Tipton Underpass.
According to the “ Express & Star”, an £8.8 million level crossing underpass scheme is to be approved by late January. The road tunnel beneath the level crossing in Owen Street will ease congestion through the town. Councillor Bob Badham said initial problems had been encountered with the land and coupled with a lack of response from the Department of Transport this had led to the scheme being delayed. He said “ Any building scheme in the Black Country encounters difficulties with old mineshafts and problems with the land..”
As has been mentioned before in these pages, there seems to be a bigger problem to contend with on this site – the Birmingham Main Line Canal 1 I haven’t seen any mention of that yet ! However, according to the E& S the tunnel is scheduled to be built by 2006
Threading Delph Locks.
“Waterside” the new glossy BW magazine for the Midlands, South West and South Wales reports that Delph Locks are to have their fascinating history revealed in a work inspired by the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Entitled “it bay a tapestry…it’s a canvas” the work is being made by children from the Withymoor Primary School in Brierley Hill with local artist Max Vann. Telling the story of the area over the past three hundred years, the work is to be displayed at Merry Hill Shopping Centre when it is completed this Spring.
Wolverhampton Canalside Quarter
A restored Albion Mill is to become the centrepiece of a £15 million private housing development which will provide the catalyst for the major regeneration of the canal between Horseley Fields Junction and Wolverhampton centre. This is according to “ Regeneration Review”, a Wolverhampton City Council glossy published in Summer 2002. Albion Mill will be restored and converted to 16 apartments and further 200 flats are to be built on adjacent land. Inspection along the towpath in mid January, 2003 reveals no apparent progress, if that is the correct word, and the area still slumbers in its post industrial state.
Curdworth Cottage
The old lock cottage at Curdworth was demolished in 2001 to make way for the building of the M6 Toll Motorway. The replacement cottage has now been completed.
