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 Wolverhampton.

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.

The canal passes through the edge of Wolverhampton town centre before dropping down 21 locks to join the Staff and Worcs canal at Alderly junction. These last locks are in good condition with clear and clean water as they slowly head under high railway viaducts and finally down past the racecourse out into the country. The pictures on this page illustrate this section.

BCN cottages at the top lock.	Railway crossings over the locks.	The bottom locks out in the country.

Some pictures of this canal?

In the centre of Birmingham / 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