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32639

            The Birmingham Main Line Canal in Birmingham, West Midlands.

On 24 January 1767 a number of prominent Birmingham businessmen, including Matthew Boulton and others from the Lunar Society, held a public meeting in the White Swan, High Street, Birmingham to consider the possibility of building a canal from Birmingham to the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal near Wolverhampton, taking in the coalfields of the Black Country. They commissioned the canal engineer James Brindley to propose a route. 

On 24 February 1768 an Act of Parliament was passed to allow the building of the canal, with branches at Ocker Hill and Wednesbury where there were coal mines. The first phase of building was to Wednesbury whereupon the price of coal sold to domestic households in Birmingham halved overnight. Vested interests of the sponsors caused the creation of two terminal wharves in Birmingham. The 1772 Newhall Branch and wharf (now built upon) originally extended north of, and parallel to Great Charles Street. The 1773 Paradise Street Branch split off at Old Turn Junction and headed through Broad Street Tunnel, turned left at what is now Gas Street Basin and under Bridge Street to wharves on a tuning fork-shaped pair of long basins: Paradise Wharf, also called Old Wharf. 

By 6 November 1769, 10 miles (16 km) had been completed to Hill Top collieries in West Bromwich, with a one mile summit pound at Smethwick. Brindley had tried to dig a cutting through the hill at Smethwick but had encountered ground too soft to cope with. In 1770 work started towards Wolverhampton. On 21 September 1772 the canal was joined with the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Aldersley Junction via another 20 locks (increased to 21 in 1784 to save water). Brindley died a few days later. The canal measured 22 miles and 5 furlongs (22⅝ miles), mostly following the contour of the land but with deviations to factories and mines in the Black Country and Birmingham. 

Over the next thirty years, as more canals and branches were built or connected it became necessary to review the long, winding, narrow Old Main Line. With a single towpath boats passing in opposite directions had to negotiate their horses and ropes. In 1824 Thomas Telford was commissioned to examine alternatives. 

Telford proposed major changes to the section between Birmingham and Smethwick, widening and straightening the canal, providing towpaths on each side, and cutting through Smethwick Summit to bypass the locks, allowing lock-free passage from Birmingham to Tipton. By 1827 the New Main Line passed straight through, and linked to, the loops of the Old Main Line, creating Oozells Loop, Icknield Port Loop, Soho Loop, Cape Loop and Soho Foundry Loop, allowing continued access to the existing factories and wharves.

Taken in: United Kingdom / England / Birmingham City / Brindleyplace (show map)

Taken on: September 10, 2010

Tags:

Canal

reflection

river

stream

brook

creek

Birmingham

West Midlands

Midlands

England

English

United Kingdom

Great Britain

Britain

British

suburb

urban

Birmingham Main Line Canal

BCN Main Line

BCN

Main Line

Birmingham Canal

Birmingham Canal Navigations company

Birmingham Canal Navigations

Matthew Boulton

Boulton

Lunar Society

James Brindley « less

Sets appears in: • West Midlands • Birmingham Main Line Canal more » • Birmingham « less

Groups appears in: • The Midlands • Midlanders more » • Birmingham • canals • City • Waterscapes • Birmingham Canals • IMAGE`S OF BUILDINGS - OLD AND NEW • West Midlands • Boats of All Kind • View of Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Birmingham. • Canals and Waterways of Great Britain • Midlands Landmarks • Birmingham Post and Mail • Summer's shots • CANALMANIA • GREAT PANOS • MONUMENT • Boats, Yachts And Ships (No 30/60 Groups Rule) • WATERFALLS AND RIVERS • CANALBOAT WORLD « less

Camera: Nikon D90, f/13.0, 1/200 sec, 26mm (=39mm), ISO 200 (more info) (hide info)

Camera:	Nikon D90
Aperture:	f/13.0
Exposure Time:	0.005 sec (1/200)
Focal Length:	26mm (35mm equivalent: 39mm)
ISO:	200
Exposure Bias:	0 EV
Flash:	Auto, Fired, Return detected
Exposure Program:	Not Defined
Exposure Mode:	Auto
Metering Mode:	Multi-segment
White Balance:	Auto
Color Space:	sRGB
Software:	Adobe Photoshop Elements 7.0
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