BCN Branches and Byeways
by Ray Shill
11. The Netherton Branch
Tipton to Netherton Tunnel
August 2008 marks the centenary of the opening of the Netherton Tunnel. The construction of this tunnel and associated waterways opened up a new link between the Dudley and Birmingham Canals and made a significant improvement to the trade between these two canals.
George Meakin, the contractor for the work, was actually responsible for making other improvements that eased the passage of boats as far as the Delph. The work benefited the trade in iron goods and firebricks through to the London & Western Railway Interchange depots on the Tipton side of the Tunnel.
The new link made a junction with Telford's Island Line (BCN New Main Line) south of Dudley Port and proceeded in a straight line to Tividale, where it passed under the Sedgley Turnpike, the Old Main Line and into a deep cutting to the tunnel mouth. The canal re-emerged into the open at Windmill End cutting across the line of the Dudley Canal and then joined it further on.
The branch from Tipton cut through the extensive Groveland Colliery, which had been extensively mined by John Bagnall and Sons for coal and ironstone and also produced good clay for burning into bricks.
Groveland Colliery was located on sloping land that dipped towards the Sheepwash Valley and the River Tame. Groveland Brook flowed across this land channelling water from the hills near, Oakham on the western bank of the Old Main Line and carrying it through to the Tame. Minerals raised at the pits were carried by tramways to a long basin that joined with the Old Main Line. Wharves alongside this basin also came to serve the Groveland Ironworks and Furnace, and a Soap Works.
Following the merger of the Dudley and Birmingham Canals in 1846, a number of new canal extension schemes were considered and during 1853 some ten different new schemes and improvements were proposed. These were:
1. The Pelsall Branch with extension to Cannock Chase and Norton.
2. Wryley Bank Extension
3. Gads Green Tunnel.
4. Lord Hays shortening
5. Sandwell Park Branch
6. Lodge Farm to Nine Locks
7. Extension from the Titford Canal
8. Extension from Halesowen towards Offmoor Woods and Lutley
9. Branch from Fighting Cocks at Sedgley to Lord Wards Canal
10. Proposed extension of canal to Brereton
Those students of the History of the Birmingham Canal will recognise the new work that was carried out involved 1,2,3,6&7.
The proposed canals to Offmoor and Lutley, Sandwell Park, the Sedgley Canal and the Brereton Canal were all schemes that were not proceeded with.
Gads Green was the original name for the Netherton Tunnel Scheme taking its name from the district above the tunnel and near where the Reservoir was placed to supply the Dudley No 2 Canal.
The Island Line was constructed on a massive embankment across the Sheepwash Valley. The Junction with the Netherton Branch and the line as far as the Sedgley Turnpike was also made on an embankment with a double towpath. A basin on either side complete with towpath side-bridge was provided for the Groveland Colliery through which the line passed. There was also a small aqueduct, known as Bagnall Aqueduct that carried the canal over a path and track connecting the divided parts of the Groveland Colliery.
Bagnalls were important ironmasters with furnaces at Capponfield and Goldsgreen and various forges and rolling mills. They operated Groveland colliery through to 1881 when they reduced their operations to simply working up iron. The mines were drained by a beam pumping engine with a 36 inch cylinder and 7ft stroke. This engine was known as the 'Pride'.
Bagnalls were also associated with these mines for some sixty years. Part of the estate, nearest the Old Main Line, was known as a separate mine known as Tividale that was owned by a partnership of the Bagnall and Jesson families, and which appears to have been the earliest mines to be worked.
Two towpath Roving Bridges were provided at the junction for the boat horses and were supplied by the Toll End Works. Each bridge bears this name
There were twp separate ironworks on the Walsall Canal known by the name Toll End at this time. John Bagnall & Sons owned one of these works, and they, as a firm, specialised in the production of wrought iron sections. Their Toll End Works comprised a forge and strip mill. Motteram & Deeley owned the other 'Toll End Works'. They operated aforge, foundry and blast furnaces, which formerly belonged to the Birmingham Coal Company. This latter firm was caught up with problems of insolvency during this period, but never the less the more likely supplier of the bridges as they possessed a foundry. Their insolvency eventually brought bankruptcy and the sale of their works between 1858 and 1860.
The Netherton Branch continued through Tividale tp pass under the Old Main Line that differed in level by twenty feet. The upper canal passed over the Netherton Branch by a two arched aqueduct(Tividale Aqueduct), which was rebult following mining subsidence in 1895. Adjacent to this spot were various mines including the Hallbridge and Tividale Collieries that were served by basins connected with the Old Main Line. There was also another basin connected with the northern side of the Netherton Tunnel Branch to serve a mine.
Tividale Aqueduct possessed a central toll island that had a small toll office (Netherton Tunnel Toll Office) on the Tipton side where the toll keeper was kept busy guaging and checking the boats that passed to and from the tunnel. Traffic to the railway interchange basins remained particularly important with the horse drawn open boats common sights on this stretch of canal.
Two canal cottages (174 and 175) were located on the northern towpath for the benefit of the canal company workers including the toll staff. In later years this island also had a turbine house on the tunnel side of the aqueduct that generated electricity to light Netherton Tunnel.
Various works were placed alongside the single towpath on the Old Main Line near the aqueduct. These included the Tividale Ironworks and Sheet Rolling Mills and Brick & Tile Works that had a group of basins on the offside off that canal.
During the Twentieth Century a notable feature of this end of the Netherton Tunnel Branch was the Vono Bedstead Works that came to occupy a wide strip of land from the Sedgley Road to the Island Line. Cable Accessories, later 'Revo' also had works in this area. The Vono constructed a foundry beside the canal that came to occupy the whole lenght of the towpath from Sedgley Road East/Tipton Road Bridge to the New Main Line. This foundry was adapted to make iron castings by the continuous process, with two such plants eventually in operation. Duport Foundry and then Duport Harper Foundries Ltd were subsequent owners of this foundry.
Mr Barnett, who owned the Rattlechain Brickworks, adapted the one basin on the south side of the canal that formerly served Groveland Colliery for his brick trade. It is mentioned as such in the 1912/1919 BCN distance tables.
During the 1990's Duport Harper specialised in making castings for Massey Ferguson of Coventry. Those who passed by boat or walked the towpath would notice completed castings piled up ready for despatch and the stacks of coke stored ready for the furnaces. When the American owners of Massey Ferguson decided to move production abroad and closed their Coventry plant, the Foundry closed. A Japanese firm has since restarted them, but there are concerns that these may close again.
Netherton Tunnel Branch remains in regular use, and will continue to be used as long as the Netherton Tunnel is open. It forms part of a Cruiseway route from Birmingham through to the Stourbridge Canal and Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal and is popular with boaters who choose to use these waters as part of a cruising ring.
Netherton Tunnel opened 150 years ago this year along with other improvements to the Dudley Canal.
Look out for the many celebrations taking place over the summer months.
