OLD BIRMINGHAM MAINLINE CANAL
The Old Birmingham Mainline Canal runs from The Mainline at Tipton and around linking to many canals and crossing over two canals via aqueducts and then back to the Mainline Canal at Smethwick or Oldbury. The Canal is approx 6 miles long, where the Mainline Canal is mainly a straight line from the two ends of the Old mainline, the old mainline is packed with features along the way.
CLUBS THAT HAVE THE RIGHTS TO SOME SECTIONS ON THIS CANAL
WATERWAYS WANDERS SCHEME
Aldersley Junction to Horseley fields Junction
Catchems Corner Bridge to Hills Bridge, Biddings Lane
Coseley Tunnel to Dudley Port Highway Bridge
Kiers Bridge to Spon Lane Junction
Spon Lane Junction to Smethwick Junction
SPORTSMAN AC
Watery Lane Section Pegs 1 - 29
Aldersley Junction to Horseley fields Junction
Catchems Corner Bridge to Hills Bridge, Biddings Lane
Coseley Tunnel to Dudley Port Highway Bridge
Kiers Bridge to Spon Lane Junction
Spon Lane Junction to Smethwick Junction
SPORTSMAN AC
Watery Lane Section Pegs 1 - 29
LINKING CANALS
Birmingham Mainline Canal
Dudley Canal No 1
Netheron Tunnel Branch Canal
(Runs underneath the Old mainline at Tividale Aqueduct, meters from the Netherton Tunnel)
Gower Branch Canal
Titford Canal
Spon Lane Locks Branch
The Engine Arm Feeder Cana
Dudley Canal No 1
Netheron Tunnel Branch Canal
(Runs underneath the Old mainline at Tividale Aqueduct, meters from the Netherton Tunnel)
Gower Branch Canal
Titford Canal
Spon Lane Locks Branch
The Engine Arm Feeder Cana
OLD BIRMINGHAM MAINLINE CANAL ROUTE
- TIPTON FACTORY LOCKS (Where the Old Mainline breaks away from the Mainline Canal at Tipton)
- The Fountain Inn (Canal side pub, Owen Street).
- Owen Street Bridge (Carries the B4517 Owen Street) Tipton Town centre.
- Tipton Green Bridge (Carries Park Lane West)
- TIPTON JUNCTION (This is where the Old Mainline meets the Dudley Canal No 1) The Dudley Canal runs through the Black Country Living Museum and the Dudley Tunnels which have no towpath.
- Pitchfork Bridge (Footbridge)
- Disused Railway Bridge (Watery Lane)
- Randalls Bridge (Carries Coneygree Road)
- Dudley Port Bridge (Carries the A461 Dudley Port)
- Dudley Port Basins
- Kiers Bridge (Carries Groveland Road)
- TIVIDALE AQUEDUCT (Old Mainline Canal crosses over the Netherton Tunnel Branch Canal meters from the Netherton Tunnel Entrance)
- Gilberts Bridge (Carries Britannia Street)
- Dudley Road West Bridge
- Fishers Bridge (Carries Lower City Road)
- BRADES HALL JUNCTION (Where the Old Mainline meets the Gower Branch Canal)
- Brades Hall Junction Footbridge (Carries the Old mainline towpath across the entrance of the Gower Branch
- Brades Bridge (Carries Brades Road)
- High Bridge (Carries Rounds Green Road)
- Churchbridge and Whimsey Bridge (Both bridges carry the carriageways of Churchbridge the A4034)
- Junction with the once Chemical Arm Branch Canal
- Seven Stars Bridge (Carries Seven Stars Road,
- Oldbury Wharf
- Stone Street Bridge
- M5 Motorway Bridge, runs across the canal for a short while
- OLDBURY JUNCTION (Where the Old Mainline meets the Titford Canal)
- Anchor Bridge (Carries Manchester Street)
- Birmingham Road Bridge (Carries the A457) M5 Motorway leaves from overhead of the canal here.
- M5 Motorway runs back over Old Mainline Canal for a short while
- Blakeley Hall bridge (Footbridge, towpath crosses canal)
- M5 leaves from overhead of the Old Mainline again
- Footbridge
- Railway Bridge
- STEWARTS AQUEDUCT (This is where the Old Mainline Canal crosses over the Mainline Canal
- M5 Crosses canal again and stays overhead for a short while
- SPON LANE JUNCTION (Where the Old Mainline meets the Spon Lane Locks which take you back down to the Birmingham Mainline Canal. From this junction the Old Mainline runs more or less parallel to the Mainline Canal.
- SPON LANE LOCK 2 , SPON LANE LOCK 1, Footbridge and then BROMFORD JUNCTION with the Mainline Canal.
- M5 leaves from overhead after Spon lane Junction
- Spon Lane Bridge (Carries the A4031)
- Canal runs under M5 for a few meters.
- Railway Bridge close to Smethwick Galton Bridge Railway Station.
- SUMMIT TUNNEL (Northwest Entrance)
- SUMMIT TUNNEL (Southwest Entrance)
- Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre
- Brasshouse Bridge (Carries Brasshouse Lane)
- ENGINE ARM JUNCTION Old Mainline Canal meets the Engine Feeder Arm which runs off the Old Mainline across the Mainline via the Engine Arm Aqueduct.
- Smethwick Lock 1 (Top Lock)
- Smethwick Lock 2
- Smethwick Lock 3 (Bottom Lock)
- Popes Bridge (Carries Bridge Street North)
- Footbridge
- SMETHWICK JUNCTION (Old Mainline Canal rejoins the Mainline Canal)