Digbeth Branch Canal
The Digbeth Branch Canal was completed in 1799.
The canal runs for 1.25 miles through the Eastside area of central Birmingham. It connects the Birmingham and Warwick Canal at Warwick Bar to the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal at Aston Junction.
There is one flight of six locks which adjust the level by roughly 11 metres over half a mile so that the canal can ascend from Warwick Bar to Aston Junction.
If you were to travel northwards through Eastside along the Digbeth Branch Canal, you would see the following landmarks:
The Warwick Bar is the junction of the Birmingham and Warwick Canal and the Digbeth Branch Canal. It is located off Fazeley Street in Birmingham Eastside.
A stop lock enables barges to cross the bar and pass between the two canals.
The bar prevented the loss of valuable water between the canals which were once owned by separate companies.
The canopy of a red-brick Victorian warehouse (1840), formerly owned by the Geest banana company, overhangs the bar. It is one of several buildings that form part of the Warwick Bar Conservation Area.
Warwick Bar Conservation Area
After leaving the Warwick Bar, the Digbeth Branch Canal runs north-westwards for barely 50 metres before arriving at Proof House Junction.
This junction connects Typhoo Wharf to the Digbeth Branch Canal.
The Proof House tests and certifies firearms and ammunition. It is located on a 1 acre site at the east end of Banbury Street. The rear of this site overlooks the junction.
Guide Eastside Warwick Bar Conservation Area
More about the Typhoo Wharf
If you were to travel 100 metres southwards along the Typhoo Wharf at Proof House Junction, you would arrive at Typhoo Basin in Digbeth.
Typhoo Basin served the former Typhoo Works which occupied a 2.5 acre site off Bordesley Street. Typhoo produced tea products on this site from 1896 until 1978. The core buildings, which will be converted into apartments, were built in the 1930's.
Guide Digbeth Warwick Bar Conservation Area
Returning to the Digbeth Branch Canal
If you were to ignore Typhoo Wharf and instead turn northwards at Proof House Junction, you would pass the following landmarks:
From Proof House Junction, the canal passes beneath Curzon Street Tunnel which takes it under Curzon Street Railway Junction. The West Coast Mainline and Cross City Railway meet at this junction which is roughly one mile east of New Street Station.
The Ashted Flight of six locks (1-6) raise the level by 11 metres enabling the canal to climb to Aston Junction. After emerging from the Curzon Junction railway viaduct, the canal continues northwards through Ashted Bottom Lock (6).
After passing through lock 6 of the Ashted Flight, the Digbeth Branch Canal continues northwards under Curzon Street and Belmont Row.
Locks 4 and 5 are located between Curzon Street and the Belmont Row Bridge. Lock 3 is by Belmont Row Basin which used to serve a neo-Gothic co-op furniture factory (1889) on Belmont Row which closed in the 1980's and was destroyed by fire in 2007.
From Belmont Row, the canal passes through the Ashted Tunnel which carries it beneath Jennens Road and into Aston Science Park. Lock 2 is on the south side of this tunnel.
The Ashted Top Lock (1) is in Aston Science Park on the north side of Ashted Tunnel.
From the Ashted Top Lock, the Digbeth Branch Canal continues northwards through Gosta Green, and skirts the eastern side of Aston University. It then passes under Lister Street and terminates at Aston Junction.
Aston Junction is located in the Gosta Green area of Eastside. The Digbeth Branch Canal joins the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal at this junction.
A cast iron elliptical-arch roving bridge (1825) enabled barge horses to cross between towpaths.
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