Birmingham Canal Navigations

Description of the Route

The Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) are made of several individual canals

Old Main Line

James Brindley's original line from Birmingham to Wolverhampton took a long twisting route, more to reach the industries than to follow the contours.

Parts of this line still exist near Birmingham as three loops - the Oozells Street Loop, the Icknield Port Loop and the Soho Loop.

It also exists as an separate route between Smethwick Junction and Factory Junction,

New Main Line

Thomas Telford's new route cuts out many of the loops of the Old Main Line and takes a much more direct route, bypassing the three loops and taking a direct route to Factory Junction.

From Factory Junction there is now just a single route to Wolverhampton where 21 locks link the main line to the summit pound of the Staffs & Worcester Canal at Autherley Junction.

There are five links between the levels, each with three locks:

• Smethwick Locks
• Spon Lane Locks
• Brades Locks on the Gower Branch
• Factory Locks
• Parkhead Locks (through Dudley Tunnel which is impassable for most boats)

Dudley No 1 & Dudley No 2 Canals

With Dudley Tunnel and Netherton Tunnel there provide the routes to the south west, linking to the Stourbridge Canal at the foot of Delph Locks.  Once linked through the Lapal Tunnel to the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Selly Oak.

Titford Canal

Climbing up through the six Oldbury Locks this is now the highest navigable part of the BCN reaching Titford Pools and the Causeway Green Branch.

Walsall Canal

Often considered as running from Pudding Green Junction with the New Main Line although it strictly only starts at Ryders Green Junction with the Ridgeacre Branch to Black Lake.  It descends through eight locks to the Walsall Level then, after the Walsall Town Arm, rises through eight locks to the Wolverhampton Level at Birchills Junction.

Wyrley & Essington Canal

Known as the Curly Wyrley to the old boatmen, this takes its twisting and turning, contour following, line from Horseley Fields Junction with the main lines to reach Anglesey Basin, passing the Cannock Extension Canal at Pelsal Junction.  The Daw End Branch extends to the south.

Rushall Canal

Provides a link from the Daw End Branch to the Tame Valley Canal, with 9 locks.

Tame Valley Canal

One of the latest canals to be built is served as a bypass to the longer route through the centre of Birmingham with the long queues for Farmers Bridge Locks.

Birmingham & Fazeley Canal

Often considered as part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations this runs through the Farmers Bridge and Aston Locks to Salford Junction and on to Fazeley Junction.

Photo Gallery

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Dimensions and Features

Birmingham Canal Navigations - All (as shown on map)
Length: Beam: Headroom: Speed Limit	70' 0" 7' 0" 6' 6" 4 mph	21.34 m 2.13 m 1.98 m 6.4 kph		Locks: Miles: Moveable Bridges: Tunnels: Hours (single journey):	124 91 (146 km) 0 6 40

Operator

British Waterways
	Birmingham Canal Navigations (All)
Address:	Central Shires Peel's Wharf Fazeley Tamworth B78 3QZ		Phone: Fax: Email:	01827 252 000 01827 288 071 enquiries. centralshires@ britishwaterways.co.uk
	General
BW Emergency:	0800 47 999 47

Links

Canal Societies

• Birmingham Canal Navigations Society
• Coombeswood Canal Trust