Dudley Port to Sandwell & Dudley canal walk along the BCN New Mainline in Sandwell

Getting the train up from Birmingham New Street on Good Friday, 7th April 2023 to Dudley Port, near Tipton in Sandwell. The canal towpath access is nearby for the BCN New Mainline, which is high up. A long straight canal developed by Thomas Telford, there is several branches off the canal, and runs alongside the railway. Getting off at Oldbury Road, found the Wednesbury Old Canal as well.

Birmingham Canal Navigations New Mainline

This was an afternoon walk from Dudley Port to Sandwell & Dudley via the BCN New Mainline, starting at Dudley Port, near the Ryland Aqueduct, down to the Albion Bridge at Oldbury Road. Could have stayed on to Bromford Road, but found the Wednesbury Old Canal from Albion Road, and walked around past some steel works.

 

Dudley Port

Getting the train on Good Friday, 7th April 2023 from Birmingham New Street to Dudley Port. The exit is via some steps and a small subway to a car park, and the Dudley Port road. Walking under the Dudley Port Station Bridge and the Ryland Aqueduct, found a towpath access path up to the Birmingham Canal Navigations New Mainline. With this view of Dudley Port Station. Trains are every half an hour in both directions, when I arrived on my train to Wolverhampton, was another train going to Walsall via Birmingham New Street. This is the ideal start for a canal walk on a sunny afternoon.

dndimg alt="Dudley Port" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Dudley%20Port%20Station%2007042023%20(13).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Ryland Aqueduct

The Ryland Aqueduct crosses the Dudley Port road, and is next to the Dudley Port Station Bridge. There is a view to Dudley in the distance up this road. The no 74 bus between Dudley and Birmingham passes under it.

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Rattlechain Bridge -  Site of Dixon's Basin

This bridge is just after the Ryland Aqueduct. It is cut off, so you can't walk over it, the towpath is to the right of it. The basin was probably behind where the fence is now.

dndimg alt="BCN New Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/RB%20SDB%20BCN%20NML%2007042023.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Dudley Port Junction

A short walk down from Dudley Port Station and the Ryland Aqueduct, gets you to Dudley Port Junction. Two bridges here, the Dudley Port Junction Bridge and the Dudley Port Roving Bridge, under which is the start of the Netherton Tunnel Branch

dndimg alt="BCN New Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Dudley%20Port%20BCN%20NML%2007042023%20(5).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Netherton Tunnel Branch

The Netherton Tunnel Branch is part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. Starting here at Dudley Port Junction with the BCN New Mainline, it goes towards Windmill End Junction, where it joins onto the BCN Old Mainline. It was built from 1855 and was opened in 1858. One of the last canals to open. The canal was repaired in 1983 and 2013.

dndimg alt="Netherton Tunnel Branch" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Netherton%20TB%2007042023%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Rattlechain Bridge and the site of the Rattlechain Brickworks Basin

Another bridge here, and a small pool of water next to the BCN Mainline. Not much to see here now, nature has reclaimed the land here.

dndimg alt="BCN New Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/RCB%20BCN%20NML%2007042023%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Dunkirk Toll Island

This is also called  the Dunkirk Stop Island. Narrowboats can go either side of it.

dndimg alt="BCN New Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/DTI%20BCN%20NML%2007042023%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Albion Junction

At Albion Junction is the Albion Junction Bridge. It is where you can find the Gower Branch of the Birmingham Canal Navigations.

dndimg alt="BCN New Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Albion%20Jctn%20BCN%20NML%2007042023%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Gower Branch

The Gower Branch Canal starts here at Albion Junction with the BCN New Mainline, and is another part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. It was authorised in 1768, but was not completed until 1836. It goes towards Brades Hall Junction with the BCN Old Mainline. On the day of this visit, in April 2023, the towpath was closed. The canal lock beyond was probably closed for repairs.

dndimg alt="Gower Branch" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Albion%20Jctn%20BCN%20NML%2007042023%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Union Furnace Bridge

This bridge is on Union Road, but is cut off now by the railway. Nearby is William King Ltd. They are a steel stockholder and supplier in West Bromwich.

dndimg alt="BCN New Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Albion%20RB%20BCN%20NML%2007042023%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Albion Railway Bridge

This railway bridge is between Sandwell & Dudley and Dudley Port on the Stour Valley Line, it is at this point that the railway and the BCN New Mainline switch sides.

dndimg alt="BCN New Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Albion%20RB%20BCN%20NML%2007042023%20(3).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Albion Bridge

It was a long walk from Dudley Port, and I decided to get off at the Albion Bridge on Oldbury Road, for a walk to the nearest station of Sandwell & Dudley. I would have headed to the right, but headed to the left via Albion Road, and found the nearby Wednesbury Old Canal (see below).

dndimg alt="BCN New Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/AB%20BCN%20NML%2007042023%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

From the Albion Bridge

I exited at Oldbury Road, on the Albion Bridge, near Oldbury. This was the view from the other side of the bridge. Pudding Green Junction is on the left, and this is the start of the Wednesbury Old Canal (see below). This is the direction towards the Bromford Bridge.

dndimg alt="BCN New Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCN%20NML%20Albion%20Br%2007042023.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

From the Bromford Bridge

The Bromford Bridge is on Bromford Road, close to Oldbury, and Bromford Lane in West Bromwich. This is the closest part of the canal to Sandwell & Dudley Station.

dndimg alt="BCN New Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/BCN%20NML%20Bromford%20Rd%2007042023.JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Wednesbury Old Canal

Saw a bit of the Wednesbury Old Canal from Albion Road, on the Izon Bridge. The canal was opened in 1769, but parts abandoned between 1955 and 1960. So only the section between Pudding Green Junction and Ryder's Green Junction is navigable now.

 

Pudding Green Junction Bridge

This bridge is at Pudding Green Junction, at the start of the Wednesbury Old Canal and the BCN New Mainline.

dndimg alt="Wednesbury Old Canal" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Wednesbury%20Old%20Canal%2007042023%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Trident Steel Works Conveyor Bridge

This bridge can be seen from the other side of the Izon Bridge on Albion Road in West Bromwich.

dndimg alt="Wednesbury Old Canal" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Wednesbury%20Old%20Canal%2007042023%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Photography by Elliott Brown

Selly Oak Winding Hole 2022 update

The Winding Hole in Selly Oak, near the Bristol Road was built and completed during 2022. At the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, the restoration of the Lapal Canal (Dudley No. 2 Canal) at Selly Oak Junction, which some day in the future will be restored to Halesowen. Until then, the area where narrowboats can turn onto this to be restored canal is now finished. Boats even moor there.

Previous post from May 2021: Selly Oak Winding Hole until 2021.

 

During 2022, the Lapal Canal Trust worked to have the Winding Hole built. work was well underway in spring 2022, and was open by autumn 2022. In the future, they will need to dig out the canal under Sainsbury's and next to Selly Oak Shopping Park, towards Harborne Lane and through Selly Oak Park towards Weoley Castle. But that is a long way off for now.

The area, also called Whitehouse Wharf was open on the 25th September 2022 to boats.

 

May 2021

View from the Worcester & Birmingham Canal, the towpath near an entrance to Selly Oak Shopping Park, as a Cross Country Trains Class 170 passes over the railway. The future Winding Hole site is to the right of here. Seen on the 29th May 2021.

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/XC170%20Selly%20Oak%20Jctn%20(May%202021).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

August 2021

Views from the passing train on the Cross City Line. There was still grass on the Winding Hole site at the time. View towards the Unite student accommodation with Sainsbury's behind it, on the 15th August 2021.

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Winding%20Hole%20Selly%20Oak%20(Aug%202021)%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Winding%20Hole%20Selly%20Oak%20(Aug%202021)%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

January 2022

Early signs that they will soon be digging out the Winding Hole for the Lapal Canal Trust. Seen from the Worcester & Birmingham Canal towpath near the Unite student accommodation on the 8th January 2022.

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/WB%20Canal%20Selly%20Oak%20SP%2008012022.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

May 2022

By the spring of 2022, work was well underway to dig the grass and soil out of the Winding Hole site, as they secured the site so water didn't get in. Seen from the footbridge that will one day be the entrance to the Lapal Canal (under Sainsbury's) on the 21st May 2022.

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Winding%20Hole%20Selly%20Oak%20WB%2021052022%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Winding%20Hole%20Selly%20Oak%20WB%2021052022%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

October 2022

By the autumn of 2022, the Selly Oak Winding Hole was complete, as can be seen from the footbridge and canal towpath. There was even a boat and narrowboat moored at it on the 2nd October 2022.

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SO%20Winding%20Hole%2002102022%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SO%20Winding%20Hole%2002102022%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

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dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SO%20Winding%20Hole%2002102022%20(4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SO%20Winding%20Hole%2002102022%20(5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

A couple of weekends later, on the 16th October 2022, this time I got the Selly Oak Winding Hole from the pocket park on the other side of the canal, heading for the Selly Oak Shopping Park via the footbridge that opened in 2021. Two narrowboats moored here this time.

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SO%20Winding%20Hole%2016102022%20(1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SO%20Winding%20Hole%2016102022%20(2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/SO%20Winding%20Hole%2016102022%20(3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

November 2022

I got the train one way from Birmingham New Street to Selly Oak, on the 6th November 2022. Leaving via Bristol Road, it was raining, and saw this view to the Winding Hole. Much more pleasant to see than what it used to look like in the past.

dndimg alt="Selly Oak Winding Hole" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Selly%20Oak%20Winding%20Hole%2006112022.jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photography by Elliott Brown. 

The River Tame: Brookvale Road Flood Wall in Witton

The River Tame in Witton used to flood when the river level was high due to heavy rain, so the Environment Agency decided to build flood walls on Brookvale Road. This took place around 2015-16. There are various words on the wall. A flood gate was installed at the Atlas Bridge. These works continue to Perry Barr.

BROOKVALE ROAD FLOOD WALL, RIVER TAME, WITTON

Heading out from Witton Station on Witton Road at midday on Tuesday 22nd March 2022. It was a sunny early spring day.

I was aware of these walls from over a year ago, while doing the River Tame feature.

Never got around to checking them out until now.

The flood wall starts on Brookvale Road, and you can't see the River Tame from the opposite pavement.

There is various words written on the wall, as you will see below.

It reads something like "BARRING RIVER ENLIVENING TAME MEANDERING RIVER REFORMING TAME FORGING RIVER POOLING TAME SEEKING RIVER MELDING TAME TRAVERSING  RIVER MEANDERING TAME".

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road flood wall Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Brookvale Rd FW R Tame Witton 22032022 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

RIVER ENLIVENING

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road flood wall Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Brookvale Rd FW R Tame Witton 22032022 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

REFORMING

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road flood wall Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Brookvale Rd FW R Tame Witton 22032022 (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

SEEKING RIVER

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road flood wall Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Brookvale Rd FW R Tame Witton 22032022 (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

TRAVERSING RIVER

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road flood wall Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Brookvale Rd FW R Tame Witton 22032022 (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The flood wall splits at the red Atlas Bridge, which also has a flood gate.

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road flood wall Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Brookvale Rd FW R Tame Witton 22032022 (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

TAME POOLING

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road flood wall Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Brookvale Rd FW R Tame Witton 22032022 (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

TRAVERSING TAME

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road flood wall Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Brookvale Rd FW R Tame Witton 22032022 (8).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

Views of the River Tame alongside the Brookvale Road Flood Wall, The railings above them are quite high.

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road River Tame Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/River Tame Brookvale Rd Witton 22032022 (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This direction towards the Holford Industrial Estate.

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road River Tame Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/River Tame Brookvale Rd Witton 22032022 (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

This direction towards the Atlas Industrial Estate.

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road River Tame Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/River Tame Brookvale Rd Witton 22032022 (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

The Yew Tree pub is on the left on Brookvale Road in Witton.

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road River Tame Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/River Tame Brookvale Rd Witton 22032022 (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road River Tame Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/River Tame Brookvale Rd Witton 22032022 (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

View towards Villa Park, home of Aston Villa FC.

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road River Tame Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/River Tame Brookvale Rd Witton 22032022 (8).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Brookvale Road River Tame Witton" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/River Tame Brookvale Rd Witton 22032022 (10).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown

Model Boating at Bournville Lake at The Valley Parkway

On regular Sunday's the Bournville Radio Sailing and Model Boat Club meet to use their remote controlled boats on Bournville Lake at The Valley Parkway, near Bournville Lane. The club has a history going back to 1900, although has been on this site since 1926. On Sunday morning, 15th August 2021, the club was back. Also some archive photos from 2017 and 2018.

Bournville Radio Sailing and Model Boat Club

The Bournville Radio Sailing and Model Boat Club, also called Bournville Model Yacht & Powerboat Club, was founded in the year 1900 as the Bournville Model Yachting Club at Rowheath Park. By 1926, George Cadbury Jr (son of the late George Cadbury who died in 1922) commissioned an area of marshland on the now famous Bournville Village Trust, to be reclaimed, and a concrete pool of even depth was created. The surrounding park is called The Valley Parkway by Birmingham City Council. The club has their own Boat House on site, and regularly meet on Sunday mornings for model yachting, and Sunday afternoons for model power boating. They sometimes also meet on other days for model boating.

 

26th March 2017

That Sunday there was model RNLI  powerboats on Bournville Lake at The Valley Parkway.

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Valley Pway Bville (Mar 2017) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Valley Pway Bville (Mar 2017) (9).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

4th October 2018

On a Thursday morning walk through The Valley Parkway, I only managed to get one photo of a model yacht in the lake. See the project gallery for more photos. They don't usually sail the model yachts on Thursday's. At weekends they regularly meet on Sunday mornings for model yachting, and on weekdays, they meet on Wednesday mornings, and sometimes Tuesday afternoons. It's the power boat sessions that meets on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Valley Pway Bville (Oct 2018) (9).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

 

15th August 2021

A Sunday morning walk along Bournville Lane, to see if I could see any activity from the Bournville Model Yacht Club. Luckily, there was a whole bunch of them out at Bournville Lake, with a lot of model yachts, as you can see in the gallery below. The members seem to be mostly retired men and women.

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (6).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (7).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

dndimg alt="Valley Parkway Bournville" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Model Yachts Bournville TVP (Aug 2021) (8).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown

Children with guides kayaking up the BCN Mainline - 11th August 2021

I was walking past Gas Street Basin, when I saw a couple of kayaks full of children and their guides. They went through the Broad Street Tunnel, then up past Brindleyplace and the Brewmasters House towards Utilita Arena Birmingham. They were probably heading for Icknield Port Loop (according to Civic Square on Twitter). I left at Oozells Street Loop. Click View article for five photos.

Kayaking from Gas Street Basin to Icknield Port Loop

Starting this brief canal walk from The Mailbox, on the 11th August 2021, I walked up to the end of the Worcester & Birmingham Canal at Worcester Bar, Gas Street Basin. On the Birmingham Canal Navigations Mainline side, I saw a couple of kayaks attached together, with a guide and several children in both of them.

The kayaks at the back near Gas Street Basin, heading into the Broad Street Tunnel.

dndimg alt="Canoeing BCN Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Canoes BCN Mline (Aug 2021) (1).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

It was now apparent that there was two pairs attached to kayaks. The first one I saw was going through the Broad Street Tunnel, while the second was was metres behind.

dndimg alt="Canoeing BCN Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Canoes BCN Mline (Aug 2021) (2).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

A Just Eat delivery man in orange on his bike. The pair of kayaks, children and their guides. It was time to duck as I walked under the tunnel.

dndimg alt="Canoeing BCN Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Canoes BCN Mline (Aug 2021) (3).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

View from the Broad Street Tunnel (where the head room was a bit higher at the Brindleyplace end). Both sets of kayaks were heading under the Brindleyplace and Brewmasters Bridges. With Utilita Arena Birmingham, The Malt House and the Brewmasters House nearby. Oh and the red Water Bus on the left was about to depart.

dndimg alt="Canoeing BCN Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Canoes BCN Mline (Aug 2021) (4).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

One last view as they headed under the Brewmasters Bridge, past The ICC Energy Centre. I would leave the Main Line via the Oozells Street Loop, heading to Brindleyplace. I assume that they were heading for the Roundhouse.

dndimg alt="Canoeing BCN Mainline" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Canoes BCN Mline (Aug 2021) (5).jpg" style="width: 100%;" />

Photos taken by Elliott Brown. Can be found on Twitter: ellrbrown