It then runs in a north-westerly direction for roughly 300 metres, passing under Ladywood Middleway and continuing  alongside the West Coast Mainline Railway through a belt of industrial estates before reaching Sandy Turn at the eastern entrance to the Icknield Port Loop.

The Icknield Port Loop is a remnant of the first canal cut between Birmingham and Wolverhampton by James Brindley in the 1770's.

When Thomas Telford straightened Brindley's canal in the 1820's, he preserved the loop which served several factories and could be used to feed water from the Edgbaston Reservoir into the newly-straightened canal.

The Icknield Port Loop is 1.2 kilometres long; its eastern and western entrances are 280 metres apart.

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From there, the loop continues in a south-westerly direction through new housing developments and derelict industrial estate before passing under Icknield Port Road and rounding the Icknield Port wharves.

The loop then doubles back in a north-easterly direction, past a feeder channel from the Edgbaston Reservoir and beneath Icknield Port Road before rejoining the Birmingham and Wolverhampton Canal at Rotton Park Junction.

Water is fed into the Icknield Port Loop from the Edgbaston Canal Reservoir.

The reservoir was created by Thomas Telford in 1824-29. He enlarged and deepened a mediaeval fish pond and flooded the surrounding area by building an earth embankment in order to dam a nearby stream.

The resulting reservoir has a surface area of 80 acres, a maximum depth of 40 feet, and a circumference of 1.75 miles. Water is channelled into the Icknield Port Loop via a leat. The flow is controlled by a winding gear that operates a sluice on the dam.

Barges leaving the western side of the Icknield Port Loop will arrive at Rotton Park Junction.

The junction is a canal crossroads where barges may turn eastwards towards central Birmingham, westwards towards Wolverhampton or northwards into the Soho Loop.

The West Coast Mainline Railway, which runs alongside the Birmingham and Wolverhampton Canal, is carried on a viaduct above the entrance to the Soho Loop.

Arsonists lit three bush fires on the towpath off Northbrook Street, near Rotton Park Junction, on Thursday 5th May 2011 (News Headlines 08/05/11)

When Thomas Telford straightened Brindley's canal in the 1820's he preserved the Soho Loop because it served Hockley Port and the Soho Manufactory.

The loop is 1.7 kilometres long; its eastern and western entrances are 1.2 kilometres apart.

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It then doubles back in a south-westerly direction past All Saints Park, Lodge Road Cricket Ground and Winson Green Prison. It then travels beneath the A4040 Winson Green Road and West Coast Mainline Railway before rejoining the Birmingham and Wolverhampton Canal at Winson Green Junction.

Hockley Port on the Soho Loop was built to tranship cargo between the canal and the Great Western Railway.

The port consists of one main dock arm cut directly from the loop and two side arms.

Hockley Port is now a mooring for houseboats; it is equipped with showers, toilets, water points, electric points, refuse disposal and elsan disposal.

Barges leaving the western side of the Soho Loop will arrive at Winson Green Junction after passing beneath the West Coast Mainline Railway.

From Winson Green Junction, barges may turn eastwards towards central Birmingham or westwards towards  Wolverhampton.

Winson Green Stop is a derelict toll island next to the roving bridge at Winson Green Junction.

The island restricted the canal to two narrow channels, enabling tolls to be collected from barges passing in either direction.

An octagonal toll house that once stood on the island was equipped with a gauge that could measure the waterline of passing barges in order to calculate cargo weight and the corresponding freight charges.

After passing beneath the A457 Dudley Road and A4040 Winson Green Road, the canal arrives at Winson Green Junction.