Lichfield Branch
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Lichfield Branch
Walks and Meetings • Fund Britain’s Waterways Page 10 • River & Canal Rescue News Page 12 • Boating Tips from RCR Page 13
• Another Trip Up The Chesterfield Page 17
• Planning Matters Page 18
• Editorial Notice Page 21
Front Cover Picture—Walkers on the Sandon Estate
The IWA may not agree with opinions expressed in this magazine but encourages publication as a matter of interest. Nothing printed may be construed as policy, or as an official pronouncement, unless specifically identified as such.
The Inland Waterways Association is a non-profit distributing company limited by guarantee. Registered in England no. 612245. Registered as a charity no. 212342 Registered Office: Unit 16B, Chiltern Court, Asheridge Road, Chesham HP5 2PX Tel: 01494 783453 Web: www.waterways.org.uk
Lichfield Branch
A VIEW FROM THE HELM
Normally this is a quiet time of year whilst so many are out boating and enjoying the mid-Summer weather. Not so this year!
An unexpected Parliamentary Election put paid to that and the weather has been dreadful.
Phil Sharpe, our Secretary, did a fantastic job at short notice establishing the candidates in the 15 constituencies, some with boundary changes, in which there are canals in our area and sending the principal candidates a letter canvassing their support for the Fund Britain's Waterways campaign led by IWA. More on that in his article. We are planning to send regularly copies of Lichfield Lines to all re-elected and newly elected MPs in our area.
Sir Michael Fabricant our Lichfield Constituency MP lost his seat & his role as chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Committee on Waterways. Quite what effect all that will have on the Campaign remains to be seen but the new Government's list of challenging priorities makes me wonder if the funding needs of our canals & navigable rivers might be temporarily 'consigned to the long grass' that now seems to be clogging our towing paths.
Sadly the Inland Waterways Association (IWA) Trustees made Jenny Hodson, volunteers manager, redundant on financial grounds. We will miss her greatly. There has been no news on how this vitally important role will be managed in future in an organisation almost entirely dependent on the good will of volunteers & critical to its success.
The Trustees have also yet to find and appoint someone to manage & lead the small team of hard-working staff at Chesham.
A recent Zoom meeting of Regional & Branch chairs heard that the Trustees will be reviewing the Regional & Branch structure much of which was implemented over 15 years ago. New methods of communication and other social changes suggest the structures need bringing up to date to ensure they are fit for purpose. In England & Wales we have 8 regions and 33 Branches with a slowly declining 8,904 members (as at July 2024). A sub-committee will be presenting some proposals at the next Zoom meeting.
IWA's national AGM this year will be held at De Montfort University Leicester on Saturday 28th September.
Many Committee members have helped set up & run IWA stands this year to inform the public & recruit members including at the Cavalcade in London, Crick Boat Show and the National Trailboat Festival at Moira. Recruiting new members is more challenging these days. Many other volunteer led organisations are suffering similarly. Meanwhile, following our Branch AGM in March, key roles were filled at our
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Committee meeting in May. Full details & contacts are listed on the inside back cover of Lichfield Lines. I was privileged to be re-elected as your Chairman. This will definitely be my last year in that role.
Our next Campaigning event is our Lockwind at Barton Turn Lock on the Trent &
Mersey Canal next to the newly rejuvenated Barton Turns Inn on Sunday 4th August.
Following some success last year we've re-doubled our efforts to attract local residents with the 'scaremongering' article in the current edition of The Chime, the local community magazine distributed to some 700 subscribers homes in Barton under Needwood, Dunstall & Tatenhill. The canal passes through all three Parishes.
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Do come and join our volunteers running our stall, talking to boaters passing through the lock and persuading non members to join IWA.
We are delighted to announce that Margaret Beardsmore will from next Spring be organising social trips for members and friends. Watch out in Lichfield Lines for details. I'm pleased to report that Neil Barnett's wife Christine, who suffered a severe heartattack on their boat at Kings Bromley Marina is now back on board, making good progress & taking things steady whilst baking cakes for the Lockwind. Although they've abandoned their transit of the Wash & postponed their cruise on the Mon & Brec she's looking forward to some gentle boating next year and trips in the UK using their newly acquired touring caravan.
For some time we've been putting & re-stocking Lichfield Lines in an IWA leaflet box at Colwich lock so that boaters & the public are aware of our Branch activities. We plan to fix another one at Fradley Junction and possibly in Rugeley.
Adrian Wedgwood
Branch News
As mentioned briefly in the previous edition our wonderful “Tea Lady” Sheila has decided to step down from the role. She has performed this brilliantly for some years and in recognition the branch has always made a donation to her favourite charity, the Truman Enterprise Narrowboat Trust. This wonderful
Chairman
IWA Lichfield Branch
charity provides boat trips for disadvantaged and handicapped customers and is always on the lookout for new volunteers. As also mentioned previously Heather Blackmore immediately stepped up and volunteered to take
Sheila hard at work
Heather, our new volunteer
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over the role which caused considerable relief amongst the committee. The thought of our public meetings without refreshments was unimaginable!
The other notable event at the April meeting was the presentation of a medal to Denis and Carole Cooper in recognition of their 60 years of support for the IWA. Along with the medal they were given Honorary Membership of the IWA which means no more fees!
Sunday 4th August 2024
Forthcoming Events
—Lockwind
We will again be holding a lockwind at Barton Turn lock on the Trent and Mersey Canal to raise funds for the branch and spread the word about IWA and the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign.
We will be selling cakes on the day so if anybody can help by baking some cakes that would be great. Please contact Helen Whitehouse (01543 491161 or helen.whitehouse@waterways.org.uk) if you can help.
Also volunteers on the day can help by winding paddles, pushing gates and talking to boaters and passers by.
We are planning a meal for our volunteers at the Barton Turns pub afterwards and we will need to choose from their menu in advance. If you are planning to come please contact Neil Barnett (07808 846434 or neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk) for menu prices and to choose your meal.
Next Seasons Social Events
Thursday 5th September 2024 Guided
"Carlton and the Ashby Canal."
Walk
This is an easy 4 ½ mile walk with no stiles. The walk follows the towpath, public footpaths, grass tracks and pavements throughout. There is one gentle ascent on a grass track and a steady descent on asphalt pavements. Leaving the pub car park, we first walk through the pretty village of Carlton. We cross fields before climbing gently to Market Bosworth. We descend along the main road down to the canal. We leave the towpath by bridge 44. We then follow a footpath back to Carlton.
Meet 10:30 for a 10:45 start in the car park of The Gate Hangs Well, Barton Road, Carlton (near Market Bosworth) CV13 0DB
Carole and Denis receiving the medal from Chairman Adrian
Lichfield Branch
Contact Clive Walker: clive.walker@waterways.org.uk
Friday 20th September 2024 Social Meeting
Postponed from last year due to the weather, this month’s talk will be by Tim Coghlan, the owner of Braunston Marina entitled “The Braunston Historic Narrowboat Rallies 2003 to present”. Tim organises this annual popular rally of working boats. Held in June the Rallies are a fantastic weekend of working boats, music, boat parades and stalls, well worth a visit.
Friday 18th October 2024 Social Meeting
Branch member Pete Gurney will give an illustrated talk on The Canals of the Eastern USA. America is more normally associated with railways and roads but there are hundreds of miles of canals, both derelict and still in use.
Thursday 7th November 2024 Guided Walk
Around Curdworth Details TBA
Friday 15th November 2024 Social Meeting
Branch member John Parry will this month give an illustrated talk on The Suez Canal. This major canal has had a chequered history from it’s inception up to the present day, should be an interesting talk.
Sunday 8th December 2024—Christmas Meal
Following the success of the last two years we will again be returning to Darnford Moors Golf Club.
Meet at 12:30 for a 1pm start. The menu will be distributed as soon as it is available.
Save the date
Wednesday 1st January 2025 Guided Walk
New Year’s Day Walk
Friday 17th January 2025 Social Meeting
John Pomfret—Waterways of the Low Countries
Friday 21st February 2025 Social Meeting
Charles Hughes (CRT) Tackling Invasive Species on the canals
Friday 21st March 2025—Social Meeting
Taylor’s Bell Foundry
Friday 18th April 2025—Social Meeting
Night Sky over Tixall Wide & Planets in 3D
Lichfield Branch
Watch this space (and the website) for more walks/events in 2024/2025.
All our Social Meetings will be held at Darwin Hall, Lichfield. WS13 6RQ
Recent Activities
Thursday 9th May 2024—Guided Walk
Shuttington and the Coventry Canal—a five mile circular walk
The last time we started in Shuttington was September 2019, i.e. just before Covid struck. It was therefore pleasant to return to The Wolferstan Arms and their large car park. Nine walkers trudged through long grass and across two fields to a green lane that neatly dissects Warwickshire and Staffordshire. This green lane features in the annual Gate Gallop in Tamworth when some hardy runners negotiate a 10-kilometre circuit and raise money for St. Giles Hospice in Whittington. The lane is very narrow and even walkers have difficulty avoiding the nettles and the brambles. We soon arrived at Statfold Barns, now renamed Statfold Country Park. Originally a farm business suppling organic seed, the site has rapidly expanded into a venue for weddings, conferences, and special events such as dog shows and steam days. Aside from a heritage railway, there is also the Mease Valley Light Railway and a land train. The surroundings are always pristine, beautifully laid out, and well worth a visit.
Seeing a metal gate marked No Public Access left open, several of our group wandered into the maintenance yard unannounced to catch sight of a steam train but came away disappointed!
Leaving the Country Park, we walked across open arable fields, and crossed the river Anker on a stone and wood footbridge. We arrived at the Coventry Canal by a skew bridge 65 and followed the canal past the derelict Amington Basin in the direction of Polesworth. We left the canal by The Samuel Barlow pub and Alvecote Marina, the home of Narrowcraft Limited, where boats are serviced and repaired in a designated basin with under canopy workshops.
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Just before entering the former mining village of Alvecote we turned right to cross a field and walk parallel to the river Anker. Traffic lights control the single-track road over this river at Black Bridge, and we were able to cross the bridge safely using the concrete refuges. Parts of the stone bridge date back to 1650. From there we had a brief climb across a grass field back to our starting point, where we enjoyed welcome refreshment.
Clive Walker
Wednesday 12th June 2024—Guided Walk
Salt and the Trent & Mersey Canal – a late afternoon 4-mile walk.
A midsummer walk has now become something of a tradition for the Lichfield branch. What is not so traditional has been the unseasonally cool weather this year, but at least no rain was forecast as thirteen walkers assembled in the car park of The Holly Bush Inn in Salt.
After a slightly delayed departure since we had to pre-order our meals with the restaurant, we set off along the lane that leads to Salt Bridge. Normally this is a quiet cutthrough but because it was 5 o’clock in the afternoon, we had to keep stepping aside for passing cars. We then crossed the A51 safely and entered the Sandon Estate. This late Georgian house and grounds must be one of the best kept secrets in the Midlands. It is the home of the Harrowby family who have long been involved in law, politics and banking. It is currently occupied by the 8th Earl, Conroy Ryder and his wife Caroline who also writes “lusty period novels set in their various family homes”, under the pen name of Caroline Sandon. The house is only open for weddings and was sadly not on our route.
Instead, we walked up to a Doric column erected in
Lichfield Branch
memory of William Pitt the Younger in 1806, where our professional photographer, Margaret, took a group photo. Unfortunately, the dense vegetation prevented us from reading the inscription on the base of the column, which I had noticed during my recce in March. Since the Latin dedication is quite long, I will not repeat it here, but it is well worth paying a visit to the site.
We carried on across the estate which includes horse jumps and a shooting range, until we came to the meandering Gayton Brook. This looked harmless on the day, but it has been known to cause flooding as it passes under the A51 trunk road on its way to the river Trent.
Thereafter the stiles came thick and fast; unfortunately, with the abundant vegetation, and some of them even sloping backwards, each stile proved slightly more difficult than the previous one. We soon crossed the railway line on a metal footbridge and reached the canal by bridge 81. The next mile of the T&M is pleasant with offside moorings of both private boats and C&RT workboats. After passing milepost Shardlow 42 miles / Preston Brook 50 miles we left the canal by the ornate Salt bridge. We then returned along Salt Lane and back to the pub where we enjoyed well-earned refreshment.
Clive Walker
Fund Britain’s Waterways
The general election was an opportunity to canvas candidate MPs about the Fund Britain’s Waterways campaign and ask for their support. I therefore researched the new constituency boundaries within Lichfield Branch, the waterways they covered, and the candidates standing. An emailed letter was then sent to all Conservative, Labour, and Reform candidates in the 15 constituencies that are within or partly within our Branch area (see below).
As elsewhere, the election brought many changes, including the loss of waterways supporter Michael Fabricant as MP for Lichfield and therefore as the Waterways All Party Parliamentary Group chairman. However, Wendy Morton MP for AldridgeBrownhills and also a waterways supporter was re-elected. Two new MPs responded personally to our letter and I will be replying with congratulations and further information on FBW once they have had time to settle in their new roles.
Realistically, with the new government having more pressing priorities, and the worst of the CRT funding reductions not kicking in until 2027, the prospects for early progress seem limited for now. However, it is important to keep the campaign alive for future opportunities to seek a reset of the national commitment to support our wonderful waterways.
Phil Sharpe
For information, this is the template for the letter we sent to our candidate MPs,
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which has since been adapted on the FBW website as an example letter to newly elected MPs for constituencies with CRT waterways.
Dear XXXX
GENERAL ELECTION 2024 - WATERWAYS FUNDING REDUCTION
As a candidate for the YYYY constituency you will know that it includes parts of the ZZ and ZZ canals, but may not be aware that the long term future of these and all our inland waterways is under threat from a reduction in government funding support.
These canals are historic waterways and valuable amenity and recreational corridors providing leisure boating, walking, angling, cycling and nature conservation benefits to the area. They are part of a national network of canals administered by the Canal & River Trust (CRT) that provides employment and supports tourism and the local economy. CRT is a charity set up in 2012 to take over responsibility for maintaining the network on behalf of the nation, but the government has not only frozen its grant despite recent high inflation but now plans to reduce its funding by 5% a year from 2027 onwards.
CRT’s funding to maintain the waterways also comes from boaters and other user charges, property investment and charitable income, all of which they have increased over the years, so that the fixed government grant represents less than 25% of the total. But that is a vital sum that makes the difference between a carefully conserved and fully functioning recreational, environmental and heritage asset and its gradual decline into semi-dereliction, reversing the progress made over the past half century.
The sums involved are not large by government expenditures standards, currently £52.6m for some 2,000 miles of waterways maintained by CRT, which represents amazing value for money for the benefits they bring.
We, the Inland Waterways Association (IWA), hope that you will commit to a new review of the funding of our wonderful waterways and reinstatement of a more appropriate level of departmental support. That should reflect the free public access they provide to towpaths for millions of walkers and cyclists, to the water space for canoes and paddle sports, conservation of the unique 250 year old built heritage of locks, bridges, aqueducts, etc in working order, and the nature and wildlife they support in both the countryside and towns.
The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) is the membership charity that works to protect and restore the country's canals and river navigations for public benefit. IWA is a national organisation with a network of local branches and volunteers who work with navigation authorities, national and local government, and a wide range of voluntary, private and public sector organisations for the benefit of the waterways and their users.
For more information please see the websites of IWA, CRT, and Fund Britain’s
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Waterways which is a campaign by over 130 waterway organisations to raise public awareness of this issue.
See: https://waterways.org.uk/ https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/support-us/our-campaigns/keep-canals-alive https://waterways.org.uk/waterways/sites/fund-britains-waterways-overview
For detailed assessments of the social and economic values of our waterways, see also:
‘Waterways for Today’ report published by the Inland Waterways Association (November 2022)
‘Valuing Our Waterways’ report published by the Canal & River Trust (November 2022)
Yours etc
Recent FBW Weekend at Fradley and Great Haywood
In support of the “Fund Britain’s Waterways” campaign a national ‘Weekend of Action’ over the early May Bank Holiday was organised, and your Lichfield Branch had a presence at Fradley Junction and Great Haywood. It’s surprising how many members of the public, and some boaters too, are unaware of how our waterways are funded, and the current threat to their future existence. For many people the canals have always been there and they don’t really give any thought as to how they are run and what is involved with doing so.
FBW stand at Fradley
For more information about the campaign please take a look at https://waterways.org.uk/waterways/sites/fund-britains-waterways-overview
We obviously need as many signatures as possible so if you haven’t already done so, please sign the petition.
Neil Barnett
River Canal Rescue News
Three-month recovery high and You Tube rescue videos
Unprecedented rainfall levels, water surges and numerous flood warnings resulted in
River Canal Rescue (RCR) responding to more major incidents in the first three months of this year, than it did for the whole of 2023.
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Between January and March, its teams responded to 155 major incidents (emergency situations either involving submerged, partially sunken or grounded craft, plus salvage work); in 2023 the figure for the year was 121.
The extreme weather conditions, which included storms Agnes, Babet, Ciaran, Debi, Elin, Fergus, Gerrit, Henk, Isha and Jocelyn hitting the UK between September 23 and January 24, tested RCR recovery teams who were unable to raise submerged boats and free land-locked vessels until water levels reduced and the rivers/canals were safe to enter.
Managing director, Stephanie Horton comments: “This has been a very challenging time for our teams; our ethos is to help people as soon as we can, but in some cases the weather and recovery conditions wouldn’t allow us to do so. Thankfully, all vessels are recovered now, but many of the cases are heart-breaking where people have lost their homes and possessions.”
Video recordings of a number of rescues in east London and Manchester, and on the rivers Avon, Soar, Witham and Great Ouse, can be viewed on RCR’s official You Tube channel www.youtube.com/@rivercanalrescue6450
Some Tips from RCR
In 2023, RCR responded to 3335 call-outs (64 a week!) to help with issues such as electrical, fuel and engine problems, flat batteries, over-heating and gear box failures. What are the top 10 parts that cause boaters grief, why do they fail and how much do they cost to replace?
Top 10 breakdown parts
NB Old Lady just visible in the Great Ouse at Bedford
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Outside the top 10 are water pumps (caused by seal failures, wear and tear, impeller break up and sheared components), morse controllers (wear and tear) and engine mounts (hitting underwater obstacles, wear and tear, age, rubber degrading, misalignment and bolts shearing). Most replacement part call-outs are due to damp getting into electrical components, excessive or harsh use, vibration, accidental damage, wear and tear, the effect of pollutants such as diesel, oil or anti-freeze, old-age and parts misalignment.
Maintenance tips
Have enough fuel to complete your journey and inspect all fuel lines and shut-off valves for leaks.
Where possible obtain a fuel sample, check there’s no debris floating in it, it smells like diesel and is clear and not cloudy. If it’s cloudy or smells of ‘paint thinners’ this indicates contamination which should be dealt with immediately. Drain off any water from pre-filter housings or the agglomerator.
Check batteries are charging correctly and the charge rate from the alternator to the batteries is as it should be.
Is the morse control working correctly and the throttle/gears selecting smoothly? Stiffness indicates the cable may need renewing or has rusted. Switch isolators from one position to another to clean contacts and spray with WD40 contact cleaner.
Inspect the stern gland, is there plenty of grease supplied to it and is the prop shaft turning freely?
Check the engine oil/gearbox oil levels (top up if necessary) and fan belt condition (replace if worn).
Scrutinise coolant hoses for leaks/wear & tear (replace if required). For raw watercooling engines, check the seacock, impeller, filter and all pipe work for leaks. Look at the engine mount bracket for signs of cracks or breaks. If they are worn replace them - if the bolts seem loose, tighten before cruising again (only adjust the bottom bolt).
Are the coupling bolts and connections tight?
Check the air filter (if dirty, replace or clean) and weed hatch seal, it should be intact and the weed hatch secure.
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Another Trip Up The Chesterfield
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A couple of years ago Sue and I had a leisurely weeks trip up the Chesterfield. We only reached as far as Retford but had a great time. This year we decided to go back again, this time for two weeks so that we could see more of the canal. We picked up the same hire boat as last time (The Maid Marion) from the basin at West Stockwith and set off. As the pub at West Stockwith had only recently reopened and was not serving food we had a short run up to Misterton and had a very nice meal in the Red Hart.
The Chesterfield Canal is wide up to Retford but then becomes narrow, sometimes very narrow as the channel is constricted by weed and shallow edges. We had an uneventful trip until we reached the lock at Worksop when we were stuck in the bottom of the lock with something round the prop. This turned out to be a mountain bike tyre that was a bit of a challenge to remove. On some stretches we were stopping regularly to remove weed from the prop and a couple of times more substantial “stuff”. Initially Sue was reluctant to do the long flight of locks from Shireoaks up to the summit level so we planned to wind at the Marina and return. Fortunately after doing a recce up the flight she changed her mind (could have been the ice cream shop half way up!). The next day we went up the flight (with an ice cream stop) with no problems and enjoying the scenery.
As we were on the summit level we just had to go to the very end at the mouth of the Norwood Tunnel which turned out to be a bit of a challenge. The last 600 yards is very weedy and there is no winding hole at the end so you have to reverse all the 600 yards back to turn, but it was worth it. Having taken a photo to prove we had reached the end we sent off to the Chesterfield
The end of the Chesterfield Canal
Lichfield Branch
Canal Trust for the brass plaque.
Apart from the numerous trips down the weed hatch we had a very enjoyable two weeks.
Pete & Sue Gurney
Planning Matters
This report summarises the more significant of over 30 planning matters dealt with between mid-April and mid-July 2024.
On the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal at Latherford, the Battery Energy Storage site application we objected to, due to noise and visual intrusion, now proposes an acoustic fence to reduce noise at the canal to more acceptable levels. However, the design of the barrier is not specified and could itself be visually intrusive, so details of this and of the proposed screen planting are needed, and if reconsulted we will make these points.
Alongside the Trent & Mersey Canal at Great Haywood, the Canalside Farm café and farm shop extensions have been approved, conditional on retention of the canalside trees.
By the canal at Power Station Road in Rugeley, a replacement industrial building has been approved, but conditional on details of the bin store, dust mitigation, protection of canalside vegetation and protection of canal users.
Meanwhile, at Waterside Business Park in Rugeley, an industrial shed we objected to over two years ago for its size, design and position has, unusually, been decided as “Undetermined/File Closed”.
At The Mossley in Rugeley, more details have been provided of access to the proposed housing site over the narrow, hump-backed canal bridge. Traffic signals for one-way working over The Mossley Bridge 65 are now to include a pedestrian priority period, as we requested. Also, the road will be widened with a new footpath on the west side approach. However, we questioned their calculations of the number of pedestrians and the time allowed to cross the bridge, and there is still no heritage assessment of putting traffic signals and controls on the bridge.
Canalside Café at Great Haywood
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At Branston Lock, near Burton on Trent, plans for a fifth large warehouse on the Quintus industrial development between the canal and the A38 have been allowed, but disappointingly still without any conditions to provide the long-promised canalside parkland landscaping.
The Lichfield Canal application by LHCRT a year ago to fully restore the canal between London Road and Cricket Lane has finally been approved, following agreement on construction access arrangements. Phase 1 is to complete the existing work of lowering the canal channel between the old Lock 24 site and Cricket Lane. It is then planned to work on the Gallows Reach section, reinstating the canal channel and installing a new lift bridge on the footpath to Longbridge Road. The third phase is extending the channel back towards Cricket Lane and building a new Lock 24 to lower the canal level down to pass under the new bridge under Cricket Lane which by then will have been built with funding from the Persimmon housing development.
Alongside the already restored section of canal at Tamworth Road towards the A38, some changes have been made to part of the canal facing elevation of the proposed Care Home building, but the design is still considered unsatisfactory. The attempt to incorporate features of ‘industrial’ canalside buildings based on an unidentified, untypical, and unattractive canalside building is inappropriate, and they should revert to the more attractive original 2020 application design. The Masterplan suggestion of a footbridge over the canal, which was not previously consulted, is not now proposed but a towpath under the A51 in the longer term will provide a better link to Darwin Park. Open access to the offside bank of the canal has been assumed but this may need to be closed for maintenance and for construction of the A51 bridge in due course, so the boundary should be a hedge, wall, or railings with two or three gaps that can be closed for safety, rather than just the bollards and planters shown. Also, the proposed pumped drainage from an attenuation basin into the canal needs LHCRT agreement.
By the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal near Curdworth Tunnel, a very large employment park is proposed north of the canal in open countryside. The
Curdworth Tunnel
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scoping report considers impacts on the canal heritage but not on its recreational users. The site is in Green Belt, is contrary to the Local Plan, is less than 1km from the large Peddimore employment site already being developed, and is on good agricultural land, so is not justified. It should require an Environmental Impact Assessment to include adverse impacts on the recreational amenity, community and tourism values of the canal, and the plans should include a substantial set-back of the buildings with landscaped screen planting along the boundary with the canal.
Also at Curdworth, a small extension to an existing industrial unit has been approved, subject to replacement planting near the canal.
On HS2, I have commented on an amended application to North Warwickshire Council for approval of construction details of the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal Viaduct, which will cross the canal at a skew angle between Curdworth Locks 5 and 6. We had previously objected that the parapets have no acoustic barrier function due to the persistent failure of HS2 to recognise canal users as noise ‘receptors’. By contrast, the nearby Bodymoor Heath football training ground is to be given noise mitigation barriers against sound levels much lower than the predicted values close to the canal. We have said that the Council should refuse the application until there is a proper assessment of the noise impact on canal users and the parapet design is changed to include acoustic mitigation. However, the Phase 1 HS2 Act severely limits the ability of Councils to refuse or condition such applications.
I have also commented on an application approved by Lichfield DC for construction of Wood End Lane Underbridge, pointing out a number of significant errors and misleading information in the plans and documents submitted. The bridge would take Wood End Lane under the ‘Manchester Spur’ which links to the Phase 2a Fradley to Crewe route, which has however been cancelled. Therefore, on present plans, its construction would be pointless so it is not clear why it is still being pursued.
In early May I received a further letter from the Hybrid Bill Delivery Director about their intended adaptation of the Crewe-Manchester Bill to retain just the ‘Northern Powerhouse Rail’ elements, with a parliamentary motion in June 2024 and a Supplementary Environmental Assessment in Summer 2025. He said the Select Committee would restart hearings in June and may want to hear IWA’s petition on retained issues in June or July, and a Promoter’s Response Document would be sent shortly. But the General election was then called, with Parliament dissolved on 30 May, so the Select Committee ceased to exist. The Phase 2b Bill, however, is potentially carried forward to the new Parliament and it will be up to the next government to decide if they want to proceed with the nonsense of promoting an unusable isolated section of railway between Manchester and a field in Cheshire.
Phil Sharpe, Planning Officer & HS2 Lead
Lichfield Branch
Editorial Notice
Lichfield Lines is the newsletter of IWA Lichfield Branch, it is produced 4 times a year to keep members informed about our forthcoming public meetings, walks, work parties and other activities, to provide reports on recent meetings and events, and to include articles of general interest to our members.
The editor, Peter Gurney, welcomes articles, letters or photographs of waterway activities in our Branch area which can be emailed to pete.gurney@waterways.org.uk (Please note there is a 35MB limit for emails with attachments sent via this address). The copy date for the next newsletter will be 15th October 2024, for publication in November.
Advertising
Lichfield Lines is posted or emailed to about 320 Branch members. It can also be read and downloaded by anyone from the Branch website pages. If you would like to publicise your waterway related business to our members, and others that read the newsletter online, we can offer advertising space at the following rates:
Full Page - £20 inc VAT per issue
Half Page - £10 inc VAT per issue
Please contact the editor to discuss artwork and layout. By advertising you will help to sponsor IWA's charitable activities and reach potential customers who are all committed to the waterways.
The IWA has a range of corporate members some of whom offer discounts to members. The discount details can be found on the IWA website at https://waterways.org.uk/benefits
Corporate members in our area are
Lichfield Cruising Club 2000 Ltd
Stafford Boat Club Ltd
Longwood Boat Club
Ashby Canal Association
Truman Enterprise Narrowboat Trust Tamworth Cruising Club
Ashby Canal Trust
Lichfield & Hatherton Canals
Restoration Trust
Canal Transport Services Ltd
River Canal Rescue Ltd
Ash Tree Boat Club
Countywide Cruisers (Brewood) Ltd
Elite Furnishings
Waterways World Ltd
Birmingham & Midland Marine Services
Midland Chandlers Hargreaves Narrowboat Trust
Norton Canes Boat Services Ltd
Lakeland Leisure Estates Ltd
Stafford Riverway Link
Please mention the IWA when contacting any of these Corporate Members.
Your Committee
Chairman
Tel: 01283 713125
Lichfield Branch
Email: adrian.wedgwood@waterways.org.uk
Vice-Chairman
Tel: 07808 846434
Email: neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk
Treasurer
Tel: 01785 255101
Email: sue.gurney@waterways.org.uk
Secretary & Planning Officer
Tel: 01889 583330
Email: phil.sharpe@waterways.org.uk
Volunteer Coordinator & Membership
Tel: 07808 846434 or 07481259955
Email: neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk
Navigation Officer
Tel: 07847 470112
Email: derek.beardsmore@waterways.org.uk
Adrian Wedgwood
Neil Barnett
Sue Gurney
Phil Sharpe
Neil Barnett
Derek Beardsmore
Social Secretary Position vacant
Ex Officio: Region Chairman
also Branch Sales (non-committee post)
Tel : 01543 491161
Email: helen.whitehouse@waterways.org.uk
Non-committee posts
Newsletter and Website Editor
Tel: 01785 255101
Email: pete.gurney@waterways.org.uk
Walks Coordinator
Email: clive.walker@waterways.org.uk
Social Media Editor
Email: Richard.curtis@waterways.org.uk
Branch Contact Address
Email: lichfield@waterways.org.uk
Helen Whitehouse
Pete Gurney
Clive Walker
Richard Curtis
Lichfield Branch
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