Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Edstone Aqueduct is the longest in England
.
The only tunnel is at Brandwood. Its 320m length is barred to unpowered craft.
In Birmingham, the Horseshoe public house is adjacent to an arm that is approached under
a brick arch bridge. Many of the older bridges on the canal are of red brick with surpris-
ingly large arches. But one or two of the newer concrete structures have lengths of rail at the
corners to prevent towropes rubbing and have raised lines of brickwork on the towpath that
once allowed horses to grip and now thwart cyclists.
In 1936 the Government tested a bridge at Yardley to destruction. The 150-year-old struc-
ture held 125t for 45 minutes before collapsing.
The Blue Bell Cider House at Waring's Green has had a long history as a public house and
also as farm buildings, the publican supplementing his income by selling farm produce to the
canal folk.
At Lapworth is a bascule bridge that gives access to a farm, reminiscent of those on the
Oxford Canal. The end of the top pound is reached with the first of the 55 locks down to
Stratford. Although some are in flights, especially at Lapworth, the spacing, typically, is at
about 400m intervals.
