Canal guide between Birmingham and Lapworth Locks - England

Birmingham to Lapworth Locks and Bridges on the Grand Union Canal Main Line - England.

Pictures of every canal bridge, lock, aqueduct and various railway and road bridges (as well as several canal tunnels) which are part of, cross or are crossed by the Grand Union Canal as it starts out from Birmingham heading south towards London.

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 be considered part of The Grand Union Canal as well.

Generally speaking our 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 are only in one direction i.e. 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 dribbled 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 around 12 months previously 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 lots of canal-side warehouses etc. have obviously got lovely brickwork and shape.

Salford Junction going South to Bordesley Junction Grand Union Canal Main Line Bridge and Lock Photos.

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

In the Waterways Guide Garrison Locks are shown numbered in a 60's sequence however the 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
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 (59) Railway Bridge no.1
Artillery Street Bridge -104 Artillery Street Bridge - 104 Garrison Lane Bridge no.103 Footbridge - 102a Footbridge - no.102a
Artillery Street Bridge no.104 Artillery Street Bridge no.104 Garrison Lane Bridge no.103 Footbridge no.102a Footbridge no.102a
Dartmouth Street Bridge no.102 Dartmouth Street Bridge 102 St Andrews Road Bridge 101 St Andrews Road Bridge 101 Site of Bolton Street Bridge 100
Dartmouth Street Bridge no.102 Dartmouth Street Bridge no.102 St Andrews Road Bridge no.101 St Andrews Road Bridge no.101 Site of Bolton Street Bridge 100
Bridge 100a / Bridge 99 Bridge 100a Pipes + Bridge no.99 Girders + Bridge 99 Bridge 98
Bridge no.100a + Bridge no.99 Bridge no.100a Pipes and Bridge no.99 Girders and Bridge no.99 Girders + Bridge no.98
Old warehouses alongside the canal Bridge 98 Grand Union Canal Bridge 98 Bordesley Junction Bridge
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
Aston Junction Bridge at Aston Junction Love Lane Bridge Love Lane Bridge Lister Street Bridge
Digbeth Arm - 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
Lister Street Bridge Pipe and Heneage Street Bridge Pipe and Heneage Street Bridge Short sidearm near Lock no.1 Ashted Locks no.1 - lockgates

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).

Digbeth Arm - Ashted Lock 1 Digbeth Arm - Ashted Tunnel north end In the Ashted Tunnel on the Digbeth Arm Southern end of the Ashted Tunnel - The Digbeth Arm Digbeth Arm - Ashted Lock no.2
Ashted Locks no.1 Northern end of Ashted Tunnel View from inside Ashted Tunnel Southern entrance to Ashted Tunnel Ashted Locks no.2
Ashted Lock 2 Lockgates on the Digbeth Arm Digbeth Arm - Locks 2 and 3 Digbeth Arm - Ashted Lock no.3 Ashted Lock no.3 - The Digbeth Arm Lock 3 - a Pipe - Belmonth Row St Bridge - Digbeth Arm
Ashted Locks no.2 - lockgates Ashted Locks no.3 and no.2 Ashted Locks no.3 Pipe and Ashted Locks no.3 Lock3 - Pipe - Belmont Row St Bridge
Belmont Row Canal Bridge Digbeth Arm - Ashted Lock 4 Ashted Lock gates on the Digbeth Arm Curzon Street Bridge over the Digbeth Arm Digbeth Arm - Ashted Locks no.5
Belmont Row Bridge Ashted Locks no.4 Ashted Locks no.4 - gates Curzon Street Bridge 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
Pipes and Curzon St. Bridge Ashted Locks no.6 Ashted Locks no.6 Curzon Street Tunnel Inside Curzon St. Tunnel

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.

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
Curzon Street Tunnel Junction and Railway Bridges Junction Bridge by Typhoo Basin Junction Bridge Junction Bridges
Typhoo Basin - just off the Digbeth Arm Digbeth Arm - Typhoo Basin Digbeth Junction Digbeth Arm Stoplock Chained-up Stop Lock at Digbeth Arm
Typhoo Basin area Typhoo Basin Digbeth Junction Bridge Stoplock at Digbeth Junction Stop Lock
some warehouses along the Digbeth Arm Digbeth Arm 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
Lovely old canal warehouse Digbeth aqueduct Nice railway bridge and also Bridge no.95 Pipebridge then Bridge 95 + then railway bridges General view of Bordesley Junction

Opened in 1799 the 1.25 mile long Digbeth Branch links the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal at Aston Junction with the Grand Union at Digbeth Junction. The drop of 40 feet is acheived 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 is actually the Digbeth Basin. As you walk along the canals in Birmingham you often come across short side-arms - 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 nice brick built arm-entrance.

Now with the Digbeth Arm joined at Bordesley the route heads South - these are all the locks and bridges on the Grand Union Canal Main Line down as far as Lapworth.

The towpath heading south is excellent for both cyclists and walkers however the amount of graffiti is amazing - every lock arm, lock-gates, signs, drain covers, walls - 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 past Solihull - before this starts to reduce.

Grand Union Canal - Bordesley Junction Camp Hill Lock 57 Camp Hill Lock 57 Bridge 94 Bridge 94
Bordesley Junction Camp Hill Locks - Lock no.57 Camp Hill Locks - Lock no.57 Bridge no.94 Bridge no.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 Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 55
Camp Hill Locks - Lock no.56 Camp Hill Lock 56 + Pipebridge Bridge no.93 Bridge no.93 Camp Hill Locks - Lock no.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 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
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
Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 53 A Railway Bridge A Railway Bridge Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 52 Birmingham South - Camp Hill Lock Flight - Lock 52
Camp Hill Locks - Lock no.53 Railway Bridge Railway Bridge Camp Hill Locks - Lock no.52 Camp Hill Locks - Lock no.52
Ware house siding near Small Heath Bridge 91 - Small Heath Small Heath Bridge no.91 Warehouses beside the canal Anderton Road Bridge - no. 90
Short siding near Lock no.52 Small Heath Bridge no.91 Small Heath bridge no.91 Canal-side warehouses at Small Heath Anderton Road Bridge no.90
South Birmingham - Anderton Road Bridge - 90 Golden Hillock Bridge 89 Golden Hillock Bridge nbr 89 Siding Bridge 88c
Anderton Road Bridge no.90 Golden Hillock Roadbridge no.89 Golden Hillock Roadbridge no.89 Siding at Small Heath Bridge no.88c
Canal Bridge 88c Canal Bridge 88b Grand Union - Ackers Trust Basin Canal Bridge 88b Pipebridge
Bridge no.88c Railway Bridge no.88b Ackers Trust Basin Railway Bridge no.88b Pipe Bridge
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
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)
Kings Road Bridge no.88 Bridge no.87 Pipebridge + Bridge no.87 Yardley Road Bridge no.86a Inside Yardley RoadBridge 86a
Canal Bridge nbr:86a - Yadley Road Bridge Woodcock Lane Bridge nbr:86 Canal Bridge nbr:88c Pipebridge over the Grand Union Canal pipebridge
Yardley Road Bridge no.86a Woodcock Lane Bridge no.86 Woodcock Lane Bridge no.86 Pipebridge near bridge 86 Pipebridge near bridge 86
Canal Bridge nbr:85 Grand Union Canal Bridge nbr:85 Pipebridge and Bridge nbr:84 Bridge nbr:84 Canal Bridge nbr:83
Bridge no.85 Bridge no.85 Pipebridge + Bridge 84 Bridge no.84 Bridge no.83
Bridge nbr:83 Bridge nbr:82 no-name or number canal bridge Bridge nbr:82 Canal Bridge 81
Bridge no.83 Bridge no.82 Bridge near Solihull Bridge no.82 Bridge no.81
Bridge nbr:81 Rowood Bridge 80 Bridge nbr:80 Pipes and footbridge 79a crossing the Grand Union PipeBridge and Footbridge 79a
Bridge no.81 Rowood Bridge no.80 Rowood Bridge no.85 Pipebridge + FootBridge no.79a Pipebridge + FootBridge no.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
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
Catherine de Barnes Bridge no.78 Pipebridge PipeBridge Henwood Bridge no.77 Syphon + Bridge no.77
Aqueduct where the Canal goes over the River Blythe Canal Bridge 76 Canal Bridge 88c Grand Union Canal Bridge 88c Barston Lane Bridge - Grand Union Canal Bridge 75a
The River Blythe Aqueduct Bridge no.76 Bridge no.76 M42 Bridge no.75b Barston Lane Bridge no.75a
Bridges 75a and 75b on the Grand Union Canal, England Copt Heath Bridge nbr.75 Copt Heath Bridge 75 Castle Bridge nbr:74 Castle Bridge - Canal Bridge 74
Bridges nos.75a and 75b Copt Heath Bridge no.75 Copt Heath Bridge no.75 Castle Bridge no.74 Castle Bridge no.74
Waterfield Bridge - 73 : Grand Union Canal Waterfield Bridge no-73 Syphon or Sluice on the Grand Union Canal Syphon Kixley FootBridge 72a
Waterfield Bridge no.73 Waterfield Bridge no.73 A syphon near to Bridge 72a A syphon near to Bridge 72a Kixley Footbridge no.72a
Kixley Footbridge 72a Bridge 72 - Kixley Road Bridge Kixley Roadbridge - 72 Bridge no71 Bridge 71
Kixley Footbridge no.72a Kixley Road Bridge no.72 Kixley Road Bridge no.72 Bridge no.71 Bridge no.71

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 Lock49 photo below. Knowle Locks are the northernmost wide locks on the Grand Union Canal - from here and on into Biimingham all the locks are narrow.

Knowle Lock 51 Knowle Locks - Canal Lock 51 Lockgates Knowle Lock 50 Knowle Lock Gates at Lock 50 Knowle Lock 49
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
Knowle Lock 49 Knowle Lock 48 Lockgates atKnowle Lock48 Knowle Lock Flight Knowle Lock 47
Knowle Lock Flight - 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 Kings Arms Bridge no.70 Kings Arms Bridge no.70 Black Boy Bridge no.69 Black Boy Bridge no.69

Canal Bridge no.67 is a Turnover Bridge - these nicely shaped bridges were built wide enough to allow the horses towing the barges to cross the canal without having to be unhitched whenever the towpath changed sides or perhaps to switch to another canal - the fairly gentle walkways up and down from the towpath are usually cobbled for grip. Once you have crossed the bridge the towpath from here heading on south is in a terrible state. 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 potholes. The condition of the towpath only improves a few hundred metres from Rising Bridge 66 (the other side of Lapworth).

Bridge 68 - Bakers Lane bridge Grand Union Main Line - Bakers Lane Bridge 68 Turnover Bridge 67 near Lapworth Grand Union - Turnover Bridge 67
Bakers Lane Bridge no.68 Bakers Lane Bridge no.68 Turnover Bridge no.67 Turnover Bridge no.67
Pipebridge Pipe bridge Grand Union Bridge 66 - Rising Bridge Rising Bridge 66
Pipe near Bridge no.66 Pipe Bridge Rising Bridge no.66 Rising Bridge no.66

 

The following are our other Grand Union Canal Main Line photos - this series of pages show every one of the Canal's Locks and Bridges:
Lapworth 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 Lock to Kings Langley
Kings Langley to the end of the Grand Union at The Thames

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Useful Web Resources.
The Grand Junction Canal - London's Long-distance Link

 

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