Tame Valley Canal
Encyclopedia
The Tame Valley Canal is a relatively late (1844) canal
in the West Midlands
of England
. It forms part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations
. It takes its name from the roughly-parallel River Tame
.
where it joins the Walsall Canal
near Ocker Hill
and Toll End
, and terminates at Salford Junction
where it meets the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
and the Grand Union Canal
. It is 8.5 miles (13.7 km) long and has twin towpath
s throughout.
Between Tame Valley Junction and Rushall Junction it goes under the Midland Metro
near Wednesbury
and crosses over the former Grand Junction Railway
(now part of the Chase Line
) by aqueduct
, near Tame Bridge Parkway railway station
(an unusual case of the railway pre-dating a neighbouring canal).
It passes over the M5 motorway
near the interchange with the M6 motorway
(M6 junction 8) and joins the Rushall Canal
at Rushall Junction
, inside the triangle formed by the motorway junction. East of Rushall Junction the canal passes under another arm of the M5. At Hamstead
the remains of a wharf
can be seen, This served the former Hamstead Colliery
. Further east, there are two more aqueducts (Spouthouse Lane and Piercy, the latter over the Old Walsall Road), and a deep cutting in 200-million year old sandstone, under Freeth Bridge (now restricted to pedestrians and bikes only) at Tower Hill
. There are no locks on this section, which is at the Walsall Level.
The thirteen Perry Barr Locks, where the level drops 106 feet, start just beyond the A34. The original lock keepers cottages remain. In the adjacent Perry Park
, near Alexander Stadium
, is Perry Reservoir, a feeder reservoir fed by a stream from the lake at Great Barr Hall
. From there, the canal passes under the M6 three times, including Gravelly Hill Interchange
(Spaghetti Junction), shortly after which it terminates, at Salford Junction.
was authorised by Act of Parliament
in 1839 and opened in 1844. Its engineer
was James Walker
.
Canal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
in the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It forms part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations
Birmingham Canal Navigations
Birmingham Canal Navigations is a network of navigable canals connecting Birmingham, Wolverhampton, and the eastern part of the Black Country...
. It takes its name from the roughly-parallel River Tame
River Tame, West Midlands
The River Tame is the main river of the West Midlands, and the most important tributary of the River Trent. The Tame is about 40 km from source at Oldbury to its confluence with the Trent near Alrewas, but the main river length of the entire catchment, i.e...
.
Geography
The canal runs from Tame Valley JunctionTame Valley Junction
Tame Valley Junction , also known as Doe Bank Junction, is a canal junction at the western limit of the Tame Valley Canal where it meets the Walsall Canal, south of Walsall, in the West Midlands, England.-See also:*Canals of the United Kingdom...
where it joins the Walsall Canal
Walsall Canal
The Walsall Canal is a narrow canal, seven miles long, forming part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations, and passing around the western side of Walsall, West Midlands, England.-Route:...
near Ocker Hill
Ocker Hill
Ocker Hill is a residential area of Tipton in the West Midlands of England.It is situated in the northern part of the town, on the main A461 road between Dudley and Wednesbury...
and Toll End
Toll End
-Toll End:Toll End is a residential area of Tipton in the West Midlands of England. It was developed during the 19th century during the Industrial Revolution which saw previously rural Tipton developed as one of the most prolific manufacturing and mining towns in the country...
, and terminates at Salford Junction
Salford Junction
Salford Junction is the name of the canal junction where the Grand Union Canal and Tame Valley Canal meet the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal north of Birmingham, England....
where it meets the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal is a canal of the Birmingham Canal Navigations in the West Midlands of England. Its purpose was to provide a link between the Coventry Canal and Birmingham and thereby connect Birmingham to London via the Oxford Canal....
and the Grand Union Canal
Grand Union Canal
The Grand Union Canal in England is part of the British canal system. Its main line connects London and Birmingham, stretching for 137 miles with 166 locks...
. It is 8.5 miles (13.7 km) long and has twin towpath
Towpath
A towpath is a road or trail on the bank of a river, canal, or other inland waterway. The purpose of a towpath is to allow a land vehicle, beasts of burden, or a team of human pullers to tow a boat, often a barge...
s throughout.
Between Tame Valley Junction and Rushall Junction it goes under the Midland Metro
Midland Metro
The Midland Metro is a light-rail or tram line in the West Midlands of England between the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton via West Bromwich and Wednesbury. It is owned and promoted by Centro, and operated by West Midlands Travel Limited, a subsidiary of the National Express Group , under...
near Wednesbury
Wednesbury
Wednesbury is a market town in England's Black Country, part of the Sandwell metropolitan borough in West Midlands, near the source of the River Tame. Similarly to the word Wednesday, it is pronounced .-Pre-Medieval and Medieval times:...
and crosses over the former Grand Junction Railway
Grand Junction Railway
The Grand Junction Railway was an early railway company in the United Kingdom, which existed between 1833 and 1846 when it was merged into the London and North Western Railway...
(now part of the Chase Line
Chase Line
The Chase Line is the railway line from Birmingham New Street to Walsall and Rugeley.-Overview:The line from Birmingham to Walsall has two alternative routes, both of which are electrified at 25 kV AC overhead...
) by aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
, near Tame Bridge Parkway railway station
Tame Bridge Parkway railway station
Tame Bridge Parkway is a railway station in the north of the borough of Sandwell, in the West Midlands, England, close to the boundary with Walsall. The station is operated by London Midland. It is situated on the Walsall Line north of Birmingham New Street, part of the former Grand Junction...
(an unusual case of the railway pre-dating a neighbouring canal).
It passes over the M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
near the interchange with the M6 motorway
M6 motorway
The M6 motorway runs from junction 19 of the M1 at the Catthorpe Interchange, near Rugby via Birmingham then heads north, passing Stoke-on-Trent, Manchester, Preston, Carlisle and terminating at the Gretna junction . Here, just short of the Scottish border it becomes the A74 which continues to...
(M6 junction 8) and joins the Rushall Canal
Rushall Canal
The Rushall Canal is a straight, short , narrow canal forming part of the Birmingham Canal Navigations on the eastern side of Walsall, West Midlands, England.-Route:...
at Rushall Junction
Rushall Junction
Rushall Junction is the southern limit of the Rushall Canal where it meets the Tame Valley Canal in the West Midlands, England.The junction is about 40 metres from the M6 motorway, near to the eastern M5 slip road.-See also:*Canals of the United Kingdom...
, inside the triangle formed by the motorway junction. East of Rushall Junction the canal passes under another arm of the M5. At Hamstead
Hamstead
Hamstead can refer to:* Hamstead, Isle of Wight* Hamstead, West Midlands**Hamstead railway station* Hamstead Marshall, Berkshire, England.**Hamstead Lock on the Kennet and Avon Canal- See also :*Hampstead *Hempstead...
the remains of a wharf
Wharf
A wharf or quay is a structure on the shore of a harbor where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers.Such a structure includes one or more berths , and may also include piers, warehouses, or other facilities necessary for handling the ships.A wharf commonly comprises a fixed...
can be seen, This served the former Hamstead Colliery
Hamstead Colliery
Hamstead Colliery in Hamstead, England, was operated by the Hamstead Colliery Company and produced coal between 1878 and 1965.-Background:It was situated on the north west border of Birmingham. In 1928, due to boundary changes, it became part of West Bromwich. In 1876 the Hamstead Colliery Company...
. Further east, there are two more aqueducts (Spouthouse Lane and Piercy, the latter over the Old Walsall Road), and a deep cutting in 200-million year old sandstone, under Freeth Bridge (now restricted to pedestrians and bikes only) at Tower Hill
Great Barr
Great Barr is a large and loosely-defined area which straddles the boundaries of Birmingham, West Bromwich and Walsall , West Midlands, England...
. There are no locks on this section, which is at the Walsall Level.
The thirteen Perry Barr Locks, where the level drops 106 feet, start just beyond the A34. The original lock keepers cottages remain. In the adjacent Perry Park
Perry Park (Birmingham)
Perry Park is a park in Perry Barr, Birmingham, England, at .The park houses Alexander Stadium and Perry Reservoir , a small canal feeder reservoir for the Tame Valley Canal, and is bounded by the canal, the M6 motorway, the A34 and local roads....
, near Alexander Stadium
Alexander Stadium
Alexander Stadium is an international athletics stadium located within Perry Park in Perry Barr, Birmingham, England, at . It has staged the Amateur Athletics Association Championships, and was the venue of the 1998 Disability World Athletics Championships...
, is Perry Reservoir, a feeder reservoir fed by a stream from the lake at Great Barr Hall
Great Barr Hall
Great Barr Hall is an 18th century mansion situated at Pheasey, Walsall, on the border with Great Barr, Birmingham, West Midlands, England. It is a Grade II* listed building. It is, however, in a very poor state of repair and is on the Buildings at Risk Register.-The Scotts:In the mid-17th...
. From there, the canal passes under the M6 three times, including Gravelly Hill Interchange
Gravelly Hill Interchange
Gravelly Hill Interchange, better known by its nickname Spaghetti Junction, is junction 6 of the M6 motorway where it meets the A38 Aston Expressway in Birmingham, England.- Overview :...
(Spaghetti Junction), shortly after which it terminates, at Salford Junction.
History
The canalCanal
Canals are man-made channels for water. There are two types of canal:#Waterways: navigable transportation canals used for carrying ships and boats shipping goods and conveying people, further subdivided into two kinds:...
was authorised by Act of Parliament
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
in 1839 and opened in 1844. Its engineer
Canal engineer
A canal engineer is a civil engineer responsible for planning related to the construction of a canal.The names of canal engineers include:* James Brindley* James Dadford* John Dadford* Thomas Dadford* Thomas Dadford, Jr....
was James Walker
James Walker (engineer)
James Walker, FRS, was an influential Scottish civil engineer of the first half of the 19th century.Walker was born in Falkirk and was apprenticed to his uncle Ralph Walker in approximately 1800, with whom he gained experience working on the design and construction of the West India and East India...
.
Features
See also
- Canals of Great Britain
- History of the British canal systemHistory of the British canal systemThe British canal system of water transport played a vital role in the United Kingdom's Industrial Revolution at a time when roads were only just emerging from the medieval mud and long trains of pack horses were the only means of "mass" transit by road of raw materials and finished products The...