My passion for the lost corners of the BCN started in about 2010 when, having cruised all the navigable sections, I started to wonder what used to be behind all those old bricked up bridges.
In the main the answer was "another canal basin" but here and there they led to abandoned branches and so I gradually started to explore them, guided by Richard Chester-Browne's book "The Other 60 Miles". The results of these explorations, now over a decade old, can be found in the Blog Tab called "The Other 60 Miles".
As time went by I accumulated more and more photographs of the lost elements of the BCN network and rather than squirrel them away, I thought I would like to share them, but the question was how? I stared to think about wall displays but that was rather limited in scope and if I am honest, rather old fashioned. And then along came YouTube! I saw lots of YouTube based Vlogs and could see potential to revisit these lost waterways and integrate the exploration with archive images, almost recreating the long lost lines.
Of course, this was always going to be a time consuming endeavour so it was parked till I retired (somewhat early). I invested in some basic video making kit and made the momentous switch from PC to Mac - because Mac's are best for image processing.
The end result has been a rolling programme of videos which I have called Canal Hunter - because thats what they are all about!
The production of these videos is a labour of love and it is all about sharing my passion for the rich industrial heritage of the region. To illustrate how the area used to look I have collated thousands of archive images from around the internet, but I don't claim to own any of them! The assembled work is therefore a team effort and my thanks go to the hundreds of unknown photographers (alive and dead) whose images make this whole endeavour come to life.
Each episode is made using the information and images I have to hand at the time, and naturally this resource deepens over time. My understanding is often enhanced by the additional comments viewers leave, recording first hand memories for the benefit of others.
All the images used in the videos can be found in the tab "Old Photos of the lost BCN" ordered by area, canal and zone, with links to help you jump to what you are looking for. They are, by and large, ordered in the sequence found on the ground, but it's an organic process and things get moved around as new information comes to light.
My thanks to everyone who has supplied information, images, time and enthusiasm.
Series One - finds the lost sections of Brindley's original canal from Birmingham to West Bromwich.
Series Two - explores the abandoned sections around the extended Birmingham Canal to Wolverhampton
Series Three - hunts down the lost arms of the Wyrley and Essington Canal to the north
Series Four - traces the old coal route from Cannock to East Birmingham
Series Five - follows a proposed inclined plane route between Walsall and Titford
Series Six - Yet to come, but will feature the lost sections of the Dudley canals
Photostreams - an ad hoc playlist which showcases the of archive images in sequences
The Canal Hunter videos are ordered within my "Life at 2.3 mph" YouTube Channel in separate playlists, one for each series. Each episode follows on on sequence so you can track a canal line from end to end. Many people have found that watching them with the National Library of Scotland's side by side maps open at the same time enhances the experience.
The following is a link to my Life at 2.3 miles an hour YouTube channel, which includes all my Canal Hunter videos.
Canal Hunter YouTube Videos
Canal Hunter YouTube Videos
12 comments:
Hi Andy
Just watched your latest Longwood to P. Barr toplock.
Must have walked this so often, & boated same many times. As a kid I lived much of my life near the Tame Valley, up to teenage not far from the Wednesbury section, near Balls Hill & then near Green Lane bridge. My recollection of commercial use was near the latter, both tug & a few horsedrawn. That all stopped in 1963 winter, I was 17, we were snowed in for months, the cut froze end of......
Hamstead Colliery was nearby, went past on the bus to school. An overhead coal transport system using cablecars ran over the road at Hamstead village taking coal up towards a wharf & truck transport exchange not far from where Perry Barr top lock is located. The National Coal Board in about 1960 spent a lot of money revamping Hamstead Colliery. Included relocating a considerable number of mining families from the worked out Durham coalfield. They built flats & maisonettes closeby adjacent to Spoutehouse Lane aqueduct to house these families which became known as the "Geordie Estate" As a teenager at that time you soon learned to avoid that area, these were tough guys & it was tribal, you crossed them at peril. The pit closed by the late 60's & of course the Geordies, fine people, were assimilated by then.
Not far away as the crow flies was Jubilee Colliery. This was across the valley of the Tame & geographically not far from the Hawthorns, the home ground of West Bromwich Albion. A truck cabledrawn railway went from this colliery over to a wharf near the football ground, I think in Smethwick, where there was access to both road, rail & canal, again pit closed in the eary 60's. Our school cross-country run course was near & when we were daring we'd hitch a ride on the trucks.
Finally, I mention Balls Hill above, the is a bridge named for that on the Wednesbury section of the Tame Valley Canal.
The bare-knuckle heavyweight champion William Perry, The Tipton Slasher, wno started in life on the canals freighting "night soil" to the River Severn, fought one of his bouts at Balls Hill Bridge on his way to the title. They were of course illegal, like cock fights, dog fights etc, so they'd start early & hope to get the fight declared over by the time the constabulary wised up.
Cheers
Michael
Hi Andy
Just watched your engine maintenance videos. Perfect for me as I also have a eastern caravans and narrowboats boat - same as yours.
For topping up your batteries, get one of these
https://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/battery-maintenance/1968222/?cm_mmc=UK-PLA-DS3A-_-google-_-PLA_UK_EN_Batteries_%26_Chargers_Whoop-_-Battery+Maintenance_Whoop-_-1968222&matchtype=&pla-305134259700&gclid=Cj0KCQiA9P__BRC0ARIsAEZ6irjOqRTZp1oYI7GVfD6uP4gqs9vdR77VrNNaclRL1QM74bWhhqnnHhEaAtrxEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
They are brilliant, and make the topping up process very quick, and you don't have to try to see inside the cells.
Best regards
Stan King
Thats looks a handy tool - better than a water bottle and listen to the tinkle approach!
Hello Andy
I'm a volunteer at Topsham Museum in Devon and coordinate temporary exhibitions there. I'm currently researching the history of the Exeter Ship Canal for our main exhibition in 2022. When the canal was first built, it was only a metre deep and wooden tub boats were used. There are no remaining examples but I found a photo of tub boats on the Shropshire Canal in a 2011 blogpost by you. I was wondering where you got it from, if you have a jpg version, and who I'd have to ask for permission to use it as part of the exhibition and in an accompanying booklet.
With thanks for reading this,
Gill McLean
Gill
Thats a long time ago! Let me have a look on my reference materials and see if I can find them. I fear they came from a poor quality booklet I borrowed at the time but I will get back to you.
Hello Andy
I have recently found this blog, having thoroughly enjoyed your canal hunter series of YouTubes. I wish I'd found it earlier, since during the lockdowns I have been indulging myself by digitising the BCN from the 1910 OS map, (as polygons, not lines), and your listing of the open / closing dates of the lost canals is rather more accessible than trawling through Hadfield etc. Woe is me.
Anyway, I have now reached the point of being able to overlay this on Google maps which looks OK on my phone and is perfectly 'zoomable'.
I have also scanned and OCR'd the 'Blue Book' and combined that with referenced extracts from the 1910 map to provide a geographic link to the strip maps in pdf format.
If you are interested in having a look at either of these drop me a note at
paul.tbb2@googlemail.com
Thanks for your time and keep up the good work.
Paul
Hello Andy
I have recently found this blog, having thoroughly enjoyed your canal hunter series of YouTubes. I wish I'd found it earlier, since during the lockdowns I have been indulging myself by digitising the BCN from the 1910 OS map, (as polygons, not lines), and your listing of the open / closing dates of the lost canals is rather more accessible than trawling through Hadfield etc. Woe is me.
Anyway, I have now reached the point of being able to overlay this on Google maps which looks OK on my phone and is perfectly 'zoomable'.
I have also scanned and OCR'd the 'Blue Book' and combined that with referenced extracts from the 1910 map to provide a geographic link to the strip maps in pdf format.
If you are interested in having a look at either of these drop me a note at
paul.tbb2@googlemail.com
Thanks for your time and keep up the good work.
Paul
Hi Andy,
I have a simple question. I have been reading Phil Clayton's book, and like Broadbridge, he refers to the "Island line".
I can't seem to pin it down. Is it simply an alternate name for the main line? Or is it part of it. And why the "Island"?
I'm sure you would know
Many thanks
Jon
JOn
Good Question - it certainly refers to the section from Pudding Green to Tipton. The reason for its name is frustratingly obscure. The one which seems most likely to me is that it features those distinctive toll gauging points with the hut being on an islands in the middle of the canal. The other contender is that it reached a point in tipton known as the island - but I am less convinced by this.
Hi Andy. Just discovered your YouTube video tracing the old canal network around Churchbridge, Hednesford and Norton Canes. I was just wondering if you had used the side by side map function available on the National Library of Scotland to compare old OS maps with modern aerial imagery?
Darren - I use the side by side mapping service extensively when planning my videos. A fantastic resource.
Your Canal Hunter series is truly captivating! It's impressive how your passion for exploring the lost corners of the BCN has evolved over the years. Sharing these explorations on YouTube brings a new dimension to your discoveries, allowing others to appreciate the rich industrial heritage of the area.
Your use of archive images and first-hand accounts adds an authentic touch to your videos, making them more engaging and informative. Organizing the content by area, canal, and zone is incredibly helpful for viewers interested in specific parts of the BCN.
I'm excited to see what Series Six will bring and to explore more through your photostreams. Keep up the fantastic work
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