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Tipton Green branch


nicknorman

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I'm sure this has been done before, but anyway today it was a bit damp and cold and Jeff has a pulled muscle so we decided to go for an outing in the car rather than boating. We went to Tipton to see the now filled-in Tipton Green branch which, with its 3 locks went from the old main line at Tipton (opposite the statue of the boxer) down to Caggy's boatyard on the new main line (and beyond). Never noticed it from the canal before, but we spotted it on Google Earth some time ago. I now understand why the canal at the "boxer" is a slightly funny shape!

 

I always find it fascinating to find a lock chamber in the middle of no-where. Filled in in 1976 apparently, which seems so recent but I guess in the days before the internet these things could happen before anyone noticed.

 

16837063811_44cc3532ec_c.jpgTipton lost locks by nick.norman, on Flickr

 

16838130955_ca34f81f48_c.jpgTipton lost locks by nick.norman, on Flickr

 

Worth a quick look if you are passing, IMO.

 

Also visited Dudley Canal Trust's new endeavours at the BCLM end of the tunnel. Not sure what they are building, but it is BIG!

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I always find it fascinating to find a lock chamber in the middle of no-where. Filled in in 1976 apparently, which seems so recent but I guess in the days before the internet these things could happen before anyone noticed.

 

16837063811_44cc3532ec_c.jpgTipton lost locks by nick.norman, on Flickr

At least BW / CRT have not put "keep forward of the cill" notices on that one!

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Did you walk all the way, the other two lock sites are obvious and a warehouse still stands at the site of one of the bridges. The canal was lost long before 1976 along with the Toll End and various others disposed of in the 1960's, many lingered in appalling states for years.

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Did you walk all the way, the other two lock sites are obvious and a warehouse still stands at the site of one of the bridges. The canal was lost long before 1976 along with the Toll End and various others disposed of in the 1960's, many lingered in appalling states for years.

Just walked from old main line Jn to new main line jn (opposite caggy's). I presume there must have been a lock virtually at the Jn (boxer end) because the level falls straight away. I presume the other lock is where the road now crosses, again because of the ground dropping away. Didn't notice a warehouse tbh.

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More images - http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=heather%20bell- the last one on page 3 is back to front (Laurence H pointed that out to me a couple of years ago - the chimney is on the incorrect side!).

 

The images were taken in, I believe, late 1940 or early 1941 (for publication in 'Illustrated' magazine in April-1941). Some of them are well known; some not so. I have copies of letters (National Archives Kew is the source) between Daphne and the editor of 'Illustrated' correcting the captions, one of which says that the 'boat is a narrowboat not a barge'! The older lady is Daphne's mother, Margaret March. The C of C and D March is Daphne's brother Christopher who saw service in the Merchant Navy during the war.

Edited by Leo No2
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All these pictures have re-awakened my enthusiasm to explore some of the BCN on foot-ish.

We're coming to the uttermost wastes of Brum in May.

Usually we rush through the old and new main lines to take refuge at BCM or whatever the NIA now is called.

 

Can the learned member on here suggest some suitable overnight moorings perhaps at the Tipton end??

We're nervous moorers and wary of anything that looks a bit dodgy even if it's not.

(Daft really as many years ago we were happy to moor at Windmill End and at the other end of Netherton

 

I've just discovered an interesting booklet with pictures of listable buildings in Tipton. Can't post a link but google "draft tipton local list" which goes to the pdf.

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Filled in in 1976 apparently, which seems so recent but I guess in the days before the internet these things could happen before anyone noticed.

 

16837063811_44cc3532ec_c.jpgTipton lost locks by nick.norman, on Flickr

 

16838130955_ca34f81f48_c.jpgTipton lost locks by nick.norman, on Flickr

 

I 'discovered' the BCN in 1973 and spent many days as a teenager walking bits of the BCN towpath. I can't say for certain when I first walked the Tipton Green branch, but the middle lock has looked very much like your photos in all the time I have known it, so I suspect it was infilled a few years before 1976. I believe it was abandoned in 1960.

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All these pictures have re-awakened my enthusiasm to explore some of the BCN on foot-ish.

We're coming to the uttermost wastes of Brum in May.

Usually we rush through the old and new main lines to take refuge at BCM or whatever the NIA now is called.

 

Can the learned member on here suggest some suitable overnight moorings perhaps at the Tipton end??

We're nervous moorers and wary of anything that looks a bit dodgy even if it's not.

(Daft really as many years ago we were happy to moor at Windmill End and at the other end of Netherton

 

I've just discovered an interesting booklet with pictures of listable buildings in Tipton. Can't post a link but google "draft tipton local list" which goes to the pdf.

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The 'John the Lock' moorings (by the Health Centre) are fine and apparently patrolled by security bcs of the health centre. Plenty of moorings opposite too - we stayed there last week and no probs at all. Tipton may be a scruffy little spot but has a heart of gold like most of the BCN.

We've been cruising around it for the last month, stayed on BCNS list moorings and no problems anywhere - except ironically at Windmill End where group of young teenage lads were a bit noisy and troublesome jumping on boat on Saturday night. We were moored on our own - should have gone the other side where others were.

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The 'John the Lock' moorings (by the Health Centre) are fine and apparently patrolled by security bcs of the health centre. Plenty of moorings opposite too - we stayed there last week and no probs at all. Tipton may be a scruffy little spot but has a heart of gold like most of the BCN.

We've been cruising around it for the last month, stayed on BCNS list moorings and no problems anywhere - except ironically at Windmill End where group of young teenage lads were a bit noisy and troublesome jumping on boat on Saturday night. We were moored on our own - should have gone the other side where others were.

 

Thanks very much - I don't mind scruffy - it's just some places have a feel about them....

 

It's a great shame 'cos there are lots of places with rings but nobody else around. Such as the canal near the large Sainsbury's or was it Tesco??

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Tipton Green Locks originally formed part of the Communication Canal (engineer John Rennie) that linked Tipton Green with the Walsall Canal. Looking at map evidence, it would appear one lock (No 4) was removed/ repositioned with the construction of the "Island Line" (engineer Thomas Telford). With this new canal, better known as the BCN New Main Line the Tipton Green Flight of 3 locks was effectively created.

 

The 1809 route would have been 12 locks, but with the making of the New Main Line it became 3 & 9 (later 3 & 8 following subsidence).

 

Ray Shill

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