Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) is a network of canals connecting Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and the eastern part of the Black Country. The BCN is connected to the rest of the English canal system at several junctions. It was owned and operated by the Birmingham Canal Navigation Company from 1767 to 1948.[1]
At its working peak, the BCN contained about 160 miles (257km) of canals; today just over 100 miles (160km) are navigable, and the majority of traffic is from tourist and residential narrowboats.
History
BCN Network (within shaded area) from historical map, 1864Birmingham Canal Company offices fronting Paradise Street. They backed onto the Old Wharf terminus.
An Act for making and maintaining a Navigable Cut or Canal from Birmingham to Bilstone, and from thence to Autherley, there to communicate with the Canal now making between the Rivers Severn and Trent, and for making collateral Cuts up to several Coal Mines.
An Act to rectify a Mistake in an Act, passed in the Eighth Year of His present Majesty, intituled, "An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Cut or Canal from Birmingham to Bilstone, and from thence to Autherley, there to communicate with the Canal now making between the Rivers Severn and Trent; and for making collateral Cuts up to several Coal Mines;" and to explain and amend the said Act.
An Act to oblige the Company of Proprietors of the Birmingham Canal Navigation, to complete the said Canal to a Field called Newhall Ring, adjoining to the Town of Birmingham in the County of Warwick, within a limited Time, and to maintain and keep the same free and open for the Passage of Boats, Barges, and other Vessels.
The earliest mention of the Birmingham Canal Navigation appears in Aris's Birmingham Gazette on 11 April 1768. Here it was reported that on 25 March 1768, the first general assembly of the Company of Proprietors of the Birmingham Canal Navigation was held at the Swann Inn, Birmingham, to raise funds to submit for an act of Parliament.[2] The first canal to be built in the area was the Birmingham Canal, authorised by the Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1768 (8 Geo. 3. c. 38) and built from 1768 to 1772 under the supervision of James Brindley from the, then, edge of Birmingham, with termini at Newhall Wharf (since built over) and Paradise Wharf (also known as Old Wharf) near to Gas Street Basin to meet the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Aldersley (north of Wolverhampton).[3] It opened for business on 14 September 1772.[4]
The Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1769 (9 Geo. 3. c. 53) was obtained to construct the canal through a detached portion of the county of Shropshire, near Oldbury, and it included powers to make reservoirs anywhere within 3 miles between Smethwick and Oldbury.[3]
The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, from Birmingham to Tamworth, followed in 1784 with the Birmingham Canal Company merging with the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Company immediately, to form what was originally called the Birmingham and Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Company. This cumbersome name was short-lived, and the combined company became incorporated as the Birmingham Canal Navigations Company from 1794, as the network was expanded. The Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1794 (34 Geo. 3. c. 87) authorised the extension from Broadwater to Walsall, and the short cut between Bloomfield and Deepfield, where the Coseley Tunnel was constructed, which with a length of 1.75 miles (2.82km), avoided a detour around Tipton Hill of 4 miles (6.4km).
Between 1825 and 1829 the canal was improved by the cutting down by 16 feet (4.9m) of the summit at Smethwick, which occupied two and a half years, and cost £560,000 (equivalent to £62,250,000in 2023),[5] and by cutting off bends and erecting steam engines which reduced the cost of haulage by 4d. per ton.[6]
Between 1825 and 1837 the navigation was improved between Spon Lane, Deepfield and Wolverhampton, saving a distance of six miles, which reduced the toll on coal by 9d per ton.[6] At the same time the Titford Canal was constructed at a cost upwards of £200,000 (equivalent to £22,960,000in 2023).[5]
Birmingham Canal Navigations and Worcester and Birmingham Canal Navigable Communication Act 1815
An Act for establishing a Navigable Communication between the Birmingham Canal Navigations and the Worcester and Birmingham Canal, and amending certain Acts passed relative thereto.
The junction with the Warwick and Birmingham Canal was made under powers of the Birmingham Canal Navigations and Worcester and Birmingham Canal Navigable Communication Act 1815 (55 Geo. 3. c. xl). These improvements were all consolidated under the Birmingham Canal Navigations Act 1835 (5 & 6 Will. 4. c. xxxiv).[which?][3]
From 1839 to 1843 the Tame Valley Canal was built, along with the Bentley, Rushall and Walsall Junction Canals opening up the Cannock Chase and Wyrley coal districts to the town of Birmingham[6] at a cost upwards of £570,000 (equivalent to £70,680,000in 2023).[5]
An Act to authorize the Company of Proprietors of the Birmingham Canal Navigations to extend and alter the Line of their intended Cut or Canal from Dank's Branch to Salford Bridge; and to grant further Powers to the said Company.
The Wyrley and Essington Canal was incorporated by the Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1792 which authorized the line from Wolverhampton to Sneyd Junction and Walsall. The extension to Huddlesford and the Lord Hay and Daw End branches were constructed under the Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1794 (34 Geo. 3. c. 87). This amalgamated with the Birmingham Canal Navigations in 1840.[3]
In 1855, the Cannock Extension Canal and the Wyrley Bank Branch were added to the network[6] at a cost upwards of £100,000 (equivalent to £11,800,000in 2023).[5]
From 1855 to 1858 the Netherton Tunnel and other improvements cost the company upwards of £350,000[6] (equivalent to £44,490,000in 2023).[5]
London and Birmingham Railway and Birmingham Canal Arrangement Act 1846
An Act for carrying into effect certain Arrangements between the London and Birmingham Railway Company and the Company of Proprietors of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, and for granting certain Powers to the said respective Companies.
In 1776, the Dudley Canal was authorised from Parkhead to the junction with the Stourbridge Canal. The Parkhead to Tipton Green section including Dudley Tunnel was made under the Dudley Canal Act 1785 (25 Geo. 3. c. 87), and the extension from Parkhead to Selly Oak Junction with the Oxford and Birmingham Canal, including the Gorsty Hill and Lappal Tunnels under the Selly Oak Canal Act 1793 (33 Geo. 3. c. 121). This canal became part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations in 1846 under the London and Birmingham Railway and Birmingham Canal Arrangement Act 1846 (9 & 10 Vict. c. ccxliv).[3]
A short section of the BCN Old Main Line, at Smethwick Summit, was built at 491 feet (150m) OD. Pumps at either end were built to pump water used by the locks back to the summit – one at Spon Lane locks, and one at Smethwick locks: the Smethwick Engine. When the summit became too busy John Smeaton designed a scheme where it was lowered by 18 feet (5.5m) to the Wolverhampton level, eliminating six locks and providing a parallel set of locks at Smethwick which improved traffic throughput. It also linked to the general Wolverhampton Level supply of water.
The canals of the BCN
Fingerpost at Old Turn Junction, where the BCN Main Line meets the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
BCN Main Line (originally known as the Birmingham Canal) from Aldersley Junction (north of Wolverhampton) to Gas Street Basin (at the Worcester Bar in central Birmingham), using some of the Old Main Line canal.
Old Main Line, originally terminating in Birmingham at two wharfs now built upon: Old Wharf (adjacent to Gas Street Basin) and Newhall Wharf.
New Main Line, a revised route for the Birmingham Canal, double towpathed, largely progressing in straight lines using cuttings and tunnels.
Soho Loop (an old circuitous route cut off by Telford's improvements, originally with a branch, the Soho Branch to Soho Wharf, serving the Soho Manufactory)
Spon Lane Locks Branch (between Bromford Junction and Spon Lane Junction on the Old Main Line - 3 locks, part of the original Wednesbury Canal, not to be confused with Spon Lane Branch, another name for Tat Bank Branch on the Titford Canal)
The BCN Society is a registered charity (number 1091760) formed in 1968, which exists to conserve, improve and encourage a wide range of interests in the BCN. It publishes a quarterly journal. Boundary Post. From 1983, it erected signposts at most of the canal junctions on the BCN.
Broadbridge, S. R. (1974). The Birmingham Canal Navigations, Vol. 1 1768 - 1846. David & Charles. ISBN0-7509-2077-7. (There was no second volume)
Foster, Richard (1990). Birmingham New Street. The Story of a Great Station Including Curzon Street. 1 Background and Beginnings. The Years up to 1860. [Wild Swan Publications]. ISBN0-906867-78-9.
Hadfield, Charles (1969). The Canals of the West Midlands (Seconded.). David & Charles. ISBN0-7153-4660-1.
Pearson, Michael (1989). Canal Companion - Birmingham Canal Navigations. J. M. Pearson & Associates. ISBN0-907864-49-X. - canal maps and text
Perrott, David; Mosse, Jonathan (2006). Nicholson Waterways Guide 3 - Birmingham & the Heart of England. Collins. ISBN978-0-00-721111-1.
1 2 3 4 5 "Birmingham Canal Navigation". Wolverhampton Chronicle and Staffordshire Advertiser. England. 2 March 1864. Retrieved 7 September 2022– via British Newspaper Archive.
Notes: 1 Contains canalised river. 2 Partly or mostly navigable, and/or under restoration. 3 A system of canals. Canals which form part of this system are not listed here individually.
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