Birmingham Canal Navigations (Old Main Line)
The Birmingham Canal Navigations (Old Main Line) is a narrow canal and is part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations.
It runs for 6 miles and 4 furlongs through 3 locks from Tipton Factory Junction (where it joins the Birmingham Canal Navigations (Main Line)) to Smethwick Junction (where it joins the Birmingham Canal Navigations (Main Line)).
The maximum dimensions for a boat to be able to travel on the waterway are 72 feet long and 7 feet wide. The maximum headroom is not known. The maximum draught is not known.
It has junctions with the Birmingham Canal Navigations (Titford Canal - Main Line) at Oldbury Junction; with the Birmingham Canal Navigations (Spon Lane Locks Branch) at Spon Lane Junction; with the Birmingham Canal Navigations (Engine Arm) at Engine Arm Junction; with the Birmingham Canal Navigations (Gower Branch) at Brades Hall Junction and with the Birmingham Canal Navigations (Dudley Canal No 1 - Birmingham End) at Tipton Junction.
Notable features of the waterway include Smethwick Locks and Summit Tunnel
The navigational authority for this waterway is Canal & River TrustRelevant publications — Waterway Maps:
- Waterway Routes 01M - England and Wales Map
- Waterway Routes 88M - Stourport Ring Map (Downloadable)
- Waterway Routes 85M - Black Country Ring Map (Downloadable)
- Waterway Routes 38M - Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) Map (Downloadable)
Relevant publications — Waterway Guides:
- Collins Nicholson Waterways Guides No 2 - Severn, Avon & Birmingham
- Pearson's Canal Companion: Stourport Ring; Black Country Canals; Birmingham Canal Navigations
Relevant publications — Waterway Histories:
| Tipton Factory Junction Junction of BCN Old and New Main Lines. Access to the Barge & Barrel PH |
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| Former Malthouse Stables Now a water activity centre |
¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Tipton Visitor Moorings | 1 furlong | 0 locks | |
| John the Lock Moorings - Friends of Tipton Cut | 3½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| The Fountain Inn | 4½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Owen Street Bridge | 4¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Coronation Gardens Moorings | 5¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Tipton Green Junction Junction with the closed Tipton Green and Toll End Communication Canals |
5½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Tipton Green Bridge The new bridge carrying Park Lane West over the canal is right next to the old bridge. The gap between the bridges is in the verge. |
6 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Tipton Junction Junction of Dudley Canal No 1 (Lord Wards Canal) with the BCN Old Main Line |
1 mile | 0 locks | |
| Pitchfork Bridge | 1 mile and 1¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Pitchfork Pipe Bridge | 1 mile and 1¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Coneygree Bridge | 1 mile and 2¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Randalls Bridge | 1 mile and 4¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Dudley Port Bridge | 1 mile and 5¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Tividale Quays Basin | 1 mile and 6¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Kier's Bridge Arm (closed) | 1 mile and 7 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Kiers Bridge | 1 mile and 7¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Tividale Aqueduct over Netherton Tunnel Branch |
2 miles | 0 locks | |
| Gilberts Bridge | 2 miles and 1¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Hainge Navigation leading to Hainge Cutting Infilled and built upon |
2 miles and 2 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Dudley Road West Bridge | 2 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Tividale Toll Stop | 2 miles and 3 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Tile Cutting Infilled and built upon |
2 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Russel Cutting Infilled and built upon |
2 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Shinwell Cutting Infilled |
2 miles and 4 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Fishers Bridge | 2 miles and 4½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Brades Hall Colliery Basin (closed) Infilled |
2 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Brades Hall Junction Junction of Gower Branch with BCN Old Main Line and Gower Basin |
2 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of City Road Cutting Infilled |
2 miles and 5 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Brades Cable Bridge | 2 miles and 7 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Brades Bridge | 2 miles and 7 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of St James's Cutting | 2 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Brades Loop (northwest) Infilled and built upon |
3 miles and ½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Junction with Oldbury Loop (northwest) and Brades Loop (southeast) Both loops infilled |
3 miles and 1½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| High Bridge (Oldbury) | 3 miles and 2¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Littlefields Cutting Infilled and built upon |
3 miles and 3½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Whimsey Bridge (west) | 3 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Whimsey Bridge (east) | 3 miles and 4 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Nail Works Basins Infilled |
3 miles and 4¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Glass Works Basin | 3 miles and 4½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Valencia Wharf and Oldbury Loop Junction (southeast) Infilled |
3 miles and 4½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Valentia Arm Junction Infilled and partly build upon |
3 miles and 4¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Seven Stars Bridge | 3 miles and 5¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Seven Stars Arm (closed) | 3 miles and 5½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Junction of the Houghton Branch (Chemical Arm) (closed) Junction of the Houghton Branch and the Old Main Line |
3 miles and 6 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Oldbury Wharf Stanked off by I.C.I. Ltd. May 1950 |
3 miles and 6 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Oldbury Branch Railway Bridge Oldbury Goods Station - Oldbury and Langley Green Line |
3 miles and 6¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Stone Street Bridge | 3 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Stone Street Bridge Wharf | 3 miles and 6¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| M5 Motorway Viaduct (Oldbury) Motorway bridges about 400 yards of the canal |
3 miles and 7 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Oldbury Junction Bridge | 3 miles and 7 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Oldbury Junction Junction of Old Main Line and Titford Canal |
3 miles and 7¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Manchester Street Bridge | 3 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Anchor Bridge (Oldbury) | 4 miles | 0 locks | |
| Blakeley Hall Bridge Site of Toll House |
4 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Stewart Turnover Bridge | 4 miles and 3 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Spon Lane Basin Infilled |
4 miles and 3 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Stewart Railway Bridge | 4 miles and 3 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Stewart Aqueduct | 4 miles and 3¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Spon Lane Junction Junction of Old Main Line and Spon Lane Locks Branch |
4 miles and 4 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Site of Stour Valley Works Basin Infilled |
4 miles and 4¼ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Spon Lane Bridge | 4 miles and 5 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| M5 Motorway over Old Main Line (western end) | 4 miles and 6 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| M5 Motorway over Old Main Line (eastern end) | 4 miles and 7¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Summit Rail Bridge | 5 miles and 2½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Summit Bridge | 5 miles and 2½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Summit Tunnel (northwestern entrance) | 5 miles and 2½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Summit Tunnel (southeastern entrance) Telford Way (A4168) crosses the tunnel |
5 miles and 3 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| New Smethwick Pumping Station (old line) Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre |
5 miles and 5¾ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Brasshouse Lane Bridge | 5 miles and 6 furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Engine Arm Junction | 6 miles | 0 locks | |
| Smethwick Top Lock No 1 | 6 miles and ½ furlongs | 0 locks | |
| Smethwick Top Lock Footbridge | 6 miles and ½ furlongs | 1 lock | |
| Smethwick Middle Lock No 2 | 6 miles and 1½ furlongs | 1 lock | |
| Site of Smethwick Bottom Lock Wharf | 6 miles and 2 furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Smethwick Bottom Lock No 3 | 6 miles and 2¼ furlongs | 2 locks | |
| Pope Bridge | 6 miles and 2½ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Woodford Iron Works Basin Infilled |
6 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Smethwick Towing Path Bridge | 6 miles and 3¾ furlongs | 3 locks | |
| Smethwick Junction Junction of BCN Old and New Main Lines |
6 miles and 4 furlongs | 3 locks |
- Birmingham Canal Walks — associated with Birmingham Canal Navigations
- Sixteen walks along the Birmingham Canal Navigations with a detailed description, history and photographs.
- Whimsey Bridge - Made in Oldbury — associated with Whimsey Bridge (west)
- Visit the Steward Aqueduct and discover its history - Industrial Tour — associated with Stewart Aqueduct
- Find out the best way to visit the Steward Aqueduct, how long it takes to see, how to get there, and details on its history and architecture.
- Visit the Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre and discover its history — associated with New Smethwick Pumping Station (old line)
- Find out the best way to visit this heritage centre, how long it takes to see, how to get there, and details on its history and architecture.
- Valencia Wharf — associated with Valencia Wharf and Oldbury Loop Junction (southeast)
- Oldbury Wharf — associated with Oldbury Wharf
- Visit the Summit Bridge and discover its history - Industrial Tour — associated with Summit Bridge
- Find out the best way to visit the Summit Bridge, how long it takes to see, how to get there, and details on its history and architecture.
Wikipedia has a page about Birmingham Canal Navigations
Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) is a network of canals connecting Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and the eastern part of the Black Country. The BCN is connected to the rest of the English canal system at several junctions.
At its working peak, the BCN contained about 160 miles (257 km) of canals; today just over 100 miles (160 km) are navigable, and the majority of traffic is from tourist and residential narrowboats.
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