Bittell is a diesel-powered tug over 40 years old, built by Yarwoods in 1959 for Stewarts and Lloyds. At 40 ft. in length and with a draught of 2' 8", she weighs approximately 22 tons. She has a 'sister' named 'Pacific'.
Bittell is currently powered by a 3-cylinder air-cooled Lister HR-3 diesel engine developing 34hp at the flywheel, but this is her 4th or 5th engine; the original was a Ford tractor engine running on TVO.
She is owned by British Waterways but leased to Dudley Canal Trust. She has been in and out of - and under - the water in recent years, firstly due to perforated plating in the counter. This cost about £13.5k in order to replace much of the rear end. The cabin was later replaced for about £10k, carefully done by BW to maintain her appearance - genuine rivets were used! Bittell's most recent underwater excursion was in Stourbridge, owing to an excess of rainwater whilst moored in the Arm. She now has a very portable 'cratch' cover to help keep out the elements.
Bittell is usually based at BW's Bradley workshop, but roams about from time to time: Milton Keynes recently, while a transit of Standedge Tunnel is intended for mid-2002 to formally deliver the "Longest Tunnel" accolade. She makes an annual pilgrimage to and from Tardebigge Wharf in order to transport the boats and equipment for DCT's well-established Christmas Special trips into the nearby tunnel. Having run for several years with a 'Search for Santa' theme, the Trust is becoming more adventurous, having converted their workboat into a 7'-wide pirate ship for the 2001 season. Comments in the Visitors' Book over many years have ranged from positive to ecstatic!
Dudley Canal Trust grew from the Dudley Canal Tunnel Preservation Society, a group of people who formed in 1963 to fight the threat of a proposed railway embankment which would have destroyed the approach to the southern (Parkhead) end of the tunnel. By this time the tunnel had long since seen the last working traffic (1950) and had been officially closed in 1962. Unsurprisingly, the locks at Parkhead and the approach to the northern (Tipton) portal were in a poor state, but the Society raised interest both locally and nationally and organised trips into the tunnel. British Rail were persuaded to drop the embankment plan in favour of bridge strengthening work to be funded by the Society.
Even the bridge work was later abandoned owing to a change in local railway policy, but the 1968 Transport Act opened up the possibility of restoring & developing not just the tunnel, but the approach canals too. The Society was therefore re-formed as the Dudley Canal Trust in 1970 in order to promote these aims. With loan equipment and huge voluntary effort, work parties cleared pounds and repaired brickwork of the Parkhead locks. Later with assistance from BW, financial help from Dudley Council and more voluntary effort, the lock gates were replaced, the tunnel's 2 basins were cleared of 100 tons of rubbish, and the approaches were dredged of 5000 tons of silt.
The re-opening was attended by some 14,000 people and over 300 boats during Easter 1973, the first-ever re-opening of an abandoned canal.
The Trust's tunnel trips continued to be an attraction and the trip boat was converted to electric propulsion in 1975, adding seats, fluorescent lighting and a PA system, and removing the need to 'leg' the boat during all of its time in the tunnel.
At the end of 1981, however, a partial wall collapse near the Parkhead end - long-affected by subsidence and re-built in 1884 - forced the closure of the tunnel once more, until mid-1992.
During this time, however, trip activity was growing at the Tipton end and it was decided that a 'circular' route was needed. This was achieved by clearing the old tunnel from Singing Cavern to Little Tess, and by cutting 130m of completely new tunnel back to Castle Mill Basin, officially opened in April 1990.
