Birmingham Canal Network

It has been voiced many times that Birmingham hasNewhall Branch of Bindley's canal. This is the site of
a larger canal network than Venice and itsBirmingham's first canal which commenced at Newhall
Gondoliers.   In making that statement, which hasStreet. In 1937 the Newhall Branch of the canal was
no doubt been made by many of Birmingham'sacquired by the then Birmingham Corporation and
population over the years, it would be verydrained to make way for civic redevelopment.
interesting to determine how many Brummie's haveBrindley and his team of engineers took four years
actually taken the trouble to walk and explore theto build the original canal and they found themselves
Birmingham canal network?solving the various problems they faced as they
Running between the daily hustle and bustle ofwere encountered. One such problem was
Birmingham, is a canal system where some of theencountered at Smethwick where the plan to build a
examples of Birmingham's industrial heritage still,tunnel under the Smethwick Summit had to be
fortunately, remain.abandoned due to ground conditions. Brindley finished
Areas close to Broad Street have pubs and streetsup by going over the hill through the construction of
named after the canal builders and the industrialistsix locks. Brindley's canal was a contour canal which,
who financed the building of them. One such name iswhere practically possible, looped around contours to
that of Brindley Place, named after canal builderavoid gradients.
James Brindley.From Cambrian Walk the toll house can again be
 reached via the foot bridge and one can follow the
Brindley was a millwright by trade and mainly involvedtowpath under Tindal Street Bridge walking past the
himself in the building of watermills. Born in 1716, hiscanal junction and the Birmingham National Indoor
engineering and construction knowledge was mainlyArena. This is the commencement of Thomas
self taught and not always successful, however, heTelford's New Birmingham Main Line. Whilst standing in
quickly learnt through trial and error. His firstfront of the Birmingham National Indoor Arena and
experience of building canals came when the 3rdlooking across the canal and underneath the
Duke of Bridgwater wanted a canal built to connectfootbridges, an inlet to part of Brindley's original Main
his mines in Worsley to the centre of Manchester.Line can be viewed, now called the Oozells Street
With the assistance of Brindley and funded by theLoop.
Duke of Bridgwater, the Bridgwater canal wasOver the years the maintenance of the canal tended
completed in 1764 and later extended to the Merseyto be overlooked and by the early 1800's  the
Estuary in 1776.canal  was suffering badly due to this and in 1820
Brindley was also responsible for introducing thethe Government, as an aid to boosting the economy
technique of clay puddling which made the sides andby commissioning public works, sent Thomas Telford
bed of the cutting watertight.to Birmingham to inspect the now neglected canals.
 Telford was unimpressed with Brindley's meandering
Although the building of the canal virtually bankruptcanal which looped back and forth through the city,
the Duke, its construction was a long term successobviously constructed at the time to easily pick up
and industrialist, including Josiah Wedgwood, who atthe various warehouses of the day. Having looked
the time was transporting china clay, by sea, fromcarefully at the canal, Telford's proposal was to
Cornwall to Liverpool suddenly took note.rebuild it in its entirety along a much shorter and
In Birmingham a meeting was called by businessmenstraighter route and also making the journey from
proposing a link from the coal mines of the BlackBirmingham to Tipton lock free. The route taken
Country to Birmingham and the Birmingham Canaleventually became known as the New Main Line, and
Company came into being.when opened in 1829 was some five miles and also
On the 24 February 1768, the Parliament of the dayat that time, five hours shorter in journey time.
gave the go ahead for a route stretching from NewContinuing along the towpath with the canal on the
Hall Street in Birmingham to the Staffordshire andleft, it passes under Sheepcote Bridge where the
Worcestershire canal passing through Smethwick,remnants of Corporation Wharf can be found and
Tipton and Bilston. James Brindley was appointedthe now closed Fiddle and Bone public house which is
engineer at a salary of £200 per year and a localnow part of The Roundhouse, a circular terrace at
committee was given the task of raising somethe junction of Sheepcote Street and Vincent Street.
£50,000, the money needed to build this section ofThe Roundhouse is one of the city's best known
canal.pubs and music venue.
Access to a part of the canal that Brindley built canAt the Vincent Street Bridge the canal can be
be approached from Birmingham Broad Street, wherecrossed by using the adjacent steps to street level,
a set of steps lead down to the canal past thecrossing the road and then heading back to Brindley
Birmingham International Convention Centre andPlace along the other towpath.
Birmingham Symphony Hall. Once on the towpathOn this side of the canal there is a footbridge and
follow the path under two footbridges until the Maltthis is where the other end of Oozells Street Loop
House pub is reached. The pub is a survivor of therejoins the New Main Line. Along this section of the
numerous malt houses that fronted this side of theLoop are moored narrow boats which are home to
canal and where grain was stored for the brewing ofsome of Birmingham's community.
ale in the 1800's.Continuing back along the towpath towards Brindley
The island that can be seen in the centre of thePlace, the Birmingham National Indoor Arena can be
canal is the hub of the Birmingham canal network asseen on the other side of the canal. This was once
it marks the junction of Brindley's canal, Telford's Mainthe site of numerous railway sidings and owned by
Line canal routes and the Birmingham and Fazeleythe Birmingham Canal Company.
Canal. 
From the Malt House pub, cross over the canal viaThe canal side area around Brindley Place was home
the footbridge towards the Birmingham Nationalto numerous warehouses and railway sidings;
Indoor Arena and walk down to the canal side withhowever, it is now home to Shops, Restaurants,
the canal on the right, the towpath runs under thestylish Bars and Cafes, the Ikon Gallery and the
road to the Framer's Bridge Locks. An engineeringNatural Sea Life Centre.
spectacle waits with the viewing of thirteenFollowing the towpath from Brindley Place, there next
continuous locks running towards Paradise Street onappears Broad Street Tunnel which passes under the
the Birmingham to Frazely Canal. The locks and Bridgeroad before emerging into Gas Street Basin. At the
are named after a local landowner and gun maker ofend of the towpath is a bridge leading to the Mail
the 1700's, called James Farmer.Box, home of designer brand shops, cafes, bars,
Near the first set of locks is an old toll office wherewaterside restaurants and hotels.
canal users had to pay a toll based on the weightMany of the aforementioned items of interest can be
and type of cargo they carried. Continuing along thefound in other sections of Activ Birmingham, see the
towpath to Paradise Street and crossing over ontoInformation pages and What's Going on in
the other towpath it is possible to continue backBirmingham. Remember, if you do decide to walk
along the canal along James Brindley Walk to the tollalong the towpaths be alcohol free or you may get
office.wet.
The steps at the end of the James Brindley Walk 
allow access to Cambrian Wharf. The basin next toBe safe.
the footbridge is all that remains of the original