Wolverhampton in the canal age

Wednesday, 10 March 2010 09:00

The BCN Main Line in Wolverhampton is fascinating!

I have found a wonderful website about Wolverhampton and its history. For the purpose of this blog I will be exploring the history of the canal that we travelled today! I am seeing Wolverhampton with "new eyes"!

From Horseley Fields Junction the canal was lined with factories and mills. These included Shakespeare Foundry, Union Mill, a Butter and Cheese Warehouse, Saw Mill, Albion Wharf and Foundry and Corn Mill.

Now, as the boater rounds the bend from the Junction, little remains of the industry on the towpath side - the modern tower block contrasts with the sad derelict building.

Old and new

The city centre skyline can be seen over Mill Street Bridge, which carries Corn Hill road. To the right, beyond the bridge, was once the Old Steam Mill

Mill Street Bridge

Prior to 1849, the canal took a different route, but with the coming of the Shrewsbury and Birmingham and Stour Valley Railways it was diverted to the current route. More details here - clickety click

The approach to the new station was over the canal and a tunnel was cut for the canal to run through - Wolverhampton Tunnel. The two ends of the old canal were left as basins; Broad Street Basin still remains.

Broad Street Basin entrance

Broad Street Basin now houses the BW boaters' facilities and the building beside it is the Shropshire Union Canal Company warehouse and offices. Heavy losses forced the sale of the fleet and in the 1920s it was taken over by the Midland and Coast Canal Carriers Ltd. In 1938 Fellows Morton and Clayton took over M and CC Carriers.

FMC went into liquidation in 1948 and the assets were acquired by Docks and Inland Waterways Executive. The 1947 Transport Act nationalised the waterways and this executive later evolved into the British Waterways Board.

The BW Depot from the road

Broad Street Bridge was rebuilt in 1976, as a new bridge was needed to accommodate the ring road. The canal was diverted to lower the gradient of the approach road.

The old bridge is now in the Black Country Museum

Beyond the bridge was Hay Wharf and Basin and on the side where we are moored was Shelton's Timber Yard and Culwell Foundry.

Epiphany and moorings before the top lock

When the canal was realigned for the new Broad Street Bridge, this area was redeveloped and now provides moorings and pleasant park-like surroundings. However the railway and road are still very near and it is not the quietest of places!

Victoria Basin was built as a railway interchange facility. All that remains is now home to Associated Cruisers. The Talbot Inn stood next to the top lock and that is gone too.

Associated Cruisers

The Lock Cottages have been much altered since the late 18th Century, when they were built. The bay window was added in the late 1970s.

Lock cottages 109 and 110

At the lock tail, the building with scaffolding is where one of seven Mission Rooms on the BCN once stood. These were for the boat families and as well as holding services they provided tea, food, newspapers and washing facilities. Board games were available and volunteers wrote letters and tried to educate the boat children.

Sadly the Mission closed in the early 1900's and was demolished. It was rebuilt and became the workshop of an ornamental ironwork company, now no longer in existence.

If you want to find out more about Wolverhampton and its past see this link - clickety click