22-545: The Birmingham Canal Navigations (BCN), a network of narrow canals in the industrial midlands of England , is built on various water levels . The three longest are the Wolverhampton, Birmingham, and Walsall levels. Locks allow boats to move from one level to another. Heights given are nominal elevation above sea level in feet relative to the Ordnance Datum Liverpool . A former branch of
44-660: A feeder through Smethwick . Water from Edgbaston Reservoir feeds the Birmingham Level at the adjacent Icknield Port Loop , and once fed the Wolverhampton Level via a long feeder (now overgrown and dry) along the top of a raised embankment along Telford's BCN New Main Line to the Engine Arm . Water is also supplied by Chasewater and Netherton Reservoirs . Water was a precious resource, spent each time
66-630: A lock was emptied as a boat changed level. Steam pumps were employed at many flights of locks to pump water back to a higher level, for example, the Smethwick Engine . Birmingham Canal Navigations Birmingham Canal Navigations ( BCN ) is a network of canals connecting Birmingham , Wolverhampton , and the eastern part of the Black Country . The BCN is connected to the rest of the English canal system at several junctions. It
88-555: Is a complete list of acts of the Parliament of Great Britain for the year 1769 . For acts passed until 1707, see the list of acts of the Parliament of England and the list of acts of the Parliament of Scotland . See also the list of acts of the Parliament of Ireland . For acts passed from 1801 onwards, see the list of acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . For acts of the devolved parliaments and assemblies in
110-628: Is on the BCN) navigable without locks. Connecting canals, not part of the BCN, but using this level: A total of 13.4 miles navigable without locks. To keep the canals topped up with water, reservoirs were built to collect water from streams. These had to be above the relevant canal levels, often some distance away. The small Titford Reservoir (Titford Pool), as well as feeding the Titford Canal supplies its surplus water to Edgbaston Reservoir along
132-675: The Birmingham Canal Navigations Act 1835 ( 5 & 6 Will. 4 . c. xxxiv). From 1839 to 1843 the Tame Valley Canal was built, along with the Bentley, Rushall and Walsall Junction Canals opening up the Cannock Chase and Wyrley coal districts to the town of Birmingham at a cost upwards of £570,000 (equivalent to £70,680,000 in 2023). The Wyrley and Essington Canal was incorporated by
154-873: The Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1792 which authorized the line from Wolverhampton to Sneyd Junction and Walsall. The extension to Huddlesford and the Lord Hay and Daw End branches were constructed under the Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1794 ( 34 Geo. 3 . c. 87). This amalgamated with the Birmingham Canal Navigations in 1840. In 1855, the Cannock Extension Canal and the Wyrley Bank Branch were added to
176-740: The Dudley Canal Act 1785 ( 25 Geo. 3 . c. 87), and the extension from Parkhead to Selly Oak Junction with the Oxford and Birmingham Canal, including the Gorsty Hill and Lappal Tunnels under the Selly Oak Canal Act 1793 ( 33 Geo. 3 . c. 121). This canal became part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations in 1846 under the London and Birmingham Railway and Birmingham Canal Arrangement Act 1846 ( 9 & 10 Vict. c. ccxliv). It
198-998: The Wyrley and Essington Canal , the Essington Branch was abandoned before 1904 and is now filled in. It was the highest level on the BCN. The highest canal currently in BCN, 1 mile of which remains navigable. It was fed from the 18th century Titford Reservoir (now under Junction 2 of the M5 motorway ) originally by feeder, and since 1837 by the Titford Canal . A feeder from the Tat Bank Branch (also known as Spon Lane Branch) supplies water to Edgbaston Reservoir . A historical level, no longer existing. The highest level designed by James Brindley for his Birmingham Canal ( BCN Old Main Line ). Removed by John Smeaton 's design in 1790. A total of 41.7 miles navigable without locks: A total of 49.2 miles at this level (21.2 miles of which
220-493: The Coseley Tunnel was constructed, which with a length of 1.75 miles (2.82 km), avoided a detour around Tipton Hill of 4 miles (6.4 km). Between 1825 and 1829 the canal was improved by the cutting down by 16 feet (4.9 m) of the summit at Smethwick, which occupied two and a half years, and cost £560,000 (equivalent to £62,250,000 in 2023), and by cutting off bends and erecting steam engines which reduced
242-578: The United Kingdom, see the list of acts of the Scottish Parliament , the list of acts of the Northern Ireland Assembly , and the list of acts and measures of Senedd Cymru ; see also the list of acts of the Parliament of Northern Ireland . The number shown after each act's title is its chapter number. Acts are cited using this number, preceded by the year(s) of the reign during which the relevant parliamentary session
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#1732773303830264-620: The cost of haulage by 4d. per ton. Between 1825 and 1837 the navigation was improved between Spon Lane, Deepfield and Wolverhampton, saving a distance of six miles, which reduced the toll on coal by 9d per ton. At the same time the Titford Canal was constructed at a cost upwards of £200,000 (equivalent to £22,960,000 in 2023). The junction with the Warwick and Birmingham Canal was made under powers of an act of 1815 ( 55 Geo. 3 . c. xl). These improvements were all consolidated under
286-547: The first session of the Parliament of the United Kingdom are both cited as "41 Geo. 3". Acts passed by the Parliament of Great Britain did not have a short title ; however, some of these acts have subsequently been given a short title by acts of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (such as the Short Titles Act 1896 ). Before the Acts of Parliament (Commencement) Act 1793 came into force on 8 April 1793, acts passed by
308-602: The network at a cost upwards of £100,000 (equivalent to £11,800,000 in 2023). From 1855 to 1858 the Netherton Tunnel and other improvements cost the company upwards of £350,000 (equivalent to £44,490,000 in 2023). In 1776, the Dudley Canal was authorized from Parkhead to the junction with the Stourbridge Canal. The Parkhead to Tipton Green section including Dudley Tunnel was made under
330-542: The network. There are also stretches on their own levels. The BCN Society is a registered charity (number 1091760) formed in 1968, which exists to conserve, improve and encourage a wide range of interests in the BCN. It publishes a quarterly journal. Boundary Post . From 1983, it erected signposts at most of the canal junctions on the BCN. 52°28′39″N 1°54′32″W / 52.4776°N 1.9088°W / 52.4776; -1.9088 9 Geo. 3 Interregnum (1642–1660) Rescinded (1639–1651) This
352-466: The supervision of James Brindley from the, then, edge of Birmingham, with termini at Newhall Wharf (since built over) and Paradise Wharf (also known as Old Wharf) near to Gas Street Basin to meet the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Aldersley (north of Wolverhampton). It opened for business on 14 September 1772. The Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1769 ( 9 Geo. 3 . c. 53)
374-479: Was held; thus the Union with Ireland Act 1800 is cited as "39 & 40 Geo. 3. c. 67", meaning the 67th act passed during the session that started in the 39th year of the reign of George III and which finished in the 40th year of that reign. Note that the modern convention is to use Arabic numerals in citations (thus "41 Geo. 3" rather than "41 Geo. III"). Acts of the last session of the Parliament of Great Britain and
396-537: Was obtained to construct the canal through a detached portion of the county of Shropshire, near Oldbury, and it included powers to make reservoirs anywhere within 3 miles between Smethwick and Oldbury. The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal , from Birmingham to Tamworth, followed in 1784 with the Birmingham Canal Company merging with the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Company immediately, to form what
418-579: Was originally called the Birmingham and Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Company . This cumbersome name was short-lived, and the combined company became incorporated as the Birmingham Canal Navigations Company from 1794, as the network was expanded. The Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1794 ( 34 Geo. 3 . c. 87) authorized the extension from Broadwater to Walsall, and the short cut between Bloomfield and Deepfield, where
440-643: Was owned and operated by the Birmingham Canal Navigation Company from 1767 to 1948. At its working peak, the BCN contained about 160 miles (257 km) of canals; today just over 100 miles (160 km) are navigable, and the majority of traffic is from tourist and residential narrowboats . The earliest mention of the Birmingham Canal Navigation appears in Aris's Birmingham Gazette on 11 April 1768. Here it
462-579: Was re-established as a body corporate on 17 June 1835. It was taken over by the London and Birmingham Railway in 1846, and subsequently owned by the London and North Western Railway , then the London, Midland and Scottish Railway until 1 January 1948 when was it passed to the British Transport Commission . The BCN is built on three main levels, each with its own reservoir . These levels are linked by locks at various places on
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#1732773303830484-662: Was reported that on 25 March 1768, the first general assembly of the Company of Proprietors of the Birmingham Canal Navigation was held at the Swann Inn, Birmingham, to raise funds to submit for an act of Parliament. The first canal to be built in the area was the Birmingham Canal, authorized by the Birmingham Canal Navigation Act 1768 ( 8 Geo. 3 . c. 38) and built from 1768 to 1772 under
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