A Cross Country train arrives at Narborough.
Wednesday, 6 February 2019
Tuesday, 5 February 2019
Walking the waterways (21) : Birmingham Canal Navigations New Main Line
The Main Line of the Birmingham Canal Navigations is from Birmingham to Wolverhampton. The original canal was built in the 1770s but later regarded as too indirect and complicated with various arms and diversions. Smethwick summit with it's lock flights was a major bottleneck for traffic.
On the advice and direction of Thomas Telford the New Main Line was built in the late 1820s. This was a much more direct route that cut across the various loops of the old main line. The Smethwick summit was also bypassed by creating a cutting, later known as the Galton Valley. The New Main Line was completed in 1824 with the route distance between Wolverhampton and Birmingham cut dramatically and much of the new canal wide with dual towpaths. A major problem with the old canal had been the awkwardness of multiple canal boats with their horses on a congested towpath.
The New Main Line (and surviving bits of the old one) survives today. Galton Valley has ironically been partially filled in to allow for a road. New tunnels were built in the 1970s.
The New Main Line stretches from the centre of Birmingham where it connects to the Birmingham & Fazeley and Worcester & Birmingham Canals to Wolverhampton and a junction with the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal.
On the advice and direction of Thomas Telford the New Main Line was built in the late 1820s. This was a much more direct route that cut across the various loops of the old main line. The Smethwick summit was also bypassed by creating a cutting, later known as the Galton Valley. The New Main Line was completed in 1824 with the route distance between Wolverhampton and Birmingham cut dramatically and much of the new canal wide with dual towpaths. A major problem with the old canal had been the awkwardness of multiple canal boats with their horses on a congested towpath.
The New Main Line (and surviving bits of the old one) survives today. Galton Valley has ironically been partially filled in to allow for a road. New tunnels were built in the 1970s.
The New Main Line stretches from the centre of Birmingham where it connects to the Birmingham & Fazeley and Worcester & Birmingham Canals to Wolverhampton and a junction with the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal.
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| Bridge over the Main Line |
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| A loop near Birmingham |
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| Asylum bridge on the Soho Loop |
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| On the approach to Birmingham centre |
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| Near Gas St and the terminus of the Main Line |
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| Galton Tunnel |
Monday, 4 February 2019
BGLR : Shedding light
Building a model railway isn't just about what you build on the board, it is also about the infrastructure around it. Last year I installed a sun blind in the layout room, probably one of the most important things I've done for the layout! The room is East facing so gets strong sunlight in the morning, hopefully the blind should prevent any sun bleaching to the layout and especially the rolling stock.
The latest addition has been an improved light replacing the lamp which I was using earlier. The new light is much higher up and so provides much more usable light. The old lamp was ok but parts of the layout were in perpetual shadow. Now its a lot easier to see most parts of Birches Green!
The latest addition has been an improved light replacing the lamp which I was using earlier. The new light is much higher up and so provides much more usable light. The old lamp was ok but parts of the layout were in perpetual shadow. Now its a lot easier to see most parts of Birches Green!
Saturday, 2 February 2019
Hampton-in-Arden and other local destinations
Due to the bad weather in the UK this week (though the snow completely missed Birmingham) I decided to stay pretty local for this week's trip. I went to Hampton-in-Arden which is in Solihull and is indeed pretty close to where I work though I went on the train of course. It is a lovely little village with a fine old church and some other old buildings of interest.
On the way back I stopped off at Marston Green and Lea Hall, the stations closest to where I was born and where I lived for the first time respectively. In Lea Hall's case it was the first time I had ever been to the station. You can see my Hampton-in-Arden photos here.
On the way back I stopped off at Marston Green and Lea Hall, the stations closest to where I was born and where I lived for the first time respectively. In Lea Hall's case it was the first time I had ever been to the station. You can see my Hampton-in-Arden photos here.
Friday, 1 February 2019
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