Canal guide between Birmingham and Lapworth Locks - England

Birmingham to Kingswood Junction (near Lapworth) along The Grand Union Canal.

Features, locks, tunnels which can be found on The Grand Union Canal from the start of the canal in Birmingham via Ashtead Locks and Knowle Locks to Kingswood Junction.

The Grand Union Canal Main Line seems to officially start at Salford Junction in Birmingham - it soon reaches a canal junction at Bordesley where it is joined by the Digbeth Arm. The Digbeth Arm itself could also perhaps be considered part of The Grand Union Canal. Generally speaking our Grand Union Canal photos show the bridges and locks involved on the canal's route south looking from both directions however each time we have visited Birmingham the smog and unhelpful sunshine angle has meant we only have photos from Salford Junction to Bordesley Junction from one direction i.e. as if heading north.
Sadly one of the "features" in this part of Birmingham is the appalling amount of graffiti everywhere - just about anything flat has been scribbled and painted on by these morons. Whilst wandering along the towpath we stopped to talk to some people - they said that much of the crap had been cleaned up at considerable expense but the delinquents had re-covered it all with their mess within weeks. This is a real shame because some of the old bridges as well as many of the canal-side warehouses etc. have obviously got lovely brickwork and shapes.

The Grand Union Canal Main Line's Bridges, Locks and Features from Salford Junction south to Bordesley Junction.

Salford Junction - the start of the Grand Union Canal River Tame Aqueduct Junction Bridge 110 at Salford Grand Union crosses over the River Tame on an Aqueduct Canal Pipe Bridge Original location of Nechells Shallows Lock
Salford Junction
Bridge
Grand Union Canal crossing the River Tame on an aqueduct Salford Junction
Bridge 110
River Tame being crossed via an aqueduct at Salford Junction Pipe Bridge
immediately before Salford Junction
Original site of Nechells Shallows Lock
Pipe Bridges on the Grand Union Canal - Birmingham GrandUnion -Cuckook RoadBridge canal pipebridge pipebridge over the Grand Union Main Line Railway bridge 6 Grand Union Canal Bridge 109
Three particularly
nice pipe bridges
Cuckoo Road Bridge Pipebridge Another Pipebridge Railway Bridge no.6 Aston Church Roadbridge
un-named bridgr Salteley Viaduct Roadbridge 108aa - - this is a double twin lanes Railway Bridge 5 Railway Bridge 4 Grand Union Canal Bridge 108
Bridge with no name Salteley Viaduct Double roadbridge no.108aa Railway Bridge no.5 Railway Bridge no.4 (Bridge 108a) Bridge no.108
Grand Union Canal Bridge 107 Garrison Lock 5 Garrison Lock 5 Grand Union Canal Bridge 106 Garrison Lock 4 Garrison Lock 4
Bridge no.107 Garrison Lock
no.5 ( 63 )
Garrison Locks - Lock no.5 ( 63 ) Bridge no.106 Garrison Locks - Lock no.4 ( 62 ) Garrison Locks -
Lock no.4 ( 62 )
Garrison Lock 3 Bridge 105 - Grand Union Canal Garrison Lock 2 Garrison Lock - 2 Railway Bridge 3 Pipebridge near Garrison Lock1
Garrison Locks -
Lock no.3 ( 61 )
Bridge no.105 Garrison Locks -
Lock no.2 ( 60 )
Garrison Locks -
Lock no.2 ( 60 )
Railway Bridge 3 Pipebridge at Garrison Lock no.1

In the Nicholson Waterways Guide the locks comprising the Garrison Lock Flight are shown numbered in a 60's sequence however these locks are actually marked as we have shown i.e. no.1 no.2 etc. - the book's numbering is shown in ( )s

Garrison Bridge and Railway Bridge no.2 Railway Bridge no.2 + Garrison Street Bridge Garrison Lock 1 and Railway Bridge no.2 Garrison Locks - Lock no.1 Railway Bridge 1 Artillery Street Bridge -104
Garrison Bridge + Railway Bridge 2 Railway Bridge 2 + Garrison Street Bridge Garrison Lock 1 and Railway Bridge no.2 Garrison Locks -
Lock no.1 (59)
Railway Bridge no.1 Artillery Street Bridge no.104
Artillery Street Bridge - 104 Garrison Lane Bridge no.103 Footbridge  - 102a Footbridge  - no.102a Dartmouth Street Bridge no.102 Dartmouth Street Bridge 102
Artillery Street
Bridge no.104
Garrison Lane
Bridge no.103
Footbridge no.102a Footbridge no.102a Dartmouth Street
Bridge no.102
Dartmouth Street
Bridge no.102
St Andrews Road Bridge 101 St Andrews Road Bridge 101 Site of Bolton Street Bridge 100 Bridge 100a / Bridge 99 Bridge 100a Pipes + Bridge no.99
St Andrews Road
Bridge no.101
St Andrews Road
Bridge no.101
Site of Bolton Street Bridge 100 Bridge no.100a +
Bridge no.99
Bridge no.100a Pipes and
Bridge no.99
Girders + Bridge 99 Bridge 98 Old warehouses alongside the canal Bridge 98 Grand Union Canal Bridge 98 Bordesley Junction Bridge
Girders and
Bridge no.99
Girders + Bridge 98 Overhanging warehouse Bridge no.98 Bridge no.98 Bordesley Junction's Bridge

Photos of The Digbeth Canal Arm which runs South from Birmingham's Aston Junction down to Bordesley Junction via Typhoo Basin.

Digbeth Canal Arm - Aston Junction Aston Junction Bridge on the Digbeth Arm Love Lane Bridge Digbeth Arm - Love Lane Bridge Lister St. Bridge Digbeth Arm - Lister Street Bridge
Aston Junction Bridge at
Aston Junction
Love Lane Bridge Love Lane Bridge Lister Street Bridge Lister Street Bridge
Pipe and Heneage Street BridgeDigbeth Arm Pipe and Heneage St. Bridge Small sidearm off the Digbeth Arm Ashted Lock 1 - it's gates Digbeth Arm - Ashted Lock 1 Digbeth Arm - Ashted Tunnel north end
Pipe and Heneage Street Bridge Pipe and Heneage Street Bridge Short sidearm near
Lock no.1
Ashted Locks
1 - lockgates
Ashted Locks no.1 Northern end of
Ashted Tunnel

The fairly narrow Ashted Tunnel is 94 metres in length and only able to accommodate boats passing through it in one direction at a time - there is a railed towpath inside the tunnel though if on foot you may need to be careful of not banging your head as the tunnel's roof is quite curved on the sides. When exiting from the northern end of the tunnel you are immediately faced with the lock-gates of the first of the Ashted Lock Flight (Lock1).

In the Ashted Tunnel on the Digbeth Arm Southern end of the Ashted Tunnel - The Digbeth Arm Digbeth Arm - Ashted Lock no.2 Ashted Lock 2 Lockgates on the Digbeth Arm Digbeth Arm - Locks 2 and 3 Digbeth Arm - Ashted Lock no.3
View from inside
Ashted Tunnel
Southern entrance to Ashted Tunnel Ashted Locks no.2 Ashted Locks no.2 - lockgates Ashted Locks
no.3 and no.2
Ashted Locks no.3
Ashted Lock no.3 - The Digbeth Arm Lock 3 - a Pipe - Belmonth Row St Bridge - Digbeth Arm Belmont Row Canal Bridge Digbeth Arm - Ashted Lock 4 Ashted Lock gates on the Digbeth Arm Curzon Street Bridge over the Digbeth Arm
Pipe and Ashted
Locks no.3
Lock3 - Pipe - Belmont Row St Bridge Belmont Row Bridge Ashted Locks no.4 Ashted Locks
no.4 - gates
Curzon Street Bridge
Digbeth Arm - Ashted Locks no.5 Some pipes and also Curzon Street Bridge Digbeth Arm - Ashted Lock 6 Digbeth Arm - Ashted Lock 6 Digbeth Arm - Curzon Street Tunnel View from inside the Curzon Street Tunnel - Digbeth Arm
Ashted Locks no.5 Pipes and Curzon
St. Bridge
Ashted Locks no.6 Ashted Locks no.6 Curzon Street Tunnel Inside Curzon
St. Tunnel
Digbeth Arm's Curzon St. Tunnel Junction and Railway Bridges on the Digbeth Arm Digbeth Arm - Junction Bridge Junction Bridge - The Digbeth Canal Arm Digbeth Arm Junction Bridges Typhoo Basin - just off the Digbeth Arm
Curzon Street Tunnel Junction and Railway Bridges Junction Bridge by Typhoo Basin Junction Bridge Junction Bridges Typhoo Basin area

Curzon Street Tunnel is wide enough for boats to pass through in both directions - the tunnel is 147 metres long and has a railed towpath along its route. When looking at a map it's apparent that really the tunnel is just a series of joined up railway bridges - there are six railway lines going across the top, the rest of the top area seems to be wasteground where once there must have been some large warehouses or similar - now demolished.

Opened in 1799 the 1.25 mile long Digbeth Branch links the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal at Aston Junction with the Grand Union Canal at Digbeth Junction. The drop of 40 feet is achieved by use of six locks at Ashted Lock Flight. Typhoo Basin was so named because of the huge Typhoo Tea Building located there although to be correct it should actually be called the Digbeth Basin. As you wander along the canals in Birmingham you often come across short side-arms or at least can see where they once were. These mini-inlets - which often were only a few hundred yards long - were an extension to simply having wharfs along the actual canal and provided the "off-canal" needs for a group of factories or warehouses. Sadly many of these side-arms have been filled in or blocked off although you can tell where they were as the towpath will just climb up and over a nicely brick built arm-entrance.
Digbeth Arm - Typhoo Basin Digbeth Junction Digbeth Arm Stoplock
Typhoo Basin
Digbeth Junction Bridge
Stoplock atDigbeth Junction


Chained-up Stop Lock at Digbeth Arm some warehouses along the Digbeth Arm Digbeth Arm Aqueduct
Stop Lock
Lovely old canal warehouse
Digbeth aqueduct
Railway Bridge and Bridge 95 - Digbeth Arm Pipe and Bridge 95 and some Railway Bridges on the Digbeth Arm Digbeth Arm joins the Main Line at Bordesley Junction Grand Union Canal - Bordesley Junction Camp Hill Lock 57 Camp Hill Lock 57
Nice railway bridge
and Bridge no.95
Pipebridge then
Bridge 95 + then
railway bridges
General view of Bordesley Junction Bordesley Junction Camp Hill Locks -
Lock no.57
Camp Hill Locks -
Lock no.57

 

With the Digbeth Arm joining at Bordesley the Grand Union Canal heads South - these are the Canal's locks and bridges as far as Kingswood (just outside of Lapworth).

The Grand Union's towpath heading south is in excellent condition for both cyclists and walkers however the amount of graffiti is amazing - every lock arm, the lock-gates, various signs, once beautiful old brick walls and even drain covers - everything and anything with a semblance of a flat surface is just covered in this crap. You have to go quite a way out of Birmingham - in fact some way past Solihull - before this disgusting vandalism starts to reduce.

Bridge 94 Bridge 94 Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 56 Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 56 and pipebridge Grand Union Canal Bridge 93 Canal Bridge 93 on the Grand Union Main Line
Bridge no.94 Bridge no.94 Camp Hill Locks -
Lock no.56
Camp Hill Lock 56 + Pipebridge Bridge no.93 Bridge no.93
Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 55 Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 55 Birmingham - Bordesley Middle Way Bridge 2 Birmingham, Bordesley Middle Way Bridge 2 Birmingham - Bordesley Middle Way Bridge 1 Birmingham, Bordesley Middle Way Bridge 1
Camp Hill Locks -
Lock no.55
Camp Hill Locks - Lock no.55 Bordesley Middle
Way Bridge no.2
Bordesley Middle
Way Bridge no.2
Bordesley Middle
Way Bridge no.1
Bordesley Middle
Way Bridge no.1
Lock 54 and Railway Bridge - Grand Union Canal Main Line Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight Gates - Lock 54 Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 54 A Railway Bridge Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 53 Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 53
Lock 54 and a
Railway Bridge
Camp Hill Locks -
Lock no.54 gates
Camp Hill Locks -
Lock no.54
Railway Bridge Camp Hill Locks -
Lock no.53
Camp Hill Locks - Lock no.53
A Railway Bridge A Railway Bridge Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 52 Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 52 Ware house siding near Small Heath Bridge 91 - Small Heath
Railway Bridge Railway Bridge Camp Hill Locks -
Lock no.52
Camp Hill Locks -
Lock no.52
Short siding
near Lock no.52
Small Heath Bridge no.91
Small Heath Bridge no.91 Warehouses beside the canal Anderton Road Bridge - no. 90 South Birmingham - Anderton Road Bridge - 90 Golden Hillock Bridge 89 Golden Hillock Bridge nbr 89
Small Heath
bridge no.91
Canal-side warehouses at Small Heath Anderton Road
Bridge no.90
Anderton Road Bridge no.90 Golden Hillock Roadbridge no.89 Golden Hillock Roadbridge no.89
Siding Bridge 88c Canal Bridge 88c Canal Bridge 88b Grand Union - Ackers Trust Basin Canal Bridge 88b
Siding at Small Heath Bridge no.88c Bridge no.88c Railway Bridge no.88b Ackers Trust Basin Railway Bridge no.88b
Pipebridge The Grand Union aqueduct - canal crossing the River Cole The Grand Union cross over the River Cole Bridge nbr:88a Bridge 88a Kings Road Bridge nbr:88
Pipe Bridge Aqueduct over the River Cole Aqueduct over the River Cole Bridge no.88a Bridge no.88a Kings Road Bridge no.88
Canal Bridges - Bridge 88 Canal Bridge 87 Yardley Road Bridge nbr:86a Inside Yardley Road Bridge (Bridge 86a) Canal Bridge nbr:86a - Yadley Road Bridge
Kings Road Bridge no.88 Bridge no.87 Pipebridge + Bridge no.87 Yardley Road Bridge no.86a Inside Yardley RoadBridge 86a Yardley Road
Bridge no.86a
Woodcock Lane Bridge nbr:86 Canal Bridge nbr:88c Pipebridge over the Grand Union Canal pipebridge Canal Bridge nbr:85 Grand Union Canal Bridge nbr:85
Woodcock Lane Bridge no.86 Woodcock Lane
Bridge no.86
Pipebridge near
bridge 86
Pipebridge near bridge 86 Bridge no.85 Bridge no.85
Pipebridge and Bridge nbr:84 Bridge nbr:84 Canal Bridge nbr:83 Bridge nbr:83 Bridge nbr:82 no-name or number canal bridge
Pipebridge + Bridge 84 Bridge no.84 Bridge no.83 Bridge no.83 Bridge no.82 Bridge near Solihull
Bridge nbr:82 Canal Bridge 81 Bridge nbr:81 Rowood Bridge 80 Bridge nbr:80 Pipes and footbridge 79a crossing the Grand Union
Bridge no.82 Bridge no.81 Bridge no.81 Rowood Bridge no.80 Rowood Bridge no.85 Pipebridge +
FootBridge 79a
PipeBridge and Footbridge 79a Grand Union Canal - Bridge 79 - Elmdon Heath Bridge Elmdon Heath Bridge nbr:79 and Pipebridge Bridge 78a Canal Bridge nbr:78a Catherine de Barnes Bridge - 78
Pipebridge +
FootBridge 79a
Elmdon Heath
Bridge no.79
Elmdon Heath Bridge 79 + Pipebridge Bridge no.78a Bridge no.78a Catherine de Barnes Bridge no.78
Grand Union Canal - Catherine de Barnes Bridge Canal Pipebridge Canal pipebridge Henwood Bridge nbr:77 Syphons and Henwood Bridge 77 Aqueduct where the Canal goes over the River Blythe
Catherine de Barnes Bridge no.78 Pipebridge PipeBridge Henwood Bridge no.77 Syphon +
Bridge no.77
The River Blythe Aqueduct
Canal Bridge 76 Canal Bridge 88c Grand Union Canal Bridge 88c Barston Lane Bridge - Grand Union Canal Bridge 75a Bridges 75a and 75b on the Grand Union Canal, England Copt Heath Bridge nbr.75
Bridge no.76 Bridge no.76 M42 Bridge no.75b Barston Lane Bridge no.75a Bridges nos.75a and 75b Copt Heath
Bridge no.75
Copt Heath Bridge 75 Castle Bridge nbr:74 Castle Bridge - Canal Bridge 74 Waterfield Bridge - 73 : Grand Union Canal Waterfield Bridge no-73 Syphon or Sluice on the Grand Union
Copt Heath Bridge
75
Castle Bridge no.74 Castle Bridge no.74 Waterfield Bridge no.73 Waterfield
Bridge no.73
A syphon near to
Bridge 72a
Canal Syphon Kixley FootBridge 72a Kixley Footbridge 72a Bridge 72 - Kixley Road Bridge Kixley Roadbridge - 72 Bridge no71
A syphon near Bridge 72a Kixley Footbridge no.72a Kixley Road Bridge no.72 Kixley Road Bridge no.72 Bridge no.71 Kixley Footbridge no.72a
Bridge 71 Knowle Lock 51 Knowle Locks - Canal Lock 51 Lockgates Knowle Lock 50 Knowle Lock Gates at Lock 50 Knowle Lock 49
Bridge no.71 Knowle Lock Flight - Lock no.51 Knowle Locks - Lock no.51 Gates Knowle Lock Flight - Lock no.50 Knowle Locks - Lock no.50 Gates Knowle Lock Flight - Lock no.49

Originally Knowle Locks were a series of six narrow locks but one lock was removed and the remaining five were modernised into wide locks during the 1930 Grand Union Canal Improvement. The remains of the old narrow locks are still evident as can more or less be seen on our Lock 49 photo below. Knowle Locks are the northernmost wide locks on the Grand Union Canal - from here and north on into Birimingham all the canal locks are narrow.

Knowle Lock 49 Knowle Lock 48 Lockgates atKnowle Lock48 Knowle Lock Flight Knowle Lock 47
Knowle Locks - Lock no.49 Knowle Lock Flight - Lock no.48 Knowle Locks - Lock no.48 Gates View of
Knowle Locks
Knowle Lock Flight - Lock no.47 Knowle Locks - Lock no.47 Gates
Bridge 68 - Bakers Lane bridge Grand Union Main Line - Bakers Lane Bridge 68
Kings Arms
Bridge no.70
Kings Arms Bridge no.70 Black Boy
Bridge no.69
Black Boy
Bridge no.69
Bakers Lane Bridge no.68 Bakers Lane Bridge no.68
Grand Union Canal Bridge no.67 is a Turnover Bridge - these nicely shaped bridges took the towpath gently up to the height of the bridge and were built fairly wide across. This allowed the horses towing the barges to cross over the canal without having to be unhitched whenever the towpath changed sides or perhaps to switch to another canal. The walkways up and down from the towpath are usually cobbled for grip.
Once you have crossed this bridge the towpath from here heading on south is in a terrible state especially if it's been raining. There are several collapses, quite high undergrowth and you have to try and get past some quite deep, slippery muddy stretches - also cyclists should watch out for one or two hidden potholes. The condition of the Canal's towpath only improves a few hundred metres from Rising Bridge 66 (which is on the western side of Lapworth).
Turnover Bridge 67 near Lapworth Grand Union - Turnover Bridge 67 Pipebridge
Turnover Bridge no.67
Turnover Bridge no.67
Pipe near Bridge no.66


Pipe bridge Grand Union Bridge 66 - Rising Bridge Rising Bridge 66
Pipe Bridge
Rising Bridge no.66
Rising Bridge no.66

 

The following are our Grand Union Canal Main Line topics -

Aston Junction to Kingswood - this page
Kingswood Junction via Hatton Locks to Royal Leamington Spa
Leamington Spa to Braunston
Braunston-Gayton Junction-Blisworth Tunnel-Stoke Bruerne-Wolverton
Grand Union Canal Wolverton to Horton
Ivinghoe Locks to Kings Langley
Kings Langley to the end of the Grand Union at The Thames

 

We have picked out a few Books about England - concerning the waterways of England. The Nicholsons Waterways Guides are a "must take" for anyone going on a Canal Barge or Narrowboat holiday (as well as anyone visiting the canals) as they are packed with really useful information. (The relevant Nicholoson Guide covering The Grand Union Canal is BOOK 1.)
If the development and history of our English and British Canals is of particular interest consider looking at the Anatomy of Canals series which are really good reading!.

 

Aston Junction (Birmingham) to Kingswood Junction and the Lapworth Link on The Grand Union Canal - created by www.foxysislandwalks.co.uk

 

 

Our Topics about
The Grand Union Canal covering the whole of the Canal i.e. Birmingham to the Thames.

Birmingham - Lapworth
Lapworth - Leamington
Leamington - Braunston
Braunston - Wolverton
Wolverton - Horton
Ivinghoe - Kings Langley
&
Kings Langley - Thames


Canal Arms and Sections which connect with the Grand Union Canal
Aylesbury Arm
Leicester Section
Paddington Arm
Slough Arm
Wendover Arm

 

More Canals
The Oxford Canal
The Regent's Canal
Northampton Arm
Welford Branch
Market Harborough Arm


River Navigations
Kennet and Avon
Lee Navigation
Stort Navigation
The Thames

 

 

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