A map of the Main Canal of the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal

A brief history of the Main Canal of the Birmingham & Fazeley Canal

The Birmingham & Fazeley Canal connects the Birmingham Canal at Farmers Bridge Junction to the Coventry Canal at Fazeley. The initial idea for the canal was conceived in 1770. The coal fields at Walsall had no access to the canal network. One option was to take a canal north to join with the Trent and Mersey Canal. This plan met with opposition from many local land owners and was subsequently abandoned as a route. In 1781 a new plan was put forward, to link with the Coventry Canal.

Various proposals were proposed but the various bills put before parliament but were all defeated. In 1782 the backers of the new canal finally came to an agreement with the Oxford Canal Company that they would contribute to completing the route from the River Thames to the Trent and Mersey Canal by extending the Coventry Canal from Atherstone to Fazeley. The Trent and Mersey Canal Company agreed to complete the canal from Fazeley to Fradley Junction.

The plans for the Birmingham to Fazeley Canal were authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1784. Work began 1786 but did not proceed smoothly. There were errors in the surveying and problems with the quality of both materials and workmanship. However, the canal was finished in 1789 and created a lot of new traffic. The traffic in turn caused problem because of subsequent congestion at the flights of locks at Aston and Farmer’s Bridge.

For more detailed information, follow the links below:

• Wikipedia
• Canal & River Trust
• Inland Waterways Association