We "dig" Digbeth

Friday, 05 March 2010 20:26

Bordersley Junction  onwards, we were now officially back on the BCN

At Bordesley Junction the old Birmingham and Warwick Line (now the Grand Union) goes NW towards Digbeth Junction and the Digbeth Branch of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal.

The main feature of this section of about half a mile is Warwick Bar (a stop lock). This marked the boundary between the Birmingham and Warwick and Digbeth Branch canals. Just before this was the offices of Thomas Morton and the Claytons.

Warwick Bar

It was home to many canalside warehouses and the stop lock kept the waters of the two companies separate and no doubt tolls were levied before the barges could pass through. The covered wharf at Warwick Bar is the Banana Warehouse, once owned by Geest and now Grade ll listed.

Stop Lock and Banana Warehouse

The whole area, including the Digbeth Branch is a conservation area.

At Digbeth Junction we turned right on to the Digbeth Branch; to our left was a cut to Typhoo Basin, or Digbeth Basin. Typhoo owned a large warehouse there and the arm was built to service this.

Looking towards Typhoo Basin

The Digbeth Branch has two tunnels. The first is Curzon Street Tunnel, under the railway lines. Proof House Railway Junction is above, the Proof House itself is by Digbeth Junction.

Entering Curzon Street Tunnel

Immediately on exiting the tunnel are the Ashted Locks: six locks that rise to Aston Junction and the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. The locks are well maintained and have some good views towards Birmingham city centre.

Ashted Bottom Lock

Across the side ponds are signs of demolition - this is to be the part of the Eastland park development - but there does not seem to be much progress!

From the bottom lock

The two buildings standing look stark against the wasteland. The old Co-op furniture factory was gutted by an arson attack in January 2007. The house looks as if it had shops on the ground floor and once must have looked grand.

The second tunnel, Ashted Tunnel, was a good mini rehearsal for Standedge Tunnel on the Huddersfield Narrow Canal. We hope to "do" this in the summer, according to our latest plans!

Ashted Tunnel southern portal

Ashted Tunnel is very narrow and very low and a bit scary! Our hand rails were only centimetres from the roof and even John's excellent helmsmanship did not prevent a few scrapes along the rubbing strakes!

We emerged into the waiting Top Lock 6

I took this photo of the tunnel from the towpath

After the lock, the canal passes through the science park of Aston University. Modern buildings line the canal, replacing all the old industry. There are a number of 48H visitor moorings here, between Heneage and Lister Bridges.

Moorings

Aston Junction is next. A right turn on the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal leads to Salford Junction, descending the Aston Locks. At Salford Junction the Grand Union, Tame Valley and Birmingham and Fazeley canals meet.

Aston Locks

We turned left onto the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal and the Farmer's Bridge Locks were our next target!