3.13 Ogley Locks (top) section of the Wyrley and Essington Canal

Andy Tidy continues his exploration of the lost sections of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, this time following the line of the top of the Ogley Locks flight which connected the Wyrley and Essington Canal at Brownhills to the Coventry Canal at Huddlesford. This is the first of four short videos following the line of the canal which was abandoned in the 1950's.

[@andrewtilley7816]

Fascinating. Great stuff 👍🏾 Thank you very much Andy!

[@katherinekinnaird4408]

I enjoy your videos. Thanks for sharing from Bakersfield California USA.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Its a pleasure Katherine

[@RetroRatz]

Love tracing a disused canal, and seeing the plans for its regeneration! We try to follow some ourselves! Great video! Look forward to more 👍🛥️

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you are enjoying my slices of industrial history.

[@harrysaunders6180]

Almost eighteen and a half minutes of sanity in a world rapidly descending into chaos! Once again, thank you for your endeavours. I have really missed you these past couple of weeks. By the way, what does it say on the fleece you're wearing?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I have been totally thwarted by all the storms we have been having, if it wasn't raining is was blowing a hooley.

[@JammyGit]

I was brought up just down the road from there, and as kids in the 70s & 80s we used to play around the cut just there. There was none of that ugly pointed fencing, it was just a small canal basin, then later in about the 90s it was a boat marina. Later on from the age of 17 I used to fish more or less every peg from Chasewater to Pelsall, and virtually spent most of my days on the cut 😆 Anyway, in all my 51 years I've never heard that place referred to as Ogley Locks. For me, and most other people who grew up in Brownhills, the stretch from the road bridge in the background, down past Grasmere Garden centre, was and always will be known as "Chemmy Hill" 👍

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Was that due to a Chemical works? I think that Ogley Locks is very much a canal boating term which wouldn't have been used beyond the towpath. Technically the whole of what is now called the Lichfield Canal was The Ogley Locks section of the Wyrley and Essington Canal.

[@JammyGit]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 Yes mate, I think it was an abbreviation of Chemical Hill, and I'm pretty sure it was because of the old factory that was demolished sometime in the early 80s. I agree that the term Ogley Locks would be a boating term because as a kid, I didn't even know that the canal there went to Lichfield years ago.

[@richardbird4702]

Just dropped onto your series. Excellent. love it! will now go through them all!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The perfect time to bing watch Richard!

[@LHCRT]

Awesome!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Lots more to follow.

[@dudleyblokerave]

Great video Andy. I think I've got Canalervirus and these vids help relieve the symptoms!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

That will be cabin fever and a coughing engine?

[@dudleyblokerave]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 Listing to port with swollen rowlocks. Will try drinking port and see if symptoms persist.

[@rambler20111]

I have watched a few of your fascinating videos on the canals but despite searching I have not seen anything on the Daw end / Rushall stretch. That could well be my fault as I am not very computer savy. Does anything of this particular piece exist? Many thanks in advance.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Hi - the aim of the series id to explore the lost sections of canal and there are very few missing bits of the Rushall Canal. That said, I did tale a look at the section in Hay Head Local Nature Reserve plus I took a look at the evidence of settlement at Black Cock Bridge near the Walsall Wood leisure centre. These can be found in the very first video of series one.

[@rambler20111]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 Many thanks.

[@nigelpeers5631]

I used to fish for crayfish with my dad under that bridge early sixties.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The one at Ogley or the Walsall Road?

[@nigelpeers5631]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 Walsall road Andy with a safety pin with worm on the end of a garden cane and catgut.Vimto and crisps in the Boat afterwards.Happy days.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

@@nigelpeers5631 I think the Boat is a bit posher now.....

[@prak97]

on Sunday afternoons , we'd walk with my Dad from Lock 1 at the "big iron bridge", down to the Boat Inn and back again in the late 40's ....one of the few memories I have of my Dad .

[@prak97]

...and I can remember the draining of the locks in about '59 ??....full of Perch and Gudgeon :-)

[@judithparker4608]

Industries returning

[@Bensinar5]

So the jam butty hasn’t sunk then!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Still well and truly afloat Ben - or at least it was when I was working on it yesterday.