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Canals of Birmingham

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The original post of this picture has been amended to indicate that it could be the case that the author Peter L Smith of
Canal barges and narrowboats has the wrong location…Atherstone, Coventry Canal being the suggestion.
D0541234-DB55-476A-997C-B829AF36625F.jpeg
From The Blog that used to be Starcross.
narrowboatstarcross.blogspot.com

Day-by-Day 2011

At Norbury Junction 1st January 2011 Hil and I called in to see Starcross at Norbury on our way home from spending New Year’s Eve at ...
narrowboatstarcross.blogspot.com narrowboatstarcross.blogspot.com
 
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Yes it has now been confirmed as Atherstone. Trevor Maggs, died 2018, had the narrow boat CORONA for carrying coal.

As to Kings Norton Stop lock, it is sad that people choose to disfigure the structure with graffiti. But then the scrawl of the wild is common at locations such as waterways

This view of Landor Street Bridge over the Warwick & Birmingham Canal shows considerable amounts of graffiti on the bridge. It is probably time for CRT to get out the black paint"

Landor Street.jpg
 
Pedrocut said:
The original post of this picture has been amended to indicate that it could be the case that the author Peter L Smith of
Canal barges and narrowboats has the wrong location…Atherstone, Coventry Canal being the suggestion.
View attachment 179660
From The Blog that used to be Starcross.
narrowboatstarcross.blogspot.com

Day-by-Day 2011

At Norbury Junction 1st January 2011 Hil and I called in to see Starcross at Norbury on our way home from spending New Year’s Eve at ...
narrowboatstarcross.blogspot.com narrowboatstarcross.blogspot.com
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Just read a large part of the blog, very interesting and most enjoyable!
 
Heartland said:
Yes it has now been confirmed as Atherstone. Trevor Maggs, died 2018, had the narrow boat CORONA for carrying coal.

As to Kings Norton Stop lock, it is sad that people choose to disfigure the structure with graffiti. But then the scrawl of the wild is common at locations such as waterways

This view of Landor Street Bridge over the Warwick & Birmingham Canal shows considerable amounts of graffiti on the bridge. It is probably time for CRT to get out the black paint"

View attachment 179664
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I enjoy walks along the canals.
I also enjoy art. I'm happy to look at art that I would not have at home.
The graffiti on this wall, just spoils the "look of bridge". The time and cost of removal is very expensive.

I would never try to force my ideas of art on to any one, I don't think anyone should try to force likes on to me or others enjoying a walk on the canal side.

Take your paint tins home and paint your own walls in any way you wish you could even paint your car then if you decide you don't like it you can pay for the removal.

Nick Phillips
 
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Pedrocut said:
Where in Birmingham ?

“A motorboat being loaded with coal during the mid 1960s in the Birmingham district. The working was not regular and did not last very long.”

Canal barges and narrowboats by Smith, Peter L.

[Edit 18/4….According to Post 1617 it may be that the author Peter L Smith has the wrong location…
“Is not Birmingham, If I recall it is Atherstone, Coventry Canal.”

View attachment 179590
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I think you may be right this may be the area in question.
From https://martyns.blog/2022/02/26/2022-travels-atherstone-warwickshire/
 

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I was brought up in Oldbury where the canals were always open. People treated the towpaths as any other footpath so if that was the most convenient route then that was the way people walked. I was surprised to find that in Birmingham the canals were all sealed off with just Gas Street as the only access. As a youngster I walked from Gas Street almost to Smethwick and back and also the full length of the Farmers Bridge flight of locks completely on my own because I did not know any different. My interest in the canals as a young man was such that I attended a WEA course on the history of canals in Birmingham and the Black Country. I remember the lecturer saying that before the Birmingham Canals were opened up again he used to do the complete circular walk from Gas Street to Spaghetti Junction and back along the Grand Union and Digbeth Canals. I think it took a tragedy with the emergency services unable to get access for the canals to be opened up again.
 
DavidGrain said:
I was brought up in Oldbury where the canals were always open. People treated the towpaths as any other footpath so if that was the most convenient route then that was the way people walked. I was surprised to find that in Birmingham the canals were all sealed off with just Gas Street as the only access. As a youngster I walked from Gas Street almost to Smethwick and back and also the full length of the Farmers Bridge flight of locks completely on my own because I did not know any different. My interest in the canals as a young man was such that I attended a WEA course on the history of canals in Birmingham and the Black Country. I remember the lecturer saying that before the Birmingham Canals were opened up again he used to do the complete circular walk from Gas Street to Spaghetti Junction and back along the Grand Union and Digbeth Canals. I think it took a tragedy with the emergency services unable to get access for the canals to be opened up again.
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As kids we would use to walk the Grand Union Canal from the BSA (Golden Hillock Rd) to Tyseley , that was in the 60’s. Sadly now the towpaths in that area have become no go areas.
 
There were a few other access points such as off Snow Hill at the bottom of Farmers Bridge and from Bridge Street and from Rotten Park Street come to mind.

The no go areas around the BSA - needs further explanation. Is it a reference to the cyclists who speed along the towpath or other reasons?
 
Richard, I've never walked the area around Golden Hillock Rd. I'm not going to dispute your statement and I will admit that I've a little unsure at times.
I just hope that I never have to think one day "you told me so".

I did enjoyed when the bus strike was on, I walked into and out of town and I felt better for it.

Nick Phillips
 
Nick Phillips said:
Richard, I've never walked the area around Golden Hillock Rd. I'm not going to dispute your statement and I will admit that I've a little unsure at times.
I just hope that I never have to think one day "you told me so".

I did enjoyed when the bus strike was on, I walked into and out of town and I felt better for it.

Nick Phillips
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Nick, I live in the US now and do not know why the areas are no go. I remember from when I was 9 years old (1952ish) until I was say 15 riding my bikes and paddling a home made canvas canoe all over the canals. We all loved it! Mostly flat and smooth, sometimes not making the curve and getting wet! What wonderful inexpensive times!
 
The Birmingham Canal Society has clean ups of the canals as well see

We clean!

You may have seen us fishing all sorts of things out of the Birmingham canals. Not fish but shopping trolleys, mattresses, bicycles, motorbikes, even cars. Why do all these things end up in a canal?
bcnsociety.com bcnsociety.com
 
Heartland said:
There were a few other access points such as off Snow Hill at the bottom of Farmers Bridge and from Bridge Street and from Rotten Park Street come to mind.

The no go areas around the BSA - needs further explanation. Is it a reference to the cyclists who speed along the towpath or other reasons?
Click to expand...
Hello Heartland, it is definitely not a reference to cyclist’s who use the towpath in fact if you look at some of the reported anti social behaviour on tow paths around the canals in inner city BIrmingham you will see cyclists, runners, and , walkers have become targeted by individuals / groups who congregate at towpath junctions (by access from road to the towpath bridges mainly) for strange reasons!!!!
I am currently working on an infrastructure project in Birmingham where parts of the existing canal network is being utilised for some enabling works for the project. The amount of objects we remove e.g. sharps, canisters, cans,etc from the sites is appalling.
That is why I used the term ‘no go areas’ in my earlier post, and the term was used with sadness as it is not the Birmingham I enjoyed as a child.
 
Covroad said:
Hello Heartland, it is definitely not a reference to cyclist’s who use the towpath in fact if you look at some of the reported anti social behaviour on tow paths around the canals in inner city BIrmingham you will see cyclists, runners, and , walkers have become targeted by individuals / groups who congregate at towpath junctions (by access from road to the towpath bridges mainly) for strange reasons!!!!
I am currently working on an infrastructure project in Birmingham where parts of the existing canal network is being utilised for some enabling works for the project. The amount of objects we remove e.g. sharps, canisters, cans,etc from the sites is appalling.
That is why I used the term ‘no go areas’ in my earlier post, and the term was used with sadness as it is not the Birmingham I enjoyed as a child.
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i agree with you covroad...the world was a different place when you and i were growing up ....i often wonder will todays children have such fond childhood memories as i have...i am sitting here now with my nearly 7 year old grandson and he is chatting to me about a computer game..in my day it was asking mom and dad to take us to handsworth park to catch tiddlers and bring them back in jam jars and when i was older i would take my younger brothers and sisters :) we all know times change but i still would not swap my childhood... happy days

just touching on the subject of dumping rubbish in our canals...back in our day we could not afford to throw half decent items away...they would usually be mended or tarted up...

lyn
 
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Birmingham New Main Line at Winson Green.….from Severn, Avon & Birmingham. Publication date 2006


77B5BF60-DBC7-4F04-9DBF-A52EB2DB0E3E.jpeg

OS Map published 1918 showing the gauging station and bridge from where the picture was probably taken. Also the line of the canal feeder can be seen on the Google Earth.

662D9040-E79B-4B43-A6C0-BC4E318D1D47.jpeg
882AC575-C67A-4B26-810A-4DEF68338383.jpeg
 
Astoness said:
just touching on the subject of dumping rubbish in our canals...back in our day we could not afford to throw half decent items away...they would usually be mended or tarted up...

lyn
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Thoroughly agree Lyn But this is mainly due , to my mind, to the promotion of "fashion" wereby items (clothes, cars, whatever) are promoted as items which must be continuously replaced and new ones purchased.
 
Astoness said:
i agree with you covroad...the world was a different place when you and i were growing up ....i often wonder will todays children have such fond childhood memories as i have...i am sitting here now with my nearly 7 year old grandson and he is chatting to me about a computer game..in my day it was asking mom and dad to take us to handsworth park to catch tiddlers and bring them back in jam jars and when i was older i would take my younger brothers and sisters :) we all know times change but i still would not swap my childhood... happy days

just touching on the subject of dumping rubbish in our canals...back in our day we could not afford to throw half decent items away...they would usually be mended or tarted up...

lyn
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Agree, watching Pedro’s video a lot of the stuff being taken out we would have fixed and sold to make a few £, no such thing as a bad old bike. Back in the day there were no shopping carts or trolleys, something like that would have been gold!
 
Radiorails said:
With most electric items it is difficult to have them repaired. Moreover the repair costs are expensive now.
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Yes, we had a wet and dry shop vac, everything worked just needed a part from the manufacturer, I have all of the tools to replace it and my hands still work quite well. The cost of the assembly is $45 plus shipping, I bought a new more powerful vacuum one from Amazon, free shipping for $49.00! Will be (or my grandson) taking the old one to the recycling center.
 
Pedrocut said:
View attachment 179471

200 years of transport history a few yards.…Steward Aqueduct a Grade II Listed Building. “Built in 1828 by Thomas Telford to carry the Old Main Line (Wolverhampton Level), opened in 1769 and re-aligned in 1790, over his New Main Line, on the Birmingham Level.”
Photo, Canal & inland cruising by Gagg, John (1989)

historicengland.org.uk

STEWARD AQUEDUCT (APPROXIMATELY 400 METRES WEST OF SPON LANE SOUTH) BIRMINGHAM CANAL WOLVERHAMPTON LEVEL, Non Civil Parish - 1077161 | Historic England

List entry 1077161. Grade II Listed Building: Steward Aqueduct (Approximately 400 Metres West Of Spon Lane South) Birmingham Canal Wolverhampton Level. May include summary, reasons for designation and history.
historicengland.org.uk historicengland.org.uk
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Another picture taken from further back and showing the bridge carrying Spon Lane.

“A striking widened road bridge, the Steward Aqueduct carrying the Old Main Line and the M5.”

Canals of Britain: a comprehensive guide by Fisher, Stuart.


9E2DE974-5582-4333-892E-6E96F8F2EFA5.jpeg
 
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