561:
247:
345:
140:
132:
673:
659:
326:
35:
613:(1779–1898) pumping Birmingham level to 491 ft Summit level, pumping to Wolverhampton level after Summit lowered. It was replaced in 1892 by two centrifugal engines in a new pumphouse north of Brasshouse Lane Bridge, Smethwick.
52:
568:
Water was a precious resource, spent each time a lock was emptied as a boat changed level. Steam pumps were employed at many flights of locks to pump water back to a higher level, for example, the
135:
The BCN New Main Line (Birmingham Level) running to the left of the New
Smethwick Pumping Station. The BCN Old Main Line (Wolverhampton Level) runs 20 ft higher, to the right of the building.
770:
540:, and once fed the Wolverhampton Level via a long feeder (now overgrown and dry) along the top of a raised embankment along Telford's BCN New Main Line to the
99:
71:
763:
78:
85:
1193:
1250:
756:
67:
1224:
691:
607:
Spon Lane engine (1778–1790) pumping
Wolverhampton level to 491 ft Summit level, closed by Smeaton's removal of the Summit level
733:
714:
118:
924:
143:
Another view of the New
Smethwick Pumping Station, with the Wolverhampton Level to the right and the Birmingham Level on the left
560:
520:
were built to collect water from streams. These had to be above the relevant canal levels, often some distance away. The small
246:
344:
92:
1203:
423:
56:
838:
383:
798:
779:
686:
148:
1219:
1010:
883:
274:
191:
45:
433:
1114:
970:
803:
407:
808:
283:
194:, the Essington Branch was abandoned before 1904 and is now filled in. It was the highest level on the BCN.
853:
664:
437:
202:
The highest canal currently in BCN, 1 mile of which remains navigable. It was fed from the 18th century
1020:
975:
878:
813:
635:
389:
1083:
1046:
1041:
995:
873:
623:
549:
529:
349:
329:
297:
251:
215:
139:
131:
1015:
950:
940:
833:
828:
537:
403:
377:
356:
A total of 49.2 miles at this level (21.2 miles of which is on the BCN) navigable without locks.
369:
BCN New Main Line - Birmingham to Tipton
Factory Bottom Lock, Island line, New Line at Smethwick
1198:
1183:
985:
960:
955:
858:
745:
Mileages extracted from
Nicholson's Waterways Guides vols. 2 & 3, and www.canalplan.org.uk
729:
710:
521:
498:
203:
1162:
1130:
1109:
1088:
1005:
1000:
990:
965:
678:
610:
569:
427:
413:
325:
919:
914:
672:
393:
1188:
1178:
980:
945:
909:
564:
Edgbaston (Rotton Park) Reservoir was an early source of water for the
Birmingham Canal
478:
227:
214:. A feeder from the Tat Bank Branch (also known as Spon Lane Branch) supplies water to
179:
1244:
1104:
1062:
904:
868:
863:
843:
793:
525:
504:
466:
360:
337:
313:
268:
262:
231:
211:
175:
1067:
899:
818:
490:
450:
399:
309:
235:
17:
1146:
207:
34:
748:
1036:
823:
654:
629:
599:
545:
541:
517:
333:
303:
164:
848:
536:. Water from Edgbaston Reservoir feeds the Birmingham Level at the adjacent
533:
171:
163:. The three longest are the Wolverhampton, Birmingham, and Walsall levels.
469:(Ryders Green bottom lock to Walsall Town Wharf), 6.5 miles, + branches:
156:
226:
A historical level, no longer existing. The highest level designed by
646:
Water was also pumped out from many coal mines into the canal system.
559:
343:
324:
254:, early feed to the Wolverhampton Level along the Smethwick feeder
245:
152:
138:
130:
472:
Ocker Hill Tunnel Branch (private moorings), 0.2 miles navigable.
752:
419:
Connecting canals, not part of the BCN, but using this level:
28:
507:(Rushall junction to Rushall bottom lock), 0.9 miles.
374:
Newhall Branch to Farmer's Bridge
Junction, 0.2 miles
265:
Wolverhampton top lock to
Smethwick locks, 11.6 miles
1212:
1171:
1155:
1139:
1123:
1097:
1076:
1055:
1029:
933:
892:
786:
59:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
68:"Water levels of the Birmingham Canal Navigations"
1230:Water levels of the Birmingham Canal Navigations
707:The Complete Book of Canal and River Navigations
462:A total of 13.4 miles navigable without locks.
258:A total of 41.7 miles navigable without locks:
167:allow boats to move from one level to another.
726:Canal Companion - Birmingham Canal Navigations
210:) originally by feeder, and since 1837 by the
764:
289:Daw End Branch to Rushall top lock, 5.3 miles
8:
366:BCN Old Main Line, south of Smethwick Locks
771:
757:
749:
170:Heights given are nominal elevation above
516:To keep the canals topped up with water,
119:Learn how and when to remove this message
402:from Parkhead locks (Blower's Green) to
524:(Titford Pool), as well as feeding the
475:Gospel Oak Branch, 0.1 miles navigable.
1194:Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
7:
453:, 1.8 miles navigable without locks.
386:, 2.4 miles to Windmill End Junction
57:adding citations to reliable sources
1225:Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre
705:Paget-Tomlinson, Edward W. (1978).
692:History of the British canal system
501:to Perry Barr top lock, 5.7 miles.
728:. J. M. Pearson & Associates.
434:Northern Stratford-upon-Avon Canal
222:491 ft Brindley's Smethwick Summit
25:
925:Tipton Green and Toll End Canals
671:
657:
221:
33:
709:. Waine Research Publications.
406:(originally to Selly Oak), and
380:to Brades Hall locks, 0.5 miles
336:(Wolverhampton Level) over the
44:needs additional citations for
1204:Worcester and Birmingham Canal
528:supplies its surplus water to
440:to Lapworth Top Lock, 11 miles
424:Worcester and Birmingham Canal
271:to Walsall top lock, 0.4 miles
155:in the industrial midlands of
1:
839:Netherton Tunnel Branch Canal
487:Willenhall Branch (abandoned)
384:Netherton Tunnel Branch Canal
312:to Parkhead locks (including
206:(now under Junction 2 of the
1251:Birmingham Canal Navigations
799:Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
780:Birmingham Canal Navigations
687:Canals of the United Kingdom
596:Back pumping between levels
544:. Water is also supplied by
352:feeding the Birmingham Level
149:Birmingham Canal Navigations
280:Lord Hay's Branch (now dry)
151:(BCN), a network of narrow
1267:
1220:Boat Gauging House, Tipton
884:Wyrley and Essington Canal
641:Sneyd Reservoir (Bloxwich)
484:Bilston Branch (abandoned)
292:Anglesey Branch, 2.5 miles
275:Wyrley and Essington Canal
242:473 ft Wolverhampton Level
230:for his Birmingham Canal (
192:Wyrley and Essington Canal
724:Pearson, Michael (1989).
971:Horseley Fields Junction
804:Bumble Hole Branch Canal
408:Bumble Hole Branch Canal
277:15.4 miles, + branches:
180:Ordnance Datum Liverpool
809:Cannock Extension Canal
532:along a feeder through
363:, 10.8 miles navigable
321:453 ft Birmingham Level
284:Cannock Extension Canal
190:A former branch of the
186:533 ft Essington Branch
854:Spon Lane Locks Branch
620:Pumping to reservoirs
576:Back pumping at locks
565:
410:, 5.9 miles navigable.
353:
341:
255:
159:, is built on various
144:
136:
665:United Kingdom portal
563:
438:Kings Norton Junction
396:, 1.4 miles navigable
347:
328:
286:, 1.8 miles navigable
249:
198:511 ft Titford Summit
142:
134:
1098:Bridges and viaducts
1021:Tame Valley Junction
976:Huddlesford Junction
879:Wednesbury Old Canal
814:Digbeth Branch Canal
636:Lodge Farm Reservoir
630:Chasewater Reservoir
550:Netherton Reservoirs
458:408 ft Walsall Level
390:Wednesbury Old Canal
269:Walsall Branch Canal
53:improve this article
1084:Engine Arm Aqueduct
1047:Netherton Reservoir
1042:Edgbaston Reservoir
996:Rumer Hill Junction
874:Wednesbury Oak Loop
624:Edgbaston Reservoir
530:Edgbaston Reservoir
445:441 ft Dudley No. 1
428:Tardebigge top lock
350:Edgbaston Reservoir
340:(Birmingham Level).
330:Engine Arm Aqueduct
298:Wednesbury Oak Loop
252:Edgbaston Reservoir
238:'s design in 1790.
216:Edgbaston Reservoir
18:Wolverhampton Level
1016:Spon Lane Junction
1011:Smethwick Junction
951:Birchills Junction
941:Aldersley Junction
834:Icknield Port Loop
829:Gower Branch Canal
566:
538:Icknield Port Loop
481:, part (abandoned)
400:Dudley No. 2 Canal
378:Gower Branch Canal
354:
348:Valve house below
342:
256:
250:Valve house below
145:
137:
1238:
1237:
1199:Stourbridge Canal
1184:Grand Union Canal
986:Old Turn Junction
961:Catshill Junction
956:Bromford Junction
859:Tame Valley Canal
604:Smethwick Summit
522:Titford Reservoir
499:Tame Valley Canal
263:BCN Old Main Line
232:BCN Old Main Line
204:Titford Reservoir
129:
128:
121:
103:
16:(Redirected from
1258:
1172:Adjoining canals
1163:Gas Street Basin
1131:Smethwick Engine
1124:Pumping stations
1110:Parkhead Viaduct
1089:Stewart Aqueduct
1006:Salford Junction
1001:Rushall Junction
991:Pelsall Junction
966:Fazeley Junction
773:
766:
759:
750:
739:
720:
681:
679:Transport portal
676:
675:
667:
662:
661:
660:
611:Smethwick Engine
570:Smethwick Engine
414:Gas Street Basin
178:relative to the
124:
117:
113:
110:
104:
102:
61:
37:
29:
21:
1266:
1265:
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1260:
1259:
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1240:
1239:
1234:
1208:
1167:
1151:
1135:
1119:
1093:
1072:
1051:
1025:
929:
920:Ridgacre Branch
915:Lichfield Canal
888:
782:
777:
742:
736:
723:
717:
704:
700:
677:
670:
663:
658:
656:
653:
632:(Cannock Chase)
591:Dudley Parkhead
558:
514:
460:
447:
394:Ridgacre Branch
323:
244:
224:
200:
188:
125:
114:
108:
105:
62:
60:
50:
38:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
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1227:
1222:
1216:
1214:
1210:
1209:
1207:
1206:
1201:
1196:
1191:
1189:Pensnett Canal
1186:
1181:
1179:Coventry Canal
1175:
1173:
1169:
1168:
1166:
1165:
1159:
1157:
1153:
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1149:
1143:
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1137:
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1127:
1125:
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1120:
1118:
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1080:
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1027:
1026:
1024:
1023:
1018:
1013:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
981:Ogley Junction
978:
973:
968:
963:
958:
953:
948:
946:Aston Junction
943:
937:
935:
931:
930:
928:
927:
922:
917:
912:
910:Bradley Branch
907:
902:
896:
894:
890:
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876:
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856:
851:
846:
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617:
616:
615:
614:
608:
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594:
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589:
586:
583:
580:
557:
554:
513:
510:
509:
508:
502:
496:
495:
494:
488:
485:
482:
479:Bradley Branch
476:
473:
459:
456:
455:
454:
446:
443:
442:
441:
431:
417:
416:
411:
397:
387:
381:
375:
372:
371:
370:
367:
322:
319:
318:
317:
307:
301:
295:
294:
293:
290:
287:
281:
272:
266:
243:
240:
234:). Removed by
228:James Brindley
223:
220:
199:
196:
187:
184:
127:
126:
109:September 2007
41:
39:
32:
24:
14:
13:
10:
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3:
2:
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1200:
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1177:
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1158:
1154:
1148:
1145:
1144:
1142:
1138:
1132:
1129:
1128:
1126:
1122:
1116:
1115:Summit Bridge
1113:
1111:
1108:
1106:
1105:Galton Bridge
1103:
1102:
1100:
1096:
1090:
1087:
1085:
1082:
1081:
1079:
1075:
1069:
1066:
1064:
1063:Dudley Tunnel
1061:
1060:
1058:
1054:
1048:
1045:
1043:
1040:
1038:
1035:
1034:
1032:
1028:
1022:
1019:
1017:
1014:
1012:
1009:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
989:
987:
984:
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979:
977:
974:
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964:
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952:
949:
947:
944:
942:
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938:
936:
932:
926:
923:
921:
918:
916:
913:
911:
908:
906:
905:Bentley Canal
903:
901:
898:
897:
895:
891:
885:
882:
880:
877:
875:
872:
870:
869:Walsall Canal
867:
865:
864:Titford Canal
862:
860:
857:
855:
852:
850:
847:
845:
844:Rushall Canal
842:
840:
837:
835:
832:
830:
827:
825:
822:
820:
817:
815:
812:
810:
807:
805:
802:
800:
797:
795:
794:BCN Main Line
792:
791:
789:
785:
781:
774:
769:
767:
762:
760:
755:
754:
751:
744:
743:
737:
735:0-907864-49-X
731:
727:
722:
718:
716:0-905184-01-7
712:
708:
703:
702:
697:
693:
690:
688:
685:
684:
680:
674:
669:
666:
655:
650:
645:
640:
637:
634:
631:
628:
626:(Rotton Park)
625:
622:
621:
619:
612:
609:
606:
605:
603:
601:
598:
597:
595:
590:
587:
584:
581:
578:
577:
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574:
573:
571:
562:
556:Water pumping
555:
553:
551:
547:
543:
539:
535:
531:
527:
526:Titford Canal
523:
519:
511:
506:
505:Rushall Canal
503:
500:
497:
492:
489:
486:
483:
480:
477:
474:
471:
470:
468:
467:Walsall Canal
465:
464:
463:
457:
452:
449:
448:
444:
439:
435:
432:
429:
425:
422:
421:
420:
415:
412:
409:
405:
401:
398:
395:
391:
388:
385:
382:
379:
376:
373:
368:
365:
364:
362:
361:BCN Main Line
359:
358:
357:
351:
346:
339:
338:New Main Line
335:
332:carrying the
331:
327:
320:
315:
314:Dudley Tunnel
311:
308:
305:
302:
299:
296:
291:
288:
285:
282:
279:
278:
276:
273:
270:
267:
264:
261:
260:
259:
253:
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241:
239:
237:
233:
229:
219:
217:
213:
212:Titford Canal
209:
205:
197:
195:
193:
185:
183:
181:
177:
173:
168:
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158:
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112:
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98:
94:
91:
87:
84:
80:
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73:
70: –
69:
65:
64:Find sources:
58:
54:
48:
47:
42:This article
40:
36:
31:
30:
27:
19:
1229:
1068:Lapal Tunnel
900:Anson Branch
819:Dudley Canal
725:
706:
567:
515:
491:Anson Branch
461:
451:Dudley Canal
418:
355:
316:), 2.3 miles
310:Dudley Canal
257:
236:John Smeaton
225:
201:
189:
169:
161:water levels
160:
146:
115:
106:
96:
89:
82:
75:
63:
51:Please help
46:verification
43:
26:
1147:Delph Locks
893:Unnavigable
638:(Netherton)
493:(abandoned)
404:Hawne Basin
306:, 0.5 miles
300:, 1.9 miles
208:M5 motorway
1037:Chasewater
1030:Reservoirs
824:Engine Arm
698:References
600:Ocker Hill
585:Perry Barr
546:Chasewater
542:Engine Arm
518:reservoirs
512:Reservoirs
430:, 17 miles
334:Engine Arm
304:Engine Arm
79:newspapers
1077:Aqueducts
934:Junctions
849:Soho Loop
787:Navigable
534:Smethwick
172:sea level
1245:Category
651:See also
1056:Tunnels
588:Walsall
582:Titford
579:Ashtead
157:England
93:scholar
1156:Basins
732:
713:
153:canals
95:
88:
81:
74:
66:
1213:Other
1140:Locks
548:and
436:from
165:Locks
100:JSTOR
86:books
730:ISBN
711:ISBN
392:and
176:feet
147:The
72:news
426:to
174:in
55:by
1247::
572:.
552:.
218:.
182:.
772:e
765:t
758:v
738:.
719:.
122:)
116:(
111:)
107:(
97:·
90:·
83:·
76:·
49:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
