Restoration feature As we once again use the reduction in WRG work to take a wider look at projects, When the Chesterfield Canal Society (now the Chesterfield Canal Trust) was launched in 1976 with the aim of restoring The restoration back-story: “Starting the derelict 20 miles west of Worksop (the at the beginning” is a subject that’s come up 26 miles from there to the Trent having regularly in these article: it would be really already been rescued from falling into an nice if groups launching a new canal restora- unnavigable state by the activities of the tion scheme could actually begin work where Retford & Worksop Boat Club in the 1960s) it the derelict canal branches leaves the navimust have seemed like this was an ideal case gable network, and work their way along it for “starting at the beginning”. The first derelict lock, Morse Lock just west of opening up sections as they go. But sometimes it doesn’t work out that way: they have Worksop town centre, could be restored, to settle for working wherever they can in the followed by a couple more locks to get to the early days, in the hope that as the project first restoration ‘destination’, the village of progresses they can gradually start to link up Rhodesia, before continuing with the increasthe restored lengths in a more logical way. ingly steep climb to the next village, Shireoaks, and on up towards Norwood Tunnel. Sure, the 2893yard tunnel itself would be likely to be a sticking point for some time, given its more-or-less complete destruction by coal mining and associated subsidence, but for the first six miles to that point it looked very much like a “start at the beginning” restoration. The Trust talked to the canal’s then owners the former British Waterways (since transformed into the Canal & River Trust), published a document called The Route to Rhodesia, set up a trip-boat on an isolated length of the summit level as a fund-raiser and source of London WRG carrying out chamber clearance at Wheeldon publicity, secured an agreement Mill Lock 2 in 1991 and (below) the restored lock recently that no developments on the route (such as the new Worksop bypass road) would be allowed to be put any more obstructions in the way of future restoration of this length, and looked forward to starting by reopening Morse Lock. But as so often is the case in the not-terribly-logical seeming world of canal restoration planning, the Chesterfield turned out to be yet another where rather than start from the connection to the navigable network, it made Martin Ludgate
Tim Lewis
Restoration Feature: Chesterfield Canal
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