Old Wharf - central Birmingham

Old Wharf, Gas St Basin and Deep Cutting - Central Birmingham

Old Wharf is arguably ground zero for the Birmingham Canal Navigations.

Its twin arms occupied a site which is essentially an extension to the rear of Gas St Basin, heading west to the site of Alpha Tower and the BCN head office which sat on what is now Paradise Circus. After its destruction the old Central TV building sat on top of it, but this has since been replaced by the new HSBC UK head office and surrounding new buildings, all in the shadow of the Hyatt Hotel.

If you like old canals of Birmingham, get a copy of Richard Dean's map.

The entrance bridge to Old Wharf

A rare image of the back of the bridge between Gas St Basin and Old Wharf. Note the curved side which is reflected on the following map. T Boston & Sons were coal merchants based at Old Wharf, Birmingham and between 1876 and 1927 registered over 100 boats.

Same scene in about 1939

Severner moored in Gas St 1920's

Worcester Bar 1959

From the Laurence Hogg collection

Worcester Bar - Laurence Hogg Collection

Old Wharf in operation

Old Wharf just before being filled in after trade ended in 1927 - Birmingham Reference Library

1910

Old Wharf, Birmingham 1913

Old Wharf being excavated in WW2 and converted into air raid shelters.

Old Wharf basins showing the outline of the old air raid shelters - Vic Smallshire

Old Wharf in water

Gas St Basin and Old Wharf - Vic Smallshire

Entrance to Old Wharf under Bridge St 1773 to 1927 - the city's primary coal wharf for 150 years

Gas St Basin Vic Smallshire

Old Wharf entrance 1973 Hugh Potter

The BCN Offices at the back of Old Wharf

Old Wharf drawing with Gas St Basin beyond - Chris Bates

BCN office built in 1773 and demolished in 1913

BCN HQ on Paradise Street - Bob May / BCNS Collection

Old Wharf to rear of BCN office in about 1910

Gas Street Basin 1940

Gast Street boat - BCNS Archive

Gas St Basin in the 1960's

Tug Governor at Worcester Bar

Late 1960's from the Laurence Hogg Collection

Just onto the Worcester Birmingham Canal - The Wharf at Salvage Turn 1912 (opposite The Cube)

Gas St stop lock in about 1939

1938

Gas Street breach 1901


Broad St Bridge during church demolition


Deep Cutting looking south

Deep Cutting looking north (BCNS Archive)

Deep Cutting from Deep Cutting Junction - Hugh Potter

Deep Cutting seen from the Church of the Messiah - BCNS archive

Deep Cutting from Deep Cutting Junction - BCNS Archive



Deep cutting before it became Brindley Place

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The above photos have been assembled from various sources, including those freely found on the internet. My thanks go to the many photographers alive and dead who have contributed to this collection and in so doing, are keeping the memory of these lost canals alive. These images are reproduced for ease of research are are not necessarily the property of this blog, and as such should not be used for commercial gain without the explicit permission of the owner (whoever that may be).