tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367296273511467142.post3629933824494143777..comments2024-03-19T22:19:20.357+00:00Comments on Captain Ahab's Watery Tales: Lapal Canal - Selly Oak to the Lapal TunnelAndy Tidyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05297448211000021970noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367296273511467142.post-71292967218097520452017-12-19T09:12:31.646+00:002017-12-19T09:12:31.646+00:00I think it is a tramway tunnel parapet. see 1889/1...I think it is a tramway tunnel parapet. see 1889/1890 large scale OS map.<br />I explored the area in the 1950's. Barrie Stantonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367296273511467142.post-3448205456931824202017-12-19T09:07:48.988+00:002017-12-19T09:07:48.988+00:00I think the stone parapet is above the entrance to...I think the stone parapet is above the entrance to a horse tramway bridge that ran from a clay pit to the brickworks by the canal. there was another tunnel and tramway under what is now the traffic island at the road junction near by leading to another clay pit. if you look up the 1889/1890 large scale OS map on line you can see the layout.<br />My brother and I explored the area in the 1950,s and went thru the tunnel. it ran at a slight angle to the canal tunnel. we also took a canoe into the canal tunnel shortly before it was blocked off as far as the first roof fall (very dodgy). Barrie Stantonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367296273511467142.post-59683249004641538952015-10-18T15:50:36.826+01:002015-10-18T15:50:36.826+01:00Paul = I have my reservations as well, and its cer...Paul = I have my reservations as well, and its certainly not the top of the portal wall iteself. If it does date back to the tunnel it would be further back up the hill and maybe over the line, bit not directly connected. I wouldnt have made a connection apart from the Lapal Canal Trust's website..... Andy<br /> Andy Tidyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297448211000021970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367296273511467142.post-16911041034283127902015-10-13T10:22:40.876+01:002015-10-13T10:22:40.876+01:00Having recently walked this section of the Lapal C...Having recently walked this section of the Lapal Canal with GPS tracking on my maps I don't believe the wall is anything to do with the canal. It is approximately over the line of the tunnel but I don't think that is anything more than coincidence.<br /><br />The tunnel mouth was about 80 metres away from the road into the grassed area and the water level was about 11 metres lower than the current road level.<br /><br />The proposed restoration route has a 3-rise staircase raising the canal by 9m and still passing under the road at the roundabout with around 3m clearance. Allowing for the slope in the road that accounts for the 11 metres difference.<br /><br />If the tunnel was 2m high there is 9m of rock between the tunnel roof and the wall so I don't believe it was anything like a bridge parapet.<br /><br />It's the wrong side of the road (which has been widened on the original alignment) to act as a retaining wall at the top of an embankment sloping down to the top of the tunnel.Paul (from Waterway Routes)https://www.blogger.com/profile/07842471981529276368noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367296273511467142.post-15166403470317715672015-08-04T23:01:50.955+01:002015-08-04T23:01:50.955+01:00Jeffrey - You are right, its not the tunnel portal...Jeffrey - You are right, its not the tunnel portal which was brick (see the old photo above which should bring back some memories). I am told its the side of a road bridge above the portal. My only evidence if the Website of the Lapal Canal Trust whose historical insights are usually pretty reliable: http://www.lapalcanalproject.co.uk/Andy Tidyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05297448211000021970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367296273511467142.post-37847702957891405142015-08-04T21:13:23.112+01:002015-08-04T21:13:23.112+01:00Thanks for the Lapal canal Selly Oak to Lapal tunn...Thanks for the Lapal canal Selly Oak to Lapal tunnel July 2015 Blog, you always make them interesting and a joy in reading.<br />The last photo “Bridge parapet over tunnel entrance”, you had me amazed with the stone wall! I lived and played around that area in the late sixties, when the Green and Pleasant land as it is today, was then Birmingham Council refuse dump. <br />I never gave that wall a second glance, just a part boundary wall constructed in a rustic manner, so the question is how do you know it’s the portal? When all other remaining bridge parapets from Selly Oak end are constructed from engineering bricks? Was there not a brick works by the portal, would they have used local produced bricks?<br />Thanks for your research, I will have a walk along the Lapal canal from Selly Oak, and will take a closer look at the wall on Barnes Hill Road, just before the road island California area.<br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05686490310287427357noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367296273511467142.post-9121254160675373322015-07-28T06:10:37.422+01:002015-07-28T06:10:37.422+01:00Beautiful photos!Beautiful photos!Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12692170857496442623noreply@blogger.com