| AdminHistory | The canal burst at Dudley Port happened at around 2:30 am on Saturday 9th Sep 1899, on the old Birmingham Canal Navigations' (BCN) New Main Line canal. This part of the canal was part of Thomas Telford's improvements of the 1830s. The burst opened a hole 30 yards wide by 100yards long, emptying the water from six miles of the canal. Unfortunately, no-one was killed. One boatman however, had to leap on to the towpath as the boat overtook the horse that was towing it. Fortunately, he tied the towline around a telegraph pole and saved both horse and boat from escaping down the gaping hole. The workings close by, of Samuel Barnett's Rattlechain & Stour Valley Brickworks were hailed responsible for the subsidence which caused the cave-in, as clay from the company's marlhole was being extracted too close to the canal. Damage was estimated at £50,000, and the damage took months to repair. Postcards were made to signify the event. |