Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
& Digbeth Branch engineered by John Smeaton, 15 miles long with 44 locks

History and General Knowledge of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal

Part of the Birmingham Canal Navigation's and built to link the Coventry Canal to Birmingham and then to London via the Warwick and Birmingham Canal (now part of the Grand Union Canal) and then the Oxford Canal.

Completed in 1879 and runs North to South/West, the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal starts at Fazeley Junction on the Coventry Canal.

Just before Aston University, the Digbeth Branch connects to the Grand Union Canal. The Digbeth Branch is 1.25 miles in length, has six locks and two tunnels.

The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal is a 15-mile-long canal in the West Midlands of England that connects Birmingham to the Coventry Canal. It was built in the late 18th century to transport coal and other goods to and from Birmingham.

Construction of the canal began in 1784 and it was completed in 1789 at a cost of £96,000. It was designed by the famous canal engineer, James Brindley, who was responsible for designing many of the canals in the Midlands.

The canal was built to transport coal from the mines in Warwickshire and Staffordshire to the factories and industries of Birmingham. It was also used to transport other goods such as raw materials, finished goods, and agricultural produce.

The canal was an important factor in the growth of Birmingham as an industrial city. It allowed raw materials to be transported cheaply and efficiently to the factories, which helped to fuel the growth of the city's industries. The canal also provided a cheap and efficient means of transporting finished goods from Birmingham to other parts of the country.

During the 19th century, the canal was an important part of the transport infrastructure of the Midlands. It was used to transport goods to and from Birmingham, and it also provided a link to the Trent and Mersey Canal via the Coventry Canal, which allowed goods to be transported to other parts of the country.

However, by the early 20th century, the canal had fallen into disrepair due to competition from the railways. In 1948, the canal was nationalised and became part of the British Waterways network.

In the 1960's plans were made to close the canal and fill it in, but a group of local enthusiasts formed the Birmingham Canal Navigation's Society to campaign for its restoration. The society worked tirelessly to restore the canal, and it was officially reopened in 1983.

Today, the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal is a popular destination for boaters, walkers and cyclists. It is also home to a diverse range of wildlife and is a valuable habitat for a number of rare and endangered species.

The restoration of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal is considered one of the most successful canal restoration projects in the UK. It is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the volunteers of the Birmingham Canal Navigation's Society and the importance of preserving our industrial heritage.