Pensnett Branch Canal

Pensnett Branch Canal

The 1.5 mile Pensnett Canal, also known as Lord Ward's Canal was built in 1840 and closed in stages between 1940 and 1950.  The canal was always privately owned by the Earl of Dudley and was built to transport coal from his Estate Colliery to the main canal at Parkhead. 

The Earl of Dudley was no fool and he insisted that all the ironworks built on land leased from him (and there were a lot) had to buy at least some of their coal from his mine. Needless to say, this was a very profitable little branch canal.

And why is it called Lord Ward's? Well, Ward was the family name of Earl Dudley.

Ground level pictures of this private canal are thin on the ground but the area was heavily surveyed from the air and as a result he have a good record of its line from above.

The complete Pensnett Canal viewed from above the Round Oaks Works

The Wallows at the Pensnett Terminus

Abandoned northern section of the Pensnett (right) with Round Oaks Works in centre

The abandoned Wallows Basin

Colourised version of The Wallows - Pensnett Canal

Approaching The Wallows

The Wallows to Hingleys

The Wallows with Round Oak beyond

Dudley Road Bridge and Wallows Basin

Disused Wallows Basin

Hingleys on the Pensnett Canal

Dudley Road Bridge

Approaching Hartshill Iron Works (Hingleys)

Looking back at The Wallows from over the Round Oaks Works


Hartshill Iron Works (centre) Woodside (top Right)

Hartshill /Hingleys Ironworks

Close up of Harts Hill Ironworks - Domonic Gauden


Hingley's, owners of Hartshill Iron Works

Harts Hill Ironworks Pensnett Canal 1958 Source David Morris

Another view, believed to be Hingley's arm


Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway Bridge (still exists)


Pensnett Canal (left) and Dudley No1 (right) - over Hingleys


Hartshill Iron Works to Parkhead


Between Pedmore Road and Hartshill

Site of Woodside Iron works (right of canal)


East from Pedmore Road 1973 (still a cooling pond)


Pedmore Road Bridge and Hurst Works (right)


Approaching Parkhead Viaduct

The start of the Pensnett under viaduct to the right

Pensnett stub being restored - Vic Smallshire

Vic Smallshire

Vic Smallshire

Pensnett Junction from Parkhead Basin - Vic Smallshire



Looking down the Pensnett Canal from above Blowers Green


Round Oaks Works with Pensnett Canal (left) and Two Locks Line (Right)


Round Oaks Steelworks with Pensnett to the extreme left

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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).