Lost Canals Of Birmingham & The Black Country

[Morturn]

Andy Tidy, AKA Canal Hunter has jusr relead another vodeo here.

 

[Pedrocut]

“Can this abandoned canal of Birmingham revitalise the area and bring nature back to selly oak.”

 

[Heartland]

The reconstruction of the Dudley Canal at Selly Oak has a new stretch to the junction with the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

Lapal Tunnel along this route had many problems with closures happening for repair even at earlier times, G R Jebb had a tramway laid in the tunnel to make repairs to the tunnel, but that did not prevent the final closure. The canal from Selly Oak remained in use for a time for access to brickworks near California

 

[Pedrocut]

A look at Rattlechain lagoon.

 

[Pedrocut]

The name "Houghton's Arm" derives from William Houghton and sons, chemical manufacturers who were situated near the arm in The 1800s.

 

[Heartland]

The name "Houghton's Arm derives from William Houghton and sons, chemical manufacturers who were situated near the arm in The 1800s.

Perhaps not quite right
Chance & Hartley bought the site at Oldbury for a new Chemical works in 1835

The Houghton's were land owners and when the Titford Canal was first proposed canal company minutes mention an intention to join the Houghton's or Chemical Arm but the cost crossing their land led the surveyor to suggest another junction nearby

 

[Pedrocut]

Yes the early canal minutes record negotiations with the Haugtons during planning, but despite the deviation the name Houghton Arm stuck probably due to the proximity of the Houghton estate.

OR documented secondary sources emphasize the naming came from Dugdale Houghton’s involvement in canal land disputes, rather than any family estate.

 

[Dionysius//88]

Despite there being a wealth of waterways in this region, there were others that have closed and have been filled in. Within the greater Birmingham area there were several canal basins and arms that have disappeared. These include Whitmore's Arm, built by the engineer William Whitmore of the Lionel Street Foundry, which ran from the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal towards George Street and the Sandpits. It had been conceived to serve a canal port by that under rated engineer William James with tramroad links that formed part of an industrial tramroad network serving Midland industry.

Another lost waterway is the Dudley No 2 Canal that linked the Dudley No 1 Canal at Parkhead with Selly Oak. The part from Hawne Basin to Selly Oak was filled in, but a part has been reinstated at Leasowes Park. The disused section includes the 3795 yard long Lapal Tunnel.

In the Black Country there are several lost waterways:
(1) Old Birmingham Canal from Tipton to Bradley
(2) Bradley Lock Branch from (1) to Walsall Canal
(3) Tipton Green and Toll End Canals
(4) Dank's Branch
(5) Monway Branch
(6) Gospel Oak Branch
(7) Bilston Branch
(8) Willenhall Branch
(9) Bentley Canal
(10) Two Locks Branch
(11) Stourbridge Extension Canal
(12) Northern part of the Cannock Extension Canal
(13) Churchbridge Locks
(14) Sneyd Branch
(15) Wyrley Bank Canal
(16) The terminus of the Daw End Canal at Hay Head Quarries

There were also diversions and improvements that left sections of original waterway isolated such as the canal near the Cape, Smethwick. the top part that became known as the Cape Arm is now within the troubled construction site for New Hospital. The branch off this arm once served ironworks and even a blast furnace!

You can appreciate it more when you see whats gone in black and white in front of you

 

[Heartland]

It is also important to look at old maps

The ordnance survey of 1834 map 62 shows the branch canal serving a colliery



Then the Birmingham Canal Navigations produced a map in 1855 which they amended from time to time and there is a copy in Birmingham Library Archives



Here the Houghton or Chemical Arm is shown to serve the Chance chemical works (left side) and Albright & Wilson (right side)