Your floating hotel on the Canals and Rivers of the UK

Our guide to the waterways of the UK in detail.

Pictures of the Birmingham Canal Navigations,

or BCN, in the centre of Birmingham.

The BCN, as the name suggests, are a collection of canals which while having large rural sections, are mainly urban in nature. Generally we only cruise what is called "the main line", this is based on the original canal of 1772 though it was extensively modernised in 1789 and between 1825 and 1838. It runs between the centre of Birmingham and the Staff and Worcs canal just to the west of Wolverhampton. It varies from dereliction in places right up to the intensely alive waterways of the centre of Birmingham. While probably not a canal for those who have never travelled on the waterways of the UK before, it is an essential route for those who seek to explore and understand the impact of the canals.

One end of the canal starts in Gas Street Basin at the former stop lock in the "Worcester Bar". Right in the centre of Birmingham,shops, hotels and bars border the canal, a variety of boats are moored here and trip boats and restaurants of all types and sizes travel the waters. The canal then passes under Broad Street bridge, which still has buildings on it over the canal, and through a watery cross-roads, Old Turn Junction, with Farmer's Bridge locks on the Birmingham and Frazley canal going down to the right after Cambrian Wharf, and the National Indoor Arena and Sea World towering above it. These pictures illustrate this section.

Oak & Ash at Cambrian Wharf	The NIA beside the canal.	Toll island at Old Turn Junction.
The watery centre of Birmingham.	The butty Tenacious passes Nuneaton & Brighton.	Sheepcotte bridge.

More pictures of this canal?

At Wolverhampton / Along the main line / Black Country Museum

General information / A history of this canal.

Find our information about other canals on the canal index page.

If you have any questions then do ring us on 07977 229103
or email us at martinreed@reedboats.co.uk