buy a narrowboat, the scottish canals will be connected to the main network so I'll be able to experience the Falkirk Wheel boat lift. That thing is a simply astounding bit of engineering, new though it is.

Hi, A few years ago, I watched a program on TV that had a piece about the lift. But, it was shown from a distance while someone talked about it. It was great to see the lift up close and have a “ride” on it. GREAT video! From Oklahoma, USA.

I visited this place more than 10 years ago and I couldn't remember the name and where it is as I was a tourist from far east. Thank you for reminding me about it. I am dreaming to do the GB waterway cruise. Enjoy your journey 😍

Great feat of design, engineering and construction. Well done Brits. It is a treasure worth preserving.

Very Kool. Reminds me the type of place ole Fred Dibnah would take viewers when he started doing historical shows. Like you I love stuff from the Industrial era.

Coolest boat lift we’ve ever seen! Great video - thanks!

I am so pleased that they have restored the lift to its former glory. I visited it as a kid in the 90s.

I am currently watching all your videos again and I am glad I did because somehow I missed this episode. That boat lift looked very nice, so much simpler for a solo boater!

one of the best things about the design of such a boat lift is that it requres very little power to operate. as any vessels entering the casson wil displace water equal to their mass both cassons will always have the same mass. as such the potential energy from the raised casson can be transfered into raising the lowered casson. as such you simply need a tiny amount of energy to get the entire system out of balance and it would continue on it's own if not for the energy needed to toehrcome friction.

The daring, confidence and sheer audacity of those engineers to conceive of such an amazing structure eh? We are used to big steel structures nowadays but at the time the Anderton Boat Lift must have seemed like a miracle.

Well worth the detour, an incredible piece of industrial heritage, luckily it did not get pulled down when it was closed and it was saved for future generations. When you consider their tools those engineers and the iron mangers of the day really did some amazing things. Great vlog, scenery from a very different perspective.

Beautiful engineering and the presentation was awesomely done. From U. S. A.

It's better than an RV on the open road much more scenery and very pretty, thanks for the trip,, Gary from America,

Glad to hear the community tug each other off.

Lovely stuff. This makes me want to hire a narrow boat again and make a holiday on the water. Just a few years ago my wife and I hired a boat for a week for the first time and made a trip from Bath to Devizes and back. The little boat was called "Tinka" and we had such a nice trip. I must get back and have another go. One of the most peaceful weeks holiday I ever had. The water levels were very low though and Tinka had a relatively deep draught so I did get stuck a few times. Nobody tugged me off either so I had to use my pole.

This is literally the greatest BBC audition tape. Great videos.

Across the pond in the U.S. we have full time van lifers, you blokes in British canal boats beat that lifestyle hands down.

I'm glad to see while scrolling thru the comments that I wasn't the only one who laughed at the "Kindley tugging him off" comment :)

Another stupendous video. Absolutely fascinating.

I have been watching your vids for the last 3 days. I get teary eyed. from time to time. As listening and watching you point these wonderful sites out, reminds me of my Grandfather. He would show me videos of his travels here in America. When he retired and took to roads. You do a wonderful job with videos and visiting with everyone. Thanks subscribed to your channel

this was a very relaxing way to end my sunday. thank you

I loved the boat lift, great old and renewed engineering.

What a wild contraption, impressive engineering!

Not a boater, dont even swim but your videos are very interesting, living in the Black Country we are surrounded by canals but most being in industrial settings, I found the video most relaxing, many thanks, Mike

As someone who is currently studying engineering, this stuff is awesome.

I worked across from this for 28 years and saw it in original format ( steam was used before my time ), then its rebuild to how it is at present.

Very very interesting. Fabulous adventure. Great video.Thank you David

Thankyou Sir what a wonderful part of the world you live. Very beautiful

I always enjoy your videos of "Cruising the Cut", it's serene and the sights are quite like the scenery here in Michigan on the lakes. I think we get quite a bit more sunshine than you though. Thank's again for sharing.

If I ever make it to England, I'd much rather do a canal tour than most other tourist sites. I'd actually skip most of London for this experience. Awesome!

Brilliant video. I’ve always been interested in the boat lift and this showed me all I needed to know. Thanks for sharing!

Your videos are so informative yet relaxing. Thank you.

This reminds me of the Falkirk wheel up In Scotland It’s really fun

Enjoyed the amount of innuendo in the Vlog, it was almost like a carry on film! "kindly tugging him off" "I am getting damp and soggy at the back" "When it starts of it is bounce, bounce, bounce. It's very odd"

This video was incredible. While I would probably need psychotherapy after going in that contraption, I would just have to go on it. Hubby is fascinated by engines, trains, plains, ships, anything with motors and hydrolics so it is mandatory to watch this video. Thanks so much

As a new viewer to Cruising the Cut, I was particularly thrilled to see this video. For many years, my grandfather Sadi Strebelle, was the civil engineer in charge of the four lifts on Belgium's Canal du Centre. During our childhood my siblings and I spent a lot of time around the lifts during summer visits to Belgium and occasionally we were allowed to ride up and down the lifts on some of the working coal boats.

Very new to your channel and impressed with your utterly brilliant presentation style.

2:10 ooh err missus!

Can’t stop watching your vlogs. This is one of your best.

Very Special... Quite enjoyable... Makes me want to visit UK AGAIN..... Thanks for taking the time to video...

I wish so much I had gotten a little further from the RAF bases and into some of these wonderful scenic areas of the U.K. but not speaking English I tended to stay close to the areas where American could be understood.

This video showed up in my suggested list. I have subscribed and started watching from the beginning. I live close to the Erie Canal in the US but no beautiful narrowboats. Truly enjoy your vlogs.

I have been spoilt rotten today by my wife for my 50th birthday and spent the day cruising the cut from Gloucester to Splot bridge and back. A big thanks to Lexi and to you for getting me hooked. Mind you its bloody knackering!

Great to see thank you for the video awesome viewing with the lift thats the engineering that made this country a world leader in the past and brilliant that it got restored

Amazing video and excellent narration! Greeting from NY State, home of the Erie Canal.

Tbh, I have never seen a video with your kind of boat. Everything you film/do is a first for me and i must say, it is pretty interesting. Its like a little documentary! Keep it going like this!

Another brilliant video. The Anderton Lift is one of those marvels of creation that we would take for granted today but in 1875 must have been an absolute marvel of engineering. Thanks for the cygnets.

What an amazing experience! Fabulous to watch 😊Thank you