Volunteers working on the Lichfield Canal
Volunteers working on the Lichfield Canal

Restoration work on the Lichfield Canal received a timely boost as enthusiasts from across the country came along to lend a hand.

Members of the Waterway Recovery came from all over Britain to join members of the Lichfield & Hatherton Canals Restoration Trust with their reconstruction work on Millennium Lock No.25 next to the Tamworth Road in the city.

Following the work the site now has a number of new features, including a unique drop shaft.

And the work carried out so far can viewed at the annual Lichfield Canal Walk which takes place on April 25.

The event, which is organised by the Trust, allows the public to visit the four-mile section of the Lichfield Canal from Huddlesford Junction near Whittington to Fosseway Lane between 10am and 4-30pm. A minibus service will be laid on to return walkers back to the start afterwards. While the walk is free with no prior booking necessary, a £2 Guide Pack describes all the features along the way. Leading the walk will be long time canal enthusiast Michael Fabricant, Patron of the Canal Trust.

Restoration of the Lichfield Canal will be undertaken in phases from Huddlesford Junction over a period of years as funding becomes available. Plans recently revealed for the High Speed Rail show that it is designed to bridge the line of the canal by Darnford Lane on a high embankment.

Trust Chairman Brian Kingshott said:

“The Trust will examine the detailed plans carefully and will do everything it can to ensure that proper provision is made for the canal when the railway is built.”

For more information, visit www.lhcrt.org.uk.

Founder of Lichfield Live and editor of the site.