Thursday 7 May 2020

Portway Branch - Titford

Portway Branch - Titford

The lost Portway Branch Canal

The Portway Branch sat on the top of the BCN world. It extended to the west from the old Titford Reservoir and was built to reach the collieries of Rowley Regis and terminated in a fan of basin each connected to a colliery with a tramway.

Over time industry grew along its course to include brickworks and ironworks.

These days this canal which sits on a high neck of land is long gone and its course turned into a hige and rather boggy recreation field, and the basins are a jumble of furrows and ditches which merely hint at the industry which went before.

These days the M5 crosses the line.




A haunting image of the Portway Branch looking west


Portway Branch from Birchfield Lane 1949 - L Grice Worcestershire Archive

Birchfield Lane Bridge - Source Sandwell Archive RPS

Birchfield Lane Bridge - Source Sandwell Archive RPS

Unloading coal from Birchills on the Portway Branch - David Morris

Aerial view of the Portway Branch with the Titford Pools on the left

Junction of the Portway, Causeway Green and Titford Canals

Start of Portway Branch at Titford Pool - Source Ian Huselbee

Titford Weir 1960 - T Eggington Worcestershire Archive 

Relaxing on Titford Pools 1920's

Titford Pools from Causeway Green Junction 1960 - T Eggington Worcestershire Archive

Titford Pools from Wolverhampton Road 1960 - T Eggington Worcestershire Archive

IWA  Rally at Titford




Narrows west of Titford Pool 1950 - Source Sandwell Archive RPS



Colliery Basins at the far end of the Portway Branch

Titford Pools


Birchills Road Bridge - Source Ian Huselbee

Terminus Basins on the Portway Branch in1946

One of the Portway Terminus Basins in 1956 - G J Harding Worcestershire Archive

Portway Coal Basins 1956 - Worcestershire Archive J G Harding 

Portway Coal Basins 1957 - J G Harding Worcestershire Archive

Pratts Brickyard, Portway - Molly McMullen 

Portway Branch Brickworks Basin 1949 - L Grice Worcestershire Archive

Portway Overflow at brickworks 1951 - Source Sandwell Archive RPS

Portway Terminus 1951 - Sandwell Archive RPS


Portway Brickworks 1953 - Source Sandwell Archive RPS

Portway Branch 1951 - Source Sandwell Archive

Pratts Brickworks at the far end of the Portway Branch



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).

No comments: