Is the Tame Valley Canal tame?

Sunday, 14 February 2010 14:51

Not tame, but not my favourite Canal!

So we turned onto the BCN Tame Valley Canal as we were aiming for Ocker Hill on the Walsall Canal.

It stretched ahead of us

There seemed to be more ice on this canal - possibly as it is high on an embankment for most of this stretch to Ocker Hill. We passed the expected toll island, after all we had just changed canals and would have been expected to pay a toll to that canal company to use their canal!

Toll island and Rushall Junction behind us

The canal was built in 1844 and for speed, with a towpath each side - the Farmers Bridge Locks on the Birmingham and Fazeley caused congestion and the Tame Valley Canal was built to relieve this. However the "new thirteen" locks on the south eastern section at Perry Bar soon slowed everything down again!

The River Tame runs roughly parallel to the canal except when we cross it on the aqueduct! The M6 comes in from our right and the traffic was visible, rushing by at speed. This is the bit of the canal that we have seen from the M6 a number of times and now our method of transport was a much preferred one!

River Tame Aqueduct

We then approached another aqueduct

How many people (including us) realise that the bridge on the M5 before the junction with the M6 is actually a canal aqueduct? We waved to the traffic queue - a familiar sight here. Many a time we have sat in a much longer queue on our way up to Gailey to have our holiday on Twelfth Night. How we hated the motorway from this point on!

We used to come up this way from the South West

We sat in a longer queue than this!

Two more aqueducts follow - one over what was the Grand Junction Railway (which pre-dated the canal) and the next, Walsall Road Aqueduct. The canal became less interesting after this, apart from the local lads who were in evidence, but still friendly towards us - it does help to have a camera handy!

Leaving the lads and Walsall Road Bridge behind

There were more bridges, quaintly named as the canal entered a cutting - Friar Park Farm Bridge and Crankhall Lane Bridge

Yet another aqueduct took us across Hateley Heath and there is a park and large lake with the River Tame on the right. Now we entered a more industrial part after Ball's Bridge and we went under the pink bridge that carries the Metro line over the canal

Metro Bridge ahead

Gold Hill Wharf and railway bridge must have a few stories to tell. The wharf was just before the railway bridge and the remains here seem to indicate that it was a toll island.

Looking back at railway bridge from Gold Hill Bridge

It was straight on to the junction now - seen here in the distance

We were being watched by lads on motorbikes and a shire horse - the horse was the quietest!

Maybe he wanted to be on the towpath!

At the Tame Valley, or Doe Bank, Junction the Tame Valley Canal meets the Walsall Canal - north to Walsall and south to Pudding Green Junction on the BCN New Birmingham Level Main Line.

Junction from Ocker Hill Bridge

The building opposite used to house BW offices and the whole junction once stood beneath the buildings and cooling towers of Ocker Hill Power Station, long gone now. The towers were levelled in 1985.

North to Walsall

South to Riders Green and the Birmingham Level

We turned left onto the Walsall canal, heading South - for about 100 yards. We reversed into the Ocker Hill Tunnel Branch to moor, thankful to be away from ice and in a secure location.

Ocker Hill Tunnel Branch on the right

Rushall Junction, Tame Valley Canal to Ocker Hill Tunnel Arm, Walsall Canal

1 hour 19 minutes, 3.15 miles, 0 locks