2.7 Lost canals around the "Wolverhampton 21" 

Wolverhampton Lock 21 was my 'coming in' moment to the BCN in June 1979. We had no idea what lay ahead and whether we would get to Birmingham and onward back to Fradley Junction. The guidebooks ignored the BCN. We felt like real explorers. By the time we moored up at to top lock we were exhausted but hooked. But it just got more interesting. I particularly remember looking in through the open doors of an iron foundry in Bilston making what looked like railway lines. Bedlam and Hell! Great series. I'm loving it.

I was a toll keeper at the Wolverhampton Top Lock, when I left school in June 1944 - till the Government of the day, Nationalised both the Railways and the Canals (they became Inland Waterways) and gave the 21 to the railways which ran alongside - and we all got finished. - I used to have to run Wulfrun Wharf Weighbridge during others ''Time off''.

Great and interesting video thanks for sharing looking forward to the next set of video 👍🏻

Every episode just gets better, & better. I'm see place I have not seen for years. Thank you.

Fascinating series. Thanks for sharing

Be careful by that lock 21 ,some very funny fellas about

I've really enjoyed this series and have learned so much about my backyard - enjoy your summer and I for one am already looking forward to what is to come.

looking forward to watching more in the future! :-)

Splendid stuff! Enjoy the summer.

Great to find someone with the Knowledge of the branch area!. Thank You.

Another great video! Keep up the good work!

Another brilliant series Thank you

Thank you for doing this, it has been very interesting . Safe cruising for the summer.

Totally enjoyed this episode.. the canal is beautiful going down the locks.. reminds me of the locks where the water had to be pumped back up the hill because not enough water supply.. don't remember the episode though.. seems like a month or so when I commented on it. You was trying to find the pump lines going back to the top .. it was quite interesting as well

You have brought back some great memories for me there, in the early 70's we used to crew a 72 foot long boat(the longest that could fit in a lock !!) called The Pike from the Gas St basin ( we were 14/15 years of age then and the boat was owned by Birmingham social services and my mates Dad was the skipper.We once did the 21 locks,turned round at the bottom and came back up them (really hard work !!) we used to do the Wolverhampton run often( sometimes using the Smethwick upper level and sometimes the lower level) and also go the other way to Tardebigge with the canal passing through Cadbury's .

It's amazing what one finds whiling away the time available during CoVid.. We've not done "the 21" for many years as the Thames is much less work, but hopefully we'll be back - AND knowing the answers for the muddle at the end of the flight - which we notice many,many years ago but didn't know who to ask. Hopefully 'Hampton will be a more pleasant place than it was in the 1970s.... Thank you for the detailed illustrations. I'll now look for some more

Enjoyed? It was brilliant. I lived in Tettenhall in the 1960's and have vivid memories of Aldersley Junction. If only I had taken photographs...

Do you have a video on the new main line between Factory Locks, Tipton & Spon Lane? I’m particularly interested as I used to cycle along it as a child near Dudley Port. The bit I’ve always been intrigued about is the little ‘island’ near what was the Gulf Oil terminal & King steel works. I presume it was a toll station? We also did the Netherton Tunnel.

I take it you haven't reached Lock 6 at Fowlers Park yet by the Council Incineration yard along the ruins of the old platform from Cannock Rd Bridge all the way to the Banqueting Suite on Red Cross Street.

Enjoyable as usual Andy and thanks for this series. Do you have any plans to look at The Lapel Canal Tunnel in future?

Andy I am a boater at Lichfield cruising club living at Norton Canes My friend and I often walk disused canals based on your guides We have found an arm off the curly wryly at clay hanger Part is still in water and the is a lock still in palace with a couple of bridges do you know of this arm. It is just to the north of coppice industrial I have a few photos but don't know how to upload Thanks Barry

I'm a bit puzzled, you said work on the high level station started in 1843, and yet the picture at 1:57 shows modern construction techniques and plant.

I'm totally confused about the bit about Lock 20. 5:40 : Lock 20 _was_ the bottom lock, with a 10ft drop as opposed to 5ft for all the others. At 6:19, it states "Lock 20 was added later on" but it's already there. Did you mean Lock 21 ? Then at 6:21, you state: _"and the original line of the canal ran out beyond the (bottom) gates behind me five higher up"_ - Five feet higher up than what ? Did you mean: "and the original line of the canal ran out beyond the (bottom) gates behind me, *which is now* five feet higher up" ? Then at 7:04 you said: "The original line of this canal continued on the same level as this lock and went round the bend" - I thought the original drop was 10ft but has since been reduced, so the original line of this canal _wouldn't_ have been the same level as this lock. 7:40 "We're now at the site of the bottom lock. originally when it was built it was 10 feet deep, this one is now 5". *Oh right, I get you now...* At 5:40 you're standing by the _new_ (additional) Lock 20 but talking about the _old_ Lock 20 (Now Lock 21), which makes it very confusing.

Owwww sad that's it till October Can't you look at some canal stuff that is more visible

No the "Bolinder" was not A Russel NewbUry - You cans spel - Trust me I'm a NewbE.... (hehe, just a tease...)