| Rivers, lakes & canals 25 Apr 2023 - Elliott Brown |
Inspiration |
Walking trail around Smethwick via Rolfe Street and Galton Bridge
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Get the train up to Smethwick Rolfe Street or Smethwick Galton Bridge, for this wonderful walk around the area, via the BCN New Mainline and Smethwick High Street. There is plenty of heritage to see on your walk. From the Galton Bridge to the remains of Chance Glassworks.
Walking trail around Smethwick via Rolfe Street and Galton Bridge
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Get the train up to Smethwick Rolfe Street or Smethwick Galton Bridge, for this wonderful walk around the area, via the BCN New Mainline and Smethwick High Street. There is plenty of heritage to see on your walk. From the Galton Bridge to the remains of Chance Glassworks.
Get the train from Birmingham New Street to Smethwick Rolfe Street, if starting near the Engine Arm Aqueduct. If you buy your tickets to Smethwick Galton Bridge, they should be valid for getting of at intermediate stations.
From Smethwick Rolfe Street, walk up Rolfe Street to Bridge Street North, near the Smethwick Locks.
The Engine Arm Aqueduct is near Rolfe Street in Smethwick. It starts at the junction of the Birmingham Canal Old Main Line, then crosses over the Birmingham Canal New Main Line. It was built in 1825 by Thomas Telford to carry a water feeder, the Engine Arm from Edgbaston Reservoir. It is Grade II* listed and a Scheduled Ancient Monument.
dndimg alt="Engine Arm Aqueduct" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/4A6C52C8-0D94-4AB5-B681-81056BFB7F9D.jpeg" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Jonathan Bostock
Leave the canal at the Brasshouse Lane Bridge, then walk down North Western Road to Rolfe Street.
Smethwick Rolfe Street Station
The railway station at Rolfe Street in Smethwick, was opened in 1852 on the line between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton. It was rebuilt as it is now in 1890. A mural was painted at the station in 2017 under the direction of artist Steve Field. West Midlands Railway took over from processor London Midland in late 2017. Since 2022, the station has step free access.
dndimg alt="Smethwick Rolfe Street Station" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Smethwick%20Rolfe%20St%20(Nov%202017)%20(8).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown
From Rolfe Street, cross the footbridge over Tollhouse Way, then head down High Street in Smethwick to the statue of a Sikh WW1 soldier.
The tollhouse was built in 1820 on the Smethwick High Street. The road was part of the Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Dudley Turnpike 1760 - 1876. A Grade II listed building.
dndimg alt="Smethwick Cross Tollhouse" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Smethwick%20CT%20(Jun%202012)%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown
A former church building at 130 High Street, the Smethwick Sikh community bought and opened it in 1961. It is a total rebuild from the church to gurdwara.
dndimg alt="Guru Nanak Gurdwara Smethwick" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Guru%20Nanak%20Smethwick%20(Nov%202017).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown
The bronze statue by Luke Perry was unveiled in November 2018, between the Smethwick High Street and Tollhouse Way. It depicts a First World War Sikh soldier. It's close to the Guru Nanak Gurdwara.
dndimg alt="Lions of the Great War" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lions%20Great%20War%20(Nov%202018)%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown
Other buildings of note on the Smethwick High Street include: Smethwick Library and the Blue Gates Hotel.
Now retrace your steps, and return to the Brasshouse Lane Bridge and walk back down to the canal towpath. There is also a nearby park to check out if you want to.
Not far from Brasshouse Lane, is Lewisham Park. It's between Great Arthur Street, Perry Street and Darmouth Road. It has a play area, tennis courts and sports pitches.
dndimg alt="Lewisham Park" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Lewisham%20Park%20(Nov%202017)%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown
The pumping house was built in 1892 between the Birmingham Canal Old Main Line on the Wolverhampton Level (developed by Smeaton in Smethwick) and the Birmingham Canal New Main Line on the Birmingham Level (developed by Telford). It's now a museum and is Grade II listed. Was also called the Smethwick New Pumping House. It replaced two earlier pumping stations on the Engine Arm. The engines were removed in the early to mid 20th century. Restored between the 1980s and 2000s. Open for monthly open days, once a month between April and October each year.
dndimg alt="Galton Valley Pumping Station" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/09799C89-9EBA-48C6-A6F9-ED9162FE3B3F.jpeg" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Jonathan Bostock
When Telford Way was build over a canal, a new tunnel had to be built on the BCN New Main Line. The Galton Tunnel is made of concrete, and is 122 yards long, between the SE portal and NW portal. Above NW portal is a towpath that leads up to the Galton Bridge on Roebuck Lane.
dndimg alt="Galton Tunnel" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/75468A18-9A5B-4A4A-A1DB-3284DBBC4EDD.jpeg" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Jonathan Bostock
The Galton Bridge is on Roebuck Lane in Smethwick. It crosses the Birmingham Canal New Main Line (Birmingham Level). Made of cast iron, it was opened in 1829 as a road bridge, and built by Thomas Telford, in a deep cutting. It's 70 feet above the canal, and was the highest single-span arch bridge in the world when it was built. It carried heavy vehicles for almost 150 years until the 1970s. Since then it has only been open to pedestrians and cyclists. It was named after a local businessman, Samuel Galton, who was a major investor in the Birmingham Canal Company. The ironwork was cast by Horseley Ironworks at its canal-side factory near Tipton.
dndimg alt="Galton Bridge" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/64796917-B4B6-4DA2-952A-21F0BB009708.jpeg" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Jonathan Bostock
Smethwick Galton Bridge Station
The Jewellery Line was built and opened in 1995, this included three stations at Jewellery Quarter, The Hawthorns and Smethwick Galton Bridge. The station in Smethwick has a high level on the Snow Hill lines between Birmingham Snow Hill and Worcester via Kidderminster, and the low level between Birmingham New Street and Wolverhampton. The station has four platforms. The Smethwick Railway Bridge crosses the Birmingham Canal New Main Line, with the Snow Hill lines above. The opening of this station, led to the nearby Smethwick West Station closing down in 1996.
dndimg alt="Smethwick Galton Bridge Station" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Smethwick%20Galton%20Bridge%20Station%20(Jul%202021)%20(1).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown
Leaving the station, walk up Oldbury Road, then turn right up Spon Lane South. For some gems to do with the Chance Brothers, who made glass during the 19th century in Smethwick.
Chance House and The Old School House
Located on Crystal Drive off Spon Lane South in Smethwick is Chance House and The Old School House. The Gothic House on the left dates to sometime after the 1850s, while Chance's School dates to around 1850, by the architect Charles Wyatt of Oxford. It has a picturesque Tudor Gothic porch with a stone belfry. Chance House is used to mark a blue plaque about the Chance Brothers, whose Chance Glassworks was nearby from the 1820s to the early 1980s.
dndimg alt="Chance House" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Chance%20House%20(Mar%202017)%20(4).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown
It was opened in the 1820s, but was closed down for good in the 1980s. A Grade II listed building. The warehouse and offices was built in 1847. While another set of warehouses was built circa 1853. It is between the M5 motorway and the Birmingham Canal New Main Line, as well as close to the Birmingham New Street to Wolverhampton railway line. It is hoped that in the 2020s that the buildings will be restored, after being derelict for decades.
dndimg alt="Chance Glassworks" dndsrc="../uploadedfiles/Chance%20Glassworks%20(Mar%202017)%20(2).JPG" style="width: 100%;" />Photography by Elliott Brown
Leave the canal at Spon Lane South, then walk down Oldbury Road, and head into Smethwick Galton Bridge Station. If you haven't already bought your train tickets back to Birmingham, do so here at the ticket office, ticket machine, or on the West Midlands Railway app (you will get a QR code ticket). Take either the high level to Birmingham Snow Hill (or Moor Street), or the low level to Birmingham New Street.
The nearest tram stop is Kenrick Park Tram Stop, which is adjacent to Kenrick Park in nearby West Bromwich.
Oldbury Road is on the 80 and 87 bus routes from National Express West Midlands.
