Water levels of the Birmingham Canal Navigations
Encyclopedia
The Birmingham Canal Navigations
(BCN), a network of narrow canal
s in the industrial midlands of England
, is built on various water levels. The three longest are the Wolverhampton, Birmingham, and Walsall levels. Locks allow boats to move from a canal on one level to one on another.
Heights quoted are the distance above sea level
in feet.
, now filled in. It was the highest point of the BCN.
) originally by feeder, and since 1837 by the Titford Canal
. A feeder from the Tat Bank Branch (also known as Spon Lane Branch) supplies water to the Edgbaston Reservoir
.
for his Birmingham Canal (BCN Old Main Line
). Removed by John Smeaton
's design in 1790.
However, the line of the abandoned Smethwick Summit could still followed, by walking, some 200 years later.
Connecting canals, not part of the BCN, but using this level:
had its surplus water taken to Edgbaston Reservoir along a feeder through Smethwick. Water from Edgbaston Reservoir fed both the Wolverhampton Level, via a long feeder along the top of a raised embankment along Telford's BCN New Main Line to the Engine Arm
, and also the Birmingham Level at the adjacent Icknield Port Loop.
.
Birmingham Canal Navigations
Birmingham Canal Navigations is a network of navigable canals connecting Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and the eastern part of the Black Country...
(BCN), a network of narrow canal
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
s in the industrial midlands of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, is built on various water levels. The three longest are the Wolverhampton, Birmingham, and Walsall levels. Locks allow boats to move from a canal on one level to one on another.
Heights quoted are the distance above sea level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
in feet.
533 ft. Essington Branch
A historical level, no longer existing. A branch of the Wyrley and Essington CanalWyrley and Essington Canal
The Wyrley and Essington Canal, known locally as "the Curly Wyrley", is a canal in the English Midlands. As built it ran from Wolverhampton to Huddlesford Junction near Lichfield, with a number of branches: some parts are currently derelict...
, now filled in. It was the highest point of the BCN.
511 ft. Titford Summit
The highest canal currently in BCN. It was fed from the 18th century Titford Reservoir (now under Junction 2 of the M5 motorwayM5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
) originally by feeder, and since 1837 by the Titford Canal
Titford Canal
The Titford Canal is a narrow canal, a short branch of the Birmingham Canal Navigations in Oldbury, West Midlands, England....
. A feeder from the Tat Bank Branch (also known as Spon Lane Branch) supplies water to the Edgbaston Reservoir
Edgbaston Reservoir
Edgbaston Reservoir, originally known as Rotton Park Reservoir and referred to in some early maps as Rock Pool Reservoir, is a canal feeder reservoir in the Ladywood district of Birmingham, England...
.
491 ft. Brindley's Smethwick Summit
A historical level, no longer existing. The highest level designed by James BrindleyJames Brindley
James Brindley was an English engineer. He was born in Tunstead, Derbyshire, and lived much of his life in Leek, Staffordshire, becoming one of the most notable engineers of the 18th century.-Early life:...
for his Birmingham Canal (BCN Old Main Line
BCN Main Line
The BCN Main Line, or Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line describes the evolving route of the Birmingham Canal between Birmingham and Wolverhampton in England....
). Removed by John Smeaton
John Smeaton
John Smeaton, FRS, was an English civil engineer responsible for the design of bridges, canals, harbours and lighthouses. He was also a capable mechanical engineer and an eminent physicist...
's design in 1790.
However, the line of the abandoned Smethwick Summit could still followed, by walking, some 200 years later.
473 ft. Wolverhampton Level
A total of 35 miles navigable with no locks:- BCN Old Main LineBCN Main LineThe BCN Main Line, or Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line describes the evolving route of the Birmingham Canal between Birmingham and Wolverhampton in England....
. Brindley/Smeaton. Wolverhampton top lock to Smethwick locks (10 miles) - Wyrley and Essington CanalWyrley and Essington CanalThe Wyrley and Essington Canal, known locally as "the Curly Wyrley", is a canal in the English Midlands. As built it ran from Wolverhampton to Huddlesford Junction near Lichfield, with a number of branches: some parts are currently derelict...
+ branches- Lord Hay's Branch (now dry), Cannock Extension, Daw End Branch, Anglesey Branch
- Engine ArmEngine ArmThe Engine Arm or Birmingham Feeder Arm near Smethwick, West Midlands, England, is a short canal built by Thomas Telford in 1825 to carry water from Rotton Park Reservoir to the Old Main Line of the BCN Main Line Canal....
- Dudley TunnelDudley TunnelDudley Tunnel is a canal tunnel on the Dudley Canal Line No 1, England. At about long, it is now the second longest canal tunnel on the UK canal network today....
453 ft. Birmingham Level
- BCN Main LineBCN Main LineThe BCN Main Line, or Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line describes the evolving route of the Birmingham Canal between Birmingham and Wolverhampton in England....
- BCN Old Main Line, south of Smethwick Locks
- BCN New Main Line - Birmingham to Tipton Factory Bottom Lock, Island line, New Line at Smethwick
- Netherton Tunnel Branch CanalNetherton Tunnel Branch CanalNetherton Tunnel Branch Canal, in the English West Midlands, is part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, . It was constructed at a 453–foot elevation, the Wednesbury or Birmingham level; it has no locks. The total length of the branch canal is and the canal tunnel is long.Netherton Tunnel was...
- Wednesbury Oak LoopWednesbury Oak LoopThe Wednesbury Oak Loop, sometimes known as the Bradley Arm, is a canal in the West Midlands, England. It is part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations ....
- Wednesbury Old CanalWednesbury Old CanalWednesbury Old Canal is part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations in West Midlands , England.Wednesbury Old Canal leaves the main line Birmingham level at Pudding Green Junction and passes through a completely industrial landscape. At Ryders Green Junction the Walsall Canal begins its descent down...
and Ridgacre BranchRidgacre BranchThe Ridgacre Branch is a canal branch of the Wednesbury Old Canal, part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, in the West Midlands, England.... - Dudley No. 2 CanalDudley CanalThe Dudley Canal is a canal passing though Dudley in the West Midlands of England. The canal is part of the English and Welsh connected network of navigable inland waterways, and in particular forms part of the popular Stourport Ring narrowboat cruising route....
from Parkhead locks (Blower's Green) to Hawne Basin, originally to Selly Oak - Gas Street BasinGas Street BasinGas Street Basin is a canal basin in the centre of Birmingham, England, where the Worcester and Birmingham Canal meets the BCN Main Line. It is located on Gas Street, off Broad Street, and between the Mailbox and Brindleyplace canal-side developments....
Connecting canals, not part of the BCN, but using this level:
- Worcester and Birmingham CanalWorcester and Birmingham CanalThe Worcester and Birmingham Canal is a canal linking Birmingham and Worcester in England. It starts in Worcester, as an 'offshoot' of the River Severn and ends in Gas Street Basin in Birmingham. It is long....
to Tardebigge top lockTardebigge LocksTardebigge Locks or the Tardebigge Flight is the longest flight of locks in the UK, comprising 30 narrow locks on a two and a quarter mile stretch of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal at Tardebigge, Worcestershire... - Northern Stratford-upon-Avon CanalStratford-upon-Avon CanalThe Stratford-upon-Avon Canal is a canal in the south Midlands of England.The canal, which was built between 1793 and 1816, runs for in total, and consists of two sections. The dividing line is at Kingswood Junction, which gives access to the Grand Union Canal...
from Kings Norton JunctionKings Norton JunctionKings Norton Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Stratford-upon-Avon Canal terminates and meets the Worcester and Birmingham Canal at Kings Norton, Birmingham, England....
to Lapworth Top Lock
408 ft. Walsall Level
- Walsall CanalWalsall CanalThe Walsall Canal is a narrow canal, seven miles long, forming part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, and passing around the western side of Walsall, West Midlands, England.-Route:...
- Tame Valley CanalTame Valley CanalThe Tame Valley Canal is a relatively late canal in the West Midlands of England. It forms part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. It takes its name from the roughly-parallel River Tame.-Geography:...
to Perry Barr top lock - Rushall CanalRushall CanalThe Rushall Canal is a straight, short , narrow canal forming part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations on the eastern side of Walsall, West Midlands, England.-Route:...
(part)
Reservoirs
Reservoirs were built to collect water from streams. As water flows downhill these had to be above the relevant canal water level, often having to be some distance away. The small Titford Reservoir (Titford Pool), as well as feeding the Titford CanalTitford Canal
The Titford Canal is a narrow canal, a short branch of the Birmingham Canal Navigations in Oldbury, West Midlands, England....
had its surplus water taken to Edgbaston Reservoir along a feeder through Smethwick. Water from Edgbaston Reservoir fed both the Wolverhampton Level, via a long feeder along the top of a raised embankment along Telford's BCN New Main Line to the Engine Arm
Engine Arm
The Engine Arm or Birmingham Feeder Arm near Smethwick, West Midlands, England, is a short canal built by Thomas Telford in 1825 to carry water from Rotton Park Reservoir to the Old Main Line of the BCN Main Line Canal....
, and also the Birmingham Level at the adjacent Icknield Port Loop.
Water pumping
Water was a precious resource, spent each time a lock was emptied as a boat changed level. Steam pumps were employed at many flights of locks to pump water back to a higher level, for example, the Smethwick EngineSmethwick Engine
The Smethwick Engine is a steam engine made by Boulton and Watt; brought into service in May 1779.Originally, it was one of two engines used to pump water back up to the summit level of the BCN Old Main Line canal at Smethwick, not far from the Soho Foundry where it was made...
.
- Back pumping at locks
- Ashtead
- Titford
- Perry Barr
- Walsall
- Dudley Parkhead
- Back pumping between levels
- Ocker HillOcker HillOcker Hill is a residential area of Tipton in the West Midlands of England.It is situated in the northern part of the town, on the main A461 road between Dudley and Wednesbury...
- Smethwick Summit
- Spon Lane engine (1778-) pumping Wolverhampton level to 491 ft. Summit level, closed by Smeaton's removal of the Summit level
- Smethwick EngineSmethwick EngineThe Smethwick Engine is a steam engine made by Boulton and Watt; brought into service in May 1779.Originally, it was one of two engines used to pump water back up to the summit level of the BCN Old Main Line canal at Smethwick, not far from the Soho Foundry where it was made...
(1779–1898) pumping Birmingham level to 491 ft. Summit level, pumping to Wolverhampton level after Summit lowered. It was replaced in 1892 by two centrifugal engines in a new pumphouse north of Brasshouse Lane Bridge, Smethwick.
- Ocker Hill
- Pumping to reservoirs
- Rotton Park (Edgbaston ReservoirEdgbaston ReservoirEdgbaston Reservoir, originally known as Rotton Park Reservoir and referred to in some early maps as Rock Pool Reservoir, is a canal feeder reservoir in the Ladywood district of Birmingham, England...
) - Cannock Chase (ChasewaterChasewaterChasewater is a 3-square-kilometre reservoir in the parish of Burntwood, in the district of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. Originally known as Norton Pool, it was created as a canal feeder reservoir in the 18th Century and remains the largest in use in the region today.-History:Work on...
) - Lodge Farm
- Sneyd
- Rotton Park (Edgbaston Reservoir
- Water was also pumped out from many coal mines to the canal system
See also
- Canals of the United KingdomCanals of the United KingdomThe canals of the United Kingdom are a major part of the network of inland waterways in the United Kingdom. They have a colourful history, from use for irrigation and transport, through becoming the focus of the Industrial Revolution, to today's role for recreational boating...
- History of the British canal systemHistory of the British canal systemThe British canal system of water transport played a vital role in the United Kingdom's Industrial Revolution at a time when roads were only just emerging from the medieval mud and long trains of pack horses were the only means of "mass" transit by road of raw materials and finished products The...