Birmingham Canal Navigations Society, the BCNS

Junctions of the BCN.....Phil Clayton

Part Four

In 1983 the BCN Society, under the then Chairman John Phillips, undertook to signpost the main junctions. The first post was erected on the island at Old Turn Junction (then known as Farmers Bridge Junction but we won't go into all that again!) on May 21 st, 1983 and was soon followed by many others. The most recent was at Horseley Fields in Wolverhampton, which appeared in the summer of 2004. The BCNS's Explorer Scheme was set up to encourage people to visit those junctions which have, over the years, been graced with the slender signposts erected by the Society.

This series of articles intends to have a fresh look at the junctions, see what has changed in the intervening years and, hopefully, to encourage others to go out and become Explorers themselves. The scheme is still in operation and details are available from the coordinator, Phil Clayton, address:-211 Marsh Lane, Wolverhampton WV10 6SA.

The junctions were all numbered in the BCNS Signpost Trail booklet published and this series will follow that order.

See below at the foot of this article a copy of the information minus photographs and original contained in the booklet. This is just one idea of how to see all the junctions, half the fun is working out your own route. So if you wish to start you have something to go on with.... Web Ed

Use the Photo Gallery in Views around the BCN to see the area described after reading

Pelsall Junction

The Wyrley & Essington Extension was joined by the Cannock Extension Canal in 1858 making Pelsall the last junction still surviving to be opened on the BCN. Rumer Hill, joining the Cannock to Hatherton Branch of the Staff's & Worc's opened in 1863 but has disappeared without trace. In the same year as Pelsall, several junctions associated with Netherton Tunnel and its branch opened further south. The Cannock cut is a canal of the railway age which heads off severely northwards through a series of brick bridges to end nowadays just short of Watling Street. Formerly the canal continued to Hednesford Basin on the 473 foot level and was busy with strings of 'ampton boats' taking coal from the Cannock Chase pits to the Black Country furnaces and factories. Just up from the junction the Extension is crossed by Friar Bridge next to which stand two BCN cottages, nos 211 and 212 with old stables opposite. The bridge across the Wyrley canal at the junction is properly Pelsall Junction Bridge but is known locally as the Red Iron. It is diiicult to imagine that just over a century ago there was a large iron works by the junction. Pelsall Works Bridge, just down from the Free Trade Inn, led to the coal pits and iron furnaces on the common. The bridge itself is different from most Horseley bridges as typified by the lattice-work one at the junction itself, for here fine semi-circular castings support brick parapets. Between 1832 and 1888 the Pelsall Coal and Iron Company worked blast furnaces alongside the cut and there were coal mines on either side

The company worked a fleet of day and cabin boats. The day boats carried slack from the Short Heath colliries and the cabin boats transported iron and coal all over the BCN.

The opening of the Cannock Extension gave an added impetus to the works which, at its peak employed over a hundred workers. A contemporary advert shows that the company produced Iron Bars, Hoops, Plates, Sheets; Hinge, Tube, Gas and Nail Strip; Angles, Tees and Half-Rounds; Chain Cable, Plating, Rivet, Sash, Shoe and Fancy Iron. Steel was made in Bars, Hoops and Sheets; also in Strips Plain and Bevelled. The Firm's stated speciality was Rolled Tube Strips and it also advertised its Best Cannock Chase Deep and Shallow Coals. In 1891 the company went into voluntary liquidation and although it was offered for sale the next year there were no takers and the plant was later dismantled and disposed of. The slag heap was cleared by Messrs John Freakley using a machine known as a "cracker" which gave the common its nickname. The buildings had been dismantled and the site cleared by the end of the 1920's. Pelsall Common is now a nature reserve run by Walsall Countryside Services, one of several in the borough. The mixture of soils which have developed on the site, ranging from the acid coal spoil to the lime rich works site, has led to a wide variety of vegetation developing and the common now presents a familiar Black Country fringe landscape of natural regeneration with gorse, ponies and magpies.

Close to the junction stand two good pubs. Up the lane from Pelsall Works Bridge is the Free Trade Inn, a friendly local where there was some consternation on one visit as bitter was coming out of the mild pump! The Royal Oak stands next to the canal by Yorks Bridge.

Refreshed, the traveller can continue around the Wyrley & Essington Extension, passing a couple of erstwhile junctions which served colliery branches, Gilpins Arm and the Slough Arm both of which will be barely noticed from the canal. The Slough Arm can be explored on foot, being reached from Engine Lane bridge which is still substantially intact. A walk south towards the junction reveals a lock chamber hidden in vegetation of Amazonian proportions. The canal soon approaches the next real junction.

Catshill Junction

Beneath its tower blocks (One of which was being demolished just over a year ago when we passed) the junction still retains a workaday feel about it even though most of the former canal buildings have gone. There's just a feeling that if a horse came hauling a coal boat though the bridge'ole it would be a perfectly natural event. There are narrows on both canals by the junction while two erstwhile BCN cottages stand away from the cut in London Road. BCNS signpost no.9. erected in 1985, marks the junction.

Catshill became a junction with the opening of the Wyrley & Essington's Daw End Branch in about 1802. Built to exploit the limestone of Hay Head, the branch follows a meandering course like its main line through a landscape of extractive industry past and present.

Passing through in August 1993 they were rebuilding Clayhanger Bridge just south of the junction and had to remove a temporary footbridge to let "Marsh Harrier" through. "I bet you haven't had many boats" we said. "First one" was the reply but whether it was that day or week we never found out.

Following the Wyrley Extension north eastwards from Catshill another former and hopefully future junction is met after amile at Ogley. Here the W & E Extension started its descent to join the Coventry Canal at Huddlesford, just seven miles, thirty locks and who knows how many years away. It was joined here by the Anglesey Branch which started life as merely a feeder from Cannock Reservoir (now Chasewater) and was widened and deepened around 1850 when the Marquess of Anglesey began to exploit the coal reserves in the vicinity. Two lock houses, BCN 270 and 271 stand near the junction. Having studied the forward looking BCN signpost the traveller has, for now at least, to return to Catshill and follow the Daw End Branch for its winding five miles to the next junction.

Thank you Phil for this very interesting series. If you have not completed The BCN Explorer do give it a go. You don't need a boat! You can walk, cycle, get around the BCN in whatever way you like just get to all the signposts! You'll know the BCN after that!"
Give Phil a ring he'll sort it out with you. telephone: 01902 780920.....B.P Ed

For those interested below is a copy (minus Photographs and a map) of the text of the Signpost Trail.It has been altered slightly as the original document is a few years old now.... Web Ed

Signpost Trail

Introduction

In 1983 the B.C.N.S under the guidance of John Phillips, Chairman at the time, undertook to Signpost the junctions of the BCN. Being a very complicated system, many boaters and walkers tended to stick to the Main Line to avoid getting lost. It was felt that given an indication of their destination they would be encouraged to explore the little used branches and loops which are a feature of the BCN.

This booklet issued by the Society is designed to show you some of the signposts, via Kevin Maslins first class photographs, at the same time give you some ideas for cruising, with a route round the BCN designed to take in the whole system. Perforce some parts are repeated, but you can pick up the route where ever you join the system.

All the signposts, a list appears on the reverse of the fold out map, were manufactured orginally by the Royal Label Factory (Ceased trading in 2001, patterns now held by another company) and in 1983 cost around Ł400 each, paid for mainly by the BCNS with the occasional Sponsor. (We wish they cost that much today, ie double that and add a bit more). Typically they stand 14 feet above ground level, with a steel post and aluminuim cast arms.

A few practical words about the use of the guide, junctions are given Way Point numbers. Distance/Locks/Time are shown, for example as 1/8/3. (parts of a mile are treated as decimals ie half a mile= 0.5) Followed by some relevant remarks. OPTIONS, if taken, will push you down some arms or take you to the joining extremities of the system. The only real answer is GO AND SEE FOR YOURSELF

Finally it is recommended that you use this booklet in conjunction with a BCN guide , like Pearsons BCN Canal Companion or the many others to give you in depth information.

CANAL or CANAL JUNCTION	WAY POINT	MILES/LOCKS/TIME	REMARKS
Digbeth Branch Canal: Bordesley Junction	1		Start really on the Grand Union, but it feels and looks like the BCN
to Aston Junc	2	1/6/2	Via Digbeth Junction and thro Ashted tunnel
Birmingham & Fazeley Canal
Aston Junc	2
to Salford Junc	3	1.75/11/3	Spaghetti Junction from a different viewpoint
Tame Valley Canal
Salford Junc	3
to Rushall Junc	4	5/13/5	Locks & Motorways
to Tame Valley Junc	5	3.5/0/1	Cuttings & Banks
Walsall Canal
Tame Valley Junc	5
to Walsall Junction	6	5.5/0/2	Into Town Arm,Art Gallery,Wharf P.H
Walsall Junction	6		Visit Leather Museum
to Birchills Junc	7	1/8/3	Ditto
Wyrley & Essington
Birchills Junc	7
to Pelsall Junc	8	5/0/2	Old Colliery Country
			OPTION at Pelsall Jcn Cruise Cannock Extension to Norton Canes Docks. Wind at North end. Return distance approx 3.5 miles.
to Catshill Junc	9	2.75/0/1	Useful Supermarket Brownhills
			OPTION at Catshill Jcn. Cruise Anglesey Branch to Chasewater. Wind at North end. Return distance approx 4 miles.
Daw End Branch
Catshill Junc	9
to Longwood Junc	10	5.25/0/2	Urban Contour Canal
Rushall Canal
Longwood Junc	10		Boat Services
to Rushall Junc	4	2.75/9/4
Tame Valley Canal
Rushall Junc	4
Tame Valley Canal	5	3.5/0/1	Crosses Motorway and railways on aqueducts on your second trip along this section.
Walsall Canal
Tame Valley Junc	5
to Ryders Green Junc	11	1.5/8/3	Shops at Locks 8-7
			OPTION Cruise to End of Ridgacre Branch. Canal used to go to Black Lake. Winding Hole now just before New road that cuts across canal ending navigation. Opposite road canal continues past Pub etc. Good walk to see rest of canal. New Metro line with station (Black Lake) crosses cut off section of canal. Total distance cruise and walk approx 3 miles from Ryders Green.
Wednesbury Old Canal
Ryders Green Junc	11
to Pudding Green Junc	12	1.25/0/1	Heavy Industry
New Main Line Canal
Pudding Green Junc	12
to Bromford Junc	13	.75/0/.5
to Smethwick Junc	14	2.25/0/1	Take the low road from Bromford not Spon Lane Locks
Old Main Loop Line Canal
Smethwick Junc	14
to Engine Branch Junc	15	.5/3/1	Cross the Aqueduct and cruise to the end of the Engine Arm. Winding Hole at end plus services.
to Spon Lane Junc	16	1.5/0/1	Note Bridge and Tunnel
to Oldbury Locks Junc	17	1/0/1	Follow motorway
Oldbury Locks Junc	17		OPTION Join the Titford Canal to the Pools. 2 miles, 6 locks approx time about 5hrs back to junction. Pumphouse has services and moorings.
to Brades Hall Junc	18	1.25/0/1	Oldbury Town centre on your right. Large Supermarket
Brades Hall Junc	18
Gower Branch
to Albion Junc New Main Line Canal	19	0.5/3/1	Via only Staircase lock on BCN
to Dudley Port Junc	20	1/0/2
to Windmill End	21	3/0/1	Under Old Main Line then into Netherton Tunnel
Dudley No 2 Canal
Windmill End Junc	21		Pubs Abound
			OPTION (and again you should take)from Windmill down to Hawne Basin and return, thro Gosty Hill Tunnel, twice, and to Coombeswood Canal Trust (AWACC member). Approx 6 miles allow 3hrs. An over night stop?, visting boats are always welcome to stop overnight in the basin. Longer stops by appointment only.
to Park Head Junc	22	3/0/1
Dudley No 1 Canal
Park Head Junc	22
to Delph Top Lock	23	2/2/2	See Merry Hill, Shop, wind and return to Park Head.
		7/27/9	OPTION continue on to Stourbridge Canal, dirverting up the Town Arm to Stourbridge and joining the Staffs and Worcs Canal at Stourton. Then return to Park Head Junc.
to Tipton Junc	24	3/3/3	Assume Dudley Tunnel open and your boat can pass under gauge at mouth.
		7.5/3/3	OPTION and the more likely route. If tunnel unnavigable you will have to return to Dudley Port Junc via Netherton Tunnel and then to Tipton via Factory Locks or return via Gower Branch to Bradeshall Junction and then to Tipton Junc. Which ever way at Tipton Junc follow sign for Stourbridge and end up in Black Country Museum. Allow a full day at Museum.
Old Main Line Canal
Tipton Junc	24
to Factory Junc	25	1/0/.5
to Deepfields Junc	26	1.5/0/1	Thro Coseley Tunnel
		2/0/2	OPTION from Deepfields cruise to Bradley BW Workshops along Wednesbury Oak Loop Line. Wind and return to Deepfields.
to Horseley Fields Junc	27	3/0/1	Pass Chillington Wharf an Interchange basin still in water with shed still over basin
			OPTION continue from Horseley Fields to Wolverhampton down the 21 locks to Aldersley Junction on the Staffs & Worcs. Then return back up the locks again to Horseley. Hard work but you will travel through an area twice with countryside to main line railways and everything between, architecturally, industrially and archeologically.
Wyrley & Essington Canal or the Curly Wyrley
Horseley Fields Junction	27
to Birchills Junc	7	7/0/2	Services at Sneyd. At first straight but soon after Wednesfield lives up to it name
Walsall Canal
Birchills Junc	7		Large Supermarket nearby on site of old Power Station at Reedswood
to Walsall Junction	6	1/8/3	Past site of boatmans mission at top lock.Services
to Tame Valley Junc	5	7/0/2	Thro old indusrial area and new spine roads
to Ryders Green Junc again	11	1/8/2
to Pudding Green Junc again	12	1.25/0/3	You are by know a real BCN Veteran. Join the Main Line and head towards Birmingham and Bromford Junc again
Main Line Canal to Bromford Junc	13	.75/0/1	OPTION at Bromford go up the Spon Lane locks only to wind at the top and return to Bromford. Only if you must do every lock flight.
to Smethwick Junc again	14	2.25/0/1	Galton Tunnel under Engine Arm Aqueduct
to Western End Soho loop: Winson Green Junction	30	1/0/.45	OPTION cruise Soho Loop past Winson Green Prison and Hockley Port( Entire loop given Waypoint 28)
to Rotten Park Junction	31	.75/0/.05	Canal between Junctions straight as a die.
			OPTION cruise Icknield Port Loop past Rotten Park reservoir to Sandy Turn a junction with the Main Line having niether a signpost or waypoint number.(Entire Loop given Waypoint 29)
to Old Turn Junction	32	1.25/0/2	Thro the bit of modern Brum you see on the posters
			OPTION cruise Oozell Street Loop between towering apartment blocks back to Ladywood Junction (again no sign or waypoint)
			OPTION cruise thro brum with all off the new sites and bits of old brum still left. Gas Street Basin is on your right, a shadow of its former self with only a small community of boats left. Wind on the sharp bend as you enter the Worcs and B'ham canal.(BBC Studios over look this area in Mail Box Complex) Return to Old Turn.
Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
Old Turn Junction	32
to Aston Junction	2	1.5/13/4	Drops down between buildings and the tall ex GPO tower
			From Aston either return to Bordesley Junction via Ashted Locks or proceed down the Aston Flight of locks, both routes covered before. YOU HAVE RETURN TO WHERE YOU STARTED AND HAVE CRUISED THE BCN.