BLACK COUNTRY MUSEUM AND GAS STREET BASIN IN BIRMINGHAM FROM GAILEY

 

Route Info | Boats | Map overview of route | Cruising Notes | Maps & Guides | Links | Pub Guide

 

You can do this route from :
Gailey Wharf.

Gailey Wharf

Staffordshire

 

This cruise will allow 2 days to visit the Black Country Museum and explore Birmingham, without excessive long cruising days!

The Black Country Living Museum has been built around a re-constructed canal village, with a pub, shops and an inland port. You can ride on a trolley bus or tram, try sweet making, metal working, or glass cutting, and experience an underground coal mine. Nearby is Dudley castle and Dudley Zoo.

Amongst some of the attractions are the National Sea Life Centre & the Jewellery Quarter Discovery centre, also many fine Art galleries and over 500 restaurants offering every choice of food! The jewellery quarter dates back over 250 years, and is still home to over 400 jewellery businesses. It is a designated conservation area with only 200 listed buildings, and has been described by English heritage as a unique historic environment in England.

For shopping a visit to the new Bullring is a must, which covers an area the size of 26 football pitches and a has a huge range of shops.

Route Info

Route Facts & Figures

Recommended Holiday
Duration : 7 nights.

Total Cruising Days : 8.00
(Partial or full days)

Total Cruising Time : 27.00 hours

Total Distance : 50.00 miles

Number of Locks : 48

Number of Tunnels : 6

Number of Aqueducts : 0

Read the Cruising Notes

Read our cruising notes to help you plan your canal boat holiday

Read our cruising notes.

 

 

 

 

 

Cruising Notes


Leaving Gailey Wharf, (look out for the large round toll keepers watch tower), you will be heading towards The Fox and Anchor Public House, where you can moor for the night, and which can be found ⅔ of the way between Hatherton Junction and Coven Heath Bridge No. 69.

The canal is very winding, and curves in a wide arc to the left, towards the Hatherton Branch, over an aqueduct, then curves back to the right.

The twists and turns continue more or less until you reach the point where the M54 crosses the canal. Just prior to here is the pub, but to minimise noise from the motorway, it would be advisable to moor nearer to Bridge No. 71, Cross Green Bridge, and walk the short distance to the pub.

A nice meal and refreshing drink will probably be welcome now, ready for an early start tomorrow morning.

You have cruised 4 miles in around 2 hours.

Once you leave your mooring, you will be heading towards Wolverhampton, on your left.

The canal is reasonably straight until you reach Autherley Junction, where the Shropshire Union Canal joins the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal. When the canal parts again, branch left onto the Birmingham Navigation at Aldersley Junction, where you will soon be met by the sight of the Wolverhampton 21 Locks, where you will have climbed 132 feet by the time you reach Wolverhampton Top Lock No. 1. A daunting prospect!

If you want to moor up now, you can take a look around Wolverhampton, and perhaps find a nice pub for a much-deserved drink and meal. There are many pubs and restaurants to choose from, offering a wide selection of meals.

Leaving here, stay on the main line canal, which twists and turns as it wends its way through places such as Ladymoor, and Coseley, where there is a tunnel that is 360 yards long. Once through the tunnel, you are not far from Tipton Junction, where you will bear right onto the Dudley Canal. The Black Country Museum is at the end of this arm.

It is 7.5 hours to here

For information regarding opening times, admission prices, etc, to The Black Country Museum, please visit www.bclm.co.uk. There is plenty to do for everyone here, from a boat trip through Dudley Tunnel to and old-time school lesson, glass cutting to sweet making, and plenty of other activities.

After the short Coseley Tunnel you will come to Factory Junction, take a sharp right turn just after the bridge onto the Old Main Line and moor along here or close to the Black Country Museum. If you are feeling hungry then highly recommended is the world famous Mad O Rourke's Pie factory where the portions are huge and served on shovels, and there is sawdust on the floor, it is just off to your right!!

You will easily be able to access the Black Country Museum, and to spend the whole day here.

The Black Country Living Museum has been built around a re-constructed canal village, with a pub, shops and an inland port. You can ride on a trolley bus or tram, try sweet making, metal working, or glass cutting, and experience an underground coal mine, and meet the characters in the shops and houses, all of which can be found on the website www.bclm.co.uk, as can opening times, prices, etc.
Stay moored here tonight, ready to set off in the morning.
Dudley is not far away, and among other things, there is the Castle, and Dudley Zoo, which you might like to visit, before continuing with your journey.

Continue along the Birmingham Old Line to Oldbury Junction and turn left , don't go right down the Titford canal.The Old Main Line canal goes over the New Main Line at Stewart aqueduct and you turn right at Spon Lane Junction and cruise past the Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre.

Galton Valley Canal Museum is a small museum, located in Smethwick, England, on the border with Birmingham and alongside the BCN Main Line canals. The Museum tells the story of the development of the Galton Valley canals and those who designed, built and worked on them.
In 2009 it won the Silver award in the 'Best Small Visitor Attraction' at the Black Country Tourism Awards. In 2011 the Museum moved from premises on Brasshouse Lane Smethwick to the New Smethwick Pumping Station.

Just past this is Smethwick Locks- 3 of them will take you down onto the New Main Line Canal, turn left at the Smethwich Junction.
Continue on the Mainl Line and either moor at Cambrian Wharf- turn left at Deep Cuttings Junction, or in the Gas Street Basin, or other moorings that you may pass, as from here you can access all that Birmingham has to offer.

Time to explore Birmingham!!

The surrounding area is a vibrant arts & entertainment area and there are many shopping options within a short walk. Moor up next to the Sea Life centre. On your doorstep will be every type of cuisine you can think of, from Caribbean to Nepalese, from Thai to Italian. Also clubs and bars, Theatres, Comedy and live entertainment and Cinemas.

Amongst some of the attractions are the National Sea Life Centre & the Jewellery Quarter Discovery centre, also many fine Art galleries and over 500 restaurants offering every choice of food! The jewellery quarter dates back over 250 years, and is still home to over 400 jewellery businesses. It is a designated conservation area with only 200 listed buildings, and has been described by English heritage as a unique historic environment in England.

For shopping a visit to the new Bullring is a must, which covers an area the size of 26 football pitches and a has a huge range of shops.
Close by is the national Indoor Arena, one of the busiest large scale indoor sporting & entertainment venues in Europe.

Cruise back to Gailey Marina, it is just over 13 hours back , and you can cruise straight along the New Main Line as it is straighter and wider than the Old Main Line and this will get you back to Factory Road Bridge where you turned off previously.

 

NB: This route has been provided as a guide only. Information may become inaccurate or out of date. You should always check with the marina that the route is possible within your time frame, current weather conditions and canal stoppages etc.

Boats

The following boats operate on this route (subject to availability)
Bragi Canal Boat
Class : Nene
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Common Kestrel Canal Boat
Class : Kestrel
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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House Wren Canal Boat
Class : Wren
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Oscar Canal Boat
Class : Nene
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Mottled Swift Canal Boat
Class : Swift
(Sleeps a maximum of 4 People).

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Wood Duck Canal Boat
Class : Dove2
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Musk Duck Canal Boat
Class : Dove2
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Freckled Duck Canal Boat
Class : Dove2
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Common Gull Canal Boat
Class : Gull
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Pacific Gull Canal Boat
Class : Gull
(Sleeps a maximum of 6 People).

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Upland Goose Canal Boat
Class : Goose
(Sleeps a maximum of 8 People).

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Wood Warbler Canal Boat
Class : Warbler
(Sleeps a maximum of 8 People).

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Savi's Warbler Canal Boat
Class : Warbler
(Sleeps a maximum of 8 People).

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Maps and Guides

Pub Guide

Sorry, we have no pub guide for this route currently.

 

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The information above is provided in good faith to assist you with planning your canal boat holiday. Information accuracy cannot be guaranteed, however, if you do see something that needs updating, please don't hesitate to contact us.