Stourbridge Extension Canal

Stourbridge Extension Canal

The Stourbridge Extension Canal is an elusive waterway, which branched off to the north from the Fens Branch, just above the Stourbridge 16 flight of locks.

The first few hundred yards are in water and offer some good moorings, but when you get to the road bridge beyond the old stop lock the trail goes cold. 

You can walk the line of the disused railway which ran alongside the canal, but the water channel has been covered by the back gardens of houses and then vanishes without trace under the Pensnett Trading Estate.

The loss of the northern section took place in the 1940's but the two arms remained operational for a bit longer, but was plagued with mining subsidence which caused the guillotine version of the stop lock to be built. The chamber of the stop lock is still in situ if you brave the undergrowth.

Perhaps the most frustrating thing about this waterway is the lack of surface photos of the northern section. Foe a pictorial record we have to resort to the Britain From Above images which at least let us plot its course.

The collection of photos of this canal has grown slowly over the years, and I live in hope that a collection featuring the northern section will emerge at some point.

Brockmoor Junction and The Leys from the Laurence Hogg slide collection

Transhipment warehouse at Brockmoor Junction

Bromley Interchange - Laurence Hogg Collection

Bromley Interchange Crane

Bromley Interchange of Stourbridge Extension Canal 1960's by Roy Martin

Guillotine Lock 

Guillotine Lock - Laurence Hogg collection

Guillotine Lock - Roy Martin

Bromley Stop in 1963 - Roy Martin

Looking over the old stop lock - Laurence Hogg Colllection

Bromley canal and rail bridge

1848 Bridge on Ketley Lane over the Standhills Branch

And here is where the Ketley Lane bridge finished up, 300 yards from where it was originally cast. The cast iron sides were incorporated into a new bridge named Neville Garratt, who donated the sides. Drawing by John Greaves Smith

1938

1950

Corbyns Hall 1950

Canal Track at Corbyns Hall 1950

Terminus Basin at Himley Brickworks - Robert Harling Black Country Bugle

Hay Wharf

Corbyns Hall

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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).