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How did this wide Canal/Barge get onto the Cut?

H

horsencart

master brummie
Any thoughts as to how this Canal/Barge got onto the cut it is to wide to navigate the lock (to wide) it also has no tiller but does have a proper wheel for steering my own view is that t fell of the back of a lorry, the smell of fresh inside the Canal/Barge is enough to knock you of you feet, there are ten photo to view starting with
https://flic.kr/p/2bErwa9
 
This water bus, Port Loop, is part of the promotional plans to publicise the new housing development of the same name. I don't see much relating to past heritage/history of the area, other than the canals themselves. Not being familiar with the present area I wonder what has to go to accommodate the new 'island' housing area?
I expect the boat was brought by road but it seems that it is going to be specific to the canals surrounding the development, so presumably locks do not feature in its route. However given the scale of this scheme widening a lock or two seems small fry. ;)
https://www.port-loop.com/
 
I also believe it was brought in by road. It is a sad reflection on those planning the Port Loop development which prefers to link the new scheme with the Roman Road Icknield Street rather than the canal past that created it. Whilst James Brindley was the engineer for the canal being made around the valley of Edgbaston Brook, it was his assistants which included Samuel Simcox that were responsible for the work.

They, that is the Port Loop Group, have focused on the name rather than the historical process of canal construction and the later canal work that created the loop and later still the road Icknield Port Road that spanned the Loop.

An ideal promotion of the scheme would be to use a narrow boat. The choice of a barge would indicate those planning the new scheme either do not care or are divorced from reality.
 
The industrial development of the Icknield Port Loop was essentially conducted in two phases. The first was building industry around the outside and then following land fill establishing works in the centre. The latter phase was post 1870. It would be useful to have archeological digs to look at the foundations of the diverse industries that were there.

The first map looks at Freeth Street areaPTLP01.jpg

A second map shows the Wiggins Street area;
PTLP02.jpg
 
horsencart said:
Any thoughts as to how this Canal/Barge got onto the cut it is to wide to navigate the lock (to wide) it also has no tiller but does have a proper wheel for steering my own view is that t fell of the back of a lorry, the smell of fresh inside the Canal/Barge is enough to knock you of you feet, there are ten photo to view starting with
https://flic.kr/p/2bErwa9
Click to expand...
Its a Broad Beam, common to the Grand Union and some of the Northern River/Canal networks. Far comfier than the traditional narrow boat. Unfortunately all the West Midlands canals with the exception of the GU are built for narrow boat usage, but of course the canals comprising the Birmingham main line to Wolverhampton, the Birmingham and Worcester to the City Boundary have no locks. The locks occur coming up from the GU and the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. The Stratford on Avon Canal has a stop lock where it branches offfrom the B & W and on the Birmingham Main line, there are various narrowings been put in which are only wide enough for the traditional narrow boat to pass through. So the usefulness of this boat is limited. Some canal boat owners prefer a wheel to a tiller and occasionally you see the on the traditional boats, usually owned by 'live aboards'. The Kennet and Avon is a Broad Beam navigable canal.

Bob
 
The boat isn't designed for travelling far, if at all. It is a floating showroom designed to introduce prospective buyers in the new development. It might move around the development as it progresses - I don't know. I guess one or two here will be curious enough to 'case the joint' as they say. A report would be welcomed I am sure.
The history is of interest and I am sure on BHF there is much recorded of places that once existed in the new development area. Probably there is also information about what is still there. From the publicity it seems that the new development will be confined to 'an island'. I wonder if this could become a historical thread, with reference and photos of its earliest days, its major industrial days and presumably its run down days (still there I guess). There will be, at a future date, an opportunity to photograph the developments as they progress - rather along the lines that Ell Brown does with Paradise Place and Centennial area developments. It would be an advantage, if folks feel this should be a developing thread, that the correct historical order be kept where possible. I realize than new 'finds' would arise, but they would be infrequent.
https://www.port-loop.com/about-port-loop/#port-loop-history

1539265795344.png
 
This area, known as Rotten Park, apparently a deer hunting area, was purchased by Joseph Gillot in 1851. He developed the area over the next half century.
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/index.php?threads/joseph-gillott.9637/#post-61566
James Brindley is usually credited with building Birmingham's first canal between 1766 and 1769; it was a contour canal hence the loop around Rotten Park. However a post by Heartland puts more detail to it:
Dec 21, 2016
#765
Birmingham Canals have a long established history beginning in 1769 when the first section was opened. It is often said that the original Birmingham Canal was built by James Brindley, the engineer. Brindley was responsible for the survey and he directed the work with the help of assistant engineers and the clerk of works. Yet his plan was not followed completely. In fact the bulk of the canal route plus over 6 additional miles came about as his assistants had to plan and adapt to changing requirements once it was found that the Smethwick Tunnel could not be completed. In effect the line was diverted along the majority of the route. It is difficult to assign the credit to these deviations to Brindley and credit is best given to Samuel Simcox. Similarly Smeaton had credit for later improvements where in reality his suggestions were generally confined to improved water supply and the work for reducing the Smethwick Summit 1788-1791 was left in the hands of BCN engineers. Subsequent improvements are best credited to Thomas Telford and James Walker. In the latter case Mr Walker is often forgotten for his work on the Tame Valley, Netherton Tunnel, Rushall Canal, the Bentley Canal, Walsall Locks and the Cannock Extension Canal.
 
Rotten Park Street 1968. Bellis & Morcom (left) Pinchin Johnson Paints (right)
courtesy Phyllis Nicklin archives Birmingham University.
1539294513946.png

Docker Paints had quite a few ownerships in later years, hence the Pinchin Johnson name. There re others after that. However an excellent place ti read about their history and some of the folks that worked thee can be seen here as part of the excellent Old Ladywood site (known to many here I am certain).
http://www.oldladywood.co.uk/dockers.htm
Bellis & Morcom timeline. They still trade, under new ownership of course, from Redditch.
https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Belliss_and_Morcom
 
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It is wrong to state all West Midland canals were built as narrow waterways. The Worcester and Birmingham from Worcester Bar to Tardebigge was built a a barge canal, as was the Stratford-upon- Avon canal from Kings Norton to Hockley Heath was also broad and the original stop at Lifford had mitred gates.

The Worcester and Birmingham Canal was narrowed on a section south of Granville Street to allow the construction of the West Suburban Railway.

I have only come across one barge registered to John Wall, carrier, for use on these canals.

The Ashby Canal was also built as a wide canal as there were plans to link with the Trent. The junction with the Coventry Canal permitted only narrow boats.

The Grand Union scheme to widen the locks and canal from Braunston through Napton, Warwick, Knowle and Hatton reached Tyseley and finished above the locks at Camp Hill and was essentially done in the early 1930's.

The Birmingham Canal Navigation was improved and widened to suit trade and the locks were always narrow. There were some "out of gauge " boats called Hampton Boats. These were longer than a lock chamber and brought coal from the mines on Cannock Chase to Walsall and Wolverhampton.
 
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