Re-Building Birmingham's Lost Canal - The LAPAL!

[@pwhitewick]

We had a great afternoon with Hugh and much fun was had, hence the amusing end!.... Go support the trust here: www.lapalcanal.co.uk/

[@hughhumphreys5592]

Hi, I'm Hugh from the Lapal Canal Trust, huge thanks from the Trust to Paul an Rebecca for an excellent presentation. Quality and colours of the pictures are amazing, wish we could do as well, very clear and stable, it's difficult to believe it's a hand held camera. Love the ending, despite my appearance it's not a mess - great expression on your face! You did a marvellous job of editing and managed to pack in a lot of information in the time available, it will be featured at our AGM. We are very grateful for the huge interest, not only interest but 25 new donors have contributed over £500 to date. Please come back when you have time and see the rest of the route.

[@pwhitewick]

Huuuugh. Thank you, that's great news!.... thanks for your lovely comments, we really wanted to keep that snippet at the end in (I hope you don't mind), twas fun. We are hoping for another 12k views over the next two months on this so perhaps a little more by way of donations to come. Take care.

[@hughhumphreys5592]

@@pwhitewick The snippet was fun - one of the best bits! I'll let you know in two months how we got on with the donations

[@BillySugger1965]

Fascinating. James Brindley the canal builder lived in one half of Turnhurst Hall in what is now Stoke-on-Trent. There he experimented with model locks in the grounds to perfect his designs. My forebears of the Cole family lived in the other half, and also farmed there. The hall was demolished in the 1920s due to mining subsidence, and The Brindley Lock pub now stands on the site. My great grandfather John Hilditch Cole was born at Turnhurst Hall. He became agent and gentleman mining engineer for Robert Heath & Sons and reputedly knew Staffordshire better below ground than above.

[@dlittlester]

Good on you for your history, Mark.

[@malcolmsmith6615]

Having walked the Netherton Tunnel several times, and having boated all of the currently open canals around Birmingham, it was great to see this video and hear the news of the progress with the Lapal canal. I imagine Lapal will not be open until after my boating days are over, but it’s still fantastic to know that it will happen one day. By the way, Gosty Hill is an experience to say the least. The tunnel roof drops down almost to the boat, scraping off the mop and other bits we kept on the boat roof. We had to drive the boat on our knees as we couldn’t stand up or see where we were going; had to use the tunnel walls to steer the boat, scraping noises and all that!

[@stephenphillip5656]

Gosty tunnel sounds like Froghall's (Caldon canal) evil twin! Cousin Tom & I took his boat _Lion_ through Froghall a few years ago. He was kneeling, I was in the bow, nudging. We lost the tiller pin to the tunnel roof but we *did* get through.... just!

[@malcolmsmith6615]

@@stephenphillip5656 Ha yes, I’ve survived Froghall too. Gosty Hill was tight but doable, while Froghall really was ‘touch and go’. Overall, I’d say Froghall is the tightest.

[@1258-Eckhart]

@@malcolmsmith6615 Froghall is "only" 70 m long, Gosty is 510 m!

[@malcolmsmith6615]

@@1258-Eckhart Yes indeed, but Gosty Hill was wide enough throughout. Width is the issue with Froghall. As they say, it’s width not length that’s important to boaters 🤣

[@18robsmith]

The Netherton tunnel is great fun in a boat, especially when someone is playing "Ride of the Valkyries" from the well deck.

[@edwardgeorgen]

Just made a donation to the Canal Trust from Western Kentucky. Keep up your work Paul and Rebecca! I wish we had such transport history here. I hope to get to Britain some day and ride on the heritage rails and walk along the canals as much as I can fit in!

[@pwhitewick]

Wow, thank you!

[@JagoHazzard]

The engine house reminds me very much of the ones at the Cornish mines.

[@pwhitewick]

Yes, absolutely. We had the same notion, which reminds me, must get down to Cornwall again soon.

[@RichardWatt]

Hello Jago, nice to see you here too!

[@Simon_Nonymous]

Lovely. As long as we have people like Rebecca, Paul and Hugh in the world looking after our heritage, I'll keep getting up in the morning.

[@johndell3642]

During the 1960s I used to play in what was part of the tunnel! - The brick quarry next to Stonehouse lane had been dug down to the level of the tunnel. Most of the tunnel bricks had been robbed out but at the Western end, you could look into the tunnel through a portcullis-like metal gate. Water used to pool just in front of the tunnel and you could catch sticklebacks and tadpoles there. The brick quarry was used as a refuse dump by the council and then covered over to now be "Old Quarry Park". I just hope the council's engineers did a good job of capping the tunnel entrance. I would hate to think there was a long length of tunnel filled with methane from all that refuse, waiting for a spark!

[@srhprojects]

Guys, I take exception to Netherton Tunnel is in South West Birmingham. Which it is Not. It is not a District of Brum, its in the Black Country, which is North West of Birmigham.

[@TheDiscoz3]

Greater Birmingham then.

[@DadgeCity]

Great to see you here in the West Midlands! We've got enough canal and railway history to keep you busy for a year!

[@davidioanhedges]

Birmingham : More Canals than Venice, seems to be very switched on to preservation, as do the companies building there .. the canal preservation trusts are lucky but still need volunteers as enthusiastic as Hugh

[@Randomstuffs261]

Also, Birmingham is just as beautiful as Venice

[@olly5764]

@@Randomstuffs261 as a Wulfrunian, it is my duty to dislike this comment and disagree vigorously! lol

[@Randomstuffs261]

@@olly5764 The billions of people who recognize Birmingham as the most beautiful city on earth will not be disheartened at your mistake of disagreeing with me.

[@olly5764]

@@Randomstuffs261 billions? Maybe 10, and one of them is my mate Alan, and he worries me.

[@mittfh]

Technically, it's the entire Birmingham Canal Navigations that are longer than Venice's canals, so extending quite a bit further than the city itself!

[@johncourtneidge]

Magnificent, thank-you. And thanks to Geoff who highlighted your excellent work on his Crystal Palace High Level video. I shall share this with Birmingham friends.

[@paulkent7400]

Several years ago a group of about 40 of us canoed through the Dudley Tunnel from the museum and then around to the Netherton tunnel and back to the museum. If you want a really claustrophobic tunnel try going through Dudley. The canoe club is called the "Song of The Paddle"

[@andrewfanner2245]

It was once said of the engine in that building that if it missed a beat so did the hearts of many huindreds of wives in the area. Lovely shots of the Engine House. The whole area was riddled with intermixed canals and railways, much is gone but enough remains to get an idea of the complexity of it all, canal basins had railway sidings and sidings had canal basins. Facinating area to explore and on such a lovely day too.

[@cal28kim]

I've worked in the Lapel tunnel entering through the step shaft at the back of the museum a few years ago!! I've got some fantastic pictures.

[@michaelcampin1464]

"What could possibly go wrong. ....... ." Famous last words. Keep up the good work.

[@aliendon73]

Great video as always Paul & Rebecca, you were in my old stomping ground. There is another section of disused canal in Weoley Castle behind the houses in Reservoir Rd. My late grandmother told me about it and showed me pictures, this is how she explained why there are newts in residence in her garden with no water in the area.

[@robhill4566]

What a conicdence, was having a walk along a short section of the canal at Leasowes yesterday.

[@nilo70]

Thank you Paul and Rebecca for bringing me along with you guys and enjoying the Beautiful day and very interesting history ! Cheers from California .

[@fordia]

The California area of Birmingham presumably?

[@pwhitewick]

*awaits reply

[@nilo70]

@@pwhitewick No , more like the Beautiful San Joaquin Valley part of California actually.

[@emmastump2157]

Lovely video, guys - I never knew the Black Country could look so pretty! All the old photos I’ve seen of Cobbs Engine House make it look very bleak. One teeny quibble - you went to Gosty Hill and didn’t visit the famous airshaft that’s in someone’s front garden! Have you ever thought about exploring what remains of the Hereford & Gloucester and Leominster Canals?

[@simonballard6413]

I drove a boat through the Netherton and Gorsty tunnels a few years ago. Also searched for the site of the Lapal one - did get as near as is possible. I do hope they succeed in all their plans. Thanks again for your video.

[@pwhitewick]

Cheers Simon. I should imagine Gosty is quite fun

[@CharlesTrains99]

Paul and Rebecca, a great video , thanks for sharing with us . With all of the history of canals in Britain you have shown us , I have also been watching " Foxes Afloat " with presenters Colin and Shaun on their Narrow Boat. Their travels gives a good view of the operations of narrow boating on the canals for those of us who have no experience of traveling on a canal.

[@Simon_Nonymous]

you couldn't pick two better channels - but try Cruising the Cut if you need a third.

[@amazonianm8876]

I was brought up in Quinton (b 1943) and as a lad we would walk to the canal through Leasows Park and down to the canal. The canal had water in it then and you could hire a rowing boat and row part of the way towards the Lapal tunnel. We would also cycle along the towpath up to northern end of the tunnel. You could also hire rowing boats on the reservoir at the southern end of the canal. Regards from Redruth Arnold

[@nikt6374]

Thanks for a great film and some fine drone filming to, plus, Rebecca looked lovely in her leather skirt!

[@kevinbinnion6445]

Nice two see you in netherton . Just a mention were you turned left on to the canal after cobbs engine house . You are walking on the train line that closed in 69 dudley two old hill and the canal is derby end halt two old hill ... if you'd went straight on from the netherton tunnel 2 and half mile you would have come across park field viaduct from ismay. Dudley port two stourbridge . Thru cinder bank .xx

[@Sim0nTrains]

Around 2:27 you roughly at the disused station of Windmill End Halt which was on the former Blowers Green to Old Hill Line on the The Windmill Branch Line. I have visited that area myself back in late March and it was a lovely area to have something to eat and even looked inside Cobbs Engine House myself. Didn't knew it was there but was intrigued by it. Nice Canal Video and at 6:07 nice to see a Class 323.

[@rosiefay7283]

Is that the Windmill End that gets a name check in Flanders and Swann's Slow Train?

[@Sim0nTrains]

@@rosiefay7283 think it is

[@StephenWilliams]

Very interesting video, especially as you were in my neck of the woods. Took a narrow boat through Netherton tunnel some years ago and came across a British Waterways boat in there with the occupant fast asleep! Every time I drive down Manor Way, I keep saying to myself that I must try and find the old entrance to Lapal tunnel, so thanks for going there on my behalf!

[@nicholasbuttery511]

The Lapal Tunnel collapsed in 1917 which starts in Woodgate Valley but you would now have to if reopened ? close the M5 and M6 Motorways where it exit`s /enters. The Birmingham - Dudley Canal and overflow Reservoir have since 1937 had houses built either side of the filled in Canal. Where that scholar was pointing at the ornamental Mere was part of the Birmingham Battery factory .It Will never happen !

[@dlittlester]

Love your videos. Thanks to Geoff for leading me here.

[@Bobrogers99]

I marvel at the skill and labor required to construct those very long tunnels before the advent of modern machinery. The results were not only functional but also beautiful! Well worth preserving.

[@markbailey2130]

local legend has it that there are a few Drones that have found their way down Cobbs engine house tunnel never to leave due to crashes etc... This is all my neck of the woods and regular cycle routes for me

[@pwhitewick]

I actually don't doubt that for a second

[@mavisdavies9769]

I appreciate your underhill joke Rebecca, even if Paul’s not keen x

[@andybarker5552]

I remember finding a geocache in the Netherton Tunnel 10 years ago, an amazing day out with so much history along the way.

[@EdgyNumber1]

Thanks guys! It's an area that's close to home and I've been watching this WHOLE site develop from chemical infested waste land to the site of the Queen Elizabeth super hospital, a new retail park and a student village, future site for medical R&D - once the lab gets built and of course a recreation area for those that want to use the canal. My main annoyance though is simply that the Battery Retail Park (the one with Poundland in shot) wasn't linked with the newly built retail park with Sainsburys. This was mostly due to Homebase DIY stores refusal to move to another, or replacement, site close by so the retail parks are unnecessarily segregated. To get between the two, I cannot cross the canal as there is simply no access on the other side, necessitating the need to take a long walk around the main road..... or to drive between the two. Still, its a MASSIVE improvement over what came before and civikises an area that once felt like no-mans land.

[@ZPHOENIX27]

Thanks for sharing! I'm almost 100% certain that if I was ever able to get to your 'side of the pond', that I wouldn't ever see a tenth of everything you've shown. I hope you all have a wonderful day and stay safe!!!

[@denisecosta3275]

Thank you Sir for all the info and work you do. Amazing video guys

[@scottfw7169]

There at 2:06, the various styles of cast iron, wrought iron, bridges that y'all have on the canals are both fascinating and attractive.

[@terryansell6641]

Thank you as we are in level 3 lockdown in Hamilton and Auckland in level 4 such a treat to see your videos thanks again from NZ

[@brucenichols9153]

What a nice man you met, good luck to them

[@christopherbraiden6713]

Thanks for the video Paul and Rebecca and the canal gentleman. These places always look beautiful some awesome tunnels and great script!!😎🐓🐓🐓🐓🇬🇧

[@deanbevilacqua6041]

Love the work guys, keep it up. Some folks cut deeper than the cut itself!

[@gotMylky]

Fantastic! Big up Hugh Humphreys OBE!

[@sr6424]

Really interesting video. I remember walking the first bit , Selly Oak to Weoley Castle in the mid 1980s.

[@emilytaffs8822]

It’s lovely to see my local area. Next time you’re up in the Midlands, there is an old canal and old railway basically next to each other in Wednesfield that have both been built on now, but you can still see the start of the old branch of canal. It runs right by my house and we always wondered what the bridge over nothing used to be over.

[@midnightwind8067]

What a cool guy, I sure hope they can get the backing .

[@pwhitewick]

Hugh is magnificent. Quite a career I understand

[@i.c.d.-videos1901]

Great & interesting video 👍🏻. I live 10 minutes from the North entrance to the Netherton Tunnel & enjoy walking through it & discovering more details each time. Best of luck to the Lapal canal group to getting started, the loop around the Black Country would be an awesome achievement & great to walk.

[@lindamccaughey6669]

That was lovely thanks. Love those tunnels. Such a pretty area too. I so enjoy the history too. Thanks so much for taking me along. Please stay safe and take care

[@eddiek0507]

Great Video, Lovely canal and tunnels in what looks like a beautiful part of the country...😃👍

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Eddie

[@geoffcook1446]

Another delightful video! Thank you

[@pwhitewick]

Our pleasure!

[@shirleylynch7529]

How interesting, so informative. Tunnels and bridges awesome. Thank you to Hugh as well.

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Shirley

[@Tyley61]

Great video - thanks guys. I have been fascinated by the Lappal Tunnel since reading about it in John Gagg's Book of Canal Tunnels in about 1977!

[@davie941]

hi paul and rebbeca , another great video and omg you were so close to where i used to live lol , great shot of the pump house , so nice to see you around my stomping grounds , well done and thank you guys :)

[@ReubenAshwell]

The Underhill commentary was brilliant. XD

[@paulbennett4548]

Hi Guy's, lovely video nice to see our old stomping grounds, West Brom and B'ham and all in between. Have been in Canada these past 48 summers.Will have a look on our next trip back. Keep up the good work.

[@geoffers99villa]

My back yard. The nevvy is a brilliant cut through that hill.

[@MrGreatplum]

Wonderful stuff, the dedication of these volunteers and restorers is to be applauded!

[@pwhitewick]

Absolutely. We always think it would be great to have a local project to get involved with like this

[@HenrysAdventures]

Another great video! I'll look forward to seeing the progress on the restoration of the canal.

[@suzyqualcast6269]

Remindful, in the beginning, of the Magpie Mine engine house up in Derbyshire.

[@garyhinson3876]

thanks for another great video, and nice to see you in my neck of the woods

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Gary

[@garyhinson3876]

do i predict a video on the Halesowen Railway coming up ?

[@Lichfeldian--Suttonian]

Ah, my home turf! ❤ I was born in Lichfield and lived there and in Sutton Coldfield up to the age of 16. More canal mileage there than in Venice (Venice has more in number). I didn't know of the Lapal tunnel until a "What's that there?" moment on a map. Funny thing is, this proud Midlander is yet to travel on any Brum canal! 😂 Great video as usual. Many thanks. Go and visit the Black Country next door from Stourbridge right through to Walsall to see many dismantled railways and disused stations. You can have many videos of the history. Also, check out local historian, Carl Chinn, who is as Brummy as they come! Bostin!

[@olly5764]

I believe the engine from Cobbs engine house survives in a museum in the USA. Netherton tunnel was rumoured by those who worked on the canals to have been intended as a railway tunnel, but the GWR blocked the LNWR's route to the area, so it was altered for canal use, of course, the bargees who were most keen to spread this, worked for the BCN, which had been purchased by the LNWR, so no bias there!

[@pwhitewick]

Now that makes sense!!

[@JP-su8bp]

Fantastic guest. Thank you.

[@phillunn4691]

Another brilliant video Paul and Rebecca. It’s so interesting and it’s great about the future restoration of that section of canal. Thanks Paul and Rebecca 👍🏼👍🏼

[@pwhitewick]

Many thanks!

[@davidjones8680]

The Netherton canal tunnel is most definitely not "in South West Birmingham", but it most definitely is in the Black Country! The engine that was in Cobbs Engine house was removed in 1928 and now resides in the Henry Ford Museum at Detroit, Michigan, USA. David in Dudley.

[@soundhobo]

Really interesting video 👍 My fingers are crossed 🤞 for the restoration of the canal. Someone once said to me “never underestimate the will of canal restoration volunteers”, and there right. It will be a great addition to the canal network

[@TheLowerman]

Another great video. Thanks for taking us along on the adventure!

[@JoeParkerAndThePower]

Love this! The production values are amazing and great presenting style too :D glad I found it.

[@petersimms4982]

Wonderful detailed film ! Sooooooo much work , I don’t know how you do it :)

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you very much!

[@LeiceExplore]

Lovely video once again. Cheers.

[@pjg_77]

I live just by this and only found out about this lost canal about 3/4 years back.

[@peterrivet648]

Netherton is no longer the most recent canal tunnel in the UK. There's another much more recent one in Scotland at Rough Castle. This is on the extension of the Union Canal in which forms part of the upper approach to the Falkirk Wheel linking it with the Forth & Clyde Canal. It's 334m (365 yards) long so it's certainly long enough to qualify.

[@Bender24k]

Awesome. I'm very impressed with reviving canals. Your channel defines top content. Thanks!

[@charlesball4881]

Interesting to see you in a locality I know. Years ago we searched for the western end of the Lapal tunnel which is shown on the A-Z as being just off Manor Way but were unsuccessful. I also explored the Eastern End which I thought was near Selly Oak but it was a long time ago. Netherton Tunnel is now the only way through as Dudley Tunnel which comes out by the Black Country Museum is not navigable. Keep up the good work.

[@markb7444]

Dudley tunnel is navigable, the Dudley tunnel trip boat goes through most Sundays and private boats can go through but they have to be gauge first (to make sure they fit!) and towed by electric tug boat although you could probably leg it through if you wanted to do it the old way.

[@charlesball4881]

@@markb7444 Thanks for the update. My comment was made more in the sense of turn up and go for any canal boater.

[@John_stoodley]

Hi Paul and Rebecca great video as always you were not far from my location in the video and not far from the Halesowen to Longbridge disused railway nice to see that you visited my area keep up the fantastic work you both do.john

[@frogandspanner]

6:08 I know that stretch well - I used to walk or cycle it often until I retired from Selly Oak Poly (aka Birmingham University). I hadn't realised that there was a plan to reinstate the Lapal. I hope you walked the W&B a few hundred metres in the Brum direction to see what must be one of the most recent canal aqueducts in UK (I see from Google maps that it is called the Ariel Aqueduct - it's close to where the Ariel motorcycle factory was). It was fascinating the way they shifted the canal, dug out the old embankment for the new road, built the aqueduct, then shifted the canal over it while they removed the rest of the embankment and built a bridge for the railway.

[@matthewhaddon599]

Be nice to see the canal restored up to Hawne basin.....it was such a nice place to visit and fish when I was young, but sadly Dudley Council and previous councils have destroyed the canal....

[@paulcomptonpdphotography]

Wow its good to see people wanting to make more of historyb

[@kevintynan796]

I’m pretty sure Mr Underhill was a Hobbit. Lovely wide tunnel, two towpaths an interesting feature. Thanks for a fascinating look at this lovely tunnel.

[@michaelcampin1464]

I've been on the Norfolk Broads and am looking forward to boating from Limehouse up the Grand Union

[@holyflowerpots1400]

Well well, I was only in that Sainsbury's this morning...

[@pwhitewick]

It's biiiiig

[@flinthillsmodelrailway]

great video as always

[@deeperry8341]

They restored a bit of the leasowes park section of this canal 20 years ago or so but barely any water in it. To link it with Lapal tunnel which is believed to be in a dangerous state is probably impossible as the A456 goes right across the canals former route. It would cost a possible 190 million at least to restore that lot

[@mittfh]

The plans are to take the canal over the A456 slightly further South than the original alignment, so it can cross the road on a brand new aqueduct, then leave the original alignment for the entire length of the Lapal Tunnel to go up and over Woodgate Valley, before returning to the original alignment at the Eastern end in California, where they hope to build a marina. It will then follow the original alignment until it reaches the retail park, where it will head on a new alignment, slightly South of the original, to meet the W&B. Part of the Leasowes section has been partially filled with water, while working groups occasionally clear vegetation from the unrestored sections. There looks as though there's enough room to fit the canal under Mucklow Hill, but then there's an industrial unit between there and the current terminus at the wharf.

[@deeperry8341]

@@mittfh can you really see that happening? Nice if it did.

[@mittfh]

@@deeperry8341 Obviously, the vision is subject to funding and legal agreements - aside from maintenance at the Western end, their immediate priority is the Winding Hole (construction should start soon, after delays caused by the complex ownership of the land) to access the future canal), then taking it into Selly Oak Park with moorings there. Once there, getting it to California is relatively straightforward, but obviously the Western and Central sections will take more work. I expect their hope is that once they've got something tangible, interest will be increased, together with funding and membership.

[@pjg_77]

It took nearly 20 years of negotiations to build that new sainsburys. And after watching this it makes sense as to why

[@ej2095]

My neck of the woods... Went through netherton yesterday to the canal festival, Paul will add Netherton tunnel was also electric lit in the 60s via a turbine from brindleys canal and the telford canal as you know they cross over each other. You per thinking of doing the lost Toll end canal and Bradley Canals around here? (You can walk both) (If you need a guide let me know)

[@ej2095]

Oh and the railway line they are now converting into a metro line! (Google for park head via duct)

[@TheAde71]

The lapal railway is worth an explore

[@agentbertram4769]

Most interesting - Thanks.

[@williamstephens9945]

William Underhill sounds like the perfect guy to build a tunnel.

[@otterhandmade1216]

My dad (now 88) grew up next the lappel tunnel (old spelling) and he talks about being told as a child how the tunnel was so tight the barges had to be flushed through, before it finally collapsed in 1917. It must have been terrifying.

[@pwhitewick]

Ah yes... I'd read that, forgot to mention it

[@michaelmiller641]

Very interesting!

[@pwhitewick]

Thanks Michael.

[@TrevsTravelsByNarrowboat]

I had heard that they were looking at restoration, I did not realise it was hopefully so close to it happening

[@pwhitewick]

Seems like they have a great team behind it... just need a little bit more cash!!

[@sandihandi7831]

ok, I give up..."waffling"???? What is that? Nice video. Enjoyed it greatly.

[@richardmellish2371]

The Trust website needs updating, as it says "Sainsbury’s are poised to build a new food-store.

[@PROPHETVberlinschule]

Nice vlog, very interesting👍

[@LeslieGilpinRailways]

Hard to think you need to pass through Gosty Hill tunnel to get to Hawne Basin and a canaL club there.

[@steviebaby2857]

It’s Dudley guys I literally live over the road from there.

[@brianjones2899]

Nice video. Think you "messed" the pumping station water volume figure. If it could manage 1000 m3 per day that would be your quant.

[@janinapalmer8368]

Rebecca looked nice today 😁

[@pwhitewick]

She always does.

[@The_Cultural_Historian_DrRGST]

What a great video. . .

[@pwhitewick]

Thank you.

[@scottfw7169]

3795 yards yards? A quick bit of mental math says that's around 2 miles long, around 3 km long. That's more tunnel length than I want to be personally involved with.