Canals of Birmingham

[Dave M]

Few more, from inside

 

[Dave M]

Next few, inside the compound

 

[Dave M]

Two pics from inside the others outside

 

[Radiorails]

Fascinating pics of the BCN main line. Many thanks for posting them Dave.

I have always thought the BCN iron over bridges extremely graceful which added some 'finesse' to an otherwise industrial place. :friendly_wink:

Mention, in a similar thread on this Forum, was made about cobbled walkways and the raised cobbles for enabling horses to get their footing. One of the latest pics show this feature to a great advantage as the towpath rises to cross over the bridge.

I remember, in the 1950's, traveling to Stoke-on-Trent from New Street on quite a few occasions. The railway ran alongside, or fairly close to the BCN, at many points and the distinguishing feature, announcing that the canal was there, was in fact, those graceful over bridges.

 

[Dave M]

Alan Thanks few pics close to the compound

 

[Dave M]

Last few pics of the area

 

[paul stacey]

I do so love the 18th/19th C, architecture along the canals, great photo's on this thread, and very interesting commentary.

 

[DavidGrain]

Can anyone identify what this is from Dave's photos

 

[Vivienne14]

A wild guess, a water outlet/inlet? Viv.

 

[ColinB]

There's a similar hole in the canal bridge by Kings Norton there's a locked door fitted to the road side with "fire brigade" on it


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[ColinB]

From The Birmingham Canal Network site.

In the bridge wall you will see small locked red doors over the water, these are common on BCN bridges and are "Fire Doors". Keys to these doors are held by the Fire Brigade so that hoses can be lowered into the water with a snorkel end to pump out water to fight any fires in the area

Most of these were done during the war.


Colin

 

[Morturn]

It hard to tell because of the lack of scale, and how high up the brickwork, is it a boot scraper?

 

[Dave M]

It hard to tell because of the lack of scale, and how high up the brickwork, is it a boot scraper?

​Next time over there will have a good look

 

[paul stacey]

There seems to be a long mark, Horse Rope Chaff?, may be something for horses?

 

[DavidGrain]

Thanks for the various replies to my question about the inlet in the wall shown in one of Dave M's photos. I think the stone surround is too elaborate for it to have been one of the war time fire brigade doors and from the angle of view in the photo I don't think it can be in the arch of a bridge over the canal. As for its size and scale this is given by the surrounding bricks.

 

[ellbrown]

Worcester & Birmingham Canal - Granville Street to Islington Row Middleway

Granville Street Bridge - locks (?)



Bath Row Bridge





disused railway line next to it





To Islington Row Middleway



Footpath where trains used to go! (goods)



Gate to the Cross City Line







Towards St James Road



Back to Bath Row

 

[Vivienne14]

A very good set of photos Ell. The railway and the canal running alongside each other suggests an interesting piece of transport history. Wonder if we could see the earliest map of the two together - train line and canal. (Mikejee - are you there?!!) Viv.

 

[mikejee]

Viv
I'm afraid that the earliest map showing any detail is the c 1889 map, below between Granville St & Bath Row, as below. Also below are the c1828 Pigot smith map and the c1839 map of the same area, though much smaller scale. The first line , which ran as far as Granville St opnened on 3rd April 1876, but an extension to New St opened 1885, with the Big midland Goods Depot openening in 1887

 

[Speedy23]

Hi Ellbrown

The gates you have shown in the first picture are not lock gates but appear to be stop gates installed to isolate sections of canal if a breach occurred for any reason. This is because the section of canal shown is on the 453' "Birmingham level which is essentially some 49 miles of lock free canal streching from Smethwick in the north to Lapworth and Tardebigge in the south. If the canal had not been divided into sections in this way, the potential for flooding was huge. Many of these gates were installed during WW2 to protect the navigation from the effects of bombing. Some of the gates had balance beams as shown allowing them to be closed by hand and others were recessed into the sides of the canal so that if a breach occurred, the water flowing past them would close them tightly, thus isolating the damaged section.

 

[ellbrown]

Ok thanks for that re the gates below Granville Street. Didn't look like a lock!

Is there any other exits from the canal between Bath Row and Somerset Road?

This was a few years ago!

 

[DavidGrain]

There is a gate in Islington Row opposite Five Ways Station but that is now locked. It led down some steps into the Jews Burying Ground. From there you used to be able to get onto the disused railway line which led to the old goods station in Holliday Street but I never walked that route because I did not fancy walking through the long tunnel. If you remember the car park next to Stannier House where flats have now been built you could actually drive through the car park to the entrance to the tunnel. Crossing the railway line from the Jews Burying Ground you came onto the canal tow path.

If you are on or passing through Five Ways Station you will see the former line to Holliday Street behind the Longbridge direction platform.

 

[Vivienne14]

Viv
I'm afraid that the earliest map showing any detail is the c 1889 map, below between Granville St & Bath Row, .........

Thanks Mike. Will have a good look at the maps when I get a bit of spare time. Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

Now had a good look at Mike's maps. I think the Brewery must have been Davenports. If so they had a very large part of the canal side on the Bath Row side. I've extracted sale details from Mikejee's ' From Birmingham Post 150 years ago' thread (hope that's OK Mike)
https://birminghamhistory.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=39848&page=37

I've read somewhere (but can't now find it) that there was once a well there, hence maybe why brewing started along this stretch of canal. Was wondering if the earlier maps show an earlier brewery site (i e the building(s) on the south side, adjacent to the canal or are they simply wharf buildings?).

Viv.

 

[Vivienne14]

What are these? Little doors on the canal bridges at Granville Street and Bath Row. Viv.

 

[ColinB]

They were access doors for the fire brigade see my post # 583


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[Vivienne14]

Right thanks Colin, missed that post. Viv.

 

[paul stacey]

Viv, I thought they may have been so that you could wave at the "Bargees", and send apples for the Horses.

 

[Vivienne14]

Makes perfect sense Paul! I like the one where they've installed bars so you can see down onto the canal. A nice feature - and good for dropping your apples through Paul. Viv.

 

[ellbrown]

Birmingham & Fazeley Canal - Aston Road Bridge - 2010



Digbeth Branch Canal - Lister Street - 2010

 

[Vivienne14]

Thanks Ell. A piece of fire brigade history turned into a very good looking feature. Much better than being boarded up. On Ell's first photo #599 there's another nice canal bridge in view in the background too. Looks picturesque crossing over the lock gates.

I've assumed these are no longer used, but perhaps they are still used? Viv.