Walk 3: Canals

Start: Curzon Street Railway Station, Moor Street Queensway, B4 7UD. OS Grid ref: SP 0743 8689

Finish: Moor Street Station, B4 7UL.  OS Grid ref: SP07408691

Distance: 2.4 miles/3.9km

Approx time: 60–80 minutes

Pubs/cafés: Moor Street Station, Millennium Point, the Parkside Building (University of Birmingham), the Eagle and Ball, the White Tower

Parking: Nearest car park – Moor Street Car Park, B5 5TE

Train: Nearest train stations – Birmingham Moor Street & New Street, National Rail Enquiries Tel: 03457 484950 www.nationalrail.co.uk

Bus: Traveline Tel: 0871 2002233 www.traveline.inf

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This self-guided walk follows the canals around HS2 Curzon Street Station. It mostly follows the route of the Digbeth Branch Canal and related heritage sites, including railway lines.

Follow the route below or to download a simplified version to print, click here: WALK 3

Start outside the New Curzon Street Railway Station.

Walk northwards along Moor Street Queensway and turn east onto the pedestrianised Masshouse Lane and then walk eastwards along Albert Street and continue along the highway part of this roadway. Turn eastwards into pedestrianised walkway leading to Thinktank, Birmingham Science Museum and stop at The Woodman before the junction of Curzon Street and New Canal Street.

The present day Woodman Public House (Grade II listed) was built between 1896–7 and was designed by James and Lister Lea and Sons, a Birmingham based architects firm, who designed the public house for the Ansell’s Brewery. The two architect brothers James & Lister Lea established their company in 1846 and designed buildings across Birmingham. At the turn of the 20th century this architectural company specialised in designing public houses and in a style known locally as ‘tile and terracotta’ pubs. The Woodman is an early example of this style of pub and typically has internal surfaces covered in decorative wall tiling while the exterior is covered in ornamental terracotta.

The original Woodman public house began as a lowly drinking establishment not listed in trade directories. The 1861 census provides one of the earliest references to that establishment. The Woodman was located at 31 Duddeston Row (present day Curzon Street) at the junction of New Canal Street and opposite the impressive Old Curzon Street Station main building. To begin with, the new Woodsman was part of the existing early 19th-century residential block of back-to-back housing arranged around courts. Patrons of the Woodman were likely to have included the residents of the local housing and the Curzon Street Station Goods Yard, post-dating the heyday of the station’s use as a railway terminal. By the mid-20th century, however, the surrounding housing had been removed, except for one building incorporated into The Woodman, and replaced by manufacturing workshops. In 2013, the public house had been closed for some time but in that year work began on refurbishing the pub and reopened on the 26th of September of that year, despite the setback of being badly vandalised earlier at Easter.

Cross New Canal Street to:

The Old Curzon Street Railway Station (Grade I listed) was one of the earliest railway stations to be built. It was originally called Birmingham Station. Phillip Hardwick designed Old Curzon Street Station with its Neo-Classical façade featuring four Ionic columns. Hardwick also designed the now demolished Euston Station, London and notable for its Doric columns. Both stations were the terminals for the London and Birmingham Railway Co. (L&BR) line. The Euston London terminal opened on the 20th July 1837 while the Old Curzon Street Station opened later on the 9th April 1838. The railway line, 112 miles in length, was engineered by Robert Stephenson from 1834 and the first uninterrupted journey took place between the two stations on the 17th September 1838 and took 4hrs and 48 minutes. The cheapest fare was £1. The three-storey Old Curzon Station main building, built in ashlar sandstone, housed the L&BR railway companies offices and board rooms, while the ground floor and a new northern extension incorporated the Queen’s Hotel. A subsequent southern wing became The Euston Hotel .On the eastern side of the surviving station, fronting Curzon Street, was the now demolished Grand Junction Railway Station terminal, which opened on the 19th November 1838. This station connected Birmingham to Liverpool.

Old Curzon Street Station was located too far away from the centre of Birmingham and this caused the decline of the station, which lost all of its passenger services to New Street (Grand Central) Station when that opened in 1854. Curzon Street then became the city’s main goods depot. The Goods Station closed in 1966, after which much of the station was demolished.

From Old Curzon Street Station, cross the road to Millennium Point and continue eastwards along Curzon Street, turn left into to Cardigan Street and walk northwards to The Belmont Works on the junction of Cardigan Street and Belmont Row.

The Belmont Works, a Grade A listed building designed in the Free-style, was built in 1899 using brick and ceramic mouldings. The building was originally constructed for the Eccles rubber and cycle company and is a good example of Birmingham’s legacy of grandiose industrial buildings built fit for purpose. Later, the factory was taken over by the Co-operative Wholesale Society, with production dedicated to either linen clothing, bedsteads or pianos. In 2007 a fire gutted the building and it remained derelict until 2020 when building work commenced on developing the site for Birmingham City University’s STEAMhouse initiative, which aims to drive innovation and economic growth by combining the abilities of the academic and business sectors.

Walk in a south-easterly direction along Belmont Row, turn south westerly on to Gopsal street and stop in front of the Eagle and Ball public house.

The public house  (Grade II listed) dates from the 1840s to 1850s although an early listing for this establishment was in a trade directory of 1852–53 when the landlord was John Huskinson and the address given was Penn Street. The public house consists of three storeys built in red brick with stucco trim.

Return in a north easterly direction along Gopsal Street and cross the canal bridge on Belmont Row, with the Lock Keepers House (described in 1891 as a ‘canal toll collector’s cottage’) on your right, then turn south onto Belmont Row. Use the steps to access the towpath of the Digbeth Branch Canal.

Birmingham by the start of the 18th century was an established leading English industrial centre but was largely isolated because of its poor transport links to its markets. The solution to this problem were canals, which would bring to the city a ready supply of much needed coal. The first canal was the Birmingham Canal, which began construction in 1768, followed by the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal in 1789. The short length (1¼ miles long) of the Digbeth Branch Canal was operational in 1790, and was built by the Birmingham Canal Navigation Company. In 1799 this canal then linked the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal at Aston Junction and the Warwick and Birmingham (later called the Grand Union) Canal at Warwick Bar. This allowed improved access to London by barge. There are six locks located on the Digbeth Branch Canal and the stretch of the waterway before you have Numbers 4 and 5 locks, with Numbers 2 and 3 locks to the north of the Belmont Row canal bridge and Lock No. 6 to the south beyond Curzon Street Bridge.

Walk northwards along the tow path passing under the Belmont Row canal bridge and Lock numbers 2 and 3 to Ashted Tunnel.

This tunnel was integral to the construction of the Digbeth Branch Canal, which was functioning in 1790. The tunnel is 3.8m (12 feet) wide, with 2.4m headroom (7 feet, 8 inches) and is 102m (335ft) long. Both the entrances to the tunnel and its lining are built of brick. The tunnel is rare for having a tow path (along its eastern side). The length of the tunnel, due to the two roads Great Brook Street and Prospect Row (now Jennens Road) that once overlay the structure, probably necessitated construction of the tunnel by the cut-and-cover technique. Atop the tunnel was located the china and earthenware pottery of Madeley Hodgson and Co., which operated between c. 1803–07, which was succeeded by the Belmont Glass Works, which continued until the 1880s. Early in the canal’s history there were concerns about water loss from the canal and its locks through leakage. In order to top up the water a pumping house was built in 1812 on the eastern side of the southern entrance to the tunnel and this, like the glass works, was archaeologically excavated in 2007. The Boulton and Watts boiler used in the pumping station operated until 1922. In 1928 the same type of boiler from a Birmingham canal pumping house was bought by Henry Ford, dismantled and taken to Dearborn, Michigan, USA, where it is still on display in the Ford Museum.

Walk through the tunnel and climb the stairs to view Canal Lock Number 1. Return southwards along the towpath passing under Belmont Row and Curzon Street Bridges, viewing Lock number 6 on the way. Stop in front of the railway bridge crossing the canal.

A bridge was needed over the Digbeth Branch Canal to carry the new Grand Junction Railway line from Liverpool into nearby Curzon Street Station. The result was this single span bridge (Grade II listed), designed by the early railway engineer Joseph Locke and constructed between 1837–38. The bridge is important as an excellent early example of English railway engineering besides its Neo-Classical architecture. The bridge and parts of the Lawley Street viaduct were not finished on time and a temporary station was opened at Vauxhall in 1837. On completion of the bridge and viaduct the Old Curzon Street Station terminal opened on the 19th November 1838.

Only the northern arch of the bridge is easily seen today. The bridge is constructed of banded and chamfered ashlar sandstone with its arch constructed of stepped blocks in groups of three and flanked by single pilasters below a dentilled cornice and a plain parapet. The interior arch of the bridge is built of red brick.

An 1893 extension to the bridge, built of blue engineering bricks with a metal parapet masks the southern extent of the 1837–38 bridge. That bridge allowed a railway line to connect with New Street Station. The length of the tunnel created by the two bridges is approximately 120m (400 ft).

Walk southwards through the tunnel noting towards the end (where there is an aperture in the roof) the southern end of the 1837–38 railway bridge, which is narrower and abuts against the wider 1893 bridge. The later bridge’s visible southern face noticeably contrasts in style with the earlier bridge. Continue walking across the tow path and stop short of the foot bridge over the junction of the Digbeth Branch and (Warwick Bar) Grand Union canals. Look across the canal to:

The building, one of only two of its kind in England, is still used for its original purpose: to test and examine completed guns and gun barrels. The quality checks include firing the guns, which are then stamped if the tests are passed. The buildings date from 1813–14 and were set up as a statutory institution in response to an 1813 Act of Parliament, requested by the Birmingham gun trade, requiring firearms to be assessed.

This institution’s grandiose appearance denotes the importance of the Birmingham gun manufacturing industry in the city. The Gun Barrel Proofing House, open to the public only through organised tours, is accessed on Banbury Street through an arched gateway with a shaped gable of an 1883 date and is flanked by a lodge on either side. The complex is built around a courtyard. The main brick built range of this institution was designed by John Horton of Bradford Street, Deritend and the building contains a museum and impressive board room. The exterior of the main block has an imposing entrance consisting of two Tuscan pillars flanking a basket arch below the legend of `ESTABLISHED BY ACT OF PARLIAMENT/FOR PUBLIC SECURITY, ANNO DOM : 1813.’. This is below a niche with a painted trophy of arms with above that a clock face set in a rounded gable. Around the courtyard are a number of magazines and metal clad firing ranges called ‘proof rooms’.

Staying on the tow path walk under the foot bridge and head south on The Grand Union Canal for a short distance and stop before the canal widens and in front of the wharf and building on the opposite side of the canal.

The Grand Union Canal, previously known as the Warwick and Birmingham Canal, was built to bring coal from local coalfields into the city, as well as to transport iron and manufactured goods from Birmingham to Warwick and provide a link to the London market. An Act of Parliament was passed in 1793 to build the canal, which was undertaken by the Birmingham Canal Navigation Company and opened on the 19th December 1799 but was fully opened on the 19th March 1800. The junction of this canal with The Digbeth Branch Canal became known as Warwick Bar (sometimes referred to as Proof House Junction) and tolls were paid here for barges entering the canal from the Digbeth branch. The canal continues southwards crossing the River Rea on an aqueduct and links up at Bordesley with the Birmingham and Warwick Junction Canal opened in 1844. The latter was a canal bypassing Birmingham to alleviate congestion. The Canal has a total length of 137 miles between Birmingham and the Thames, London and has a total of 166 locks. The waterway became known as the Grand Union Canal in 1929 when a number of canals were amalgamated and modernised by the Regent’s Canal and the Grand Junction Canal Companies in order to be competitive against railway and road transportation.

On the opposite side of the canal is a red brick warehouse (Grade II listed) with a wharf and on the route of the canal, a stone dressed stop lock, used to control the flow of water between the waterways of different canal companies. The warehouse dates from the 1840s and is shown on a map of 1845. The building is built of red brick with cast iron columns supporting the eaves of the roof with a modern asbestos sheeting, carried over the wharf. This building sometimes goes by the name of ‘Banana Warehouse’, referring to its previous owner of van Geest who started importing bananas into the UK from the early 1950s. The warehouse is a good example of businesses who set up premises canal side. Further south are the large Morton and Clayton warehouse (dated from 1935) and the 19th-century Bond or Ice House.

The guided walk does not continue further southwards along the Grand Union Canal although you are free to do so at your own discretion. Walk northwards to the Digbeth Branch canal and cross over the footbridge and walk in a westwardly direction towards Fazeley Street noting communal gardening activities on your left. Bordesley Street Wharf (see below) can be seen through the railings on the towpath below the Fazeley Street Bridge. Climb the steps to Fazeley Street and turn southwards to the first building on the left hand side of the road.

The Grade II listed building dates from c. 1850 and is said to have been designed by Edward John Lloyd. It was built as ‘Junction Works’ canal offices, as indicated by the entablature above the door of No. 110. The three two-storey houses are built of engineering bricks with a gabled slate roof. Large gate-posts, leading to a yard with a two- or three-storey works block to the rear, are also built in engineering bricks. The yard also provides access to the rear of Warwick Wharf.

Walk southwards a short distance to the next building.

This former house (Grade II listed) dates from c. 1840–50 and is built with mainly red brick, though it contains some engineering brickwork. It has a gable end slate roof and many period features. It once functioned as canal company offices and the weighing machine keeper’s house. To the rear of the building are workshops and access to the common wharf on Warwick Bar.

Cross the road to Pickford Street and walk south a short distance.

Bordesley Street Wharf is located on private land with carparks, closed at weekends, but is nonetheless included in the walk because of its historic interest. The wharf is the western end of the Digbeth Branch Canal and dates from the 1790s, with a second and third basin dug in the early 1820s and 1840s. The yards located on the basins handled slate and timber but especially coal. An 1898 map shows the three basins intact with the Fazeley Street Rolling Mills and the Star Works, which manufactured chimney pots and enamelled slate, occupying the western and southern half of the area. During the 20th century the basins were reduced in size and from 1925 the Typhoo Tea factory occupied much of the southern area. The Typhoo Tea factory closed in 1978.

Continue walking southwards along Pickford Street and turn right and walk in a westward direction along Bordesley Street passing the 1930s exterior of the former Typhoo Tea factory to the junction of Allison Street. Walk southwards along Allison Street, enter the arch of the railway bridge and stop midway. The metal Gentlemen’s urinal is located in an arch of the railway bridge.

Dating to between c. 1880–90 the cast iron gentlemen’s urinal (Grade II listed) consists of eight panels. Each panel is made of two sections with the top panel having an urn and floral motif, while the lower panel has Neo-Classical oval medallions in the Adams style. The disused urinal is no longer internally accessible but was entered from each end through small decorative arches, of which the northern example survives. The convenience would have been used by the workers in the many small industrial premises in the Digbeth area.

Opposite the Gentlemen’s urinal is the entrance to Moor Street Railway Goods Station Shed B via Moor Street Car Park (please take care of cars if you enter the car park).

When Old Moor Street railway passenger station opened, its associated railway goods station was also launched in 1909. The goods station was built on a steep incline and was therefore constructed on two levels with additionally high level metal goods sheds on the platforms. The goods station consisted of two sheds (A and B) designed by L.G. Mouchel employing a reinforced concrete technique pioneered by Francois Hennebique. The station received general goods besides fish, fruit and vegetables for distribution to local markets, including the Bullring. Lifts lowered wagons from the platforms to the lower levels of the sheds. The Goods Station closed in November 1972 and subsequently much of it was demolished. Today only the street level ground floor of Shed B survives (the upper floor was removed), upon which was built other levels of the Moor Street Car Park. Caution should be taken on entering the car park. The Allison Street entrance clearly shows the brick arches of the Moor Street Station railway arches used by the goods shed on the northern side of the Goods Station, while the very modern looking reinforced concrete construction designed by L.G. Mouchel is observable on the southern extent.

Return northwards along Allison Street and at the junction of Shaw’s Passage turn left (westwards) following the length of the railway viaduct to the junction with Park Street, turn south onto Park Street to the junction with Moor Street. In front of you are three white concrete arches that are the original 1909 build of Goods Station B and from the pavement you can observe the interior of the Goods Shed.

The Park Street entrance to the Moor Street Car Park very clearly shows the c. 1909 L.G. Mouchel reinforced concrete build of Shed B of the Goods Station, without the need to enter the car park.

Walk westwards up the Bus Mall, until you reach Old Moor Street Station. The Bus Mall was the location of the Goods Station Shed A which was demolished in order to make way for the building of this part of Moor Street in 2000.

Birmingham was facing a problem with growing local commuter traffic at the turn of the 20th century and the eventual solution was to build Moor Street Station, which was first opened as temporary buildings in 1909. The current Old Moor Street Station (Grade II listed) replaced the temporary buildings and opened on the 7th July 1914. The station is built of brick, partially faced with terracotta tiles and stone dressings with steel and glazed platform roofs. W. Y. Armstrong designed the station. To begin with the station acted as a terminus for passenger traffic from Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon. By the 1960s Moor Street Station had become neglected with much reduced railway services. A modern Moor Street Station, however, was built in the 1980s as part of a new plan for improved local railway services and the old station closed in 1987 and was saved from demolition but mothballed. By the 2000s local commuter services were again strained. This resulted in the old station being reopened and renovated to a cost of £11 million, with many of the 1980s buildings demolished. An important rail route from Moor Street Station had previously been established to London Marylebone in 1993 and today the station also provides links to Worcester and Kidderminster.