Heartland

Apparently Phil Wild has been scanning some of the collection.

The Canal History Workshop is now scheduled to take place at the BCN Titford Pumphouse on Saturday 8th November details from Martin O Keeffe or Ray Shill 10 30 1630 The £10 fee is retained and those who paid in 2020 will have their tickets honoured Details will be supplied to those interested

The aerofilm image is useful as it shows the branch and line along the quays Yesterday was out planning the RCHS West Midlands Group walk on 13th September from Foregate Street to Diglis along the canal and River which comes back to the Butts I posted a marker one the Britain from Above website recently to show the Butts Branch.

Yes D J Norton died young and he was principally a railway photographer. Peter Norton was from Warrington and it is said his negatives are with the Warrington Library

This image from 1860 shows the extent of the North Quay then and is seen from the original railway crossing.

I believe that bridge was part of the Butts Branch which was a line that connected with the Worcester & Hereford line and descended down to the Severn where there was a reverse point and the track followed the Severn to the South Quay. Well done Francis this is Worcester and the image was taken from a train on the Bridge. D J Norton took images from unusual vantage points on occasion which included the climbing of signal posts or talking his way into signal boxes.

Putting aside China, the rest of Europe and the canals on Mars The Birmingham Canal as completed from Goldshill to Birmingham climbed up through 6 locks up and 6 locks down in November 1769 For the Trent and Mersey the progress to the tunnel mouth at Harecastle was still in progress and then they would have to descend from Kidsgrove to fit the condition of crossing the watershed.

Another view of the Chimney Bridge And other image to ponder on this time an image from the camera of the late railway photographer D J Norton

There are times when listing amendments are as futile as expecting HS 2 to be open next week, so if the wording is inaccurate the only solution is to publish comments on sites such as this and with waterways send copies to the owning authority.

The original Bridge was built to an amended design J Walker engineer Built with CI girders & floor plates (probably like no 13). Signed "Ja. Walker", "A.Burges", John Tredwell", "Francis Tredwell", "Hy Tredwell", "Thomas Jackson", "Wm Bean and "Thos Gerrard", note "Westminster Nov 21st 1840". Endorsed "Chimney Bridge Tame Valley Canal". The bridge in 1957 according to the Waterways Archive was seen to be, Scott Bridge is behind

The distance tables are some times a source as to naming and sometimes canal company minutes may mention them. There are also the map sources which include the parliamentary plans when an alteration is made and the canal engineers would often produce plans for alterations. It is quite a long list when it is looked into

As to Francis Herne James Walker CE was responsible for this canal

Yes 5239 is correct it is on the Shrewsbury Canal where the aqueduct shown crossed the Roden the nearby Tern flood demolished the aqueduct there which was rebuilt. Peter Brown has mentioned the Roden aqueduct was original, but Pluto might be correct as to a rebuild or strengthening procedure.

The Bond End Canal linked with the Trent and at first did not connect with the Trent & Mersey Canal but exchanged goods at a warehouse and was was owned by the Burton Boat Company who operated craft (Trent Boats) on the Upper Trent Navigation, They also had narrow boats that worked to Stoke, Spon Lane and Aston Birmingham. The Swarkestone line to the Trent was part of the Derby Canal. They are two entirely different locations

Josiah Clowes died long before 1971 and in this case his death led to the appointment of Thomas Telford the images used are from the Waterways Archive. This aqueduct was in tact after the canal closure and shows the skill of Clowes, another aqueduct nearby was demolished by a flood which led Telford to be associated with the reconstruction.

And now another image to ponder on this was an aqueduct built to the design of Josiah Clowes and that design also deserves comment as to the sloping side and if that was done through a consideration as to rivers in floods

Regarding the Titanic Lift Bridge, Lincoln This image shows that structure

In suspect that it was space considerations that led to the building of Titanic Bridge at Lincoln over the Witham This had a road and single rail track access to the Titanic Works of Clayton Wagon which in 1928 became Clayton Dewandre Ltd where vacuum brakes were made for the motor industry. Like many British Industries that works closed and was considered for housing. In 2024 the future of the Titanic Bridge (which seems to have been altered) was placed in doubt and it was closed off to all. As to the present state may be those who traverse the Witham can comment.

This notice regarding the Bridgewater Canal deserves comment as to why ?

Some interesting images I should point out that the lift bridge at the Black Country Museum came from Factory GWR Interchange Basin At Royston on the Barnsley Canal there was a lift bridge which was taken down in 1975 This image is from the Waterways Archive and the RCHS also has images.

And now another subject to ponder on. The Mersey was an important trading route Warrington and Manchester. At Runcorn there were connections made with the Bridgewater Canal and the Runcorn & Latchford Canal. Crossing the river by railway at Runcorn was achieved by the LNWR line to Liverpool and before the present road bridge which is alongside the railway there was a transporter bridge.

Are the Welsh Government at fault for not protecting the canal which provides revenue for the area? The long term use of the river as a supply for two independent waterways would have had parliamentary approval when each received their act, so how can a greedy privatised water company keen to get as much as possible for its shareholders change that state of affairs!

The Mayor of Walsall cut the tape to open the Walsall Canal at 11.17 am on 5th June 2025 and boats proceeded to Walsall Basin, BBC Radio West Midland was there and Noddy Holder phoned into the station to say it was now open and with a choir at Walsall Basin every body could hear the noise!

You will have to remember that when the canal is opened to Walsall on Thursday WE means I in Walsall speak

If you think the Hawkesbury Turn is tight ever consider the original junction at Longford !