2024 Events to be held on the BCN

Several events are planned by other groups to be held on the BCN in 2024. Details for each event, summarised below, can be found on the individual event pages on their respective dates. Bradley Canal Festival – 15 June 2024 Wednesfield Canal Festival – 10/11 August 2024 Brownhills Canal Festival – 17-18 August 2024 Black Country Boating Festival – 13-15 …

Social Events Talks Programme 2024/25

The Social Secretary and Meetings organiser, Andy Tidy, has arranged the following programme of talks for the 2024/25 season.  Thursday 5th September 2024   David Jones  – The Stafford Navigation  Thursday 3rd October 2024        Paul Niblett – “William Morris Cars”.  Thursday 7th November 2024    Graham Worton  – Dudley Geologist  Thursday 2nd January 2025       …

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 …

BCNS and Longwood Boat Club Rally

The BCNS and Longwood Boat Club Rally is to be held at the Top Lock of the Rushall Flight over the weekend of Friday 17th May—Sunday 19th May 2024 The BCNS Annual General Meeting will take on Friday 17th May at 7:30pm and after the AGM there will be a quiz organised for all to take part in. There will …

BCNS ICICLE CRUISE 1st – 3rd March 2024

Following the success of our early season cruise to the Fens Pools in 2023 the Society have planned another short cruise for 2024. BCN Society Icicle Cruise 1st – 3rd March 2024. Meet at Merry Hill on the evening of Friday 1st March. Cruise to Parkhead Locks and up to Dudley Tunnel Portal on Saturday 2nd March. Hopefully, there will …

BCNS workboat Phoenix

Phoenix Appeal – the BCNS workboat needs your help!

Phoenix is the Society workboat and is essential for us to undertake our work party activities, like cleaning up the Birmingham canals. Unfortunately, major work are required, so we are asking for your help! We have set up a Just Giving account, to make it quick and easy to donate, and keep Phoenix afloat! Please download one of the forms …

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 …

NCS workgroup on the Titford Canal during the July 2019 BCNS and National Citizen Service weekend

Report: BCNS and National Citizen Service weekends

BCNS hosted an induction and a work party for eleven 16 year olds from the National Citizen Service over the last 2 weekends. They were all from the Smethwick area but had little or no knowledge of the canals around them. The induction takes place at the Pump House and is an introduction for the teenagers about the canals and …

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 …