Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead. |
|
Birmingham Canal Navigations
Description: Originally about 160 miles of interconnected canals but today only just over a 100 miles are navigable.
History: Promoted by Acts of 1768, 1769, 1784, 1785, 1794, 1806, 1811, 1815, and 1818.
For more details see the History page.
Subordinate Waterways:
Navigation Authority: MD's Office: Southern Waterways, General Manager: Central Shires Waterways, Peel's Wharf, Lichfield Street, Fazeley, Tamworth, Staffordshire B78 3QZ
: Telephone 01827 252000 : Fax 01827 288071 :
Related Books
- Birmingham Canal Navigations - A Report on the 'Remainder' Waterways by Not known, Edition: 1st edition, 36 pages, Published by British Waterways Board, in 1970, Illustrated.
- The Birmingham Canal Navigations, Vol. 1 1768 - 1846 by S R Broadbridge, Edition: 1st edition, 205 pages, Published by David & Charles, in 1974, Illustrated.
- The Birmingham Canal Navigations by R May, Edition: 1st edition, 99 pages, Published by C R Smith, in 1973, A pictorial record of the BCN..
- The Other Sixty Miles by Richard Chester-Browne, Edition: Revised, 48 pages, Published by Birmingham Canal Navigations Society, in 1991, "A survey of the abandoned canals of Birmingham and the Black Country". First published in 1981. Illustrations and coloured map..
- A Gas Street Trail by Ray Shill, ISBN: 0 9517755 3 7, 115 pages, Published by Heartlands Press, in 1994, Well researched and illustrated guide produced by Desk Top Publishing software.. Order now from
.- The Industrial Canal - Volume 2, The Railway Interchange by Tom Foxon, ISBN: 0 9517755 6 1, 177 pages, Published by Heartlands Press, in 1998, Soft back book concentating on the canal and railway goods interchange in the Birmingham area.. Order now from .
- Canal City Souvenir by Michael Pearson, ISBN: 0 907864 77 5, 48 pages, Published by J M Pearson & Son, Colour photographs illustrate this guide to the canals around Birmingham.. Order now from .
- Birmingham's Canals by Ray Shill, ISBN: 0 7509 2077 7, 128 pages, Published by Sutton Publishing, in 2000, With maps and historic photographs.. Order now from .
- Nicholson/Ordnance Survey Guide to the waterways - 2 by Not known, ISBN: 978-0-00-728161-9, 170 pages, Published by Nicholson, in 2009, Severn, Avon and Birmingham. Includes the BCN, Gloucester & Sharpness, Severn, Staffordshire & Worcester Canal, Stourbridge, Dudley, Stratford-on-Avon and Worcester & Birmingham canals.. Order now from .
- Nicholson/Ordnance Survey Guide to the waterways - 3 by Not known, ISBN: 978-0-00-728162-6, 170 pages, Published by Nicholson, in 2009, Birmingham and the Heart of England. Includes the Ashby, BCN, Birmingham & Fazeley, Coventry, Erewash, GU Leicester Section, GU main line (part), Oxford, Staffordshire & Worcstershire, Worcester & Birmingham Canals and part of the Trent & Mersey.. Order now from .
- Boats, Smoke, Steam & Folk by Robert Davies, ISBN: 0 7524 1765 7, 128 pages, Published by Tempus, in 2001, Exploring the Canals of the West Midlands.. Order now from .
- Working Boat: Warwickshire & Worcestershire Trades by Ray Shill and Tom Foxon, ISBN: 0 9517755 2 9, 64 pages, Published by Heartlands Press, in 2002, The waterways of these counties and the history of the trade carried by their working boats.. Order now from .
- The Birmingham Canal Navigations by Ray Shill, ISBN: 0 7524 2767 9, 128 pages, Published by Tempus, in 2003, An illustrated history.. Order now from .
- Working Boat: Midland Canal Carriers 1770-1845 - 2 - The Birmingham Trade by Ray Shill and Tom Foxon, ISBN: 0 9543098 0 4, 64 pages, Published by Heartlands Press, in 2003, The third volume in a series covering Midland canal trade.. Order now from .
- The Canals of the West Midlands (2nd Ed) by Charles Hadfield, 352 pages, Published by Augustus M Kelley, in 1969,
Related videos
- BCN - Part 4 Canals of Birmingham , 1 hour 31 minutes Produced by Laurence Hogg Productions, This video journey around the City of Birmingham waterfront discovers what is still hidden from many eyes. It follows the routes of lost arms and finds basins not seen for years as well as boating under the massive cathedral of concrete that is Spaghetti Junction before looking at the former warehouse complex still intact on the Grand Union and Gas Street Basin before the developers arrived. Includes many archive pictures showing the wharves, boats and canal people in days gone by come to life. Available on tape DVD. Order on video tape from . Order on DVD from
- BCN - Part 5 Narrow Boats on the Birmingham Canal Navigations , 1 hour 0 minutes Produced by Laurence Hogg Productions, This video portrays the immense carrying scene the BCN once had, the diversity of the craft and immense numbers that existed to make the BCN a highly profitable system. Available on tape DVD. Order on video tape from . Order on DVD from
- BCN - Part 6 Lichfield & Hatherton Canals , 57 minutes Produced by Laurence Hogg Productions, Both these routes are now under restoration and this video delves into the background and history of the two sections of canal and takes a close look at how they are being restored. Whilst examining the historical background to the canals the video also portrays trust members describing how the waterways are being restored to provide a valuable link to the Northern BCN. Available on tape DVD. Order on video tape from . Order on DVD from
- BCN Main Lines & Loops (Part 1A) , 1 hour 40 minutes Produced by Laurence Hogg Productions, A complete look at the routes of the main lines of the BCN. All the major branches are covered as are the loops, lots of archive Photos Available on tape DVD. Order on video tape from . Order on DVD from
- BCN Canals North of the Main Lines. (Part 2) , 1 hour 44 minutes Produced by Laurence Hogg Productions, The Northern waters of the BCN covered in detail, lots of archive images bring the many lost sections to life. Available on tape DVD. Order on video tape from . Order on DVD from
- BCN Part 1 , 1 hour 15 minutes Produced by Laurence Hogg Productions, Laurence Hogg's original film about the main lines of the BCN. filmed from NB "Progress" Available on tape. Order on video tape from
- BCN, The Canals South of the Main Lines. (Part 3) , 1 hour 5 minutes Produced by Laurence Hogg Productions, The canals south of the main lines covered in detail using present day and archive images Available on tape DVD. Order on video tape from . Order on DVD from
- Journeys on the BCN - Dudley to Walsall (Part 8) , 58 minutes Produced by Laurence Hogg Productions, Starting in Dudley we cruise the main line & the Walsall canal looking at all the branches and features both in the past and today Available on tape DVD. Order on video tape from . Order on DVD from
- Warehouse at Work , Released in 2001, 26 minutes Produced by IA Recordings, Shows the Broad Street Warehouse being used as it would have been in the days when it was used by working canal boats. Shot in May 1996. Available on tape. Order on video tape from
- Last Coal Run from Anglesey , Released in 2002, 35 minutes Produced by IA Recordings, A re-enactment of the last coal run in the 1960s. Available on tape. Order on video tape from
Related External Web Sites
Lock Sizes and maximum craft dimensions: Length 70 foot, beam 7 foot, applies to the whole BCN. NOTE: For more details of maximum lock and craft sizes and the basis of these figures see Craft and Lock Sizes Page
Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead. |
|
