Birmingham Canal Navigations: A History

The Birmingham Canal Navigations are the most extensive network of waterways in Britain, driving industrial development and regeneration. This book explores the network's history, including its origins, expansion, improvements, challenges, and impact on the region.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 14 April 2022
Publisher: The Crowood Press Ltd

The Birmingham Canal Navigations stand as a remarkable testament to Britain's extensive waterway network. Spanning over a century, from the original Birmingham Canal of 1769, these canals expanded to their peak extent of nearly 160 miles, all within a 12-mile radius of their central hub, Walsall. The BCN played a pivotal role in the remarkable industrial development of Birmingham and the Black Country, facilitating the transportation of vast quantities of raw materials and finished goods into the twentieth century. However, after facing decades of decline, the BCN has once again emerged as a vital catalyst for the regeneration of the region's urban centers and the fostering of leisure activities.

This comprehensive book, adorned with 140 illustrations, including maps and archival photographs, delves into the origins and expansion of the BCN, highlighting subsequent improvements to the system. It explores the provision of water, the dedicated workforce that operated the canals, and the challenges they faced, including adverse weather conditions, subsidence, breaches, wartime disruptions, and accidents. The book also examines the profound impact and influence of the railways on the BCN's operations and the subsequent decline that led to the dawn of a new era, marked by the emergence of the New Canal Age.

The Birmingham Canal Navigations, comprising a remarkable concentration of waterways, have witnessed a remarkable journey over the past century. From their modest beginnings in 1769, they expanded to reach their greatest extent, spanning nearly 160 miles within a 12-mile radius of their central hub, Walsall. The BCN played a pivotal role in the industrial development of Birmingham and the Black Country, facilitating the transportation of vast quantities of raw materials and finished goods into the twentieth century. However, after facing decades of decline, the BCN has once again emerged as a vital catalyst for the regeneration of the region's urban centers and the fostering of leisure activities.

This comprehensive book, adorned with 140 illustrations, including maps and archival photographs, delves into the origins and expansion of the BCN, highlighting subsequent improvements to the system. It explores the provision of water, the dedicated workforce that operated the canals, and the challenges they faced, including adverse weather conditions, subsidence, breaches, wartime disruptions, and accidents. The book also examines the profound impact and influence of the railways on the BCN's operations and the subsequent decline that led to the dawn of a new era, marked by the emergence of the New Canal Age.

The Birmingham Canal Navigations, comprising a remarkable concentration of waterways, have witnessed a remarkable journey over the past century. From their modest beginnings in 1769, they expanded to reach their greatest extent, spanning nearly 160 miles within a 12-mile radius of their central hub, Walsall. The BCN played a pivotal role in the industrial development of Birmingham and the Black Country, facilitating the transportation of vast quantities of raw materials and finished goods into the twentieth century. However, after facing decades of decline, the BCN has once again emerged as a vital catalyst for the regeneration of the region's urban centers and the fostering of leisure activities.

This comprehensive book, adorned with 140 illustrations, including maps and archival photographs, delves into the origins and expansion of the BCN, highlighting subsequent improvements to the system. It explores the provision of water, the dedicated workforce that operated the canals, and the challenges they faced, including adverse weather conditions, subsidence, breaches, wartime disruptions, and accidents. The book also examines the profound impact and influence of the railways on the BCN's operations and the subsequent decline that led to the dawn of a new era, marked by the emergence of the New Canal Age.

The Birmingham Canal Navigations, comprising a remarkable concentration of waterways, have witnessed a remarkable journey over the past century. From their modest beginnings in 1769, they expanded to reach their greatest extent, spanning nearly 160 miles within a 12-mile radius of their central hub, Walsall. The BCN played a pivotal role in the industrial development of Birmingham and the Black Country, facilitating the transportation of vast quantities of raw materials and finished goods into the twentieth century. However, after facing decades of decline, the BCN has once again emerged as a vital catalyst for the regeneration of the region's urban centers and the fostering of leisure activities.

This comprehensive book, adorned with 140 illustrations, including maps and archival photographs, delves into the origins and expansion of the BCN, highlighting subsequent improvements to the system. It explores the provision of water, the dedicated workforce that operated the canals, and the challenges they faced, including adverse weather conditions, subsidence, breaches, wartime disruptions, and accidents. The book also examines the profound impact and influence of the railways on the BCN's operations and the subsequent decline that led to the dawn of a new era, marked by the emergence of the New Canal Age.

Weight: 535g
Dimension: 246 x 189 x 13 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780719840197