CUTCUT BOTHBOTH WAYSWAYS & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust

Issue No. 100 Summer 2019 ay Wha eeth rf L tr Lichfield td S Heart of the .

tel:01543 414808 mobile:0782 4848444 fax:01543 414770 www.streethaywharf.co.uk 7-DAY CALL OUT SERVICE GEN SETS FITTED DIESEL AND SOLID FUEL STOVES FITTED BOTTOM BLACKING REPAINTING AND SIGNWRITING NEW BOATS FULL & PART FIT-OUT SUPPLIED ALL MECHANICAL / ELECTRICAL WORK FULL CHANDLERY STRETCHING AND REBOTTOMING GAS SAFE. CERTIFICATE OF COMPLIANCE ALL STEEL WORK AND TANKS Support the boat yard on the “Lichfield Ring” Boat Transport, England, Europe Cranage Arranged Site Surveys  Complete Service for DIY  Repairs Boat Hire Boat Fitting Diesel Pump Out  Mooring  Boat Sales  Laundry Trent & Mersey Canal V.A.T No. 133609427 Chairman’s Column

We are celebrating two huge achievements in this edition of Cut Both Ways: Our 100th Edition thay Whar Being awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service: a genuine honour which ee f L reflects that we have the most amazingly dedicated volunteers one could ever imagine r t having and they tackle the very diverse activities which make LHCRT one of the t d foremost and most successful Canal Restoration groups in the country. S . Our editorial team had the great idea to select articles from the previous 99 editions, and you will see their selection in the following pages. Overall they exemplify how, over the Trust’s 31 years existence it has consistently faced and overcome challenges, gone from strength to strength and acquired and transformed derelict land into beautiful havens for people, for wildlife and eventually for boaters and thus also economic advantages through tourism. What struck me overall from reading these back numbers was the number of recurrent themes, the foresight which directors and officers over the years have had and, of course, the achievements. A few examples: Summer 2004: The late and much valued Chairman, Brian Kingshott, wrote “what a rejuvenated BCN will do for .... look for help from MBC”. What prescience! Here we are now in 2019 talking with West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) – watch this space, and keep your fingers (and toes!) crossed! That prescience is evident particularly with the installation of the aqueduct (see August 2003) and the Road culvert (Autumn 2006) The article from Autumn 2004 includes for the first time the word “Ecology”, meaning how living organisms interact with their environment: the Trust has done so much over the years to improve the environment, with the Heritage Towpath Trail and habitat enhancements for flora and fauna wherever we work. Of these articles and almost at their chronological extremes are references to the (Spring 1996 and Autumn 2015) These both sum up the dilemma we face, and the determination that despite the difficulties we remain committed to restoring both. Finally, Spring 2018’s report of “The Big Lift, The Beast from the East and Storm Emma” shows exactly how amazing LHCRT is, why it has The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service and how it continues to turn threats into successes. Chris Bull, (Chairperson)

If you have received this magazine and you are not a member please consider joining the Trust. For more details contact the Membership Secretary (details on Page 30)

Summer 2019 Page 3 Spring 1993

Whether you have purchased this magazine out of curiosity, or whether you are an ardent canal enthusiast, we hope that you will find something of interest - if not then please lets us know. In this edition it is important to stress what we are all about. The northern Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) are the residual part of what was once an extremely intricate transportation system - the canals of the Midlands were the veins and arteries of the industrial revolution. Although these canals venture well out into rural solitude, the only way back to the main canal network is to return to the centre, as routes northwards have been closed. It is unfortunate that for this reason more people do not brave some of the less pleasant parts as the northern reaches of the BCN are rural and splendid in their isolation. We believe that the best way to promote greater use of the BCN is to open up at least one through route, preferably two. The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Ltd has been the steering group for the project since 1987. Recent successes in securing funding and breaking the “credibility barrier” mean that it is now time for a membership arm - “The Friends of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals”. We will support and raise funds on behalf of the Trust, who will remain the steering group for the projects. John Morris (Chairman, Friends Of The Lichfield And Hatherton Canals.)

Summer 2019 Page 4 August 1996

A word from Phil Sharpe The Vice-Chairman welcomes the Trust’s new membership, both those transferred from the “Friends” and new recruits, and indicates the way forward for Cut Both Ways, Welcome to the first edition of Cut Both Ways under new management. The “Friends” are dead, long live the Trust! The Friends Of The Lichfield & Hatherton Canals did a valuable job in building up membership and supporting the Trust, but we now have a new beginning under a unified structure. We thank all the Friends committee for their hard work in publicity and fund raising and welcome John Morris and Trevor Morris to the Trust Council. We also thank you the members for staying with us through “Navvies” readers know that and WRG recent difficulties and we hope in future are keen to help us. Could you be a to keep you more regularly informed roving reporter for the Trust? If so, apply through these pages about the Trust’s to the editor and the job is yours! All activities. contributions will be gratefully received. This edition is something of a catching Philip Sharpe. Vice-chairman, LHCRT up exercise, with several review articles explaining what we have been doing in WRG Uncovers 18 the last year or so. Future CBW’s will WRG North West to continue excavating concentrate more on up-to-date news the tail of the lock and for driver training and plans for the future. But the best with our growing fleet. As the brickwork way to ensure that you can read what of wing walls and steps emerged we you want to hear about is to write it! were pleased to find that the only Contributions of all kinds are welcome damage was displaced coping stones. and needed (to the editor, please, not The “geographically challenged” WRG me). Make this your magazine as Trust Navvies Anonymous were determined members by sending us your opinions, to complete the job. Working round the reports of work parties, jokes, ideas for clock, they cleared the full length of fund raising, photographs, articles or the chamber down to the lower water advertisements. Let us hear from the level. Again, apart from limited areas, usually silent majority. Canal restoration the brickwork proved to be in excellent has a serious purpose, but it is also fun! condition.

Summer 2019 Page 5 Autumn 2003 August 2003

AQUEDUCT The Aqueduct is complete and we are including colour photographs of the installation of the trough and walkways in August and the inauguration ceremony. This marks the culmination of 15 years of campaigning and nearly 3 years of fund raising to counter the severance threatened by the construction of the new motorway. We may not have got all that we wanted, or indeed that the public inquiry inspector recommended, but what we have achieved is 2 major culverts enlarged to navigable size for the Hatherton Canal and an aqueduct for the Lichfield Canal, and on the back of that more funding for engineering, economic and environmental reports on the Hatherton we know that we have still barely Canal plus some land purchase and, scratched the surface of what needs to we hope, some advance pre-cast bridge be done so that the celebrations, whilst units and finally, as explained below, a deserved and enjoyed, should give no new bridge on the Lichfield Canal. Not cause for complacency but provide a bad for a bunch of amateurs! However, spur to even greater endeavour in future.

Summer 2019 Page 6 Summer 2004

CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN One of the Chairman’s roles is to represent the Trust at meetings and functions. It is always a pleasure to do this and to meet a wide range of people. Those I talk to seem to fall into two very distinct categories. There are those who know all about our work, are enthusiastic to see us succeed and may well be members. Then there is the great majority who, amazingly, have never heard of us. This great division reminds me of advice I was once given when given the task of promoting and advertising an organisation. I was told always to assume that nobody had ever heard of you. Advice I suspect stems from the 14th Army, known as the “forgotten army” lt reminded me of my old day job and which fought in Burma in the Second running prize day. However, the main World War. General Slim told them that pleasure was being greeted by so many not only were they forgotten but that people who are supporters of the Trust nobody had even heard of them. As and who can see what a rejuvenated many will know, this was good advice. northern BCN will do for Brownhills. I I live in Shropshire and many of my was introduced to local councillors who neighbours cannot find Lichfield on the urged us to look for help from Walsall map let alone any canals, open or under MBC and who clearly want to be better restoration. informed on our project. I met Richard Shepherd who is the MP and he too was We must remain fresh and enthusiastic very encouraging. lt was a very happy about the Trust and be as keen to seek day and one to give all of us a lift. support now as we were when we started or when the problems of the M6 Our Vision Statement. To restore the Toll seemed insuperable. Meanwhile, it Lichfield Canal and the Hatherton Canal is sometimes reassuring to be among to re-open waterway links between good friends. I was recently invited to and the West Midlands, be a guest of Brownhills Waterside for the benefit of the environment, Carnival. This involved very few duties amenity and prosperity of the people of apart from presenting prizes to children the Region and to enhance the nation’s who had done well in the art competition. inland waterway system.

Summer 2019 Page 7 Autumn 2004

ECOLOGY MATTERS “Don’t go down the pit Dad, there’s plenty o’coal in t’cut” One of the pleasures to be enjoyed when accompanying the Marketing team to the various venues, spreading the word and encouraging support for the restoration, is the wide variety of interesting people you meet with poignant stories of a life gone forever. In my opinion locations near are best, where I have lost count of the number of elderly gentlemen who claim to have swam in the bottom lock of the Rumer Hill flight or fished at this and that location. All of which brings me to the quotation above. Apparently this gentleman, when a boy lived close to a Waterway’s gauging hut. As the boats approached the boatman at lf other members have tales like this the stern would look along the waterline about the old “Curly - Wyrley” please at the draught and if he thought the pass them on to Mike Battisson. charge would be too excessive he and “Huddlesford Gathering” his mate (“the hos handler”) would throw In all its 200 year history Huddlesford coal over the side until they were happy Junction has probably never seen an with the estimated freight charge. event such as this! The Gathering was My narrator then explained that he and organised as part of the Celebr18th his peers would dive for the coal and sell Festival in Lichfield, to celebrate it for tuppence or threepence, dependent a time when canals were the new on size. Apparently people would come mode of transportation and Lichfield from afar with bikes and prams to buy in Staffordshire was at the centre of the coal that he insisted had been the everything new -the 18th century. motive for his learning to swim! Twenty historic ex-working boats moored Quite a lucrative occupation for a young up, many “double breasted” in traditional lad at the time, but to be honest I’m not fashion, including the spectacular steam so sure that this would be my preferred boats President and Monarch built in choice from the two ways to earn a living circa 1908. A total 33 boats had booked from coal. Like the frying pan and the in to the event, many more just turned up fire - a marginal decision, I think! so the final count was about 50.

Summer 2019 Page 8 Spring 2006

CAPPERS BRIDGE CEREMONY For us, Queen Elizabeth Bridge’ might have been an appropriate name for the newly-built Cappers Bridge, formally opened on her 8Oth birthday on 21 st April 2006! Years of planning and fund- raising, months of construction work, weeks of organising all came together when some 100 invited guests, Trust members and public met to celebrate this notable achievement in opening the way for the Lichfield Canal to pass under Cappers Lane between Lichfield and Whittington. During a ceremony on the bridge, the “Cappers Bridge” name-plate rescued from the original bridge was unveiled by dignitaries to rousing cheers. The proceedings were graced by the presence of Mrs Margaret Dale, a political and financial pressures. With the descendant of the Capper family who usual business regarding accounts and had lived and worked as wheelwrights elections concluded, Trust President Eric at in the past. Mr Wood expressed sincere thanks to the Bartlett, Chairman of Whittington Parish Chairman and Directors for their untiring Council thanked her for personifying voluntary work in pushing forward to the historic link which she said was achieve the aims of the Trust to restore a great privilege and hoped the new the canals to full navigation. bridge would carry the Capper name into the future. Commemorative mugs and coasters depicting the bridge sold quickly and will be available on the Trust stand at shows, or through the website. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Following the above event, some 50 members and others attended the 16th AGM at Whittington Village Hall. The Chairman delivered a stirring report Photo by Harry Arnold on the Trust’s activities through some New Cappers Lane Bridge ready for difficult times in 2005, yet coming restoring the Lichfield, March 2006 through to face fresh challenges under Update - The bridge will be demolished when HS2 comes through this area. Summer 2019 Page 9 Autumn 2006

FUNDING NEWS

BIRMINGHAM ROAD CULVERT During September, the Trust entered into a legal Agreement with Staffordshire County Council for the construction of a canal culvert under a new roundabout now being constructed on Birmingham Road, Lichfield at a fixed cost of £490,000. Whilst this is advance work for the Lichfield Canal in this location, failure to do it now could have jeopardised the chances of full restoration for ever. The Charity Bank have provided a loan of £255,000, repayable over 25 years (or sooner without penalty). Additional borrowing will be needed for the final stage payment of £50,000 early next year. These commitments place put out in the Spring to raise as much as a considerable strain on the Trust’s possible towards a target of £250,000. finances, leaving little available for the So far, cash income, pledges and Gift ongoing work of canal restoration. Aid tax recovery amount to £55,000: remarkable in just a few months! We DAVID SUCHET APPEAL thank you all for your generosity -not To reduce the level of debt for the above for “our” canal, but “your” future link to works, donors have risen to the challenge revitalise the northern BCN.

Approximate position of Lichfield Canal Tunnel underneath new roundabout (photo by Bob Williams)

Summer 2019 Page 10 Spring 2011

CHAIRMAN’S COLUMN It is wonderful to be able to start on a The Magazine of the Lichfield & very positive note. If you have been to Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Tamworth Road over the last month you will have seen the great work which has Issue 67 Spring 2011 been done there by our contractors, McPhillips. They completed operations on Pound 26 safely within the contract period and we now have a section of canal which is slowly filling with water. You can read the details and see the photographs further on but this is an exciting moment in the history of our project. We have worked for nearly a quarter of a century to restore our canals. We have many successes to point to but, for the general public; nothing will really count if it is not a canal with water in it and boats on it. For so many years we have The Realisation of a Dream, 06-Apr-11 had a work site at Tamworth Road which has impressed waterways aficionados been kept to a minimum. Now they are but has not really impressed the passing all fired up and ready to move on. I must public. Now that has changed. Our first also pay tribute to our MP and Patron, section of restored canal is there for all Michael Fabricant, who came so rapidly to see. and effectively to our rescue when the whole project seemed threatened by I hope there will be plenty of opportunities bureaucracy and ill-informed obstruction. to express our thanks to those who have driven forward the work at Tamworth Our other, largely unsung, heroine is Road. Bob Williams has supervised Sandra Attwood who has supported the operations and has ensured proper us throughout the work and made it all planning and financing. Peter Buck, possible by agreeing to the transfer of supported by John Horton and other the lease of the vital piece of land to members of the engineering team, the Trust and tolerating the long-term has been our project engineer and his intrusion into her garden. We should technical expertise and knowledge have also pay tribute to the professionalism been invaluable. Our own work force, of McPhillips who have done a splendid until recently led by Brian Davis, has job, responded cheerfully and positively done so much to prepare and build the to the difficulties and have left the site in infrastructure thus ensuring the work, pristine condition. and cost, required of contractors has

Summer 2019 Page 11 Spring 2014

Lichfield Greenhill Bower Queen Savannah Bennett and Deputy Bower The Magazine of the Lichfield & Queen Charlotte Aspley had a very Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust important date on Saturday April 13 when they officially opened the city’s latest Issue No. 79 - Spring 2014 outdoor amenity – the Lichfield Canal Heritage Towpath Trail. The first completed section of the Trail, from Lock 25 in the Borrowcop Locks Canal Park on the A51 Tamworth Road to the bus stop adjacent to the A38 bridge, has been made disabled-friendly by volunteers from our Trust after months of hard work in extremely testing weather conditions. Lichfield Mercury Bower Queen, Savannah Bennett and Wheelchair-users, walkers, runners and Deputy Bower Queen, Charlotte Aspley cut the ribbons to officially open the disabled-friendly section of the cyclists will be able to use the section, Lichfield Canal Heritage Towpath Trail (see page 14). which runs alongside the watered Pound 26, Lock 26 and Pound 27, which will nature reserves linking heathland and also be in water later this year. Work is wetland areas. currently going on to create a winding hole, where narrowboats can turn Land Purchase around, and Pound 27 will be lined with It is obvious that the Trust must own, puddled clay before being filled with lease, or have a licence to operate water. on the track of both canals. Steady The Trail passes a section of narrows, progress has been made on this over a short length of single-vessel width the years, especially on the Lichfield. canal, before rising on a gentle gradient Although the areas of land are in up to the Tamworth Road. The disabled- themselves quite small the price can friendly section is part of an ambitious be high. We have a land fund which is programme to create a seven-mile used for such purchases but rebuilding Heritage Towpath Trail alongside the reserves can be a slow process. We Lichfield Canal, which when restored will were able to buy land off Cappers run from Huddlesford to Lane but funds were much depleted. at Brownhills, where the Lichfield Canal We have been fortunate with some links to the Wyrley and Canal. recent and generous donations but we still lack the level of balance that The Trail will provide a unique community we need. There are several valuable amenity, in close proximity to Lichfield’s parcels of land for which we could bid cultural and industrial heritage, and if funds allowed. an important wildlife corridor, with new Summer 2019 Page 12 Autumn 2015

If you read through the pages of Cut Both Ways for most of the last ten The Magazine of the Lichfield & years you might conclude that we have Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust concentrated on the Lichfield Canal to the exclusion of the Hatherton. (We Issue No. 85 - Autumn 2015 recognise, of course that neither of these names is strictly and historically accurate.) It is hard to deny that The Lichfield project has burgeoned while the Hatherton appears to have languished. There are several reasons for this, hopefully all valid. The Lichfield has frequently been “under threat” and emergency action has been essential to safeguard it – most recently HS2 at Huddlesford. Earlier the Bower Queen Ellie Wheeler and her deputy Tegan Grist, winners of the Lichfield Mercury Bower Queen competition 2015, assisted by Peter Buck, Engineering Director of the Trust, aboard the Bower Belle Motorway seemed poised to wipe out the open the 2015 Huddlesford Heritage Gathering northern connection to the BCN. Bypass (photo by Paul Marshall) schemes around Lichfield, housing developments have remained an ever- stand ready for use in the future. Other present threat. All have been, and are, complications at Churchbridge have been expensive and time consuming in the dealt with but many challenges remain. solution. The bulk of our active members Currently, we are in discussion with live in Lichfield and inevitably are drawn Network Rail to ensure we can make a to their local project. The opportunities crossing under the Chase Line railway. for work projects such as at Tamworth Of course, the major obstacle has always Road and Summerhill have come readily been the M6 at Calf Heath and the need to to hand and we have embraced them get under “the Straight Mile”. Our hopes with enthusiasm. that major motorway reconstruction The Hatherton has a very different would provide the proverbial window of nature with its own challenges. However, opportunity have been disappointed but we have been able to let it slumber as we continue to monitor any proposals it has rarely come under threat. The very closely. The result is that getting the exception was when M6Toll threatened boats back to Cannock is more likely to to block the route at Churchbridge. This be achieved from the Pelsall end than threat was overcome but without the from Calf Heath. Razzmatazz of the installation of the Thus we remain a “two canals project”. aqueduct. As part of the same remedial Both are equally important to us but package two enlarged culverts were built prioritisation will always be a challenge. as part of the motorway programme and

Summer 2019 Page 13 Winter 2015/16

For those who have not already heard the sad news, our Chairman Brian Kingshott The Magazine of the Lichfield & died peacefully on 9th January, after he Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust suffered from very poor health since the autumn. His contribution to the Trust’s Issue No. 86 - Winter 2015/16 activities has been huge, in particular during his fifteen years in the chair. Those of us who got to know Brian only in recent years found him an unassuming man, perhaps rather shy. But what one learned after his death from talking to other people and listening to the eulogy at the funeral, admirably delivered by his old friend Barry Oldham, painted a picture of a person of substance who had lived life to the full and enriched the lives of others who crossed his path. RIP - Brian Kingshott 1938 - 2016 Brian attended Midhurst Grammar School where in addition to academic But not until someone is no longer with us study he took part in school plays and is it common for others to talk about their became head boy before two years’ personal virtues. People have talked national service and three years studying about Brian being “a lovely, kind man modern history at Exeter College, with skills of diplomacy and down to earth Oxford. common sense, who dealt confidently with industry and politicians; definitely After obtaining a Diploma in Education a doer and not a sit-and-watcher”. He he started teaching history and English was a “driving force” in the Trust, who at the Royal School, demonstrated “leadership, wise counsel becoming Second Master (Deputy Head) and enthusiasm for the cause” in 1975 until retiring in 2000 after 35 years’ service. At school, he supported We will remember him with respect and a succession of Head Teachers while great appreciation. We are looking to keeping up his interest in drama, and choose a feature on one of our canals inspiring hundreds, maybe thousands of to bear his name – or just possibly that pupils. He took groups of them off to help of his first lock down in . But what restore the Severn Valley Railway and on he would, I am sure, most appreciate, canal trips, and further afield to cycle in if he is able to look down on us, would Derbyshire and walk in the Lake District, be continuation of the great work of to the battlefields of WW1 and even, in restoration which he helped to start so 1969, to Moscow and Berlin. many years ago.

Summer 2019 Page 14 Spring 2016

Our “Tunnel Vision” appeal, formally launched by our vice-president David The Magazine of the Lichfield & Suchet at the Boat Show, aims Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust to fund the hole for the Lichfield Canal beneath the Cross-City passenger Issue No. 90 - Winter 2016/17 railway south of Lichfield. This will be easier and less costly to construct if it can be done at the same time as the next section of the Lichfield southern bypass, scheduled for late 2019. While probable, it is not certain that the bypass will be built then, but we must be ready with money available by the spring of 2019, not much over two years away: hence the appeal. Many of you, our members, have been most generous in the past; we David Suchet formally launches the Tunnel Vision hope you have been pleased with what Appeal with David Dixon and Peter Buck on the IWA stand at the London Boat Show, 9th January 2017. we have achieved with your support.

If so, we will once again be most grateful to receive whatever you can afford this time round. TUNNEL VISION The total of 16 major crossings in just APPEAL FOR seven miles of canal is a consequence of being in the middle of England in an area £1,000,000 already heavily developed. Interestingly, our Hatherton Canal will need fewer new needed structures, though three in particular, by under the M6, the Chase Line railway 2019 and the A5, will be major engineering projects. - Essential towards restoring a 7-mile canal that

 will create new cruising rings in the Midlands. As for 2017, and all those bridges, my

- A community link on the Heritage Towpath Trail. fervent hope is that, once we’ve cleared  - Provide new recreation areas for all to enjoy. all the administrative hurdles, we can

complete the “Heritage Towpath Trail” PLEASE GIVE GENEROUSLY TO THIS URGENT APPEAL over the aqueduct.

Details on the website: www.lhcrt.org.uk What a milestone that will be!

Summer 2019 Page 15 Spring 2018 CUTCUT BOTHBOTH WAYSWAYS Lichfield Canal volunteers overcame the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust worst the elements could throw at them to move over 230 tonnes of concrete tunnel into position at Darnford Moors. The eleven sections of culvert, each weighing 21.3 tonnes, had to be transported from their storage site at Hazel Lane Colliery, , because of a proposed development. One of the many challenges Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust faces is a crossing under Darnford Lane, so this was an ideal opportunity to put A convoy of six low-loaders, carrying the tunnel sections to Darnford Moors, travels under the M6 Toll Road aqueduct the culvert sections in place, ready for See Pages 16 and 17 (Picture: Paul Marshall) the time when a tunnel will be installed. New EU Data Protection Rules come into force in May this year. Please see Page 4 Many weeks of preparation of the Issue No. 95 Darnford Moors site, digging out the Spring 2018 canal bed to the correct depth and constructing a platform for a huge crane, and freezing conditions. But then Storm and clearing the Great Wyrley site for Emma brought very high winds which the big lift, meant that all was in place made it unsafe to continue. for the move on Friday March 2, despite The next day’s improved conditions the atrocious conditions produced by ‘the meant the first six sections were lifted Beast from the East’. into place by 9am, with the lowloaders Unfortunately, the 350 tonne crane making return journeys to Great Wyrley heading for Darnford Moors broke down for the five remaining. on the M1 and the expected 6am start of Finally, the last section was swung into the two-hour operation to prepare it was place at 1pm, to the evident relief of Trust delayed until its arrival at 2pm. volunteers. Meanwhile, six low-loaders, each carrying a culvert section with LICHFIELD CANAL stencilled in bright yellow paint on the end, were held at Norton Canes service station on the M6 Toll Road, until the crane was set up. They arrived at Darnford Moors at 4pm when Trust volunteers were prepared to work into the night under lights to The convoy of low-loaders lined up complete the move, despite the snow on Darnford Lane Picture: Margaret Beardsmore Summer 2019 Page 16 30 YEAR MONEY TIMELINE year principal activity in the year all receipts all payments resources held 1990 Trust establishment £1,283 £253 £1,030 1991 Trust promotion £1,420 £843 £1,607 1992 Hatherton work £2,542 £3,265 £884 1993 Hatherton & Trust promotion £2,576 £2,322 £1,138 1994 Professional studies £7,234 £8,183 £189 1995 Darnford Lane excavation round Lock 29 £8,139 £6,482 £1,846 1996 Darnford Brook culvert; opening Lock 18 £19,277 £20,952 £171 1997 Membership; grants - Darnford Lift Bridge £23,122 £19,940 £3,353 1998 Lichfield Lock 25 excavation, repairs £33,186 £20,285 £16,254 1999 Marketing & Retail - Lock 25 work £22,112 £28,309 £10,057 2000 Appeal income - Purchase Railtrack land £7,677 £7,482 £10,252 2001 Suchet Appeal for M6Toll at Churchbridge £160,068 £41,122 £129,198 2002 Suchet Appeal - Churchbridge culvert £148,705 £146,215 £131,688 2003 Manifold Trust>aqueduct - ERDF>Cap.Br. £1,070,600 £1,122,635 £79,653 2004 VAT reg. - Lichfield sites management £67,525 £30,780 £116,398 2005 VAT refund. - Lichfield sites management £111,935 £35,949 £192,384 2006 Manifold Trust >Ogley 272; Bhm.Rd.culvert £517,910 £505,256 £205,038 2007 Completing Birmingham Road culvert £96,096 £136,389 £164,745 2008 Grants for Borrowcop Locks section £109,507 £92,873 £181,379 2009 Suchet £30 Appeal - Atkins Feasibiity Rprt £100,786 £106,147 £176,018 2010 Appeals - Lichfield Canal work £62,979 £59,108 £179,889 2011 Pound 26 grants>McPhillips water contract £135,697 £144,350 £171,236 2012 Appeals - Darnford Park, Borrowcop £103,635 £119,344 £155,527 2013 25th Ann. Appeal - Lichfield Canal work £94,346 £74,047 £175,826 2014 "Feet of Clay" Appeal - Borrowcop work £163,272 £121,782 £217,316 2015 S.I.B.Summerhill grant - land, Crane Brook £482,971 £330,698 £369,589 2016 Suchet Tunnel Vision Appeal, L.Can.work £206,662 £136,851 £439,400 2017 B.K. legacy+loan for Ogley 271; P.27water £489,089 £140,568 £787,921 2018 Postcode Local Trust grant>Fosseway Hth. £180,356 £183,517 £784,760 TOTALS £4,430,707 £3,645,947 £784,760 EXPENDITURE ON NON-REALISABLE ASSETS cost 2002 "David Suchet Tunnel" under A34 at Churchbridge £130,000 2002 Highways Agency main Cannock M6 Toll & A460 culverts £543,438 2003 11no. Pre-cast concrete sections (now at Darnford Lane) £91,250 2003 M6 Toll aqueduct (+ MEL foundations £65,000) £451,000 2006 Cappers Lane Bridge (SCC highways) £555,275 2007 Lichfield Canal culvert under Birmingham Road £490,000 2012 Darnford Park excavation & sewer diversion £60,000 2015 Crane Brook culvert reinstatement part MEL/SIB grant £130,000 TOTAL £2,450,963 TOTAL VALUE OF EFFECTIVE CANAL ASSETS £3,235,723

Summer 2019 Page 17 Good News David Suchet Tunnel Vision Appeal SEEING IT THROUGH “As one door closes, another opens!” runs a popular saying.

Just when we hold over half of the £1million estimated cost of the proposed canal tunnel under the railway south of Lichfield, contractual opinion has now come into sharper focus on the reality of the task in today’s “risk averse” conditions which are expected to considerably increase the cost. However, in June, the National Lottery launched a new Heritage Horizon Awards scheme with up to £100 million for large scale projects which are transformative, innovative and collaborative, their maxim being “Backing big ideas, unlocking possibilities”. Could that “unlock our door”? To be eligible, the Lottery base level is from £5 million upwards, with applicants contributing 10% in both the development and delivery phases through a five year period. Now, our half of £1m is 10% of their £5m and there can’t be many organisations as well placed as we are to even consider this, thanks to those who have helped us get to this stage. We have already made approaches at a high level to develop a professional “Business Case” for incorporating the railway tunnel into a much larger Heritage Horizon scheme where so much has already been, and will continue to be achieved with more funding contributions towards completing sections of the Lichfield Canal. So “Watch This Space!” If you have been in doubt so far, please make a donation now to the DAVID SUCHET TUNNEL VISION APPEAL LHCRT Ltd, 29 Hall Lane, Hammerwich, Burntwood, Staffs. WS7 0JP or through our website at: http://www.lhcrt.org.uk/tunnel-vision.html Bob Williams, Director (Finance) Summer 2019 Page 18 Donations to the Trust

Donations to the Trust: 1st April to 30th June 2019 Donations during this period from individuals and groups, plus ancillary items, totalled £24,734 including those to the Tunnel Vision Appeal plus Gift Aid tax claims for UK taxpayers who completed the required formalities.

Other assistance Site work support was given by the following, listed in alphabetical order:- • BT Corporate volunteering day. • Chasetown Civil Engineering Ltd, site materials. • Dimension Data, corporate volunteering day. • HSBC, corporate volunteering day. • IMI, corporate volunteering day. • Queens’ Croft School, Lichfield, regular volunteer teams. • College, carpentry students. • Walsall College, bricklaying students. • Waterway Recovery Group, training camp. All such donations, however large or small, are most gratefully received by the Trust to help us with our restoration work. We recognise that all our supporters give what they are able, reflecting the value they put on our work for the community. Because of this, and the wish of some to remain anonymous, we no longer publish names of individual donors and amounts. And all L&H Trust volunteer teams on… Canal restoration, plant maintenance and repair; ‘Green and Grounds’ Team, planting and vegetation control; Maintenance of Heritage Towpath Trail. Our grateful thanks to all who support the Trust in so many ways.

Our Vision To reinstate the historic Lichfield Canal and Hatherton Canal for the benefit of the community. The natural wildlife corridor from Huddlesford to Hatherton will provide a valuable amenity for walkers, cyclists, boaters and visitors to use and will bring prosperity to the area. This project will also provide an opportunity for young people to learn about our history, our heritage and our environment.

Summer 2019 Page 19 Membership Matters

A very warm welcome to the 64 new members who have joined our ranks since the beginning of April this year. I’m not sure where some of you have come from, but I do know that the Brownhills festival produced some new members, I was there on the Sunday and signed some of you up myself. I also spent the Saturday at Crick, on our Stand with Bob and Chris, and was amazed at how you came and made yourselves known, and joined there and them. To meet new members like this gave me a ‘buzz’ and I just have to say thank you for joining, but also for your generosity. It wasn’t just the membership fee you passed to us, it was the donations as well, and the promise of things to come in the future. I do remember one gentleman who said he had the money and no one to leave it to, and he would remember us in his will as well. Wow, so kind. Since our ”Queens Award” stationary has had to be altered, including our membership application form. Sadly lots of the applications at the boat festivals had not got the section to say yes or no to have names published. The new applications have now. So if you did miss out on giving your ‘Yes’ to having your name published, get in touch with me, and I will see that it is done in the next edition. A few weeks ago, I was invited to speak to the members of the Roses and Castles Boaters Lodge of Mark Master Masons about our restoration work. I was received well, as was what I had to say, and the ‘Boaters’ were very generous in their cheque to the restoration, So thanks to them also. I could go on but space is limited. Until next time………………….. Brian Williams, Membership Secretary

Welcome to New Members – 1st April to 30th June 2019 Mr J Davies, Lichfield. Mr L Blomsma, Tamworth Miss D Ilsley, Lichfield Mr M Brindley, Tamworth Mrs M Broadhead, Burntwood Mr S Hartley, Barnoldswick Mr & Mrs L Lumb, Lichfield Mr & Mrs T Bradley, Mr G Broadhead, Woking Mr G Butler-Madden, Barry Mr C Forshaw, Bournemouth Mr C Bull, Fradley

Membership Total at 30th June :- 1964 (Comprising 339 Adult, 988 Family, 217 Life, 409 Retired, 11 Other)

Membership rates are: Adult £10; Family £15; Junior (under 18), Student, Retired or Unemployed £6; Group (Clubs & Societies) £25; Small Business £100, Large Corporate £200; Life Membership £200, Family Life Membership £300 (includes children up to age 18). To join, please contact the Membership Secretary (see page 30), view our website www.lhcrt.org.uk or email [email protected]

Summer 2019 Page 20 Our 500 Club gives members a chance to win prizes of up to £400 every three months! 50% of the 500 Club income will be retained for capital expenditure essential for restoration of our two canals… and 50% paid in prizes to its members. 254 subscribing members were eligible to share £381.00 in the June draw. A rise in numbers will mean an increase in the contribution to the Capital Fund and the amount of prize money to be won. Anyone can subscribe, you don’t have to be a LHCRT member. Why not take a few more numbers to increase your chance of winning four times a year. Completing our Bankers Order will make it easier for you stay in the Draw and reduce our bank charges. The Trust would like to thank all the subscribers for their continuing support. So please spread the word.

The winners of the June 2019 draw are: First prize £ 198.12 No 116 . Croft, Edinburgh. Second prize £ 129.54 No 16 . Strange, Sutton Coldfield. Third prize £ 53.34 No 199 . Dyott, Lichfield.

The “500 Club” Capital Fund has been established to raise funds for capital expenditure on land purchase and rebuilding structures on the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals. For an annual subscription of £12 Club Members are allocated 1 chance in each of 4 successive quarterly draws. Based on a membership of 500, the maximum prizes will be:

1st Prize £400 approximately 26% income 2nd Prize £250 approximately 17% income 3rd Prize £100 approximately 7% income

If there are more or less than 500 members, the prizes will be proportionally increased or decreased. So the more 500 Club members we have, the higher the prizes. Remember, membership of the 500 Club is open to everyone, not just members of Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust. So please spread the word. If you want to subscribe, you can download an application form from our website www.lhcrt.org.uk. Pending appointing a new administrator, please contact Bob Williams, Norfolk House, 29 Hall Lane, Hammerwich, Burntwood, WS7 0JP

Summer 2019 Page 21 (advertisement)

Michael Fabricant MP Member of Parliament for the Constituency of Lichfield. If you live in the Lichfield Parliamentary constituency, and you require assistance and think your MP can help, you can either write to Michael Fabricant at the House of Commons, Westminster, London SW1A 0AA; or you can email him by using the webform at www.michael.fabricant.mp.co.uk/cont act.html or telephone his office at 01543 419650 where you can also make an appointment to see him at one of his regular surgeries. (advertisement)

Summer 2019 Page 22 Marketing And Promotion New online shop We’ve launched our new online shop thanks to our webmaster Paul Marshall. Not only does the shop show you all our gifts and show tickets, it has an easy to use checkout process and the postage is calculated according to your purchases. (Our old shop wasn’t clever enough to do that.) So visit www.lhcrt.org.uk/shop or find the link from our homepage, and remember all proceeds from sales help us carry on with our work.

Events Listing 2019 Event Date & Start Event Description Time 21-22nd Huddlesford Heritage Gathering near Whittington, September WS13 8PY 30th November Autumn Show To keep up to date with our events, visit: www.lhcrt.org.uk/news/events.html or follow our events on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pg/LichfieldandHathertonCanalRestorationTrust/events/

Huddlesford Heritage Gathering 2019

It’s back! Huddlesford Heritage Gathering, run jointly with Lichfield Cruising Club, will return on 21st and 22nd September 2019, with historic boats, floating traders, private boats and classic vehicles, exhibitors and displays, music, entertainment, food and bar all day. Put the date in your diary and, if you’re a boater, book your place now. Visit: www.heritagegathering.uk

Summer 2019 Page 23 Lichfield Sites Workparty Blog April - June 2019

It’s hard to keep up with what’s going on with the progress towards the realisation of the LHCRT’s goal to fully restore the canal all the way from Hatherton through to Huddlesford. Even just concentrating on the bit that I, and those volunteers in the ‘Heavy Brigade’ working down at our Fosseway site, need to be a bit of an Einstien to keep up with the progress. There is so much work being done here, and it all takes time, it may seem that one month’s report is much the same as the previous months. Be it bricklaying, concreting, sandbag filling, path laying, canal base profiling etc. etc.. But go down and see the progress for yourselves, it’s the only way to get a true idea of what is going on and what has been achieved. At Tamworth Road, the Saturday morning engineering team still continue with their plant repairs and maintenance. Add to this their ability to make an old, derelict (seemingly), agricultural trailer into a modern large heavy duty trailer is highly commendable. This ‘new’ trailer should be capable of transporting our 5 tonne Kubota digger and, eventually, any of the big pipe sections out of Lock 25 as and when required; a most useful addition to the range of plant at our disposal indeed. Further along Tamworth Road, just before the Fish and Chip Shop, ‘Willow Rose’ has had a face-lift and is now planted-up with a good variety of plants in readiness for the ‘Britain in Bloom’ judges later on in the year. Quite a stunning display that should go down well with the judges again. Now past the Chippie towards Gallows Wharf, a start has been made exposing the old towpath walls. Spoil from these works is being relocated on the opposite side of the original canal which together with old bits of timber and tree branch cuttings, has created numerous ‘bug hotels’. Gallows Wharf still looks good, many thanks to those who have tended these plants through fine weather and foul these last few months. Now down to Falkland Road, to our Fosseway site. It’s best if you could make your own way down there and see for yourself exactly what has been going on and is still continuing to go on. On top of the sandbag faced ‘pound containing’ wall adjacent to the road, a start has been made on the half scale brick built narrow boat. This boat together with a horse silhouette positioned on top of the embankment the other side of our

Summer 2019 Page 24 Lichfield Sites Workparty Blog April - June 2019

site’s entrance road, and connected via a rope hawser to the boat, will be our main contribution to the Lichfield in Bloom event. This will be fully reported in the next edition. Thanks go to Walsall College for sending bricklaying students to the site to practise their skills. They have been building the enclosing wall, adjacent to the railway side of the large turning Pound we are establishing here. They have done an excellent job which us volunteers could have taken many moons to achieve. An added bonus is that all the materials used, concrete blocks, sand and cement have all been provided by Chasetown Civil Engineering Ltd, saving us a huge amount of money that we can ill afford. The college themselves donated all the pre-used bricks. I am particularly pleased with the quality of workmanship displayed by the students, a huge improvement on previous work. The towpath wall has progressed rapidly these last few weeks and the end is now in sight. Those volunteers who have been building the towpath have been back filling the completed wall, compacting it’s base and topping it out with path topping material, They have done a good job keeping up with the bricklayers. Nearly there boys. As we near the end of this Blog Period (the last few days and weeks of June), we have been blessed with the presence of a team of volunteers from the Waterway Recovery Group. A training weekend, 22/23rd June, for bricklaying Wergies to practise their skills around our Swan Island whilst other Wergies assembled at the Fosseway Lane end of our site for training on use of plant and machinery. A full blown exercise by the Wergies from the 6th July for two weeks saw them excavating the canal base to the West of Lock 18 from Lock 18 to Fosseway Lane itself in fact. To enable them to undertake this work without commandeering all of our own plant, the construction plant needed by the Wergies has been gratefully loaned by both Chasetown Civil Engineering Ltd. and by Wacker Neuson Ltd. (UK). Summer 2019 Page 25 Lichfield Sites Workparty Blog April - June 2019

Elsewhere, notably at our Summerhill site, from the Boat Inn to the aqueduct over the M6 Toll, a small team continues to keep the site open to walkers and keep the hedges trimmed. We can accommodate more volunteers, on most if not all days of the week (particularly on Sundays). so please keep up the good work. You, our volunteers are the life blood of this restoration. Hugh Millington, Work Parties (Lichfield) The views expressed in Cut Both Ways do not necessarily represent those of the Trust or the Editor. They are however published as being of interest to our readership. Copy Date for the next issue is 7th October Grand Prize Draw – 2019 Tickets are now on sale for a new Draw this year which we hope will raise more funds – and please some lucky winners – but think of the benefit you can bring to the Trust. Thank you for supporting our work in this way, with a chance to win even bigger prizes this year! Please email sponsorship to [email protected] or phone 01543 671427.

Summer 2019 Page 26 Coppers End Guest House Walsall Road, Muckley Corner, Lichfield, Staffs. WS14 0BG. Phone: 01543 372910 Website: www.coppersendguesthouse.co.uk Email: [email protected] from £50 single, £70 double or twin ensuite per night, includes full English Breakfast or vegetarian equivalent. Three miles from Lichfield, six miles from Walsall.

Your Privacy The Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Ltd is committed to protecting your privacy and security in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation. We will never sell your personal data, and if we share your personal data, it will only ever be with our partner organisations where necessary to provide services, and only then if we are certain that its privacy and security are guaranteed. For more information about how your data is used and stored please visit www.lhcrt.org.uk/privacy.

All Correspondence should be addressed to :- Trust Secretary, Dora Hancock, 2, Elias Close, Lichfield, Staffs. WS14 9TX

Donate by text message You can now donate to us by text, just choose your amount and then text: “cbw £___” to 70085. You can donate £1, £2, £3, £4, £5 or £10 by text. It’s a great way of using up any left over credit on your Pay as You Go mobile, instead of losing it at the end of each month.

Summer 2019 Page 27 Business Connect

WHERE WILL YOU FIND THIS IRON ’OSS ?

Answer will be in CBW 101.

Summer 2019 Page 28 Selling individually inspected, well presented boats from own moorings or from our Crick base Browse our website for our listings with full details on all boats, also lots of useful information www.abnb.co.uk Friendly helpful advice from our experienced and knowledgeable team of boaters www.abnb.co.uk • [email protected] • Crick base NN6 7XT Open 9.30 to 5.30 (4.30 Nov - Feb) every day Tel: 01788 822 115 or 01788 822 508 Canal Transport Services Boat builders at Norton Canes since 1964

Traditional narrow boats and tugs built to your specification, from one of the oldest & most respected boat builders in the business.

We have our own fully heated paint shop, dry dock and grit blasting facility as well as all the usual boat yard trades at your disposal.

Call Matthew Cooper on 01543 374370

TUKTAWA B&B Uplands Close, Cannock Wood, Staffordshire. WS15 4RH Tel–01543 684805–07790 984013 Web – www.Tuktawa.co.uk Email [email protected] £27.50 (single), £49 (double) – Includes breakfast – available 6.30 – 9.00am 10 minutes from /Cannock/Lichfield Town/Bus Station/Train Station See us on Tripadvisor

Summer 2019 Page 29 LICHFIELD & HATHERTON CANALS RESTORATION TRUST Limited. The Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Limited was established in 1988 as a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee (No. 2456172) and is registered as a Charity (No. 702429). Principal Aims : To promote the restoration of the Wyrley and Essington Canal from to Huddlesford Junction (the “Lichfield Canal”), and the Hatherton Branch of the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal, and also the construction of a navigable link between the Hatherton Branch and the Birmingham Canal Navigations. President Eric Wood vice-president David Suchet CBE. PATRONS Chris Coburn MBE, Dr David Fletcher CBE, Michael Fabricant MP. DIRECTORS Chairperson Christine Bull 01283 790322 [email protected] Company Secretary Dora Hancock 01543 26415 [email protected] Finance, Funding Bob Williams 01543 671427 [email protected] Environment Director Christine Bull 01283 790322 [email protected] Engineering Peter Buck 01543 268041 [email protected] Technical Director Derek Lord 01283 712518 [email protected] Land and Property Jeff March 01543 255949 [email protected] Marketing Christine Howles 07852 190855 [email protected] Health & Safety Dora Hancock 01543 264158 [email protected] Communications Christine Howles 07852 190855 [email protected] Commercial John Bryan 01543 683586 [email protected] Magazine Editor Stefan Szulc 01543 677156 [email protected] Membership Brian Williams [email protected] IWA Nominee Luke Walker 07979 862195 [email protected] OFFICERS Press Officer Tom Reid 07840 300178 [email protected] Webmaster Paul Marshall 01543 410646 [email protected] Land Officer Vacant Volunteering/Events Christine Howles 07852 190855 [email protected] Work Parties:- Hatherton Denis Cooper 01543 374370 Lichfield Hugh Millington 01543 251747 [email protected] Summerhill Vacant Grounds Maint. Roger Barnett Registered Office: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham, Bucks. HP5 1WA Web Site: www.lhcrt.org.uk LICHFIELD & HATHERTON CANALS RETAIL TRADING Limited. Company No 3686837 – Chairman: John Bryan; Secretary: Christine Howles; Finance: Bob Williams

Summer 2019 Page 30 Summer 2019 Page 31 Braunston Marina are proud to BACK the campaign to save the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals. keep digging the ground from under their feet! Braunston Marina The Wharf, Braunston, Nr Daventry, Northamptonshire. NN11 7JH Telephone: 01788 891373 Fax: 01788 891436 web site: www.braunstonmarina.co.uk email: [email protected]