Spon Lane Locks Branch

Spon Lane Locks Branch
Spon Lane bottom lock at the start of the approach to the Old Main Line, with the New Main Line to the right
Specifications
Status	Open
Navigation authority	Canal and River Trust
History
Date completed	1769 (1769)

The Spon Lane Locks Branch is an 800-yard section of the BCN Main Line canal in Oldbury, England, which forms a connecting canal "sliproad" where the Old BCN Main Line crosses the New BCN Main Line at the Stewart Aqueduct. It runs westwards from Spon Lane Junction (underneath the M5 motorway) via the three Spon Lane Locks to Bromford Junction. It was originally part of the Wednesbury branch of Birmingham Canal which opened in 1769.^[1] At the top lock, there is a rare example of a split bridge, which enabled a horse to cross the canal without being detached from the barge. The rope passed through a gap at the centre of the bridge between its two halves. However, this particular example is a modern reconstruction, dating from 1986. These are probably the oldest working locks in the country.^[2]^[3] There is pedestrian access to a tow path for its entire length, but being narrow and muddy, it is not suitable for cyclists.

On the north-west corner of Spon Lane bottom lock can be found a rare example of an Ordnance Survey rivet benchmark, this one indicating a height of 140.4336 metres (460.740 ft) above sea level at Newlyn.^[4]^[5] This is one of two rivet benchmarks on this branch, the other being at Smethwick Middle Lock.^[6]

Point	Coordinates (Links to map resources)	OS Grid Ref	Notes
Spon Lane Junction	52°30′24″N 1°59′42″W / 52.5066°N 1.9951°W / 52.5066; -1.9951 (Spon Lane Junction)	SP003898	Wolverhampton Level
Bromford Junction	52°30′25″N 2°00′18″W / 52.5070°N 2.0051°W / 52.5070; -2.0051 (Bromford Junction)	SO996899	Birmingham Level

References

↑ Charles Hadfield, Canals of the West Midlands, David & Charles, p. 65.
↑ Nicholson. Nicholson Waterways Guide (Vol 3): Birmingham and the heart of England. Harper Collins.
↑ "Birmingham Canal Navigation History". Canal Routes. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
↑ "Rivet: Oldbury, Spon Lane Bottom Lock". Bench Mark Database. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
↑ "Bench marks". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 9 April 2012.
↑ "Rivet: Smethwick Middle Lock". Bench Mark Database. Retrieved 9 April 2012.

Birmingham Canal Navigations

Navigable	BCN Main Line Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Bumble Hole Branch Canal Cannock Extension Canal Digbeth Branch Canal Dudley Canal Engine Arm Gower Branch Canal Icknield Port Loop Netherton Tunnel Branch Canal Rushall Canal Soho Loop Spon Lane Locks Branch Tame Valley Canal Titford Canal Walsall Canal Wednesbury Oak Loop Wednesbury Old Canal Wyrley and Essington Canal

Unnavigable	Anson Branch Bentley Canal Bradley Branch Lichfield Canal Ridgacre Branch Tipton Green and Toll End Canals

Junctions	Aldersley Junction Aston Junction Birchills Junction Bromford Junction Catshill Junction Fazeley Junction Horseley Fields Junction Huddlesford Junction Ogley Junction Old Turn Junction Pelsall Junction Rumer Hill Junction Rushall Junction Salford Junction Smethwick Junction Spon Lane Junction Tame Valley Junction

Reservoirs	Chasewater Edgbaston Reservoir Netherton Reservoir

Tunnels	Dudley Tunnel Lapal Tunnel

Aqueducts	Engine Arm Aqueduct Stewart Aqueduct

Bridges and viaducts	Galton Bridge Parkhead Viaduct

Pumping stations	Smethwick Engine

Locks	Delph Locks

Basins	Gas Street Basin

Adjoining canals	Coventry Canal Grand Union Canal Pensnett Canal Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal Stourbridge Canal Worcester and Birmingham Canal

Other	Water levels of the Birmingham Canal Navigations

Coordinates: 52°30′25″N 2°00′00″W / 52.5069°N 2.0001°W / 52.5069; -2.0001

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