3.8 Cannock Extension Canal part one - Pelsall to Norton Canes 

Andy's presentation is as good as it gets, great old photos too.

Good information

What a huge collery!.. the basin was just full of boats filled with coal.. fascinating really! Thanks Andy!

Exceptional research and execution under difficult circumstances. Thanks Andy!

Brilliant thanks for the knowledge

Walked this stretch of Canal between the A5 and Bettys Lane in the early 1970's as a Kid . The Sunken Boat @ 21:16 was still there, But the Canal was dry and full of long Grass and Small Trees.

I believe the Clay was used at...Aldridge Brickworks..Walsall Wood..."Ibstock"..Merchant's Way !!

Really enjoying your site. Took ourselves off from Shrewsbury today and walked from Whitchurch Marina to just veyond Grindley Brook Flight and back. Smashing 3.74 miles of fresh air

To be fair - it’s really all about the lost sections! The next episode covers the lost miles of canal out to Hednesford and the episode after goes down the locks you refer to at Churchbridge.

Loving these vlogs, finding them really interesting especially as i was born and bred around here. Currently we are moored for the winter on the cannock extension.

Very interesting

Another great video! Thanks!

Well, although as always an interesting video, I feel too much was left out. The whole of the existing Extension canal was not shown apart from a few yards at the junction with the 'Curley Wyrley', and the last few yards below the A5. No mention of the splendid restoration work on the little buildings just above the junction adjacent to the canal houses. No mention of the 13 locks to the north of Churchbridge heading further north.

Andy, I was wondering if you could possibly enlighten me. As a native of Fife which was also a big coal mining area, I have struggled to understand why open cast mining took so long to happen. Initially, everything was done by pick and shovel but surely the advancement of first steam and eventually, diesel engines would have made open cast a viable option much earlier than the late 1960s and '80s?

Ace work as usual - but is there a bit missing? Did you try the section of the closed canal between the A5 Watling Street and the M6toll? A neighbouring landowner had tried to block access to the towpath and grub out the towpath wall until the local council stepped in. When I last walked the section the going was "challenging" but passable with something to hack back the undergrowth at points. Some photos staring at www.flickr.com/photos/131561068@N08/26262618643/in/album-72157664751185382/