Birmingham To Titford Pools

Monday 7th February 2022

Today we travelled:- Miles = 5.85 Locks = 9 Time Taken = 3.5 hours

Map of our Journey to Titford Pools — Journey Map

Time to leave the city of Birmingham today 😥 , not that we are keen to leave. Sometimes as continuous cruisers you can get caught in a conundrum, 🧐 you fall in love with the place where you’re moored but get what’s called “Itchy Tiller”, keen to see what’s around the next corner. We’ve been here 8 days and had the best time - spent far too much eating out but there’s just so many great pubs and places to eat and sights to see. The city has an amazing ability to build new places without forgetting the great history, old and new buildings stand side by side, and somehow seem to fit. So we decided the holiday is over and time to get back to our budget as we are pensioners 😊. As this canal is new to us we simply can’t wait to see what new exciting things are around the next bend.

Leaving our moorings at Oozells Loop in Birmingham — Leaving Oozells Loop

Anyway, we set off at 10.30, cruised around Oozells Loop, back onto the Main line. It’s great to cruise the first short distance before turning right into Soho Loop, as you can only get to see things close up by boat as it’s private property on both sides with towpath gates.

This time we actually cruised under Asylum Bridge, which we talked about in our last blog.

Approaching Asylum Bridge on the Birmingham Canal Navigation — Asylum Bridge

At Winston Green Junction we turned right, back onto the new main line. The original canal built by James Brindley needed improvements back in the 18th and 19th centuries and so the proprietors of the Birmingham Canal Navigations commissioned Thomas Telford for the job. It took 5 years to build the new main line and reduced the distance between Wolverhampton and Birmingham by a third! The new line got rid of all the lengthy loops that followed the contours of the canal - although some of these loops can still be explored.

Approaching Smethwick Junction on the Birmingham Canal Navigation — Smethwick Junction

At Smethwick Junction we took a right back onto the old line to do the three Smethwick Locks taking this line to its 473ft summit.

Leaving Smethwick Lock on the Birmingham Navigation — Smethwick Locks

Straight after these locks we passed the tiny arch of a side bridge that leads on to the Engine Arm - we will go down there on our way back.

Summit Tunnel is only short (103 yards long), the Tunnel wouldn’t be recognised by the old canal builders as it’s a modern addition, built to carry a new road across the canal. Concrete arches were placed over the canal with earth piled over the top to create the level for the road. As you emerge from the tunnel you go under Summit Bridge, built in 1789 as part of John Smeaton's improvements to the canal system at its highest point in the area.

Wow - going underneath the M5 motorway was quite an experience!

It always feels a little bit strange to be underneath so much traffic roaring along! Steph was happy to emerge from under there! Paul on the other hand was fascinated by the amount of construction (repair) work that was on going, with the motorist above blissfully ignorant of what was beneath them!!! US!!!

Time to get Steph working for a change after spending eight days visiting pubs (eating but mostly drinking) and spending too much money. She had a little practice at the 3 easy locks at Smethwick and unfortunately her lack of lock practice was on show. (I’ll be in trouble when she reads this ☹……The Oldbury Locks are a flight of 6 locks and raise the canal up to 511ft above sea level making it the highest pound on the BCN. Some of the gates were a little too challenging for Steph, so I had to spring into action like a phoenix rising from the ashes, eager to assist. That’s teamwork. The Captain on the boat in front was pulling NB Sefton out of the locks like Arnold Schwarzenegger 🏋️‍♂️, then closing the gates behind and dropping the paddles. (What an Inspiration). I on the other hand was climbing up and down lock ladders as if there was no tomorrow. Steph’s account will probably differ somewhat 🤬🙈🙉🙊. At last we got to the top lock which is adjacent to an engine house which is now the headquarters of the Birmingham Canal Navigations Society. BUT MORE ABOUT THE ENGINE HOUSE later.

Langley Maltings is a former maltings in Oldbury, it is a Grade II listed building named by the Victorian Society as a heritage building at risk of disrepair. A malt house, malt barn, or maltings, is a building where cereal grain is converted into malt by soaking it in water, allowing it to sprout and then drying it to stop further growth. The malt is then used in brewing beer, whisky etc. The building was in operation until 2006 but unfortunately is was damaged by fire in 2009 to what you see today - so sad to see what must have once been a fabulous building in this state.

Passing under Uncle Ben’s Bridge - apparently the name comes from a local pawnbroker - as uncle used to be the name pawnbrokers were known by back in the day.

Paul waves unwittingly to passers-by, not aware of the reprisals awaiting him following his earlier comments regarding locks… “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” 😊.

Titford Pools

The cruise here was great, an amalgamation of new building developments as we left the centre of Birmingham, some beautiful stretches of canal, cruising under motorways and nine locks. The weather made the difference, as although was coldish the sun kept trying to break through the clouds to warm us up. 😊As we got to the top of our last lock of the day, we both had chance to reflect and said to each other, “It was absolutely worth a trip here”.

**The Rock Driller** by Luke Perry to commemorate the historic local coalmining industry

The pools were literally just around the corner, almost within touching distance,,,, should we go and explore before we moor up or should we wait till the morning 🤔…. Curiosity of course got the better of us and off we went to find out more. The pools were constructed in 1773-4 by James Brindley, originally designed as a reservoir to help feed the Smethwick Summit Level of his Birmingham Canal. In the early 20th century they were considered to be one of the prettiest spots in the Midlands, and is much visited by pleasure parties, and anglers would be charged the equivalent of circa 5 pence for a day and 2 pence for the afternoon.

During the First World War, the place fell into disuse but in 1933 after restocking the pool with 10,000 fish, mainly roach and perch, with some trout, it was reopened. The pools have also witnessed tragedy as in 1889 a couple took their own lives, It was reported that the couple had been courting for about three years but there was an objection to the match. So in one of the notes they left it read “because he could not have me in life, so I thought he should have me in death”

Maybe it was the time of the year (winter) when we cruised the Pools and although you could imagine it being very different in the Spring and Summer months. The runoff from the motorway was evident and the water seemed very dirty, which is a shame but it had been dredged recently. Despite this we would really recommend taking the time to see it.

We took the right turn as we got to the pools, cruised to the end and winded in the pool before reversing to the very end and then went back and took the other branch into the pool, turned right and cruised alongside the M5 (and of course Paul had to reverse under it!) then back out and returned to moor at the top of Oldbury Locks .

The friendly team at the Pump-House make it even more worth the visit. We find enthusiasm tends to be infectious and Phil and Phil (two members of the BCN couldn’t wait to show us around but that’s for the next blog… BUT We were rewarded the following morning with a plaque for doing the Titford Pools - also a silver propeller location!