To followers of all things related to the restoration of the Lichfield Canal, you
may be struggling to visualise whereabouts this road is relative to our other
restoration sites along this canal's route. (Click here for a map)
You will have seen and heard plenty
about our Fosseway Site and you will recall that this stretch reaches from
Fosseway Lane, following the disused railway track to the new bridge that
spans the Lichfield Southern Bye-pass. This railway bridge spans Falklands
Road. Now our canal has to take a sharp right hand turn at this point just before
the railway bridge, and follow this road, Falklands Road, all the way to the
Birmingham Road. The A5127. This section has many major engineering
challenges to overcome before it can reach the A5127.
Firstly it has to be constructed so that 70 ft. narrow boats can exit the huge
turning pound (nearing completion) at the end of the Fosseway section.
Next, Falklands Road at this point rises until it reaches Claypit Lane. The base of the canal has to be kept horizontal. So for the first 50 to 100 yards the canal retaining walls will need to be built up above the existing ground level. The height of the canal is determined by that in the new turning pound, obviously. Then the base will begin to get deeper and deeper as the land rise, as it progresses towards Claypit Lane. You can imagine there is a huge amount of spoil to be removed in digging this trench and it will all have to be transported into the Fosseway site and fill the void between the canal and the railway line.
On reaching Claypit Lane a new culvert needs to be provided beneath a new island that is to be constructed at the end of this lane. Beyond Claypit Lane the ground level and Falklands Road fall away again as we approach the A5127. Still more spoil is to be hauled all the way to Fosseway. a massive undertaking for our volunteers.
Finally, before we reach the Birmingham Road island, locks (two or three) have to be constructed to enable us to link in with the previously installed culvert beneath this island. We started work on this section about a month ago. So far we have been working with sand and soil although we do expect to have to contend with sandstone further along the channel. Near to the entrance of this section from the Fosseway pound there is a mains water pipe laid low below ground. Fortunately it is much lower so therfore causes us no concern, except that for safety reasons we have decided to lay a concrete slab over it, better safe than sorry. The weather has not been kind to us these last few weeks, the whole site is turning into a mud bath and holding up progress.
Well folks, a good bit of work to do here. A year or two's work, maybe. but it depends a lot on planning permissions, property developers cooperation, money, time, manpower etc. etc.. .and the help we get from our own volunteers workforce.
Hugh Millington
