James O'Brien's Mystery Hour Where did they get the water from for the canals?
26 snips
Feb 12, 2026 Callers puzzle over where 19th-century canals got their water, with talk of rivers, reservoirs and filling practices. Listeners debate why ski jumpers use twigs while other events use blue dye for visibility. There is lively discussion about crisp packet colour coding and how favourites change with mood. Short personal stories about Lego, cooking quirks and bee waggle dances add charm.
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Where Canal Water Comes From
- Canals usually filled from nearby rivers and interconnected waterways rather than conjuring water mysteriously.
- Building or breaching a new channel simply lets existing river/reservoir water back into the new canal until equilibrium restores levels.
Missing A Marina Fill Moment
- James describes missing the moment a new marina filled after breaking a bank and watching water flood in.
- He notes the canal locally dipped slightly then settled, illustrating filling dynamics in practice.
How Walkers Chose Crisp Colours
- Will shares that his late father helped choose Walkers crisps' flavour colours for launch.
- He recalls the debate that led Walkers to use blue for cheese and onion packaging.
