In, out and under we go

Wednesday, 27 January 2010 19:12

 "The Hokey Cokey" today!

A tenuous link really but it did feel a bit like that. Leaving Smethwick behind after a couple of quiet nights, we continued on the Old Main Line of the BCN. As we were now on the summit, we approached the appropriately named Summit Tunnel. The original Brindley Canal was higher than this (remember he built 6 locks) but when the canal was lowered they had to tunnel through a small section.

Summit Tunnel 2010 and 2004

in and under tunnel

Summit Bridge which follows immediately has MDCCXC on a plaque - 1790, if our Roman Numerals are right! A railway bridge completes the triplet of bridges (the tunnel is more like a bridge than a tunnel!)

This makes a good photo, leaving in 2010 and approching in 2004

The next "under" was this

The M5 towered above us and down below they were working on repairing the motorway - diggers, dumpers and a major undertaking with some of the concrete shored up.

There is almost a highway that has been built alongside the canal for the various plant. I was amused to see the safety notice and surprised that the helmsman and crew on a narrowboat are not issued with hard hats too!

Safety first

Those lorries and cars speeding above have little heed of what is going on below them, let alone the bridges that have fallen into disuse and disrepair. Fortunately, some of the original canal roving bridges are still here.

Old road bridge

Spon Lane Bridge today and in 2004

The canal continues under the motorway, with concrete pillars acting out a sad pretence of canalside architecture. At Spon Lane Junction, the old Spon Locks drop the Old Line down to the Birmingham New Main Line at Bromford Junction. These three locks are some of the oldest on the canal system and we look forward to working them - but not this time.

The Top Lock sits under the M5 and has an attractive split bridge, again a comparison between today and 2004

We turned left onto the Stewart Aqueduct, crossing the New Main Line

To the east was Birmingham and to the west Wolverhampton, with the M5 above

Blakeley Hall Bridge is another of the original roving bridges - so graceful and much more attractive than modern bridges such as Anchor Bridge

We were in and out of the shadow of the M5 above as you can see and then we encountered the very low Anchor Bridge (a lovely modern brick bridge spoilt by ugly blue cladding on the left) from which we emerged to pass under the concrete monstrosity that is Manchester Bridge.

Another pillar-lined "avenue" took us to Oldbury Locks Junction. Here we turned off the Old Main Line, which continued ahead towards Dudley and Tipton Junction. The signpost pointed us left to the Titford Canal and Titford Pools.

BCN, Old Main Line - Smethwick Pumping Station to Oldbury Locks Junction

46 minutes, 1.98 miles, 0 locks