Category: Photos

The photo is taken on the Main Line of the Birmingham Canal Navigations with Wolverhampton behind the camera.

Straight ahead is the New Main Line towards Birmingham and diverging to the right is the Old Main Line to Birmingham.

Travelling through the Black Country the wonderful green landscapes may surprise some people.

As the canal approaches Coseley Tunnel the land level gradually rises each side of the route and the bridge linking the two sides is rather taller than usual.

South Coseley Bridge has a pipe bridge over the top as the canal enters the gradually deepening cutting towards Coseley Tunnel.

The gradually deepening cutting leads to Coseley Tunnel. It was the construction of this tunnel that provided a more direct route between Bloomfield Junction and Deepfields Junction than the former Wednesbury Oak Loop.

Coseley Tunnel was built wide enough for two narrowboats to pass with towpaths along both sides.

The steps lead up to a good vantage point from above the tunnel mouth. Unfortunately the brick wall there provides great hiding place for stone throwing vandals.

The New Main Line of the Birmingham Canal Navigations runs straight past Deepfields Junction between Birmingham and Wolverhampton.

Once a complete loop, known as the Wednesdbury Oak Loop, the remaining arm, often referred to as the Bradley Arm now only goes as far as Bradley Workshops.

Looking along the Main Line of the Birmingham Canal Navigations on a gloomy morning towards Deepfields Junction. Birmingham is straight ahead, with Wolverhampton behind the camera.

Diverging under the towpath bridge on the left is the Bradley Arm, as the remaining length of the largely abandoned Wednesbury Oak Look is now called.

Spring Vale Rail Bridge carries the railway line between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton over the canal. The railway line stays close the the canal for most of that route as they both aim for a route which is as level as practicable.

Jibbet Lane Bridge has been repaired using modern brickwork in a different colour. This is a common practice when repairing old structures when it may be impracticable or uneconomic to repair using identical materials and this makes it clear which is the new brickwork which is not trying to imitate the old.

Catchems Corner Bridge does exactly what it says on the name plate.

The sharp corner immediately on the Wolverhampton side of this bridge makes the approach blind and catches out boaters who aren’t paying attention when they meet a boat coming the other way.

The Main Line of the Birmingham Canal Navigations passes Horseley Fields Junction on its way between Birmingham and Aldersley Junction in Wolverhampton.

Branching off is the Wyrley and Essington Canal on its way to Ogley Junction vi Catshill Junction.

Wolverhampton Bottom Lock 21 marks the end of the Main Line of the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN).

There’s an interesting bulge in the towpath between locks 20 and 21 on the Wolverhampton Flight. It appears to be deliberately shaped that way.

It possible this was introduced when boats were pulled by horses when the tow rope would tend to…

Lock 20 on the Wolverhampton Flight has single gates at both ends, with all the other locks having double gates at the bottom end.

The flight was originally built with twenty locks, with the bottom lock being deeper than the others. Later…

Except for Lock 20, all the locks in the Wolverhampton Flight have double bottom gates, and they all have single top gates.

The Wolverhampton Flight is crossed by four times by railway lines, sometimes on low bridges like this and sometimes on much more impressive viaducts.

Many of the locks in the Wolverhampton Flight have bridges across the tail of the lock. This is Lock 10.

Despite being close to the centre of Wolverhampton the canal forms a lovely green route to or from the city.

The locks on the Wolverhampton Flight are sensibly spaced so they are in easy walking distance for the crew, but far enough apart that boats can pass easily in the pound.

110424-162311 – SO 91810 98939 – BCN-ML 21-650

Almost a long bridge, this is Wolverhampton Tunnel which provides no restriction to navigation as two boats can pass just as easily in the tunnel as outside.

At Smethwick Junction the Old and New Main Lines diverge. They rejoin into a single route at Factory Junction.

To the right is the original route of the canal, now known as the Old Main Line. It climbs almost immediately through three locks, then runs on that level to Wolverhampton.

The large Lee Bridge spans the Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) Main Line at an angle.

The four-way signpost marks Rotton Park Junction.

The Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) Main Line runs from Birmingham to Wolverhampton. The original route of the canal now forms the Icknield Port Loop and the Soho Loop which diverge at this junction.

Deep Cutting Junction and Old Turn Junction are often considered as one junction where you can go four ways.

This side of the footbridge, with the signpost on the island, is Deep Cutting Junction where the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal to Fazeley Junction leaves behind the camera. The Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN) Main Line runs to Gas Street Basin and Worcester Bar to the left.

Canal Voyagers Hotel Boats, with motor boat Snipe towing un‑powered butty Taurus as they take their guests around the canal system.

Close to the centre of Wolverhampton the canal passes a mixture of modern build flats and old warehouses which have been converted into flats.

There are several mooring spaces above Wolverhampton Top Lock, frequently used by boaters the night before descending the Wolverhampton 21 Locks, or immediately after ascending them.

Wolverhampton Top Lock 1 is a welcome sight for those who have just ascended the 21 locks of the Wolverhampton flight.

Many boaters have a photo similar to this in their blog or personal photo collection.

This is the main line between Wolverhampton and Shrewsbury, which is electrified for a short distance between…