HS2 and the Lichfield Canal

HS2 and the Lichfield Canal
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Lichfield Canal - Huddlesford Junction, HS2, Darnford Moors and Lock 24 Update
A walk from the Huddlesford Junction on the Coventry Canal east Lichfield Cruising Club along to Cappers lane and HS2 and onto the Darnford Moors Ecology Park on the Lichfield Canal. Then a jump over to the Borrowcup canal park and what's happening at Lock 24. Just up from the Cappers Lane section where HS2 has meant a new line is to be cut this combination of new canal and restoration is aiming to bring the wildlife into the canal. With abandoned locks, lift bridges, inverted culverts and sheet piling this is a unique area of both abandoned and restored. The canal winds through the Darnford moors golf club and to Darnford lane with the tunnel sections ready to go.
‪@LHCRT‬
Why is this Lock Fresstanding? - • Why is this lock free ...
Diverting A Lock - • Diverting a Lock | Lic...
Digging a New Canal - • Digging a new canal | ...
Restoring Nature Fosseway Heath - • Restoring Nature Fosse...
All drone footage shot with a DJI mini 3 Pro.
All camera footage shot with an Insta360 RS with Rode Go mic and Lavalier.
LHCRT - www.lhcrt.org.uk
LHCRT KZbin - / @lhcrt
Tunnel Vision - lhcrt.org.uk/tunnel-vision.html
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[@leswallace2426]

There's one hell of a lot of conservation work on the canals now, but even so what LHCRT does is truly exceptional - if this became standard across the network (Scottish Canals is definitely lagging) it would be a phenomenal gain for wildlife. Thanks so much for this.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

They really are, every section is a canal park with nature trails, loads of planting from trees, whips to wildflowers. It’s going to be a beautiful stretch to cruise up soon. If they can get across the A38 then restoration from huddlesford to Fosseway is relatively straightforward due to all the hard work put in already

[@rotinkerbell]

Just think what we could do were Scotland in control of our own budgets and land resources? The Falkirk Wheel generates a huge amount of cash, and it doesn't get spent here.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@rotinkerbell but you get something like a billion and a half from the UK government as well as keeping all of your own tax income. The problem isn’t what you don’t get to keep the problem is the large amounts of money you are getting back isn’t being spent right, that’s down the whole of the UK though, so many people are lining pockets, that’s why it’s costing £100 billion to build a railway. We’ve never needed change so much, unfortunately until someone in power makes money from restoring canals then we won’t see anywhere near the investment that we should. I said it in another video (aqueduct to nowhere) the wilts and berks canal will cost £360 million to restore, it will almost immediately bring £50 million per year into the local economy where it runs. It’ll bring about another £150 million per year in other benefits, things like green spaces where people exercise and saves money long term for the NHS due to increase health etc, other social benefits which all add up. If we ignore that and just take actual real cash in pocket it’s got an ROI of 7 years which is really good. How many major infrastructure projects can claim that? For such a small (in infrastructure terms) outlay as well. Now look at the canals being restored across the country, the W&B is by far the longest restoration, if they stuck a few billion into canals the network would expand massively and connect a whole bunch of places

[@leswallace2426]

I'm not sure how any money generated at the FW is hived off somewhere else and the reason why Scottish Canals is lagging behind conservation wise is down to ITS attitude which unfortunately I've had experience of. @@rotinkerbell

[@rotinkerbell]

I don't know which public accounting records you have been reading but I fear they were from the general fiction part of the library. @@CourtAboveTheCut

[@richardabrown]

Thank you it makes it easier to understand what has been happening

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I’m glad it helps, feel free to ask any questions if you have them and I’ll see what I can answer!

[@Tclans]

Loving the drone shots. I’m really missing those on the Lichfield canal YT channel. Thank you for your coverage.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Thank you :)

[@martinmarsola6477]

A nice video today. Nice to see you again. See on the next, and enjoy the weekend! 😊

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Have a great one too!

[@gillywild]

Interesting, and thank you for doing this :) I have to say the transition effects are very annoying though :(

[@Canalsman]

I agree, very distracting!

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Yes they’ve gone in the do not use pile!

[@lukemorton8431]

Nice update video thanks you always smash it!!

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Thank you 😊

[@declanjoyce8640]

Good coverage...thank you..

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

No problem, thanks for watching!

[@robertwalsh1724]

Very interesting. Cheers.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Thanks for watching!

[@peterwillis4239]

Yes great video, very interesting, but the frequency of the yellow band transition sequence, as others have noticed, is a bit annoying !!

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Don’t worry I’m not using it again, I’m sorry it didn’t go down well

[@charlesbutler7079]

VERY ANNOYING INDEED

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@charlesbutler7079 as said it won’t be used again, some people like them others seem to really hate them, the hates strong enough for me to not use them again

[@charlesbutler7079]

Thanks, didn't want to blow off so strongly, but ruined your otherwise excellent camera work, which I greatly enjoy. Am member of CCT & LHCRT, and really appreciate your updates.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@charlesbutler7079 again apologies, I hope it hasn’t put you off of my videos!

[@notsohairybiker]

Pause, slow down, slow down, slow down. Informative but I can't keep up with the cut scenes, far too many. Chill.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

If you ever met me in a real life you’ll understand how much this is slowed down, I’m one of those people that talk faster than most people can hear 😂

[@anthonycartwright3678]

Hated the flashing lines appearing throughout the video which ended up with me turning it off, the transition lines really spoilt what was a very interesting incite into what's hppening

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Hi, you aren’t the only one, it’s been mentioned once or twice, I won’t be using them again

[@petercurrell9344]

60 years ago was at the opening of the Stratford Canal in a converted pontoon boat, common then, The trouble with councils was great, the locals did not want that dirty ditch in the neighborhood how different now..

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

The problem is the locals tend to want it, the councils are still largely so behind the times they see a dirty ditch. My local council is awful and can’t see the bigger picture

[@25mileswest86]

Repeat viewing recommended - keep seeing/learning bits I missed.. ;-) Thanks Steve.! Still trying to 'visualise' the eventual HS2 layout as it ploughs through here (2:38 - 2:48). The drawing/map you included did help a bit... Is there one labelled with positions of the Cappers Lane Bridge MKII you were stood on and where the new/old cruising club or moorings are..? Not to worry, I'll go to their website and rummage round... Also, so glad you popped over to old lock 24 too, showing progress there. BTW - you've probably seen by now the latest 'Rick the Brick' video by Paul Marshall, about how Rick built his newest masterpiece... Love those vids too, hearing/seeing peoples stories.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Yes I saw it the day after filming, I’d have put more in about it otherwise.

[@xxrockraiderxx]

It's good to see in the HS2 plans is the aim to make the canal fully navigable again. Whether you agree on the need for a new line or not (engineers have been begging for one since the 90s due to capacity problems on the other 3 north-south main lines that can't be solved without shutting those lines for years), it's good that HS2 is being built to such a high level of care to what's around it. You'll certainly never see a road or motorway have to meet such environmental concerns.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

If only it was that easy, I don’t know how much trouble the canal trust have had but I know others have had to take them legally as they were refusing to put stuff right. In my eyes money could have been spent better for the project but I think we all have an opinion and none of them are the same!

[@xxrockraiderxx]

@@CourtAboveTheCut Oh I don't doubt the legal issues. With any large scale infrastructure project of this scale, there's legal issues, especially nowadays when the government isn't going to just plow through homes and wildlife centres like they did with building the motorways back in the 60s and 70s. As for spending the money better, to some degree I agree on it could have been spent better, but I don't agree on it should have gone on different projects. I think we should have brought in experts from Spain, set up a large scale company that can do the works, and got it done cheaper rather than having 500 contractors across the length of the line. This insistence by the government on having everything be private contractors and those contractors having sub-contractors has driven up the cost massively and it's stupid. It should have been done in-house. But we need a new rail line or else the old ones break under over-use. Still, it didn't need to be made to specs not matched by any other high-speed line in the world. We could have just gone for the same standard as the French or Spanish, but no we had to beat them, it had to be extra impressive. Stupid Tories. If nothing else, all these higher specs means the ecological mitigation efforts of the project is unmatched by anything in British history. So yay, good news for the wildlife.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@xxrockraiderxx that’s exactly the point, everyone is getting rich from everyone whilst putting enormous strain on the finances. All those up there though are doing alright off of it and that’s the problem.

[@johntomlinson6849]

@@xxrockraiderxx Whereas if it was built by the public sector, it would have been done by now with trains running past fields of unicorns? I doubt that!!!

[@xxrockraiderxx]

@@johntomlinson6849 I didn't say that. It's a large scale infrastructure project, it's highly unlikely it'll come in on budget and on time, but that's not the issue. The issue is the waste of funds in making sure every contractor and sub-contractor earn profit. That alone has added over a billion to the cost. Then we have the unreasonable salaries of the bosses being some £500,000+ whilst most of them are on part time contracts as it's their second or third job. As for the construction though, most of it is on schedule, some of it is ahead of schedule, and a bit of it is behind schedule, and then there's poor Euston which needs a £2.5 billion overhaul that was originally meant to be worked into the building of the HS2 part to give a combined cost of like £6 billion, but the government delayed it despite evidence saying that doing so would increase the cost and it also being less than 0.01% of the overall UK budget. Hope that helps summarise my thoughts on the costs and why not having multiple layers all wanting profit would have made it cheaper.

[@malcolmrichardson3881]

Very impressive standard and pace of restoration. Some lessons for other restoration projects, perhaps?

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

It’s a great combination at Lichfield where you have experienced volunteers working with younger volunteers who have come through Duke of Edinburgh schemes. They have secured decent funding and have much of the land to do the work. So many restorations have small sections here and there, Lichfield is all coming together. House building along the route has helped massively as the developers are made to build various bridges etc which are the major projects allowing the dedicated volunteers to fill all the gaps in between.

[@25mileswest86]

@@CourtAboveTheCut Yes, really important point about securing outside involvement - in this case Persimmon Homes. Also, they seem to have a fantastic team behind the scenes, who put so much effort into presenting solid applications to (try and) win grants from various funding bodies

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@25mileswest86 they are a great example of how to run a modern canal trust

[@stephenwilliams926]

Have you done the Brownhills end going towards Lichfield ?

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Yes look up my video aqueduct to nowhere

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2HUoIeBfZ2jhposi=BsZoSq0bPnFIwpvK

[@willowwobble]

Potentially interesting video, thanks, but spoiled by the brash yellow line transitions ...very distracting. The water looks poluted, disgustingly dirty!

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I’m aware of the transitions and they haven’t been used since. There’s no pollution in the water, why do you say that?

[@johnward9421]

Great video except for all the graphics you use, just don't enjoy it all every second.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Do you mean the transitions?

[@25mileswest86]

@@CourtAboveTheCut If they do mean that, then I have to agree Steve - noticed it straight away myself; quite 'in your face' and overused.! Gets annoying quite quickly... sorry...

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@25mileswest86 I’ve had complaints elsewhere, it won’t be used again, unfortunately without removing the video I can’t do much to change it now

[@johnward9421]

@@CourtAboveTheCut YES and the various logo that appear in the middle of the frame

[@Beanie1984]

Im really confused. My understanding is that HS2 will only go from London to Birmingham (and not past it). So now what is going to happen with the rest of this? I saw a video yesterday called "HS2 funds restoration of Lichfield Canal". Why on earth would they do that? Sorry if im asking dumb questions.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

It goes just past Birmingham, this bit is still being built

[@Beanie1984]

Thanks, I have been looking at the plans since I left the comment.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@Beanie1984 I’m going up again on the 19th november to cover this section of canal as a lot has changed already. I’ll do a bit more on HS2 at the same time

[@annarboriter]

You refer to a towpath. Is this an anachronism for a service access lane or are there some who still move barges with draught animals?

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

The path along a canal is known as a towpath and still exists along all canals as a means of access.

[@robincamps5658]

Watched 1 min and 8 seconds. Transitions stopped me from watchig further. Sorry

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I can’t apologise enough for this, it seems to have been a very bad choice of transition. I unfortunately can’t change it now without deleting the video

[@user-ic9di3gb4p]

wa that yellow stuf in me screen it not done

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

It was a bad choice, I’m not using it again!

[@arthur1670]

whats the design life? 18 year and no use yet ..... well never will be used now lol

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

It’ll get to Birmingham but defeats the object of connecting through the midlands and opening the North up.

[@arthur1670]

@@CourtAboveTheCut I was talking about the 2006 bridge.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@arthur1670 ah sorry! Yes it’s a shame it’ll never see a boat

[@AR-ov2nr]

I'm trying hard to enjoy this video, but the constant yellow, white & grey 'flashes' are far too annoying, for any further viewing....

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I know, it’s been mentioned by pretty much every person commenting, I’m very sorry and the transition won’t be used again. I hope it doesn’t stop you from enjoying the rest of my content, there are more videos on this section from earlier in the year

[@user-ej5ct9pz7f]

The yellow and white stripes every 5 seconds is very distracting.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I know and I apologise, they’ve been put in the bin for future videos

[@andrewwilde3389]

t The transition effects are irritating and annoying. This is a crucial point of the re-development and this keen viewer doesn't need frequent yellow and white stripes to spoil the programme.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

This is an old video, I am filming an update in the next few weeks. I haven’t used those transitions since, I got told off a lot 😂

[@3fmnorge]

The stingers/transition effect, and speedy cuts just ruins the video. Too bad, because it could have been a great video, instead of garbage like it is now. Recut and re-upload would be great.

[@18robsmith]

It's very rare that I comment on the choice of effects etc. in a video, but the use of diagonal stripy transitions is extremely distracting, a simple cut, or fade is far less distracting. As the previous poster suggests, re-cut and re-upload please.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

It’s not as simple as reloading as the video and all it’s views etc would be lost. I won’t be using them again and will be doing another update on the area next month so this will be reduced any anyway

[@terryelks-op3jk]

I can't believe that such a waste of time and money on a project is still carrying on,costing more and more but getting shorter and shorter by the minute. 😮

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Because enough people are getting rich off it to make it continue

[@terryelks-op3jk]

@@CourtAboveTheCut yes,but the wrong people 😑

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@terryelks-op3jk it always is!

[@davidrutter3192]

Still not as quick as the navvies!😁

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Absolute legends every one of them!

[@markalanshaw4950]

HS2, What a waste of money, a 20 minutes saving on Journey times, which Div passed this off? The fools haven't taken into account the time to board a new train so basically it will save you zero time, only a direct service would work on one line not changing. Mark.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

I agree 100% approx £100 BILLION could have probably restored every canal restoration in the country and provided hundreds of millions if not billions of pounds to the local economies. I think I read somewhere that the current network is worth £6.1 billion to the economy annually including health and welfare benefits. That’s something like 2700 miles of a potential 7000 miles that were once navigable in the UK so that figure would probably rise to close to 15 billions annually. What is HS2 really going to do to the economy? Considering it’s only a small saving in time? Capacity could have been upgraded where needed at a MUCH lower cost. Not to mention the railways that could have been reinstated that would have really contributed to the economies of the towns it connected as well as a massive environmental gain from less cars and freight on the roads.

[@peterwilliamallen1063]

40 mins saving in journey time from Birmingham to London in both directions, it is only one line between Birmingham and London

[@thorley1969]

HS2 is not primarily about time saving, it is about providing extra capacity which the WCML desperately needs. By taking off the long distance inter city traffic, they will be able to provide better shorter distance services and provide extra paths for freight. This new railway just has the high speed element built into it thus providing the time saving. Yes, unfortunately it is over budget but then again just about every major infrastructure project has gone over budget.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@thorley1969 they could have done this much cheaper in areas by double tracking or quadruple tracking lines that used to have the capacity. The mainlines used to have 2 up 2 down so you had slow and fast in both directions, most are only 2 now but the land is still there

[@thorley1969]

@@CourtAboveTheCut Below Hanslope Junction, it is 4 tracks all the way to Euston but suffers some of the worst congestion. It doesn't take much to upset the balance and the signaling blocks quickly back up so instead of having trains running at 125mph, they are restricted to less than half that until the separation is restored which can take some significant time. Add in stopping trains and freight and you can see why extra capacity is needed. To enable double decker trains to run, you would need to upgrade the whole route, raising countless bridges and increasing clearance in the tunnels. Not a cheap task and then take in the vast periods of disruption while all that work is taking place. Cheaper to build a new railway.

[@alcoomer]

Sorry mate not a fan of your transitions

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

These were only ever used on this one video, I got severely told off by everyone 😂

[@jonjon9047]

What’s with the awful yellow graphics? Not needed and off-putting.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

Yes unfortunately it was a bad choice by me, it won’t be used again

[@noreasonwhynot4548]

I liked them.

[@CourtAboveTheCut]

@@noreasonwhynot4548 I think you are the first! I’ve never had so much bad feedback about one thing before!