7.7 Navigating Muckley Corner to Lichfield

7.7 Series seven explores the two lost "backdoor routes" into the Birmingham Canal Navigations, this time following the Lichfield Canal from Muckley Corner to the centre of Lichfield. This video is based on a drone flight along the line interspersed with archive photos of how it used to look.
A fuller history of this area can be found here: • 3.16 Ogley Locks part ...

[@kenndo9906]

Discovered the rebuilding of this canal on a cycle ride totally by accident... Thank you Andy for filling in the gaps.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you are enjoying them.

[@dieselbushcraft1299]

This definitely illustrates the challenges and barriers that the trust will have to overcome and circumvent. That will make the project all the more special and such an achievement. I really take my hat off to the trust and it’s volunteers. Thanks for sharing your videos.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Its a great project and one which has required so much dedicated effort over such a long period.

[@LHCRT]

Thank you!

[@geoffadkins3103]

This morning I took advantage of the weather and at last took a good look at and a short walk along the restored (but as yet still dry) section and some other nearby lengths. It is impressive just how much has been achieved, you really have to see it to realise this. Thanks for giving me the idea of visiting the area.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you enjoyed the walk Geoff - its impressive when you start to appreciate the scale of what as been achieved.

[@yvonneschofield3674]

I was Borough up at pipe Hill. I'm 66 years old and remember the canal with boats on it .The canal from Lichfield to Bownhills.was my play ground..

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

It has been fun to try and bring it back to life using the old photos, before the restoration programme changes it yet again.

[@glyn829]

Interesting film always enjoyable thanks .

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I seem to remember a friend looking it up but I cant remember what it was!

[@1961Jezza]

This is a favorite walk for me and my friends along this section of dug out channel, can't wait to see some water in it, the restoration group have made some astonishing accomplishments with this canal, the sooner the section is finally connected through to Huddlesford junction the better. There are still several hurdles to overcome including the A38 but as with restoration of the Stroudwater Navigation, the A38 has been crossed by a section of restored canal there so these problems can be overcome, obviously HS2 is now also playing its part in the future of this waterway, but again that has been overcome, so a much brighter future for the Lichfield Canal is on the horizon.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Its an exciting prospect.

[@johnwilliams2646]

Yet another great video Andy, I'm looking forward to you progressing further along the canal. Many moons ago I rewired a property called Canal Cottage on the A51 Tamworth Road, between Cricket Lane to the lock where work on restoring the canal was it its early stages the canal passed outside the backdoor of the cottage. I was always fascinated about how this looked in the passed. Thank You and keep up the good work, I really like the drone and archive picture format.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Thanks John - A lot has changes at that location (Lock 24) s you will see in the next episode!

[@johnwilliams2646]

I've found that the cottage was formerly BCN cottage 265 from Canalplan.uk

[@longie751]

Brilliant, awesome channel 👍

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you are enjoying it David

[@dennisporter753]

Great footage Andy!.. I remember the Sandhill pumping station video... too bad it couldn't have been part of the restoration .. the good thing is that it is preserved ! I always look forward to seeing the Litchfield Canal project videos as well, the progress just amazes me.. if I lived in the U.K. I would definitely like to be a part of the restoration.. Cheers and happy hunting.. from Missouri USA Andy.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The pumping station has a restoration plan all of its own, but sadly the canal wont pass outside it. Its a fascinating project to follow.

[@neilrose8618]

Exellent Andy just watched your last weeks clip shivering lol, then this one exellent great to see work progressing on restoration of canal , woundering when they hoping to eventualy bring to water the full length of canal ,Neil

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

My standard reply, and one I have been offering for the last 20 years is..... 20 years time!

[@LHCRT]

As soon as we can 😉

[@martinbailey8205]

Thank you for this and your other super films Andy; much loved memories for me. It’s a shame there are no pictures of Lock 19 which pretty much stood in all its glory until relatively recently. Growing up in the 70’s, it was a very popular place for boys to play there. My friends and I used to crawl the length of the flood tunnel as the access was completely clear. When the L & H Trust started restoring the canal I didn’t realize what was to happen here and I was looking forward to the lock being restored so I was sad when it was completely demolished. Still the final plans for the canal are very exciting and I look forward to seeing them progress in the future as and when I visit England.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I do have photos of 19, but they are all in its last days - none are from the days when the canals was in water I am afraid. Glad you are enjoying the series.

[@deborahfigueiredo8731]

Another fascinating episode. Thank you!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Thanks Deborah

[@denesydenham1627]

That stone june 1857 the crimean war had just ended . How things change, but remain the same.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I great link with the past.

[@mattpotter8725]

Great video Andy. I do have to say I was a little confused as to where we were when you started the drone footage, a panoramic view of Muckley Corner would have been a lot better, but I realized after stopping and rewinding a few times. One thing you keep saying is Barrowcop, is Borrowcop (at least to someone who grew up very close to it) pronounce Borra-cop. Having said that wonderful video showing the old pictures with what is there now. There does seem to be a lot of building occupying what was the original line of the canal, at the far end of Fosseway Heath and further along as it crosses the Walsall Road not far from Muckley Corner. I'm guessing the canal will have to take a slightly different route. It does worry me how many roads the canal will has to cross (some are big roads and it will need multiple crossings - A38, A5, Walsall Road, as well as many lanes), but I guess they'll have to cross that bridge, or rather those bridges as they get to them!!!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Sorry I gave a confusing start - I guess mentally I was just following on where the previous one left off. How you say local names is a bit of a nightmare - thanks for explaining the local way!

[@LHCRT]

Very true. We have a lot of roads to tunnel under.

[@mattpotter8725]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 No problem, love the videos, keep up the good work. In reality my criticisms were very minor and didn't really take away from the enjoyment of the video once I'd got my bearings!!!

[@grahamhall8249]

It's looking like a bright future for the Lichfield Canal, and I can't wait for it to be finished! A question for you Andy, when restored, do you know how many miles of 'the other 60' will be reclaimed?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Well, the Lichfield Canal / Ogley Locks is about 6 miles long so that will reduce the lost sections by 10% to 54 miles.

[@grahamhall8249]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 Thanks Andy, so the lost miles go all the way to Huddlesford Junction?