The Delph Locks

 The Delph Locks

The Delph Locks, or Black Delph to give them their correct name formed a core element in the construction of the Dudley Canal which was, in effect, the continuation of the Stourbridge Canal to serve the area around Blowers Green and Parkhead.

The flight of eight locks you see today is a second version with the originals looping round to the south. The top and bottom lock chambers were retained the the intervening six new locks arranged in a straight line down the hill.

This rebuild always causes some confusion because the old flight comprised nine locks, and indeed the bridge at the top is still called nine locks bridge. 

Strictly speaking these posts are all about recording the lost canals, but the serried ranks of chambers with their adjacent weirs are suck an evocative landmark I cant help but include some old photos of the scene.

If you have a look in the undergrowth you can still find some remains of the original flight of locks, the chambers tipping this way and that as they have settled into the mine workings beneath. Its worth pointing out that the settlement didn't stop with the destruction of the old flight. Even its replacement has been plagued by subsidence as evidenced by the number of steps visible at the foot of the locks. There is a full compliment as the bottom and after losing more and more on the way up, they all but vanish at the top. One has to assume that the walls of the top chambers go down at least another 10 feet below the lock base.

The bottom "new lock" with steps

The top "new lock" without steps

Early 60's

The old locks uncovered in 1983

Old Delph Locks

Old Delph Locks

Click here to return to the Parkhead area index page

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).

Parkhead Basin

Parkhead Basin

Now Parkhead Basin is not a lost canal, but for many years it was as abandoned as the network of canals which surround it.

It is the node for the Grazebrook Arm, the Pensnett Canal, the Dudley Tunnel and for a while was the terminus for the original Dudley No1 Canal.

Parkhead Basin from the air 1934

Parkhead and Blowers Green 1950's - DCT Archive

Parkhead Locks 1971 by Dickie Bird

Parkhead Basin (David Morris)

Vic Smallshire

Parkhead Basin with the Pensnett Branch - Vic Smallshire

Parkhead - Vic Smallshire

1971 by Dickie Bird

1965

Early Parkhead rally following Restoration - BCNS Archive

It saw a huge surge of restoration activity in the 1970's and whilst it can still be accessed from Blowers Green via the three Parkhead Locks, it sees very few boats. 

In some ways it is the ultimate BCN backwater and the photos of its restoration deserve a page of their own.

Parkhead Locks

Entrance to Grazebrook Arm

Restoring the locks in the 1970's

Parkhead with Pensnett in the foreground

Mucking in with the restoration

Bottom Lock

Parkhead Stop Lock and tunnel entrance 1952

1972 by Dickie Bird

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).

Pensnett Branch Canal

Pensnett Branch Canal

The 1.5 mile Pensnett Canal, also known as Lord Ward's Canal was built in 1840 and closed in stages between 1940 and 1950.  The canal was always privately owned by the Earl of Dudley and was built to transport coal from his Estate Colliery to the main canal at Parkhead. 

The Earl of Dudley was no fool and he insisted that all the ironworks built on land leased from him (and there were a lot) had to buy at least some of their coal from his mine. Needless to say, this was a very profitable little branch canal.

And why is it called Lord Ward's? Well, Ward was the family name of Earl Dudley.

Ground level pictures of this private canal are thin on the ground but the area was heavily surveyed from the air and as a result he have a good record of its line from above.

The complete Pensnett Canal viewed from above the Round Oaks Works

The Wallows at the Pensnett Terminus

Abandoned northern section of the Pensnett (right) with Round Oaks Works in centre

The abandoned Wallows Basin

Colourised version of The Wallows - Pensnett Canal

Approaching The Wallows

The Wallows to Hingleys

The Wallows with Round Oak beyond

Dudley Road Bridge and Wallows Basin

Disused Wallows Basin

Hingleys on the Pensnett Canal

Dudley Road Bridge

Approaching Hartshill Iron Works (Hingleys)

Looking back at The Wallows from over the Round Oaks Works


Hartshill Iron Works (centre) Woodside (top Right)

Hartshill /Hingleys Ironworks

Close up of Harts Hill Ironworks - Domonic Gauden


Hingley's, owners of Hartshill Iron Works

Harts Hill Ironworks Pensnett Canal 1958 Source David Morris

Another view, believed to be Hingley's arm


Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton Railway Bridge (still exists)


Pensnett Canal (left) and Dudley No1 (right) - over Hingleys


Hartshill Iron Works to Parkhead


Between Pedmore Road and Hartshill

Site of Woodside Iron works (right of canal)


East from Pedmore Road 1973 (still a cooling pond)


Pedmore Road Bridge and Hurst Works (right)


Approaching Parkhead Viaduct

The start of the Pensnett under viaduct to the right

Pensnett stub being restored - Vic Smallshire

Vic Smallshire

Vic Smallshire

Pensnett Junction from Parkhead Basin - Vic Smallshire



Looking down the Pensnett Canal from above Blowers Green


Round Oaks Works with Pensnett Canal (left) and Two Locks Line (Right)


Round Oaks Steelworks with Pensnett to the extreme left

Click here to return to the Dudley Canals Area index page

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).