Working Party Blog 2023

View west from the Lift Bridge Photo by Bob Williams 12th April 2023

Photo by Michael Babb. 4th April

4th April - The dam is being installed this week at the eastern end of the phase 1 works at Darnford Moors. For the dam they used the same detailing - laid matting up the dam, turned the edge down into a slit trench and used the same four part process to adhere it to the sheet piles.    Its precise location by What Three Words:  https://w3w.co/winters.offers.isolating

A YouTube video here  shows some of the process.  This was on March 31st. at the time Michael Fabricant MP for Lichfield, and Patron of LHCRT,  came to visit. 

Photos by Carole Mills

Full steam ahead on Phase II

Amazing figures from our volunteers!
6000 tonnes of soil moved over four weeks, mostly at weekends, to profile and shape 350 metres of canal and towpath.
This has only been possible with the dedication and hard work from our volunteers, who have shown a level of skill and professionalism most contractors would give their eye teeth to have within their ranks.
This work has only been possible with the support of our mechanical workshop team, who nursed our own excavators, dumpers etc, to perform to this high level, together with friends and supporters of the Trust who have helped with the loan of key items of construction plant which made this all possible.
All of this work prepares the ground to allows us to line the canal channel with waterproof membrane and fill this section of the canal with water later this year.

Peter Buck

The winding hole is part of the route diversion past old Lock 29, now almost ready for Phase II lining by contractors.

As far east as it goes - for now. Photos by Harry Wem

Photos by Steve Webster

We recently had a donation of consumables from Briggs Equipment UK to keep our workshop stocked. They also provided us with some new overalls, so our plant engineering volunteers look very smart. Thank you Briggs!

After a 13-hour day on Saturday and a further 6-hours on Sunday, moving soil at Darnford Moors, there was something not quite right with the engine of our faithful old 5-tonne digger.
Our volunteer plant team had to strip down the engine to find out what was wrong.
Our team will now need to buy some new parts and then rebuild it, but it will be back working soon. Any donations towards the parts would be gratefully received.Our team will now need to buy some new parts and then rebuild it, but it will be back working soon. Any donations towards the parts would be gratefully received.