Good progress was made at first, and the initial 10 miles (16 km) from Coventry to Bedworth, where there were coal mines, opened in 1769.

A lucrative trade in coal developed, and two years later, the canal reached Atherstone, but here a flight of eleven locks were needed and there was insufficient capital to proceed any further.

Prior to obtaining their act of Parliament, they negotiated with several other canals, in order to ensure that significant trade would be generated once it was opened.

With construction only just started, they applied for a second Act of Parliament, which resulted in the main line to Wyrley becoming a branch, and the branch to Birchills being extended to collieries at Brownhills, and then descended through 30 locks, passing Lichfield to reach Huddlesford Junction.

The Wyrley and Essington Canal, including the junction, opened on 8 May 1797, but traffic was a little intermittent at first, as the locked section was often short of water.

The Lichfield Cruising Club was set up in its present form in 1978, and members have since enhanced the area by removal of silt and weed, by creating a clubhouse from two cottages formerly used by lengthsmen employed by British Waterways, and by the addition of a winding hole and slipway close to Capers Lane Bridge.