Registered Charity No. 702429
CUT BOTH WAYS WEBSITE ARCHIVES
The Magazine of the Lichfield & Hatherton
Canals Restoration Trust
Issue No. 41 - AUTUMN 2004
Other Reports
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Registered Charity No. 702429 |
CUT BOTH WAYS WEBSITE ARCHIVES
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When we excavated the line of the new canal channel down to Darnford Lane some years ago, it was never intended that it would be left for so long before completing the bank protection and channel lining. However, funding limitations and the need to finance the more urgent M6 Toll crossings delayed matters and the work remains incomplete. At the lane end the bed of the channel is below the level of the Darnford Brook and is cut through soft sand, and over the years the banks have been further weakened by rabbit burrows. You will not need reminding how wet it was this August, and in particular of the monsoon-like downpours we suffered. One such localised deluge on 10th August caused the normally placid brook to flood the golf course car park and overtop the bank on our side into the canal channel. It filled the canal down to the temporary dam, overflowed the dam to refill the section down to the lift bridge, and spilled over the stop planks where it soaked away back into the brook. However, in flowing over the bank into the channel the water had eroded gulleys in the sand which cut back and caused a whole section of bank about 5 metres across to fail and wash away. There was little that could be done until the flood subsided, although the situation soon stabilised with the canal channel nearly full of water and spilling over the bank half way down back into the stream. For a while we could see how attractive the completed canal will look when fully watered, so we rowed a dinghy up and down a few times whilst we contemplated what to do.
The answer was 60 tonnes of clay; 3 lorry loads, which was ordered from Brownhills. Unfortunately they could not deliver that week but Peter found us some transport, we took our JCB3 and dumper down and hired in a CAT 315 excavator from Ruttle Plant Hire, conveniently located just up the road by Whittington Barracks. With Keith and Bob loading and transporting, and Jen from the WRG Canal Camp driving the excavator, the hole was soon filled. Jen enjoyed herself puddling the clay so much that she stayed on until the breach was fully plugged. The water drained away within a few days when the supply was cut off, clearly demonstrating the need for lining the channel before we can permanently re-water it. Since then Keith has used 'Blue' to refill the rest of the hole and to scour out the brook, removing excessive vegetation and silt and widening it on our side to improve the flow. The repair has survived several more storms and, hopefully, that was at least the 10 year flood, if not the 100 year flood, although statistically it could happen again any time and the site will not be secure from a recurrence until we can install the bank protection. Thanks to everyone that helped at short notice to sort out this emergency repair. (More photos on the News page)
Phil Sharpe
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 Cannock 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 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 the stern would look along the waterline at the draught and if he thought the charge would be too excessive he and his mate ("the hos handler") would throw coal over the side until they were happy with the estimated freight charge.
My narrator then explained that he and his peers would dive for the coal and sell it for tuppence or threepence, dependent on size. Apparently people would come from afar with bikes and prams to buy the coal that he insisted had been the motive for his learning to swim!
Quite a lucrative occupation for a young lad at the time, but to be honest I'm not so sure that this would be my preferred choice from the two ways to earn a living from coal. Like the frying pan and the fire - a marginal decision, I think!
If other members have tales like this about the old 'Curly Wyrley' please pass them on to Mike Battisson.
Mike Battisson
Value Added Tax
HM Customs & Excise are still deliberating on the status of our VAT Registration. Despite the consistent, stalwart efforts of our expert adviser in London, the delayed decision is holding back tens of thousands of pounds of potential tax reclaims which would greatly assist our cash flow. We hope the outcome will be worth the long wait.
Tamworth Road development
We are most grateful to the Family of the late Alan John Page for a legacy which will enable the Trust to purchase the fittings to complete the installation of paddle gear on Locks 25 and 26 on the Tamworth Road section of the Lichfield Canal. Phil Sharpe has reported elsewhere in this issue how the restoration work has moved ahead this summer, but it will be some time yet before the section is watered and the locks come into operation.
Our Director, Mike Battisson has been researching new opportunities for funding ancillary items to complement the canal in this area which has brought a grant of £500 from HSBC. This will go towards accumulating match funding to support larger grant applications, especially for access to enjoy the canal environment now ahead of boating which will come later.
European Regional Development Fund [ERDF] grant
The formal report from the Government Inspectors (See CBW 40, Other Reports) highlighted a few points already known to us which needed clarification. A follow-up visit is expected to assist further with revision of some of the "outputs" resulting from the grant expenditure. We hope this will bring forward the timing for release of the statutory retention of 10% of the grant when those parts of the project are considered complete.
Alvecote Marina
The Trust has received £1,300 from Alvecote Marina for letting another mooring for which we are very grateful. Malcolm Burge has offered the Trust the benefit of two full-length moorings for the next three years so we would be pleased to hear from anyone needing a secure, serviced jetty mooring near Tamworth, convenient for easy cruising in all directions in the Midlands.
Grand Prize Draw Bob Williams, Finance Director
The Draw will take place at about the time you are reading this magazine, so winners will be announced in the next issue. However, there has been an excellent response which has brought in £3,330, with a month still to go. It is pleasing to see that many members have been selling the tickets to others which not only informs others but also attracts non-members funds.
Trust & Marketing
| H J Y Pringle (with sub.) | £105.00 | Dr T Hollingworth | £35.00
| D E Cooper, returned expenses | £30.83 | N Blears (with sub.) | £25.00
| R A Francis ( with sub.) | £25.00 | G Thompson (with sub.) | £50.00
| D Shipman (with sub.) | £35.00 | Bob Houghton; Lichfield Running Club | £50.00
| B Kingshott; Brownhills event fee | £300.00 | D E Cooper; Brownhills maintenance | £150.00
| Alvecote Marina (mooring donation) | £1300.00 | Ian Burnage, Streethay Wharf | £126.04
| P R Newman (with sub.) | £35.00 | IWA Chiltern Branch (talk) | £100.00
| Birmingham Canal Navigations Society | contribution towards "Ogley Jnc." sign £100.00 | IWA National Waterways Festival, | Burton-on-Trent; toilet cleaning gratuity £500.00
| Eric Wood (proceeds of sale) | £75.00 | Lichfield Running Club, race assistance | £100.00
| Allan & Lynda Gilbert | £25.00 | David R Edwards Ltd (Huddlesford sponsor) | £40.00
| Brian Kingshott (returned expenses) | £393.56 | Lichfield Plastics Ltd (Huddlesford sponsor) | £150.00
| Aggregated donations up to £20 each | £650.00 | Pat Barton (Huddlesford sponsor) | £180.00
| Restoration Fund | Brick Appeal
| J P Baker (Charitycard Internet Payment) | £500.00 | Mr E Rimmer, Evesham | £20.00
| Philip Austin | £100.00 | Mr R G Larkin, Lichfield | £20.00
| Terry Brown | £22.00 | Lt Cdr G Glover, Burntwood | £50.00
| Executors of the late John Page | for Tamworth Road locks paddle gear £1,647.00 | Ms Diana Arthur, Lichfield | £20.00
| Anon. (Charitycard Internet Payment) | £25.00 | Mr C J Martin, Llanymynech | £20.00
| Dick & Chris Mantle | £50.00 | Mr J A Hawkins, Croxley Green | £20.00
| Dr J L Bonsall (additional pledge) | £250.00 | Mr N J Potter, Derby | £20.00
| Kingdom Tours | £80.00 | Mr A Gilbert, Sutton Coldfield | £20.00
| H.S.B.C. Bank; Grant for Tamworth Rd. | £500.00 | |
| Chase Academy, Cannock, Hatherton Canal donation | | |
| Land Fund
| Pat Barton | £820.00 | G Branner (incl. Netherclift & Armson) | £207.79
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NEW MEMBERS TO 05 OCTOBER 2004
| Mr R. Eaton | Corsham, Wilts | Mr T. Deakin | Wednesbury
| Mr D. G. Madin | Beverley, Yorks. | Mr S. Burt | Shirley, Solihull
| Mr P.W. Lawrence | Shenstone, Lichfield | Mr W. Tallis | Leamington Spa
| Mr P.A. Christopher | Brocton, Stafford | Mrs C M. Downes | Sutton Coldfield
| Dr E. Hiscock | Birmingham | Mr T. B. Dower | Walsall
| Mme F. Daum | Amanlis, France | Mr A.J. Tams | Aberystwyth
| Ms C.M. Illidge | Stonnall, Lichfield | Ms J. Bagshaw | Willenhall
| Mr N. Solomons | Kidderminster | Mrs R. Solomons | Kidderminster
| Mr K. Styche | Lichfield | Mr S. Marrocco | Cheslyn Hay, Walsall
| Mr J.M. Alexander | Lichfield | Mr D. Townsend | Sheldon, Birmingham
| Mr E. Holborn | Rugeley | Ms V. Wilson | Milford, Derbyshire
| Mr A.0.Dick | Ranton, Stafford | Mr T.J. Smith | Burntwood, Staffs.
| Mr P. Bryan | Pelsall | Mr D. J. Walton | Kings Bromley
| Mr S. Bannister | Rolleston, Burton on Trent | Mr R. Boot | Nottingham
| Mr A.J. Tidey | Melksham | Mr A. P. Todd | Knowle, Solihull
| Mr N. Povey | Fradley, Nr Lichfield | |
| NEW MEMBERS TAKEN AT HUDDLESFORD ON 2ND OCTOBER
| Mr A G Page | Barrow-on-Trent | Mr I Parrott | Shardlow
| Mr J Allen | Sutton Coldfield | Mr C A Duckett | Sutton Coldfield
| Mr A J Fairey | Aldridge | Mr & Mrs J Fellows | Lichfield
| Ms S Cawson | Pershore | Mr & Mrs B Bateman | Sutton Coldfield
| Mr R C Page became a Life Member | |
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These generous prizes donated again by Streethay Wharf were drawn on 30th August by Hugh Potter, Editor of Waterways World as major sponsor of the National Waterways Festival at Burton-on-Trent. The lucky winners were:
1st prize James Stafferton, Winslow, Bucks
2nd prize Alan Veness, Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands.
The Trust is very grateful to Ray Bowern at Streethay Wharf for his fund-raising support and to all those who entered the draw.
We regret to record the passing of the following members:-
Mr P Daffin, Kirkby-in-Ashfield died 8th April 2004
"Megan", the original Pet Club Member died February 2004
To restore the Lichfield Canal and the Hatherton Canal to re-open waterway links between Staffordshire and the West Midlands, for the benefit of the environment, amenity and prosperity of the people of the Region and to enhance the nation's inland waterway system.
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