Brindley's Birmingham canal basins

8.2 Canal Hunter seeks out the original end basins of Brindley's canal in Birmingham, most of which have been lost to redevelopment. A mix of what is there today linked to archive photos, a light historical commentary and held together with drone footage.
#birmingham #canals #history #narrowboats

[@garygoldsmith3887]

Am a London lad who has been working, living, enjoying my adopted City of Birmingham, enjoying the social history of the city along with The Black Country . Both areas have such heritage, ones that as a kid of the 60's i learnt to respect and appreciate. Having spent many years here now walking to work each day, along with social walk, it is fabulous to know and see your pictures of areas i know, but i also know have deep history, having changed, i have imagined such on duch daily walks. For me a places heritage and history of its uses must never be forgotten and people such as you keep that alive. Many of the people ive met, neighbours, colleagues, friends, frok the area have memories which is great to hear. Many friends who have come to visit go away with such vibrant memories, never really knowing how beautiful the city and beyound is. Telling other, you have got to go and see for yourself, makes me proud. It could be that with sdaness my work might take me elsewhere in the next year. As an traditional "journeyman", there will always be a place in my heart such an area of heritage that i will hold dear. Thanks Andy

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[@petergreen7915]

I’ve so many memories of the canals, my dad was a canal nut and was involved with the BCN and Friends of President. We stayed on an old boat that he bought. Often in Gas St basin or Cambrian wharf for a weekend or half term. Later he started the trip boats out of Gas St then set up Brummagem Boats in Sherborne St wharf and I worked there as a trainee boat fitter for a while. I remember that church being demolished too, clambering over the rubble. We found a stone head off a statue and it was in our garden for years afterwards. Amazing to see these images again, thanks.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Its a great area and even though a lot has changes it still feels very vibrant.

[@RobTaverner]

As a Brummie I am looking forward to seeing the rest of the series as it develops. Thank you Andy.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

It poses an interesting challenge to make.

[@henryharesdene4164]

I've always wondered why the canal area around Sealife / Conference Centre and the Indoor Arena were such an odd shape - now I have a better understanding of 'why'. As always I'm indebted to your research and informative voiceover to make sense of the waterway. We're unlikely to pass that way again - having given up boating, we noh rely on videos - such as yours - for which very mant thanks!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The speculation about it being a winding hole is entirely my own, but they had to turn somewhere and these things have a way of enduring.

[@andychumbley2196]

Hi. Only just found this chanel. Fantastic. I was born in Wolverhampton and grew up in Reading. Planning a kayak between the 2 next summer. Love all the history and days gone by. Currently in Sydney. Thankyou.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Its a great area - and surprisingly beautiful. Mind you, right mow I would swap Smethwick for Sydney.....

[@darrenwilson99]

I lived in the King Edwards Wharf apartments for 7 years. Lovely to live right by the lovely canal redevelopment.

[@jonesroberts3640]

Birmingham is a dump.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I like that area too.

[@sheilajoseph9953]

I grew up around there, just of broad street. Boy has it changed. 😃

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Just a bit!

[@shauntronics]

I have always been fascinated by the canals and railways in and around Brum having grown up in Smethwick. I have covered some serious distances on those towpaths both walking and cycling and even on the odd "narrabowt". One part that I particularly remember even tho I have lived in Devon for the best part of 20yrs now is the sunken boat in the tunnel to the old Nettlefolds wharf in Cranford st. Looking forward to the next episode about 'my end' :D

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The cabin top is still visible!

[@shauntronics]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 must be 20+yrs since I've seen it, Its amazing that it is still there.

[@morturn]

Another super video Andy, thank you.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Very welcome

[@01jvb]

A great video Andy, but I hope you don't mind me correcting you on one point- it wasn't Granada TV, it was ATV who built the studios on what had been Old Wharf.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

true - you are talking to a Norfolk boy who knew of no TV apart from Anglia!

[@getubelogin]

I'm really looking forward to this series. We did some crusing on the BCN in the mid 70's (sadly I didn't take any photo's) and we currently cruise the BCN regularly in our NB Orpierre. Thanks Geoff and Chris

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I am looking forward to making it. In the next episode i nearly lost the drone to prison jammers, but of course thee was no one there to film me panicking!

[@RobTaverner]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 Winson Green I presume?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

@@RobTaverner Spot on!

[@glyn829]

Another interesting film thanks 👍 we have passed through Birmingham on a narrow boat some years ago it's a fascinating outlook from the canal , thanks again Glyn

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you enjoyed it Glyn - lots more to come!

[@terryrigden4860]

Nice one Andy. Good to see the history of somewhere I know well

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

More to come!

[@simoncroft9792]

Great work. Graphics, drone shots narration and dramatic music!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@hbdz99]

Thoroughly researched and well presented. Thanks :)

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@grahamhall8249]

Great video Andy, it's a pity that you can't walk some of these loops, as I've walked most of the BCN now. Thank God we've got you to show us around!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Thanks!

[@nedseagoon5101]

Granada tv? ATV please! Just starting the new series. I’m sure it’ll be as excellent as your others. Thanks for doing what you do. As someone who’s lived, cycled & played near the Black Country canal network, I find your channel most fascinating. One question - My local area was Tipton - Dudley Port - Spon Lane. Any plans to cover the New main line in full? I’ve spent hours between Factory locks & Albion in my life & have many happy memories.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I havnt quite managed to get the series finished - its either been bad weather or competing priorities. Never mind - I will get it done in the end.

[@Thedavidbiodanza]

Is there such a thing as a Birmingham Canal Museum given the significance of the Canals for the city and makes all this wonderful history available to the public? It would surely be a popular Birmingham attraction.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Not as such I am afraid. There is a small canal museum in the Smethwick Pumping House which is open about once a month. Then there is the Black Country Living Museum which contains lots of canal material, but all in the context of the industrialisation of the Black Country.

[@susanessex6924]

I’m Birmingham born and bred. I’m 74 years old and my uncle was a legged on the Birmingham canal tunnels in the days when barges were horse drawn

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Legging was a hard life!

[@XENONEOMORPH1979]

Like the old photos of the canals in the city centre as a kid in early 70s i use to go to a lock keeper in Erdington gravelly hill side area and visit him he was a old man a good character of a person who showed me the cat whiskers of a radio station area he had and ham radio ,always sparing time to give you knowledge i use to help him with the gates such a time of how the canals were changing at the time and his memory's he shared .

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The surroundings are almost unrecognisable from when I first visited in the 60's and 70's. At least the footprint of the main canals has remained more or less intact.

[@TheVictorianPiper]

Great video. I grew up admiring the city centre network and basins, which led to my love of industrial heritage in general. I've walked, run and cycled along the Birmingham to Wolverhampton navigation you'll be featuring, but never done it by boat - something I must rectify sometime!

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

one for the bucket list

[@davidhallard7427]

Great vid Andy

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Thanks David.

[@BROK3NHRT]

I go to college right next to this canal, I've made a music video down there a few months back lol ... but I love this place to take pictures and other stuff ..

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Its a great spot - still very atmospheric.

[@gospelman7222]

As someone who was born and bred in Smethwick, and for whom "the cut" was an integral part of my childhood, I'm very much looking forward to the series.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I hope it lives up to expectations!

[@gospelman7222]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 I'm sure that it will!

[@michaelpriest4549]

Andy Brilliant. I am so familiar with this territory . The drone footage blended with historic images. Just do it. Michael

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Lots more to come- the drone is so handy in the hard to reach areas.

[@whoisme678]

I'm sure there are many canals throughout the UK abandoned. I believe the system went all the way to Swindon which has canals also abandoned. They all need to be opened for use. Maybe with flooding as it is in the UK at times there might be a role they can play in taking flood water from the land ? either way the canals are used by many and need investment and IF pollution is such a topic as we hear, them maybe they are even more important.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Many of the canals which have survived are also water drainage channels - to be honest, if the bCN wasnt there the region would need a whole new storm drain infrastructure.

[@MrMastervolt]

What is the name of the last piece of music on this video. Very relaxing. Thanks

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Its Read all Over by Nathan Moore from the KZbin Library. To keep a degree of consistency I try to use just one artist in each episode.

[@MrMastervolt]

@@lifeat2.3milesanhour57 thank you Andy, it’s a lovely tune. Love all your videos as well

[@matthewrichardson4777]

Do you have any information/old photographs of the Newhall Street Terminus? I am most interested in what is underneath that tall, 1960s looking building that sits directly on top of the canal. There appears to be a lot of canal underneath and question why they built on top of it?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Matthew - It was disused and redundant so I guess they wanted the land. My collection of photos for the Newhall Branch can be found here: captainahabswaterytales.blogspot.com/2020/05/newhall-branch-central-birmingham.html

[@AliKhan-xx2mm]

I studied at Birmingham and will be visiting in February hopefully

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

A lot of change has been happening!

[@iandavenport8423]

Left a small bottle of Sloe Gin on Jam Butty as I passed earlier in the year - hope you enjoyed it

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Ian - It was you! I loved it but took it home, caught Covid and forgot who left it there!

[@Bethgrey]

Where do you get all of your information? When I try to find out things about brums canals it’s always verry vague or lacking of info

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Beth - its a real mixture of sources. One great book is the History of the BCN to 1840 V1 by SR Broadbridge. - way out of print but findable on line. The other is a new book by Phil Clayton called The Birmingham Canal Navigations - a history published by the Crowood Press

[@royston600]

Great video I travelled along the canals in and around brum and compared to 30 years ago it’s been absolutely ruined by the graffiti boys it’s sickening I won’t be back

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

I dont like the graffiti, but it is so prevalent I barely notice it any more.

[@davidgiles5030]

If you can avoid it do not travel the Birmingham-Fazeley canal. Filthy dirty,loaded with significant garbage, the stench of urine under every bridge and numerous homeless. At one point last month we struck a log which jammed the propellor. I finally freed the prop,but though for awhile that we would be spending the night there. A bleak prospect. Disgusting. We'll never go back.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

The BCN is very urban and at times a little unsettling. The key is normally to time your travels and know where you will be mooring, and of course to come armed with a wide selection of prop clearance tools! Sorry you had a poor experience on the B&F.

[@free..to..air..]

Birmingham has more canals than Venice....apparently..

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

A moot point - the area of Birmingham has about 26 miles, but the BCN as it sprawled over the black country rose to over 160 miles at its peak and now sits at just over 100. Whilst I love the BCN very much, I think that Venice has the edge on beauty....

[@chriscoughlan5221]

Andy tidy, that's not his real name, surely?

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

Absolutely yes - and I have come across two more over the years!

[@daveday5507]

Don't you just hate videos which consist of somebodys face in the camera? Without that it would be a really interesting video. I grew up in Brum 70+ years ago and and I hardly recognise any of this.

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

You get a bit of both in all my canal history videos.

[@yellowgreen5229]

Birmingham could be northern Venice but for advancing capitalism and a turn to narcissistc individualism

[@lifeat2.3milesanhour57]

A lack of a sea lagoon and centuries of architectural culture could also play its part ;-)