Around Brownhills

 Around Brownhills

Whilst the canal through Brownhills is by no means lost, many of the canal side features of the area have disappeared and this post attempts to capture a few of them.

There is much more to the canal in Brownhills than the waterfront beside Tesco. Backing up towards Pelsall there was the mighty surge stack, part of the Black Country's water supply system from Lichfield, then there was the railway interchange and the Gasworks before turning the corner into the Anglesey Branch which led to Norton Pools (Chasewater Reservoir), the main water reserve for the BCN as a whole.

The tangle of canals almost surrounded this mining town and fully justifies a page of its own.

The Surge Stack - a long time Brownhills Landmark

The remains of the Surge Stack

Three images of the twin Brownhills Railway Interchange Basins

Unloading at Brownhills Gasworks

Brownhills Gasworks from above

The old footbridge between Brownhills and Clayhanger Common

Unknown colliery basin, probably in the Cannock coalfileld area

A 1950's view south to Northywood Bridge with the Empire Brickworks to the right of the Daw End Branch Canal

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).

Gas St Basin, Birmingham

Gas St Basin, Birmingham

You could never class Birmingham's Gas Street Basin as lost, but it is fair to say that much of its surroundings have been swept away on the last 50 years.

I recognise that you cant preserve places like Gas St Basin in a bubble, but it is good to record how it used to look and that is what I am attempting to do in this post.

The post will expand as I add material about this fascinating location but as a starting point I am gong to feature a number of images taken by Hugh Potter in the early 70's.

East to Central TV - Hugh Potter

Cleared warehouse site - Hugh Potter

Across Basin to Church of the Messiah - Hugh Potter

Old Wharf - Hugh Potter

Site of Canal House - Hugh Potter

Warehouses being demolished - Hugh Potter

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).

The Engine Arm

 The Engine Arm

The Engine Arm has never been lost, but this enigmatic little backwater has changes a lot over the years on its long journey to the residential moorings we see today.

For many years it was a silted dead end to a long gone pumping engine which lifted water to the Wolverhampton Level and for the brave souls that ventured across the Engine Arm Aqueduct, the way back involved a long and tricky reverse - there was no winding hole at the end.

These days the secluded backwater is home to a sizeable residential community which includes a single visitor mooring in the winding hole, in front of the CRT service block.

Its easy to forget how the arm used to look - hence this post.

Engine Arm Aqueduct 1969 - Hugh Potter

Engine Arm Aqueduct 1969 - Hugh Potter

Entering the Engine Arm 1970 - Hugh Potter

Engine Arm 1970 - Hugh Potter

Sunk Boat in Engine Arm 1970 - Possibly oversize "Hamton Boat" - Hugh Potter

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).

Odds and ends in central Birmingham

 Odds and Ends from Central Birmingham

Lost Arm off the Oozell St Loop - Sherborne Wharf - Hugh Potter 1970

Hockley Port 1st Basin 1970 - Hugh Potter

Hockley Port second basin 1970 - Hugh Potter

Hockley Port by Edward Paget-Tomlinson (BCNS Boundary Post)

Main Line possibly near Monument Basin? Birmingham Archive

Just outside the city centre the foundations of the old Harborne Branch Line which closed in 1963 cross the canal. Steve King photo

Clearing the Soho Loop 1971 - Hugh Potter

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).

The Dunkirk Branch

Dunkirk Branch

New Main Line

The short Dunkirk branch exited the New Main Line to the east, opposite the Gower Branch having passed under a railway bridge.

These days there is no trace of the junction or the arm which existed in an area known as Greets Green and served a colliery which is now a school playing field.

Just one image is known to exist of this branch, snatched from a moving train in 1948. The branch may be gone nut the 1930's house next to it still stands.

The Dunkirk Branch Canal

1934

1934

1934

Gone by 1951

The Rattlechain Brickworks

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).