Mill Hill and the canal basin, Market Harborough, in the 1970s

Between 1968 and the early 1990s, says Boatbuilders of Market Harborough, some 3000 steel canal boats were built by Springer Engineering.

This video shows one of them being built, transported to the town's canal basin and then fitted out and decorated. It dates from the 1970s (when Market Harborough's phone numbers had only four digits) and shows the basin before it was redeveloped and still had the shabby charm that attracted people to inland waterways in the first place.

Mill Hill has changed since this was shot too. In those days it was a backwater, hidden away behind Symington's corset factory. Though much of that factory had gone by the time I became a councillor, Mill Hill retained much of its old character and was one of my favourite parts of my ward.

But Springer's soon went and Mill Hill is now home to a lot of new housing.

Thanks, as so often, to @solarpilchard on Twitter.