Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust Ltd

Registered Charity No. 702429

HATHERTON CANAL

Where is The Canal?

The Hatherton Canal is a derelict waterway which once linked together the canals to the east and west of Cannock in south Staffordshire.
It was opened in 1841 as a branch of the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal from Calf Heath to Churchbridge near Cannock, and in 1860 the Churchbridge Locks were opened to link with the Cannock Extension Canal.
Originally 4 miles long and with 21 locks, it formed a vital link in the regional network of canals. For 100 years it was busy carrying coal and many other goods, but in 1955 it was abandoned due to mining subsidence and the Churchbridge Locks were destroyed.
For more history of the Wyrley and Essington Canal Click here

Why Restore The Hatherton Canal?

Since commerce gave way to leisure, most of the country's navigable waterways are flourishing as never before with boats, walkers, anglers and wildlife. Some have already been rescued from dereliction and many others are being actively restored.
If the Hatherton Canal had survived the short-sighted closures of the 1950's it too would be thriving now as an important link in our unique system of inland waterways.
We have the opportunity to recreate a valuable amenity and leisure resource by restoring the Hatherton Canal, and the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust is working hard to promote this and carry out physical improvements

What Condition is the Canal In?

For the first 2 miles the canal runs from Hatherton Junction through attractive countryside to Wedges Mills and is still used as a water supply channel to reservoirs at Gailey, but it is silted and shallow and some of the bridges have been lowered.

The middle section skirts the southern edge of Cannock to Churchbridge and has been partly blocked by industrial development where a diversion will be required. It has been further affected by the building of the Birmingham Northern Relief Road (BNRR), now known as the M6 Toll. Culverts have been installed to take the canal under the motorway.

From Churchbridge a new route will be necessary through open countryside to link up with the remaining section of the Cannock Extension Canal at Grove Basins. (N.B. Due to environmental constraints on the Cannock Extension Canal the decision was taken in 2009 to seek an alternate route to connect with the Birmingham Canal Navigations. See link at the bottom of the page for more details.)

The aim is to re-open the canal as a through route, both as a local amenity and as a vital link in the regional network of canals. The restored route will be 6½ miles long with 16 locks.

What Has Been Done So Far?

Restoration work carried out since 1990 includes clearing undergrowth, surfacing and re-opening 1½ miles of the towpath, laying and planting hedges, installing fencing, picnic sites and benches, and considerable bricklaying. This has been done largely by Trust volunteers with assistance from the Waterway Recovery Group, British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, Staffordshire County Council, The Hedgerow Trust, The Forest of Mercia and Community Services.

In addition to this we have achieved a major breakthrough in achieving the building of culverts to take the canal under the M6 Toll.

What Will Restoration Cost?

An estimated total of £9.6 million, plus the cost of the M6 and M6 Toll culverts.

Phase 1 is from Calf Heath to Wedges Mills.
To restore the first 2 miles and 3 locks, bringing boats to a basin on the edge of Cannock, will cost an estimated £1.1 million plus £0.7 million for the M6 culvert.

Dredging and some bank protection is needed to fully restore the channel and towpath. The first lock at Calf Heath is still in use, the second will be re-located beyond Straight Mile to gain headroom, and Meadow Lock will be restored. 5 bridges need raising or replacing, and a culvert installed under the M6. The Trust will seek the funding needed for this to be carried out with the planned widening of the motorway.

Phase 2 runs from the A460 through Bridgetown and Churchbridge to the A5 crossing and is the most difficult section. Part is filled in and needs excavation whilst a further section will be reinstated along an existing watercourse. New diversionary routes have been determined in conjunction with the M6 Toll motorway, and this whole section has been dependent on the provision of culverts during its construction. The estimated cost is £5.8 million for the 2½ miles of canal including 4 new locks and 5 bridges.

In January 2001 the Trust launched the first David Suchet Appeal to raise funds to provide for the crossings needed to take the canal through the M6 Toll. This support from David Suchet, Vice-President of the Trust, in addition to Chris Coburn's long-running campaign to highlight the plight of the Lichfield and Hatherton Canals, brought us welcome publicity and overwhelming public support.

After long and involved negotiations with Midland Expressway Ltd. (the motorway operators), CAMBBA (the consortium of building contractors), the Government and the Highways Agency, the extra cost to the Trust for culverts at Churchbridge (originally thought to be in the region of £2 - £3 million), has been approximately £150,000 for one culvert, with the cost of the main culvert under the motorway itself being funded by Government!

End view of southern roundabout culvert
Cross section of southern roundabout culvert

Culvert 144, under the M6 Toll
Culvert 155. "The David Suchet Tunnel"
(Photographs by Phil Sharpe)

Phase 3 from the A5 east of Churchbridge up to a new junction with the Cannock Extension Canal at Grove Basins.
The estimated cost is £2.7 million for 2 miles with 9 new locks and 2 bridges. The preferred route has planning protection.

The Trust has the engineering solutions.
A start has been made.
IT CAN BE DONE.

For a more detailed description of the route

In 2003 the Trust commissioned Ove Arup & Partners to carry out a Feasibility Study for the Hatherton Canal,
followed by a supplementary study for an alternate route completed by Atkins Limited in February 2009.
Click on the link below for details.

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	Hatherton Canal Feasibility Studies

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End view of southern roundabout culvert		Cross section of southern roundabout culvert
Culvert 144, under the M6 Toll		Culvert 155. "The David Suchet Tunnel"
(Photographs by Phil Sharpe)