3.8 Cannock Extension Canal part one - Pelsall to Norton Canes

Andy Tidy continues his exploration of the lost canals of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, this time seeking out the lost line of the Cannock Extension Canal. This is the first of two videos which tracks the route from Pelsall Common as far as the site of Conduit Colliery in Norton Canes.

[@MrDorbel]

Andy's presentation is as good as it gets, great old photos too.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Thanks Paul!

[@robinlong6477]

Exceptional research and execution under difficult circumstances. Thanks Andy!

[@davidbagley1783]

Good information

[@dennisporter753]

What a huge collery!.. the basin was just full of boats filled with coal.. fascinating really! Thanks Andy!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

It gives an idea for the volumes of coal being moved - look out for the boats outside Birchills Power Station this Saturday and again at Ocker Hill the week after.

[@dennisporter753]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 .. looking forward to that!.. you did say enormous amount of coal coming out of that coal field.. you wasn't kidding around! Nice chatting with you Andy..

[@nicholasjones7645]

Brilliant thanks for the knowledge

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

My pleasure Nicholas

[@yds250]

Walked this stretch of Canal between the A5 and Bettys Lane in the early 1970's as a Kid . The Sunken Boat @ 21:16 was still there, But the Canal was dry and full of long Grass and Small Trees.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Its a length full of memories.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

To be fair - it’s really all about the lost sections! The next episode covers the lost miles of canal out to Hednesford and the episode after goes down the locks you refer to at Churchbridge.

[@judithparker4608]

I believe the Clay was used at...Aldridge Brickworks..Walsall Wood..."Ibstock"..Merchant's Way !!

[@brynvjones6679]

Really enjoying your site. Took ourselves off from Shrewsbury today and walked from Whitchurch Marina to just veyond Grindley Brook Flight and back. Smashing 3.74 miles of fresh air

[@danielsedgwick5476]

Very interesting

[@cherylburton3430]

Loving these vlogs, finding them really interesting especially as i was born and bred around here. Currently we are moored for the winter on the cannock extension.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Its an area with a massive heritage - it just dosnt reveal itself very easily. Watch out for the photostream next week.

[@dudleyblokerave]

Another great video! Thanks!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

If I say so myself - next weeks is even better with 1 12 minute stream of old photos lelss of me and more images, which has to be a good thing! )

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Thanks

[@djmossssomjd8496]

Well, although as always an interesting video, I feel too much was left out. The whole of the existing Extension canal was not shown apart from a few yards at the junction with the 'Curley Wyrley', and the last few yards below the A5. No mention of the splendid restoration work on the little buildings just above the junction adjacent to the canal houses. No mention of the 13 locks to the north of Churchbridge heading further north.

[@mikehaldane4061]

Andy, I was wondering if you could possibly enlighten me. As a native of Fife which was also a big coal mining area, I have struggled to understand why open cast mining took so long to happen. Initially, everything was done by pick and shovel but surely the advancement of first steam and eventually, diesel engines would have made open cast a viable option much earlier than the late 1960s and '80s?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I think it was down to technology. Steam engines existed and were deployed in the first decade of the 20th century when the Manchester Ship Canal was built , but they were not able to dig 300 foot deep holes and similarly I dint think the monster diesels were around till after the second world war (used in those tanks). The heavy tank tracked bulldozers emerged in the 50's and the end of the decade the opencast had started.

[@touluru2632]

Ace work as usual - but is there a bit missing? Did you try the section of the closed canal between the A5 Watling Street and the M6toll? A neighbouring landowner had tried to block access to the towpath and grub out the towpath wall until the local council stepped in. When I last walked the section the going was "challenging" but passable with something to hack back the undergrowth at points. Some photos staring at www.flickr.com/photos/131561068@N08/26262618643/in/album-72157664751185382/

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

You are absolutely right! There was a hundred yards or so accessed by a little set of steps to the north of the A5 but its been fenced off and what looks like a building side cleared making access impossible. It was irritating but there are no built remains to be seen in that bit so I didn't try to force an entry.