• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

A canal that never was built

The article mentions one of several schemes proposed to improve inland navigation in the UK using incline planes or boat lifts that were not proceeded with although dicussed at length at the time.

The route to the Severn from Birmingham involved either the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal to Stourport or the more direct line via the Worcester & Birmingham Canal. As originally conceived the Worcester and Birmingham Canal would have been a barge canal throughout. That scheme was cut back to a barge width waterway from Birmingham to Tardebigge and boat lifts then to the Severn at Worcester. The Tardebigge boat lift after trial was replaced by a deep lock and all the way to Diglis narrow locks were made.

There were 57 locks between Tardebigge and the Severn with only the last two being barge width. Proposals for improvement failed to happen.
 
I remember a while ago, more than 20 years now, a friend bought a canal boat from up country, quite a long one. I volunteered to help her bring it back down to moorings. We came through the Tardebigge flight, about 30 locks I think. We took turns at each lock cranking the handle and pushing the beams. We were fitter then. I also remember going through a very long tunnel on the same trip, (Kings Norton ??) completely black apart from the Lucas square eight light mounted on the front. She sat right at the front like some sort of figurehead and left me at the back doing the driving. I turned the light off a few times just for giggles, and to learn a few new words. We were so dark adapted, that when we came out, we had to park (collide) with the bank for 15 mins so we could see again to move on.

Andrew.
 
Manchester ship canal was built and used a lot till very recently for quite large ships
 
The Manchester Ship Canal still has traffic along it including container ships, but nothing like it was. The Gloucester & Sharpness Canal also had ships of a certain size that went up to Gloucester, but that traffic ceased some years ago. The River Weaver also had large craft that went as far as the Salt Works near Anderton
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top