Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Remains of the toll island .
A red sandstone towered church lends dignity to an area where the Royal Tiger and Spread
Eagle pubs flank the canal, together with a school. Houses have their gardens backing on to
the left bank, often making special features out of their canalside locations.
At Short Heath, the only wooded area on the whole canal is enfolded in a large sweep as
the route turns northwards. Gradually, the roar of traffic becomes audible as the M6, one of
the country's busiest stretches of road at this point, pulls alongside and crosses over.
The Sneyd & Wyrley Bank Branch climbs up from Sneyd Junction towards Great Wyrley
but does not get far before becoming derelict. Meanwhile, the main line doubles back on
itself to cut down the other side of the valley.
Birchills Junction takes the Walsall Branch Canal away as the main line turns north once
again. Ill feeling and rivalry between companies prevented the connection from being made
until 1840 when the Wyrley & Essington Canal and BCN were amalgamated and came under
railway control. Unusually, the railway encouraged traffic on this canal, building interchange
basins. Consequently, the Wyrley & Essington saw some of the last commercial traffic on the
BCN. The end came suddenly in 1966, when coal transport ceased.
Moving away past playing fields and a church with a strange little square green spire, the
canal passes clumps of watercress, which indicate that the water is fairly clean.
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