BCNS WORK PARTY PROGRAMME 2024

With the return of Phoenix after its extensive repairs, the Society has announced a Work Party Programme for 2024. All dates are for Work parties to be held on the second Saturday in each Calendar month. The schedule is:- 11th May 2024               Tividale Aqueduct and Toll Island 8th June 2024       …

IWA-WRG Birmingham Canals Clean Up 2024

Ever wondered what’s lurking beneath the waters of the Birmingham Canal Navigations? The Birmingham Canals Clean-up weekend is a great opportunity to have fun and meet new people while clearing shopping trolleys, tyres, bicycles and even more exciting treasures from the canal! It is hoped this annual effort on the BCN will help keep the less well used parts of the …

A wet October day at the toll island on the New Main Line beneath the Engine Arm aqueduct near Smethwick

Toll Island Work Party

BCNS received a request from Steve Lambert at CRT to undertake a clean up to clear the toll island on the New Main Line beneath the Engine Arm aqueduct near Smethwick. Emails were sent out, a date agreed and 11 hardly volunteers turned up at 9.30am on Saturday 26th October at Brasshouse Lane to meet Steve and unload the CRT tools into the BCNS …

Work Party December 2nd

Talk about ‘up with thee lark’ off down ‘Jimmy Crow; flight by 07.05am, into the dark grey raining morning, tunnel light picking out strange characters staring out of the shadows of trees and bushes, as they peruse use down the flight. Well not really, just my imagination after getting 5 hours sleep on and off attending the BCNS Christmas do …

Work party re-secures Titford Pump House moorings

There had been some thoroughly unpleasant incidents with vandals coming under Tat Bank bridge, crossing the canal on the bridging pontoon and vandalising some of the boats moored there. It became apparent that the end of the fence blocking the access under the bridge had been removed. A work party moved the pontoon that provided the access to the moorings, …

Work party success

On a stunningly successful work party in November, 12 volunteers filled Crowe and Phoenix from only three bridge holes. The job was far from finished – so they had another go. (Due to a communications glitch – this was originally posted as a workparty on Jan 19th – there is not one then) e.

Progress restoring the Dudley No 2

In 2016 Lapal Canal Trust made some big strides towards restoring the Dudley No 2 canal. There was substantial excavation of Harborne Wharf by Careys, a WRG work camp to restore the canal wall.  (There is another WRG camp starting on 29 July – see the Diary or the WRG website.)   The ground was laser scanned, so that they can take sections to help …

The Coal Man

“The Coal Man” – an artwork by local artist Luke Perry, funded by a generous donation from the estate of our late friend Marie Smith, has been installed and opened up by Titford Pools, where it can also be seen from the Wolverhampton Road. Pictures to follow

“Stolen” mud hopper found

Hereford and Gloucester canal society’s hopper “Tow” – an ex River class butty converted in to a mud skip, had rested for a few years on Icknield Port Loop.  They had an offer to lift it out of the water at Alvechurch – but when they went to collect it, it wasn’t there! It was found at the top of …