Painted Boats, recently released by 'DD Video' shows the canals in their true industrial splender. When you are watching the video, however, the invetable question of 'where is that?' comes up. I hope these pages offer some help.

If you are aware of any mistakes, especially in locations - I'm only guessing anyway - please dont hestite to tell me.

Scene 01 - Stoke Bruerne on the Grand Union canal, not far from the Southern end of the Blisworth tunnel. The filming regularly comes back to here, but nearly always from the south even when they are meant to be travelling to London! Map

Scene 02 - Blisworth cutting, North of the tunnel, is where I suspect the next scenes are, as the distance between Stoke Bruerne, and the south portal is not very far. Map

Scene 03 - Gayton Junction - This is a funny one, as in the film the two boats mention where each are going. The motor is going up to Birmingham, and the horse boat is going to the Erewash Canal via the Leicester Section of the GU. This junction, just north of Blisworth, is were the Northampton Arm leaves the main line, and therefore the motor is going the wrong way!! This isn't the only inacurate travelling in the film, and happens more than you think in movies. Map

Scene 4 - Toll Office, Uxbridge Lock (#184) on the Grand Union. Click the image for more views of it. Map

Scene 5 - A canal towpath, unknown location. Could be Cassiobury Park?

Scene 6 - Canal bridge, unknown location. Somewhere were there are some hills. None of the bridge numbers are clear, it's just like canal boating use to be like in the '70 and early '80s!

Scene 7 - A straight stretch of canal, unknown location. Possibly below Soke Bruerne - Same location as Scene 90. Map?

Scene 8 - A section of towpath, with a small brick wall section, maybe a small aqueduct over a drain. Could be the section below the top two locks at Stoke Bruerne. Map?

Scene 9 - Church on a hill, on a rural section of canal. Nearly cirtainly the church at Stoke Bruerne! In the distance it looks like the brickwork seen in Scene 8. Map?

Scene 10 - A drawing of the double locks at City Road, Regents Canal (A better view of the print is available here Map

Scene 11 - Line drawing of a wooden mill, unknown location - Paddington Basin mentioned. Map?

Scene 12 - Picture of a packet boat, and a bridge on a corner, unknown location. Near Paddington? Likely to be the Paddington Packet Boat Service.

Nos 10-12 are from paintgings by Thomas Shepherd, done in the 1820s. 10 is City Road locks, 11 is Paddington Basin and 12 somewhere on the Paddington Branch ( I suspect the bridge shown no longer exists) - Mike Stevens

Scene 13 - Engine Arm Aqueduct, Birmingham. Another drawing. Map

Scene 14 - Galton Bridge, Smethwich. Main Line, BCN. Map

Scene 15 - Shallow river, unknown location. But might be the River Severn in the Ironbridge Gorge?

Scene 16 - Flash Lock, probably the Pershore Watergate on the Avon. Map

Scene 17 - River lock, with unusual widening. Prehaps on the Warwickshire Avon?

Scene 18 - A view from the top of a huge cutting, on the Tame Valley canal. Exact location not yet known

Scene 19 - Probably same location as 18, but from further down the cutting.

Scene 20 - Worsley Mines Map

Scene 21 - A large coal heap, on the corner of the canal. Towpaths both side, so perhaps Tame Valley. Ocker Hill Branch?

Scene 22 - Reverse shot of scene 19, Tame Valley Canal. Exact location not yet known.

Scene 23 - Green, and pleasent country side, but also some big hills. Unknown Location - but could this be the feeder branch to Llangollen?

Scene 24 - A turf-sided lock, or prehaps flood gates. No balance beams. Cotswolds?

Scene 25 - The world famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, near Llangollen.

Scene 26 - Engine Arm Aqueduct again, this time in film.

Scene 27 - Of all the places in the world, this has to be Longport, Stoke-On-Trent.

Scene 28 - This power station comes back again, and again in the film. Really not sure where it is, but must be Birmingham, as there are coal filled day boats. ocker Hill Power Station?

Scene 28c - Thomas Clayton's Ash passes the power station

Scene 29 - Barton Aqueduct on the Manchester Ship Canal.

Scene 30 - Anderton Boat Lift, Cheshire

Scene 31 - A wide beamed barge, made into a school house. Unknown location, but likely to be the one at Bulls Bridge.

Scene 32 - Loading Arm, probably Birmingham somewhere.

Scene 33 - A section with a railway bridge at a slight angle to the canal, and a large square brick building (Water Tower). West Coast Main crossing at Blisworth, near bridge 49 - Station Road Bridge. The water tower has gone, and the bridge covered (or replaced) with concrete.

Scene 34 - Blisworth Tunnel south portal. Map

Scene 35 - Inside Blisworth Tunnel

Scene 36 - Airvent about the Blisworth Tunnel - not confirmed, as the actual path follows a road. I suspect it's on the southern end vents, and a setup! Map

Scene 37 - North portal, Blisworth Tunnel. Map

Scene 38 - Railway over a canal. Click here for the two images joined together. Ian Jeremiah says this:

I think it's the Golden Valley railway line crossing the Thames and Severn canal at Stroud. The Train is a GWR autocoach, probably on the 'Chalford Shuttle'.

After looking at pictures of St Mary's lock, it looks like it could be the same line, but there does not seem to be any modern pictures of this Viaduct (presumably it is the one at Bowbridge).

Scene 39 - An industrial townscape - Unknown Location, but near the power station.

Scene 40 - A lock set in an industrial townscape - Near Scene39 (power station in background) - Birmingham? Click here for the three images joined together

Scene 41 - Tree Lined section of canal, Unknown Location

Scene 42 - A Derelect section of canal, with a bridge over. Unknown Location

Scene 43 - Another derelect bit of canal, Unknown Location.

Scene 44 - A weedy canal, and derelect lock. Unknown location.

Scene 45 - A pool full of decaying wooden narrowboats

Scene 46 - Seems this old man lives on this boat. Unknown Location

Scene 47 - A pond full of decaying wooden narrowboats, it's not Harefield is it? Click here for a panaramic photo

Scene 48 - Empty lock, unknown location.

Could be almost anywhere, but one possibility is Sneyd bottom lock on the branch off the Wyrley & Essington - Mike Stevens.

Scene 49 - Empty canal, unkown location - near Sapperton?

Scene 50 - Sapperton Tunnel, Thames & Severn Canal. Which end? South East?