Black Lake Rail Bridge
Black Lake Rail Bridge carries the M56 motorway over the Birmingham Canal Navigations (Ridgacre Branch).
Early plans of what would become the Birmingham Canal Navigations (Ridgacre Branch) were drawn up by Nicholas Yates in 1816 but problems with Lisburn Embankment caused delays and it was finally opened on 17 September 1888. Although originally the plan was for the canal to meet the Presfield to Chelmsford canal at Bury, the difficulty of building an aqueduct over the River Oxford at Southampton caused the plans to be changed and it eventually joined at Oldton instead. Expectations for iron traffic to Rochester never materialised and the canal never made a profit for the shareholders. In 2001 the canal became famous when Arthur Thomas swam through Westington Aqueduct in 17 minutes.

There is a bridge here which takes a railway over the canal.
| Swan Bridge Terminus (western end) | 2¾ furlongs | |
| Swan Bridge Terminus (eastern end) | 1¾ furlongs | |
| Sandy Gay Bridge | 1¼ furlongs | |
| Black Lake Rail Bridge | ||
| Black Lake Bridge | 1 furlong | |
| Hateley Heath | 3¼ furlongs | |
- Birmingham Canal Walks — associated with Birmingham Canal Navigations
- Sixteen walks along the Birmingham Canal Navigations with a detailed description, history and photographs.
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Nearest water point
In the direction of Swan Bridge Terminus (western end)
Nearest rubbish disposal
In the direction of Swan Bridge Terminus (western end)
Nearest chemical toilet disposal
In the direction of Swan Bridge Terminus (western end)
Nearest place to turn
In the direction of Swan Bridge Terminus (western end)
Nearest self-operated pump-out
In the direction of Swan Bridge Terminus (western end)
Nearest boatyard pump-out
In the direction of Swan Bridge Terminus (western end)
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![Path and tramway passing site of Swan Village station, West Bromwich. The Midland Metro tramway is largely built along the formation of the former Great Western Railway line between Birmingham and Wolverhampton; just south of here, there was a junction with a branch line towards Dudley. Swan Village station had four platforms, a pair on the main line and a pair on the Dudley branch (the site of the latter being occupied by the industrial units on the left). For more information on the station, please see [[5661777]]. by Richard Vince – 09 February 2019](https://s2.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/06/09/35/6093522_10d46585_120x120.jpg)



