Locks: Birmingham Canal Old Main Line

The Birmingham Canal Old Main Line was opened in 1772 and is six miles long with nine locks.  It runs from Smethwick Junction to Factory Junction and links to the where it joins the New Main Line at each junction.

This section of the Birmingham Canal Old Main Line joins the New Main Line at Smethwick junction and at Bromford junction. It also has a junction with the Engine Arm branch via the Engine Arm aqueduct which crosses the New Main Line. This section of the Old Main Line had six locks whereas the equivalent section of the New Main Line has no locks.

The Birmingham Canal Old Main Line is part of what’s known as the Birmingham Canal Navigations or BCN for short.

In its heyday the BCN comprised 160 miles of canal but nowadays it is just 100 miles – still impressive when you cruise around Birmingham though. The BCN includes the following canals:

- Birmingham Canal New Main Line
- Birmingham Canal Old Main Line
- Netherton Tunnel Branch
- Gower Branch
- Wednesbury Old Canal
- Walsall Canal
- Walsall Branch Canal
- Wyrley & Essington Canal
- Daw End Branch
- Rushall Canal
- Tame Valley Canal

Smethwick flight (20' 0")

This flight of three locks is at Smethwick junction where the Birmingham Canal Old Main Line rejoins the Birmingham Canal New Main Line. The flight has an overall elevation of 20 feet and the locks are narrow beam, single width locks.

Lock 1

Lock 1

Lock 1

Lock 2

Lock 2

Lock 2

Lock 3

Lock 3

Lock 3