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Issue 26 www.waterways.org.uk/lichfield
Winter 2019
Lichfield Lines
Work Party—Brindley Bank 30th October 2018
The newsletter of
IWA Lichfield Branch 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: Island House, Moor Road, Chesham HP5 1WA Tel: 01494 783453 Web: www.waterways.org.uk
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Branch Chairman’s Report - January 2019 Welcome to this issue of our newsletter. I hope you all had an enjoyable Christmas and New Year. I must admit that after burning the candle to finish an HS2 response in the weeks before Christmas I was glad for a break from IWA business. But the demands of planning responses and the pleasures of organising Branch activities to support the waterways soon returned and we can all now look forward to a new year of waterways “well-being”, to use the latest trendy phrase ! Since our last newsletter we have had two public meetings, two walks, several work parties and a Christmas Lunch, as reported elsewhere in this issue, and it was good to see so many of you taking part. We have some more interesting speakers and a further walk arranged over the next few months as detailed later, but do keep checking the website (or sign up to our monthly email) for any additional work parties or other activities we have organised. Our Annual General Meeting will as usual precede the March public meeting, and we would welcome new faces onto the committee to help spread the load and perhaps arrange some additional activities. In particular, we need a Minutes Secretary to record our committee meetings which are generally held monthly except in midsummer. Currently these are on a Wednesday afternoon but we could go back to evenings or weekends to suit. It would also be good if somebody could assist Helen with organising a Branch sales stand at one or two local waterway events each year to help publicise IWA and raise some funds. If you think you may be able to help, either on the committee or in other ways, please talk to us about the possibilities. Results of Magnet Fishing For many years, hauling rubbish out of a canal has been regarded as a somewhat eccentric, if public spirited, activity of IWA branches and canal societies and of WRG on the annual BCN Clean-Up. However, the recent craze for ‘magnet fishing’ has really caught the attention of the press with human interest stories of those taking part and the variety of objects retrieved. But with some reports of guns, knives or bombs being found, and people falling in, perhaps inevitably the health and safety brigade in CRT has publicly warned against it. But as we old hands know, such items are rare and provided you don’t work alone, go properly dressed, use gloves, report any potentially dangerous or criminal objects to the
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police, remove the retrieved rubbish and don’t leave it around to be thrown back in, then dredging the canals by grapple or magnet can be both a socially useful and a fun activity. We often rue the lack of young people and families joining IWA so perhaps we should embrace the enthusiasm of the magnet fishers and encourage them, provided sensible precautions are taken, and maybe invite them to join IWA work parties.
On a sadder note, you will by now I’m sure know that our national vice-president and Lichfield Branch member Harry Arnold MBE passed away in November, as detailed tributes to his lifetime of achievements for the waterways have been published in all the waterways magazines. Suffice it to say here that we have all lost a good friend and a unique source of knowledge and memories of so many aspects of IWA’s history that is simply irreplaceable. Our thoughts go out to his family and friends. Phil Sharpe Forthcoming Events Wednesday 20th February 2019 – “Focus on the Lichfield Canal”. An illustrated talk by Bob Williams of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust about the progress and challenges in restoring the Lichfield Canal. 7.15 for 7.30 pm at Martin Heath Hall, Christchurch Lane (off Walsall Road), Lichfield, WS13 8AY.
Thursday 14th March 2019 – Handsacre and the Trent & Mersey Canal Walk. This is an easy 4½ mile walk across farmland, along a quiet country lane and the canal towpath. There are 4 stiles and the terrain is flat. Leaving the car park we walk a short distance along Uttoxeter Road to join the Trent & Mersey Canal at bridge 58. After a few yards we go through a gap in the hedge and cross farmland heading towards King's Bromley. At the A513 we then turn south along Shaw Lane and rejoin the canal at bridge 55. We follow the tree-lined towpath back to our starting point, with extensive views westwards towards Cannock Chase. Meet at 10:15 for a 10:30 am start in the car park of The Olde Peculiar, The Green, Handsacre, WS15 4DP. Contact Clive Walker on 07866 201873 or clive.walker@waterways.org.uk Wednesday 20th March 2019 – Annual General Meeting and Social Evening. The short formal business of the AGM will be followed by a review of our year in photos, and then a social interlude with refreshments. The evening will conclude
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with an illustrated talk on progress with the Stafford Riverway Link restoration project by Ivor Hind, SRL Chairman. 7.15 for 7.30 pm at Martin Heath Hall, Christchurch Lane (off Walsall Road), Lichfield, WS13 8AY. (See AGM Agenda Page 10) Wednesday 17th April 2019 – “The Blue Ribbon across Sweden: Our Barge on the Göta Canal”. An illustrated talk by Nicholas Bostock. 7.15 for 7.30 pm at Martin Heath Hall, Christchurch Lane (off Walsall Road), Lichfield, WS13 8AY. Recent Activities 16th January 2019—Talk on the Restoration of the Chesterfield Canal Our first meeting of 2019 was a talk by John Lower of the Chesterfield Canal Trust. John gave a fascinating illustrated talk on the progress and challenges of the Chesterfield Canal restoration. At the end of the talk John was presented with a cheque for £100 to add to the Trust’s funds. (Photo by Margaret Beardsmore) 1st January 2019—Whittington and the Coventry Canal walk A record number of 36 hardy souls assembled in the car park of the Plough Inn at Huddlesford to walk to Whittington and back. There were many first timers and nonmembers amongst them, and we were honoured by the unexpected presence of Ivor Caplan, the IWA Chairman, who lives in the West Midlands region and who accompanied us throughout. We set off along the towpath to Whittington, passing the canal-side house of Eric Wood, a former chairman of IWA Lichfield Branch, who kindly invited us all in for a cup of tea. However, since we had only set off less than half an hour before it wasn't really practical. With so many participants it was inevitable that the group would stretch out along the towpath. A husky was adamant
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that it had to lead from the front, and I soon found myself unable to keep pace. However, it's hard to get lost on a towpath. Where the canal crosses Whittington Brook, some of us paused to observe the inscribed boundary stone marking the junction between the Coventry Canal and the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal. Incidentally, this was installed in 1990 thanks to Eric Wood when he was Branch Chairman, to mark the 200th anniversary of the completion of the canal. This historic boundary anomaly arose when the Coventry Canal Company was short of money to complete its line between Fazeley and Fradley. The Trent & Mersey Canal built the section from Fradley to Whittington Brook, which was then purchased by the Coventry Canal. However, the section built for them by the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, from Fazeley to Whittington Brook, was never bought back. To this day it remains legally part of the B&F and is so named on OS maps, with all its bridges named in the BCN tradition rather than numbered. This explains why Bridge 78 at Whittington is 5½ miles away from Bridge 77 at Fazeley, with about 15 original bridges in between, but all named. Not a lot of people know that ! We left the Coventry Canal at Whittington Bridge, the first of the named bridges, which is also known as Peel's Bridge on some CRT maps, and turned right to pass through Whittington. We passed St. Giles Hospice, a prominent modern establishment on our left, and a manor house before arriving at St. Giles Church where we attended the grave of Thomas Spencer, the co-founder of M&S. John Parry related his story, and also that of a 16-year-old soldier who died tragically in 1949 and who was buried in a Commonwealth War Grave nearby. John had done some research but the circumstances of his death and those of other soldiers from Whittington Barracks remain a mystery to this day. In Darnford Lane we headed across some fields with views of Lichfield to the west. The footpath runs parallel to a modern solar panel farm and we soon reentered the roadway at Huddlesford House Farm and its dairy of Holsteins, where "they work with and breed cows from the hottest cow families" ! From there it was a few strides back to our starting point, and a large number of us retired to The Plough Inn to enjoy refreshment. (Report by Clive Walker and Phil Sharpe, photos by Clive Walker)
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Sunday 9th December 2018—Branch Christmas Lunch After the success of our (slightly delayed) Branch 2017 Christmas Lunch at the Bull & Spectacles it was decided to use the same venue this year. Fortunately this year there were no problems with the weather and 40 members and guests enjoyed a 2 or 3 course Christmas Lunch. The service was excellent and the food was plentiful and hot. We had a bit more time for chatting this year both before and after the meal and a great time was had by all. Friday 16th November 2018—Presentation to Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust The Trust’s musical social evening was held at Whittington Village Hall. The entertainment was provided by Phil Clayton and friends in several guises (The Likely Lads and The Birmingham Lads) with songs and tales with illustrations of the Birmingham Canal Navigations System plus an irreverent sketch on “Elf and Safety” by Brian Williams and Peter Buck. As part of this most enjoyable social evening the Lichfield Branch Treasurer Pete Gurney and Derek Beardsmore presenting the cheque presented a cheque for £1,000 for £1,000 to Christine Bull, the L&H Chairman to the Trust’s Chairman Christine Bull towards the funds for the “Tunnel Vision” campaign. (Report by Pete Gurney, photo by Margaret Beardsmore) Thursday 8th November 2018—Weston, Amerton & Gayton Walk Twenty-two walkers assembled outside The Saracen's Head in Weston, Staffordshire. It was good to see so many new faces, many of whom had never walked the route before, although they were local to the area. We set off through the village of Weston-upon-Trent, which once had a train station, a commodious wharf, and a 'celebrated' salt works. The nearby villages of Salt and Shirleywich give testament to the saline history of the area, but that industry has gone
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and Weston is now a pleasant place to live in close proximity to Stafford. We crossed the busy A51 and soon afterwards, the main Manchester to Birmingham railway line. From here it is just possible to make out the site of the Hixon train crash of 6th January 1968 when an express train collided with a low-loader transporter carrying a 120 ton electrical transformer, resulting in 11 deaths and 45 injuries. The cause of the accident had major implications for safer crossings on railways. Walking parallel to the railway line we soon reached the perimeter of Hixon airfield. The MOD built this aerodrome in the 1940s, for the purpose of training aircrew in night-time raids with Wellington bombers. The airfield is largely intact and the hangars now serve as storage for haulage companies. A steep set of steps led up to the embankment of the disused Stafford and Uttoxeter railway. This largely rural line has been completely ploughed over to the west of the existing West Coast main line, but it is possible to follow much of its route eastwards. After about a mile we left the line at a skew bridge and headed towards Amerton Farm and Craft Centre. Aside from the craft shops and farm produce, there is a heritage railway here that operates on selected weekends. After a short break to sample the facilities we now headed slightly uphill towards the village of Gayton. Because the footpaths shown on the OS map no longer exist, or are impassable, we had to walk on the quiet, winding country road. Gayton is a 'scattered village', that is to say, it is a series of separate farm buildings and houses that are linked by a series of paths and lanes to form a community. We passed through its churchyard and onto the broad and flat farmland adjoining the Sandon estate. A series of stiles brought us back to the A51 and then a footbridge over the main railway line. We finally reached the Trent and Mersey canal at bridge 81 from where we walked the half mile back to our starting point and excellent refreshment at The Saracen's Head. (Report and photos by Clive Walker) Tuesday 30th October 2018—Work Party at Brindley Bank, Rugeley We had a very good turnout of volunteers for our Autumn Work Party at Brindley Bank in Rugeley on the Trent and Mersey Canal.
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This enabled us to do a lot of cutting back of brambles and nettles on the long path from Wolseley Road to the ‘Bloody Steps’. Whilst this is not a canal towpath, keeping it cleared means that walkers can get down the steps and access the towpath and circular canal walk. In turn this means a stream of people walking the area which keeps down any antisocial behaviour. We also did an extensive litter pick, though there are now a number of local residents who pick up litter along their dog walks so the area wasn’t as bad as in the past. The steps were cleared of fallen leaves and the build-up of leaf mold from the summer months, and we strimmed and mowed around the towpath and cleared a fallen tree from beyond the bypass bridge. The grappling irons were put to good use with a bike and wheelchair being some of the main rubbish retrieved from the canal by the aqueduct. Thanks to all our IWA volunteers, Barry from CRT for providing support and equipment, and also Pat Barton for very welcome cake. (Report & photos by Margaret Beardsmore) October 2018 to January 2019—Offside Vegetation Clearance Work Parties Following the success of the Offside Vegetation Clearance work parties over last winter, IWA Lichfield Branch volunteers have been working again with CRT to clear more sections of canal. Using work boats hired in by CRT with an on-board chipper, our team of up to 6 or 8 volunteers use a pole saw and loppers to remove tree branches overhanging the canal and restricting navigation. The work party is making good progress dealing with the offside vegetation on the Trent & Mersey Canal. Having begun at Fradley Junction in early October we have now reached the outskirts of Rugeley.
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By starting earlier than last year, this time we are able to be more thorough and not having to miss out the lesser overgrown sections, which was necessary last winter due to time constraints. From Rugeley onwards it will be a case of dealing with the parts which had to be missed last time and we aim to reach Great Haywood by March, weather permitting. The group are usually quite prepared to work in rain or snow, although if it is heavy and continuous rain there is nowhere this time to shelter on the boat. Other constraints would be if the canal was frozen over or gale force winds. Progress was also hampered over the Christmas and New Year period by a lack of CRT supervision although the volunteers were available. Hopefully this has been solved by registering the IWA volunteers as CRT volunteers which means we can also use CRT Volunteer Supervisors if necessary. However the work party will still be badged as an IWA group prominently displaying IWA banners. (Report by Neil Barnett, photo by Derek Beardsmore) Volunteers Needed Truman Enterprise Narrowboat Trust needs volunteer skippers and crew members for the Walsall Enterprise Community Narrowboat. The Trust provides day trips for community groups from April to October, normally from 10.30 am to about 3.30 pm. The boat is based at Hatherton Marina, Queens Road, Calf Heath, Cannock WV10 7DT. Training for boat skippers is given by a fully qualified instructor, and anyone interested in volunteering can go out on one of the trips to see what it is all about. Volunteers need to be able to commit to a minimum of 2 days per month. If you are interested please email Mariel Bishop at mariel.bishop@virginmedia.com for more details.
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IWA LICHFIELD BRANCH ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING WEDNESDAY 20th MARCH 2019, at 7.30 PM To be held at Martin Heath Hall, Christchurch Lane (off Walsall Road), Lichfield, WS13 8AY
AGENDA 1) Apologies for absence 2) Approval of the minutes of the 2018 AGM and any matters arising from these minutes 3) Report from the Branch Chairman 4) Financial Report from the Treasurer 5) Elections to the Committee Members completing 3 years in post and eligible for re-election. Phil Sharpe Margaret Beardsmore Members co-opted since last AGM and willing to stand for election. None Any other candidates 6) Any resolutions requested by members of the Branch (provided the Branch Chairman was notified in writing of the item at least 6 weeks prior to the AGM)* 7) Any Other Business
Notes:
Candidates for election to the committee must be current members of the Lichfield Branch and should indicate their willingness to stand. The Branch committee officers (Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer) are elected by the committee from its members at their first meeting after the AGM. Current members of the Committee are: Phil Sharpe (Chairman and Acting Secretary), Pete Gurney (Treasurer), Margaret Beardsmore, Pat Barton, Derek Beardsmore, Neil Barnett, John Stockland. *Item 6: Please put any resolutions in writing and address them to the Chairman at 34 Old Eaton Road, Rugeley, Staffs, WS15 2EZ or by email to lichfield@waterways.org.uk by 6th February 2019.
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Planning Matters This report covers some of the more important of about 75 planning matters dealt with from mid-October 2018 to mid-January 2019. They are all summarised in the monthly notes on the website Planning page. For the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal our detailed objection to the West Midlands Interchange warehouse development between Gailey and Calf Heath has now been submitted to the Planning Inspectorate, along with 1,331 others ! Although there have been some concessions, including removal of 3 redundant bridges across the canal next to the chemical works, brick cladding to the new canal bridge, towpath improvements, and connections to a canalside community park at Gailey; it is still a massively intrusive development. It would destroy the rural setting of the canal between Gailey and Calf Heath, with visual impact and noise from 14 massive warehouses, a new access road and rail terminal, causing significant damage to the canal’s heritage, environment, Conservation Area and visitor economy. Noise from round the clock operations would affect the residential and visitor moorings, the boatyard and canal shop at Gailey, and wind funnel effects could ruin sailing on Calf Heath Reservoir. At Acton Trussell, the Moat House hotel want to extend their canalside terrace by excavating into the canal bank below water level, which we have advised would threaten its stability.
Taft Bridge—Trent & Mersey Canal
The Trent & Mersey Canal would be affected by planning applications for two adjacent gas
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fired power stations between Wolseley Bridge and Rugeley, visible from the canal between Taft Bridge and Wharf Cottage. The limited screen planting proposed would take decades to mature, and there can be no justification for siting these in open countryside on a greenfield site when the redundant Rugeley Power Station brownfield site is barely 2 miles away, and already has sub-station connections to the national grid. At the same time there has been a community planning consultation for the redevelopment of Rugeley Power Station, proposing a mixed use but largely housing development; and it was clear that the two sets of developers had not even talked to each other! On the Coventry Canal at Hartshill Yard, CRT are proposing road access and parking improvements to support new uses for the currently vacant historic buildings. At Nuneaton, following our objections, modifications to the Borough Plan promise that the proposed Faultlands Farm industrial site buildings will be set back from the canal with a landscape planting buffer, and the Gipsy Lane housing site on the opposite towpath side will face the canal and provide towpath improvements. Hartshill Yard—Coventry Canal
On the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal at Bodymoor Heath we objected to an application for dog boarding kennels very close to offside boat moorings, due to the likely noise, and this was later withdrawn. The Ashby Canal at Hinckley would be affected by two more industrial buildings opposite The Limekilns pub on the A5, and we have objected to their size and proximity. Although partly screened by the towpath hedge, car parking is shown right up to the hedge limiting the potential for its strengthening, and there should be a 10m landscape buffer as for previous developments. The noise assessment fails to consider impacts
Lime Kilns Pub Hinckley
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on occupied visitor and permanent boat moorings, especially from HGV movements, reversing sirens and overnight working. A cycle path is shown connecting to the towpath so it should be conditional on funding towpath surface improvements. At Measham, a proposed housing estate alongside the Ashby Canal restoration route is contrary to the local plan but could be made more acceptable if it contributed to the restoration by funding canal channel and towpath works. On the Cannock Extension Canal near the boatyards, the 2016 application for a go -kart track on farmland north of Wyrley Common had gone quiet, unlike the karts which can be very noisy. But following our earlier objections, and those of the residential boat moorers who would be most affected, an amended landscape plan now includes earth bunds 8m high around the west and north sides of the track which, with screen planting, should reduce the noise impacts on the canal. However, we have called for an updated noise assessment to demonstrate this. At the Pelsall Junction end of the canal, by Friar Bridge, the partly collapsed stables building was rebuilt for use as offices in 2015. We supported the planning application at the time as otherwise this historic building would have been lost altogether, and the result is an attractive conversion. However, the planning application has now been refused, 3 years later, on the ridiculous grounds that in its Former stables at Friar Bridge—Cannock Extension derelict state it had less Canal impact on the ‘openness’ of the Green Belt. It is to be hoped that Walsall Council will not now require the owner to return it to its former derelict condition ! The Lichfield Canal restoration route alongside Falkland Road in Lichfield remains threatened by the Deanslade Park housing site plans making no provision for an access road bridge over the canal or the cutting needed for the canal channel. Our complaints about Lichfield District Council’s Planning Committee report containing incomplete and misleading information about the impacts of the development on the canal, and also the failure to notify IWA of the committee date and an opportunity to address the committee, were both upheld. An apology was received about the report, the procedure changed to notify ‘local interest groups’ in future, and the decision
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referred back to the committee. Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust sought legal advice from an expert Barrister about the Lichfield planners’ failure to uphold their own Local Plan infrastructure requirements to safeguard the canal route, and I assisted in providing evidence, resulting in a legal opinion fully supporting our case. The Council postponed the reference back to the Planning Committee, but the amended Officers Report failed to respond to key points of the legal advice and introduced more spurious arguments, even to the extent of criticising their own adopted planning documents in an attempt to justify the misguided advice of their spatial policy manager. The Trust then had to obtain further legal advice, which as you can imagine does not come cheap, but which comprehensively demolished the Councils false excuses for their failings, and the Planning Committee’s reconsideration of the application in January was deferred yet again on legal grounds. Rebuilding the towpath wall at Fosseway Heath If the Council succeed in letting the developer, Taylor Wimpey, get away with ignoring the Local Plan requirements and not funding the bridge or accommodating the channel works up front, then the approximate £½million cost to them will probably be doubled if it has to be done by the Trust at a later date, with closure of the main road access to the housing site and construction work then greatly inconveniencing the new residents. Furthermore, the developers of the Cricket Lane housing site would no doubt then avoid similar Local Plan requirements to provide a new canal bridge and channel works, so the total bill for the Trust could be £2million. If the Council don’t correct their errors, it may be necessary to go for Judicial Review and with so much at stake, not only for LHCRT but as a test case affecting other restoration projects, I will be making the case for IWA financial support at national level. Another application affecting the Lichfield Canal is for housing at Tamworth Road, where consent had previously been given for a canal basin and facilities building with
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canoe storage, office, meeting room etc., and LHCRT has constructed a marina entrance and slipway in preparation for this. Taking advice from the Trust, we objected to the plans as they would have prevented access for the slipway and further restoration work, and use of the existing sheds as a construction base. However, the landowner has previously been supportive and the Trust has since agreed with him that the plans will be amended to retain the construction and slipway access and use of the sheds. Phil Sharpe, Planning Officer HS2 High Speed Rail Update – January 2019 Since my last update there have been developments with both Phase 2A and Phase 2B. Phase 2A West Midlands - Crewe The Promoter’s Response Document to the Second Special Report of the HS2 Select Committee misrepresents a discussion with IWA after the report’s publication, and uses the setting up of the ‘Trent Sow Parklands and Cannock Chase AONB HS2 Group’ as an excuse for not implementing the committee’s recommendation to install a 5m noise barrier on the Great Haywood Viaduct to reduce the impact on the marina. It also distorts the recommendation to “look at providing further noise mitigation at Fradley Wood” by offering an ‘assurance’ to only “consider whether additional noise mitigation is required”. IWA rejects these disingenuous ‘assurances’ which were not discussed with us before being published. Phase 2B Crewe to Manchester and West Midlands to Leeds A consultation on the Working Draft Environmental Statement (and the Working Draft Equality Impact Assessment Report) was announced on 11 October with a closing date of 21 December. This is a precursor to the submission of a hybrid bill to Parliament, which has now been put back to 2020. It was an opportunity to suggest corrections to errors, omissions and misconceptions and to request improvements. It was also an opportunity to raise more fundamental issues about the route, which will not be possible when the final Environmental Statement is published as that will be after the second reading debate when MPs will be deemed to have approved the route. In preparing IWA’s response I had the benefit of Gren Mesham’s work on our previous 2013, 2016 and 2017 Phase 2 and Phase 2B responses, as well as regular updates from CRT and affected canal trusts through our HS2 Waterways Working Group meetings, and welcome local input from our Shrewsbury & North Wales and our Chester & Merseyside branches. However, just reviewing the relevant parts of the 13 Community Area Reports and Map Books and the supporting documents took weeks of work and, given that CRT had a whole team of people working on their
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detailed response, I took the decision to concentrate IWA’s comments on the main issues and most significant impacts. Phase 2B is even more extensive than was Phase 1 and affects at least 16 waterways in 22 locations, with major impacts on the Middlewich Branch, the Trent & Mersey Canal, Bridgewater Canal, Coventry Canal, Ashby Canal restoration, Erewash Canal and Chesterfield Canal restoration. At most interfaces the visual impact of the proposed viaducts, bridges and embankments will partly depend on future detailed design, but the currently proposed noise mitigation is clearly inadequate. On the Western Leg, the visual and noise impact of the very large Crewe North Rolling Stock Depot and two canal bridges on the Middlewich Branch will be considerable, and the proposed 2 km of canalside woodland planting would change the whole character of the canal. The three proposed Trent & Mersey Canal crossings are unnecessarily high and will massively disturb a currently tranquil section of canal. Building the embankments and viaducts across existing flashes in an area of salt workings risks reactivating the subsidence. The Bridgewater Canal crossing is directly above extensive boat moorings with two canalside construction compounds. On the Eastern Leg, the Pooley Hall Moorings, Coventry Canal Polesworth Viaduct crosses directly over moorings on the Coventry Canal at Pooley Country Park, which would be closed for years during construction. Following our previous representations, bridges are now shown over the Ashby Canal at Measham. However, the housing development that would fund its restoration there is still threatened by the preferred route, and there is no assessment of the proposed alternative route which would allow this to proceed. A long section of the Erewash Canal through Long Eaton to Stanton Gate will be impacted by the new Toton Station and a high viaduct running up the valley, with a canal diversion likely to be needed. The Chesterfield Canal will be affected by the massive Staveley Infrastructure Maintenance Depot, and its continuing restoration at Staveley is threatened by uncertainty over the final track level for reinstating the mineral line railway. At Norwood, the summit level is crossed by embankment and landscaping with no provision for the canal, either by locks or a new section of tunnel.
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The full details of IWA’s comments on these and other issues can be seen by downloading IWA’s response to the Working Draft Environmental Statement from the website at: https://www.waterways.org.uk/lichfield/news/2018_news Phil Sharpe, Planning Officer Following his fascinating talk on Dr Erasmus Darwin at one of our meetings last year John Parry has come up with some more insights into the interest shown by Darwin in canals. Dr DARWIN OF LICHFIELD and his Canal into the City Erasmus Darwin
Erasmus Darwin came to Lichfield in 1756 aged 25. Within the year he had married (into money) and had established a reputation as a fine doctor, especially as he had successfully treated an apparently hopeless case not long after his arrival. His circumstances were right, as was his fortuitous timing to be in Lichfield just as the canal age was about to really get going. In 1758 Lord Gower of Trentham and Thomas Anson of Shugborough asked James Brindley to
James Brindley
survey routes from the Trent to the Severn and Mersey. Although the scheme at this stage was abandoned, it was not forgotten, and in 1760 Brindley and John Smeaton published a revised plan of the section from Burslem to Wilden Ferry near Derby (Wilden Ferry is a few hundred yards upstream from Shardlow Marina on the Trent. James Brindley (1716-1772) was the engineer of the Grand Trunk (Trent and Mersey) canal, who had the vision of the
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Grand X of waterways to join the main river systems of England. He and Darwin became friends, and indeed when Brindley lay dying after being soaked in a storm at Froghall, Dr Darwin attended, and was the first to diagnose that he was suffering from advanced diabetes. This was when diabetes could only be confirmed by the doctor physically tasting the patient’s urine. John Smeaton (1724-1792) was a great and talented engineer. He built the successful Eddystone Lighthouse in 1759, which can now be seen on Plymouth Hoe, to where it was carefully removed after the underlying rock eroded. He effectively invented modern cement, which would set underwater, called ‘hydraulic lime’ and was the forerunner of
Portland cement. He doubled the efficiency of the atmospheric Newcomen engine, scientifically worked on the efficiency of water wheels, and his work on ‘lift’ was used by the Wright brothers to take to the air. His canal work included building the Forth and Clyde canal, advising on the Louth Navigation and being the engineer on the Birmingham and Fazeley. Brindley and Smeaton’s plan showed a branch to Lichfield, as did the later proposal in 1766, which won parliamentary approval, enabling construction of the Trent and Mersey to be begun when Josiah Wedgwood cut the first sod in Burslem in July 1766. In October 1771 the scheme for the canal branch to Lichfield is set aside. The cost was estimated at £6-7,000, and profits only about £100 a year. However, by now Darwin is really enthused by canals and comes up with a scheme of his own, about which he writes to Josiah Wedgwood……….prefacing his comments that he would of course consult on everything with Brindley. He proposed not a large, i.e. Trent and Mersey size, canal, but a narrow one, with the water channel being 7’ wide. It would be 3 ½ miles long, which puts it more or less from the present day Kings Bromley wharf into Minster pool, just round the corner from where he lived. The distance shown on the plans appears to be about a mile less than this, which would put the junction near Wood End. The T & M as actually built was very different in the Wood End to Streethay vicinity to the 1760 plan. Darwin’s canal was to take boats of only 4 to 5 tons burthen (burthen, in the days before steam, was a volumetric measurement, with a formula that converted volume to tons weight). The boats therefore would be only 4’ wide and 30’ long……and draw only 1’ of water and be
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drawn by one man (no horses). This suggests very few boats indeed, as they could not pass…..but that might have been perfectly acceptable on such a short canal, where a passage could well have been under 2 hours, or passing places built….but it was really just a project in Darwin’s mind without any detail. Construction of this very narrow, shallow canal would be only about £250-£350 per mile, the small locks would not be expensive, only footbridges would be required (he said) and no fencing would be necessary. So convinced of the cost effectiveness of the project was Darwin, that he proposed to do it on his own account. He asks Wedgwood to get permission to join such a canal to the Grand Trunk at Fradley Heath (which would be shorter than the 3 ½ miles he talked of earlier). Darwin justifies his economic enthusiasm by talking about how Lichfield could receive coal, lime for fertiliser and small beer from Burton. …..and he starts to get carried away. This canal would encourage many others to make such canals to the Grand Trunk, whose promoters he is trying to convince. It would be a first with its one foot draught, and if the Grand Trunk was short of water, why, he would throw in the whole supply of the Lichfield Brook, which leaves Stowe pool at the church end, and would cross the line of the Grand Trunk, wherever it was built, as it flows North towards the Trent.
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As a doctor, Darwin expressed his enthusiasm for his little canals as small blood vessels to the Grand Trunk’s artery, and gives glowing estimates of the nature and locations of the profits to be had……he says:1. It is only 3 or 4 miles to get the coal from Newhall in Derbyshire to Burton, the intervening river Trent being no problem, as Brindley has shown how to lock down and pass a river (eg, Alrewas)….2. The lime processed at Ticknall is just 3 miles from the Trent, cross it, then to the Grand Trunk at Swarkestone, and also coal is just 3 miles from Ticknall…….3. slate from Charnwood and granite at Mount Sorrel is only 12 miles from the Trent…..4.only 3 or 4 miles from Burton to Tutbury for gypsum for alabaster…….in fact, water carriage could become universal , with rollers being used instead of locks, with counterbalancing achieved by use of water……..Darwin’s enthusiasm seems to peak here. Josiah Wedgwood The doctor writes to his friend and canal st promoter Josiah Wedgwood on 21 October 1771 that he acknowledges that there are water shortages on the ‘Lichfield River’. There are three mills on it. Castle Mill, (Dam St.), Stowe Mill and Pones Mill. They are all short of water in the Summer. However, he has not given up yet, and proposes an improvement to the boat designs, which he suggests should be the same length as the Grand Trunk ones, but half the width, so that they could be joined together to pass the Grand Trunk locks. There would be no helmsman, just one man with a fore and aft rope. (which as any boater might appreciate, would be great fun with a 72’ long vessel in a high wind on an icy day). No wonder Wedgwood poured cold water on the idea, especially telling the Doctor that so much time would be needed to be spent in London to get the Act of Parliament. Darwin writes again to Wedgwood on the 4th November 1771. This time the Doctor himself comes up with a list of doubts about his own idea, especially the lack of water, and the costly purchase of the three mills that would be required. He almost seems to be inviting Wedgwood to advise against it. He then visits Wedgwood and drops the idea. Lichfield was never connected directly to the Trent and Mersey canal. Minster pool never became a grimy coal wharf, and Lichfield never industrialised. Darwin maintained his interest in canals and in fact had already built a full size one of his own, and that’s another tale to tell. John Parry 1st December 2018.
Lichfield Branch
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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 10MB limit for emails with attachments sent via this address). The copy date for the next newsletter will be 15th April 2019, for publication in May. Advertising Lichfield Lines is posted or emailed to about 400 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 per issue
Half Page - £10 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 www.waterways.org.uk/support_us/corporates. Corporate members in our area are— Lichfield Cruising Club Stafford Boat Club Ltd Truman Enterprise Narrowboat Trust Ashby Canal Trust Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Canal Transport Services Ltd Waterways World Ltd Fingerpost pub Pelsall Clifford Arms Great Haywood Hargreaves Narrowboat Trust
Longwood Boat Club Ashby Canal Association Tamworth Cruising Club Ash Tree Boat Club Countywide Cruisers (Brewood) Ltd Elite Furnishings Birmingham and Midland Marine Services River Canal Rescue Ltd Midland Chandlers Glascote Basin Boatyard (Norton Canes Boatbuilders)
Please mention the IWA when contacting any of these Corporate Members.
Lichfield Branch
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Your Committee Chairman and Acting Secretary Tel: 01889 583330 Email: phil.sharpe@waterways.org.uk
Philip Sharpe
Treasurer Tel: 01785 255101 Email: pete.gurney@waterways.org.uk
Pete Gurney
Planning & Website Tel: 01889 583330 Email: phil.sharpe@waterways.org.uk
Philip Sharpe
Newsletter Editor Tel: 01785 255101 Email: pete.gurney@waterways.org.uk
Pete Gurney
Volunteer Coordinator Tel: 07581 794111 Email: margaret.beardsmore@waterways.org.uk
Margaret Beardsmore
Speakers Secretary Tel: 07947 337491 Email: pat.barton@waterways.org.uk
Pat Barton
Navigation Officer Tel: 07847 470112 Email: derek.beardsmore@waterways.org.uk
Derek Beardsmore
Membership Secretary Tel: 0121 308 0293 Email: John.stockland@waterways.org.uk
John Stockland
Publicity—Press & Magazines Tel: 07808 846434 Email: neil.barnett@waterways.org.uk
Neil Barnett
Minutes Secretary
Position Vacant
Ex Officio: Region Chairman Branch Sales and External Talks (non-committee posts) Email: helen.whitehouse@waterways.org.uk
Helen Whitehouse
Walks Coordinator (non-committee post) Tel: 07866 201873 Email: clive.walker@waterways.org.uk
Clive Walker
Branch Contact Address Email: lichfield@waterways.org.uk
IWA Lichfield Branch 34 Old Eaton Road Rugeley, Staffs WS15 2EZ
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