Walk on the Walsall Canal from New Art Gallery Walsall to the James Bridge Aqueduct

On Saturday 15th April 2023, a walk along the Walsall Canal, starting from New Art Gallery Walsall (with a Costa Coffee visit, and look around the gallery first). Then up the Walsall Town Arm, before walking in the direction of the M6 motorway and getting off at the James Bridge Aqueduct. Ended up getting a 39 bus back into Walsall Town Centre, before the train back to Birmingham.

Getting the train from Birmingham New Street to Walsall on Saturday 15th April 2023. New Art Gallery Walsall was minutes walk away from Walsall Station, and at first went to Costa Coffee for a drink, before a look around the gallery. My first visit in around 9 years.

Then after I left the gallery, walked up the Walsall Town Arm, before going onto the Walsall Canal. Aimed to get as far as the M6 motorway at least, and the James Bridge Aqueduct. Was thinking of going a bit further, but it was far enough. Then though about a walk to Bescot Stadium Station, but saw a no 39 bus coming on James Bridge, and caught that back to the Saddlers Shopping Centre for the shortcut into Walsall Station.

 

New Art Gallery Walsall

View of the Walsall Town Basin at the end of the Walsall Town Arm from an upper level at the New Art Gallery Walsall. Premier Inn hotel with Brewers Fayre restaurant on the right. Behind is the Waterfront retail park, with The Light Cinema Walsall and The Waterfront bar (Hungry Horse). Below on the left is Piri Fino.

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Walsall Town Arm

The Walsall Town Arm is a short branch off the Walsall Canal to Walsall Town Centre, with modern developments. But just before the basin, appears to be algae at the moment, so not sure if this canal is currently navigable or not. Premier Inn and Brewers Fayre on the left, with Costa Coffee and The New Art Gallery Walsall straight ahead.

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Walsall Locks

Just after the end of the Walsall Town Arm, is the actual Walsall Canal. The Southern Locks of the Walsall Locks is Grade II listed, and is near the Wolverhampton Road Bridge. I did not go that way, but only briefly crossed the Bridgeman Street Bridge to see a mural in full from the other side of the canal.

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Bridgeman Street Bridge

You leave Walsall Town Centre under the Bridgeman Street Bridge. The towpath switches sides here. If you head north, you go to Birchills Junction, where the Walsall Canal joins the Wyrley and Essington Canal. This walk though headed in a south west direction.

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Rollingmill Street Bridge

The first bridge you pass heading south between Bridgeman Street and Rollingmill Street is the Rollingmill Street Bridge. Just beyond here is Queen Street Cemetery & Sister Dora Gardens.

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Branch to Old Gas Works

To the left is an old basin, bit of a waste dump, and overgrown now. On the right is an old canal side warehouse building.

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Pagett's Bridge

The next bridge to come across is the Pagett's Bridge. On Pleck Road above is Champy's Bradford Arms.

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Woodward's Bridge

On Woodward's Road is Woodward's Bridge. Near here is a Sikh temple called the Nanaksar Gurdwara. The Pleck Sikh Community Centre is on Wellington Street.

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Scarborough Road Bridge

The last residential bridge is on Scarborough Road, the Scarborough Road Bridge.

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Reservoir Place Bridge

Starts to get a bit industrial and derelict, when you get to the Reservoir Place Bridge, with is on Reservoir Place of course. This bridge was built in 1992.

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Spinks Bridge

The Spinks Bridge is concrete, and out of use by the looks of it. Development to the right, and getting close to the M6 motorway. South Staffordshire Tramway Generating Station used to be to the left of here.

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M6 Motorway Bridge

Getting to the west of Walsall, is the M6 Motorway Bridge, which of course carries the M6 motorway overhead.

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James Bridge Aqueduct

I was aiming to walk at least as far as the James Bridge Aqueduct, although originally thought of going a bit further. The aqueduct was opened in 1797, and is Grade II listed. Below is Bentley Mill Way.

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Beyond which I did not get to see, was another aqueduct over a railway line, plus a couple more bridges. But the walk was long enough, plus had to see the aqeuduct from road level, and the River Tame was down there. Bus stop was on James Bridge, and got the 39 back into Walsall Town Centre, then went into the Saddlers Shopping Centre, to catch a train back from Walsall to Birmingham New Street.

 

Photography by Elliott Brown

Birmingham to Smethwick walk up the Birmingham Canal Navigations New Mainline with Jonathan

Enjoy this walk with Jonathan on a walk up the Birmingham Canal Navigations New Mainline, starting at Old Turn Junction near the Arena and finishing just beyond the Galton Bridge in Smethwick. You can walk or cycle there and back. Or get the train back from Smethwick Galton Bridge Station to Birmingham Snow Hill or New Street (your choice).

Start at Brindleyplace. Pass the National Sealife Centre, then cross over the footbridge, passing the Oozells Street Loop. 

At Old Turn Junction will be a view of The Malt House and the Library of Birmingham. The Birmingham & Fazeley Canal starts here, but it was the Newhall Branch of the Birmingham Canal Navigations as far as Farmers Bridge Locks / Cambrian Wharf.

Old Turn Junction and The Malt House

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Pass the Arena, and turn left past the Legoland Discovery Centre Birmingham, head down the towpath onto the Birmingham Canal Navigations New Mainline.

Utilita Arena Birmingham - Old Turn Junction

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At Old Turn Junction is also the start of the Oozells Street Loop at this bridge near Brindleyplace. Part of the Old Mainline.

Oozells Street Loop Junction Bridge - Old Turn Junction

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Walk under the Sheepcote Street Bridge as you pass The Distillery and the Roundhouse.

Sheepcote Street Bridge

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The Distillery

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The Roundhouse

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Before leaving the City Centre you pass Ladywood Junction, where the end of the Oozells Street Loop joins onto the BCN New Mainline.

Ladywood Junction Bridge - Oozells Street Loop

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Head out of the City Centre under the St Vincent Street Bridge into Ladywood.

St Vincent Street Bridge

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After passing under Ladywood Middleway, at the Monument Road Bridge, you will pass the start of the Ickield Port Loop at Sandy Turn. There is also the Monument Road Basin Bridge, also called Monument Lane Basin, just before Ladywood Middleway.

Sandy Turn bridge - Icknield Port Loop

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The new Port Loop development is between both ends of the Icknield Port Loop near Rotton Park Street.

Port Loop development

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The other end of the Icknield Port Loop is at Rotton Park Junction.

Rotton Park Junction Bridge - Icknield Port Loop

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You will pass over the Eyre Street Junction Bridge, which is at the start of the Soho Loop, near the Soho Wharf development. The other end of the Icknield Port Loop is opposite here, plus the railway bridge that carries the line from Birmingham New Street to Wolverhampton.

Eyre Street Junction Bridge - Soho Loop 

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Pass under the Rotton Park Towpath Bridge, continue past the Site of Harborne Branch Railway Bridge, until you get to the Lee Bridge.

Lee Bridge

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Continue up to the Winson Green Bridge, which has Winson Green Road crossing overhead.

Winson Green Bridge

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The other end of the Soho Loop is at Winson Green Junction. This is near the Soho EMU Depot, home of the Cross City Line's famous Class 323 Electric Multiple Units!

Winson Green Junction Bridge - Soho Loop

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The Winson Green Gauging Island is next to the Winson Green Roving Bridge, as you pass the Soho EMU Depot (either side of the canal, there is a towpath on both sides here).

Winson Green Roving Bridge

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Continue walking up to the railway bridge, as you will soon cross into Smethwick in Sandwell.

Soho Railway Bridge

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Between here was the site of Soho Foundry Basin, and the site of Smethwick Gas Works Basin, and the French Walls Basin Bridge.

Rabone Lane Bridge

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Smethwick Junction on the BCN is where the New Line and Old Line splits. The New Mainline is to the left on the Birmingham Level, while the Old Mainline is to the right on the Wolverhampton Level.

Smethwick Main Line Turnover Bridge - Smethwick Junction

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The Rolfe Bridge in Smethwick is at Bridge Street North. One of the towpaths is fenced off here.

Rolfe Bridge

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Passing the Rolfe Pipe Bridge and Smethwick Stop, and then pass under the Engine Arm Aqueduct.

Engine Arm Aqueduct

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The next bridge to walk under is the Brass House Bridge, which is on Brasshouse Lane in Smethwick.

Brass House Bridge

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The Smethwick Pumping Station, also called the Galton Valley Canal Museum, or the New Smethwick Pumping Station. It was built in 1892. The lower level is on the New Mainline, while the upper level to the right is on the Old Mainline of the BCN.

Smethwick Pumping Station

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Walking up to the Galton Tunnel from the southeastern portal, then walk through to the northwestern portal. It was built of concrete, and is below Telford Way.

Galton Tunnel

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Cross under the famous Galton Bridge. Opened in 1829 and designed by Thomas Telford. It has been pedestrianised since the 1970s. A Grade I listed structure.

Galton Bridge

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The next bridge is the Smethwick Railway Bridge. This was converted into Smethwick Galton Bridge Station in 1995, with the opening of the Jewellery Line, it carries the Snow Hill lines on the high level, while there is also a low level that carries the line from Birmingham New Street to Wolverhampton.

Smethwick Galton Bridge Station

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The next bridge carries Spon Lane South, not far from the remains of the Chance Glassworks.

Spon Lane Station Bridge 

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This was where Jonathan ended his walk, and turned back towards Birmingham. Beyond here is a couple of bridges next to Chance Glassworks, and Spon Lane Junction, where the Old Mainline crossed the New Mainline on the Steward Aqueduct, followed by the M5 motorway.

 

You can either walk or cycle back, or leave at Spon Lane South, and walk to Smethwick Galton Bridge Station, to catch the train to either Birmingham Snow Hill or Birmingham New Street (your choice, remember to buy your train tickets before travelling). Also various nearby bus routes.

 

Post by Elliott Brown. Photos from Jonathan Bostock.

Dudley Port to Sandwell & Dudley canal walk along the BCN New Mainline in Sandwell

Getting the train up from Birmingham New Street on Good Friday, 7th April 2023 to Dudley Port, near Tipton in Sandwell. The canal towpath access is nearby for the BCN New Mainline, which is high up. A long straight canal developed by Thomas Telford, there is several branches off the canal, and runs alongside the railway. Getting off at Oldbury Road, found the Wednesbury Old Canal as well.

Birmingham Canal Navigations New Mainline

This was an afternoon walk from Dudley Port to Sandwell & Dudley via the BCN New Mainline, starting at Dudley Port, near the Ryland Aqueduct, down to the Albion Bridge at Oldbury Road. Could have stayed on to Bromford Road, but found the Wednesbury Old Canal from Albion Road, and walked around past some steel works.

 

Dudley Port

Getting the train on Good Friday, 7th April 2023 from Birmingham New Street to Dudley Port. The exit is via some steps and a small subway to a car park, and the Dudley Port road. Walking under the Dudley Port Station Bridge and the Ryland Aqueduct, found a towpath access path up to the Birmingham Canal Navigations New Mainline. With this view of Dudley Port Station. Trains are every half an hour in both directions, when I arrived on my train to Wolverhampton, was another train going to Walsall via Birmingham New Street. This is the ideal start for a canal walk on a sunny afternoon.

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Ryland Aqueduct

The Ryland Aqueduct crosses the Dudley Port road, and is next to the Dudley Port Station Bridge. There is a view to Dudley in the distance up this road. The no 74 bus between Dudley and Birmingham passes under it.

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Rattlechain Bridge -  Site of Dixon's Basin

This bridge is just after the Ryland Aqueduct. It is cut off, so you can't walk over it, the towpath is to the right of it. The basin was probably behind where the fence is now.

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Dudley Port Junction

A short walk down from Dudley Port Station and the Ryland Aqueduct, gets you to Dudley Port Junction. Two bridges here, the Dudley Port Junction Bridge and the Dudley Port Roving Bridge, under which is the start of the Netherton Tunnel Branch

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Netherton Tunnel Branch

The Netherton Tunnel Branch is part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. Starting here at Dudley Port Junction with the BCN New Mainline, it goes towards Windmill End Junction, where it joins onto the BCN Old Mainline. It was built from 1855 and was opened in 1858. One of the last canals to open. The canal was repaired in 1983 and 2013.

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Rattlechain Bridge and the site of the Rattlechain Brickworks Basin

Another bridge here, and a small pool of water next to the BCN Mainline. Not much to see here now, nature has reclaimed the land here.

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Dunkirk Toll Island

This is also called  the Dunkirk Stop Island. Narrowboats can go either side of it.

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Albion Junction

At Albion Junction is the Albion Junction Bridge. It is where you can find the Gower Branch of the Birmingham Canal Navigations.

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Gower Branch

The Gower Branch Canal starts here at Albion Junction with the BCN New Mainline, and is another part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations. It was authorised in 1768, but was not completed until 1836. It goes towards Brades Hall Junction with the BCN Old Mainline. On the day of this visit, in April 2023, the towpath was closed. The canal lock beyond was probably closed for repairs.

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Union Furnace Bridge

This bridge is on Union Road, but is cut off now by the railway. Nearby is William King Ltd. They are a steel stockholder and supplier in West Bromwich.

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Albion Railway Bridge

This railway bridge is between Sandwell & Dudley and Dudley Port on the Stour Valley Line, it is at this point that the railway and the BCN New Mainline switch sides.

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Albion Bridge

It was a long walk from Dudley Port, and I decided to get off at the Albion Bridge on Oldbury Road, for a walk to the nearest station of Sandwell & Dudley. I would have headed to the right, but headed to the left via Albion Road, and found the nearby Wednesbury Old Canal (see below).

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From the Albion Bridge

I exited at Oldbury Road, on the Albion Bridge, near Oldbury. This was the view from the other side of the bridge. Pudding Green Junction is on the left, and this is the start of the Wednesbury Old Canal (see below). This is the direction towards the Bromford Bridge.

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From the Bromford Bridge

The Bromford Bridge is on Bromford Road, close to Oldbury, and Bromford Lane in West Bromwich. This is the closest part of the canal to Sandwell & Dudley Station.

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Wednesbury Old Canal

Saw a bit of the Wednesbury Old Canal from Albion Road, on the Izon Bridge. The canal was opened in 1769, but parts abandoned between 1955 and 1960. So only the section between Pudding Green Junction and Ryder's Green Junction is navigable now.

 

Pudding Green Junction Bridge

This bridge is at Pudding Green Junction, at the start of the Wednesbury Old Canal and the BCN New Mainline.

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Trident Steel Works Conveyor Bridge

This bridge can be seen from the other side of the Izon Bridge on Albion Road in West Bromwich.

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Photography by Elliott Brown

Earlswood Lakes Sailing Club on the Windmill Pool, Boxing Day 2022.

A walk around the Windmill Pool, on Boxing Day 2022, when I saw the Earlswood Lakes Sailing Club out with their yachts on the lake. It was a cold morning in Earlswood. Plenty of people around walking around Earlswood Lakes here. Was nice to see the yachts out too.

On the Bank Holiday Monday, 26th December 2022, Boxing Day, the Earlswood Lakes Sailing Club was out on the Windmill Pool at Earlswood Lakes.

Saw them before they headed out onto the lake in their wetsuits.

Walked through a very muddy and wet path, covered by trees, before getting to the far end of the lake.

By then the yachts were all coming out.

Which was nice to see as we walked up the other side of the lake (which wasn't as bad as the muddy section).

Also a blue sky and bright winter sunshine.

At least one boat capsized, but the safety boat came out to help him.

 

Gallery of 10 photos below. Enjoy!

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Photography by Elliott Brown

Luminate at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens

Another lights trail at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens, on Westbourne Road in Edgbaston. During the Christmas 2022 season. Tickets need to be bought in advance. I went with a group on Tuesday 6th December 2022 between 7pm and 8pm in the evening. The trail was a bit different to the Magical Lantern Festival I'd previously seen here. At least it wasn't raining. But it was cold.

LUMINATE, BIRMINGHAM BOTANICAL GARDENS, CHRISTMAS LIGHTS TRAIL 2022

 

Arriving at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens on Westbourne Road in Edgbaston. We didn't park here, so we had a bit of a walk from Frederick Road via Calthorpe Road.

The main entrance of the Botanical Gardens, with Christmas trees, where we waited for other members of our group to arrive.

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There was several Christmas trees in the foyer, these ones, near the exit to the shop.

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Later on near the end of the visit was the #BBG hashtag in the foyer and one of the Christmas trees. These are more to do with the Botanical Gardens than Luminate.

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After the group tickets were shown, one of the first things you see is this Luminate sign.

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On the main lawn was these lights that kept changing colours.

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There was a full moon that evening over the Botanical Gardens. The Cold Moon apparently. It was still full two nights later.

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The rainbow ribbon suspension bridge.

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The enchanted fairyland.

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The Glitterball Solar System.

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The rainbow light path.

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The Square light tunnel.

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Spotlights from the Viewpoint near the Refreshments area.

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The Globe lights canopy above a path.

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Bright white reindeer trail.

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The warped light tunnel. This was popular.

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The light bulb beads, you had to walk through these.

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Near the end. The Alpine Yard with lit up greenhouses.

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Photography by Elliott Brown