The restoration of the Lichfield Canal has reached an exciting milestone at Tamworth Road Narrows, part of the Gallows Reach project, where the channel is now holding water for the first time, even if only partially, thanks to the hard work of our volunteer team.
Over recent weeks, volunteers have progressed the section as far as possible ahead of the installation of the new culvert. The area closest to Cricket Lane has been backfilled and levelled to provide the site compound for the contractors who will install the culvert on behalf of Staffordshire County Council in 2027.
A temporary bund has been installed to retain water within the newly formed channel and, to support testing, stop planks have been fitted at the end of the section, allowing the team to check water tightness and monitor how the new works perform under initial filling conditions.
And the result? Tamworth Road Narrows is officially in water. It may be shallow at this stage, but it marks a fantastic step forward for the project and a clear sign of the progress being made on this stretch of the canal.
