The following was printed in Boundary Post, the journal of BCNS many
of you will have read it before but just to refresh though of you who
have and to inform those that have not:-

The web site will tell you more -
http://www.dci150.co.uk/index.html


THE  DUDLEY  CANAL  IMPROVEMENTS  IN  1858 150  YEARS  AGO

Around 160 years ago The Dudley Canal was a very busy place, with
long queues of horse drawn boats all waiting to get through Dudley
Tunnel, Up to 41,000 recorded boats were legged through in one year.
A young engineer called James Walker had the job of coming up with a
plan to speed up the Dudley Canal.

He  first started at the Delph Locks, where 9 locks became 8 deeper
locks, moving up to Woodside Junction where he cut across the land to
form the Two Lock Line, This provided a good short cut for boats
wanting to go to Birmingham or Worcester via Lappal  Tunnel.

As you go past Netherton Reservoir there was a small bore tunnel
called Brewin's Tunnel. This was demolished & High Bridge was put in
it's place.

The Bumble Hole Loop was by- passed, then came the start of the
Netherton Branch which joined up with the New Main Line via the Long
Netherton Tunnel cutting through Rowley Hill, this provided a good
short cut, built at 17ft wide so that boat' s could pass and with
it's twin tow paths this was the biggest wonder the canal world had
ever seen.   All these Improvements were completed in 1858! 
150 years on and it's 2008, and these wonders of the Dudley Canal
improvements are still being used, apart from the "Two Lock Line"
which collapsed many years ago due to mining subsidence.

The Celebrations for this event has been a Joint effort
between B.C.B.F., Coombswood Canal Trust, Bumblehole Nature
Reserve, Withy moor Island Trust, B.C.N.S, Dudley Canal Trust &
I.W.A. to put on several events and activities around the Dudley
Canal. 


Celebrations as follows:-

7/8th June 2008 at The Delph Locks where the B.C.N.S will be putting
on a display of old photos in the stables, organising guided walks
along the site of the "Old Nine Locks" and there will be a horse
drawn boat demonstrating how it used to be.

21/22nd June  will see Blowers Green Pumphouse open, where Dudley
Canal Trust & Withymoor Island Trust will be putting on narrowboat
trips to the site of the "Two Lock Line" and  "High Bridge", the site
of Brewins Tunnel, also displaying photos to show how the Two Lock
Line looked.

3/4th  July Bumble Hole Nature Reserve will be holding a two day
event for schools.

2nd  August there will be an Over & Under Netherton Tunnel Trip
organised by the Bumble Hole Centre. 

During the weekend of the 16th to 19th of August there will be a
Gathering of Boats, which will assemble at the top of the Delph Locks
with a slow parade along the Dudley No 1 & No 2 Canals finishing at
Netherton.

Wednesday 20th August will be the day that we will celebrate the Re-
opening of Netherton Tunnel. 150 Years Ago the Tunnel was opened at
the Tividale End, so this is where we will assemble the boats. At
around 11am The V.I.P's  will cut the official ribbon and  lead the
procession of boats through the illuminated tunnel  stopping at the
BumbleHole site for lunch.