Editing Birmingham and Fazeley Canal (section)

==Route==
[[File:Birmingham & Fazeley Canal Map.png|thumb|Geographic map of the canal (zoom in to see detail)]]
{{Birmingham and Fazeley Canal map}}
The canal is now regarded as running from the [[BCN Main Line]] at [[Old Turn Junction]] (near the [[National Indoor Arena]]), [[Birmingham]] to the [[Coventry Canal]] at [[Fazeley Junction]], just outside [[Tamworth, Staffordshire|Tamworth]]. The length of this stretch is 15 miles (24&nbsp;km), and it includes 38 [[canal lock|locks]]. From Old Turn Junction, 13 locks drop the level of the canal by {{convert|81|ft|m}}, after which there is a short flat stretch from St Chads Cathedral to Aston Junction. There is a one-mile (1.6&nbsp;km) branch called the [[Digbeth Branch Canal]] which runs from the junction to Typhoo Basin and contains 6 locks. A short cut runs from near the end of the branch to the Grand Union Canal at Bordesley Junction.{{sfn |Nicholson |2006 |pp=36–37}}

Below the junction there are another 11 locks, which form the Aston flight. Holborn Hill bridge carries the railway to Aston station over the canal, just before the bottom lock of the flight is reached. At Salford Junction, the [[Tame Valley Canal]] runs to the north west, and the Grand Union Canal runs southwards, while the Fazeley heads eastwards. Three more locks continue the descent at Minworth, and the character of the surroundings changes from an urban and industrial landscape to open countryside. There is a short {{convert|57|yd|m|adj=on}} [[Grade II listed]] tunnel at Curdworth,<ref>{{NHLE |num= 1259858 |desc=Curdworth Tunnel on Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, approximately 120 metres north east of Curdworth Bridge |access-date=1 June 2024 |mode=cs2 |fewer-links=yes}}</ref> after which fields and flooded gravel pits line the canal. At Drayton Bassett, an eccentric [[Grade II listed]] footbridge with Gothic-style towers<ref>{{NHLE |num= 1038818 |desc=Drayton Footbridge |access-date=1 June 2024 |mode=cs2 |fewer-links=yes}}</ref> crosses the canal, close to [[Drayton Manor Theme Park]], after which Fazeley is reached, where the canal joins the Coventry Canal.{{sfn |Nicholson |2006 |pp=36–41}}

The {{convert|5.5|mi|km|adj=on}} stretch which extends northwards beyond Fazeley Junction to [[Whittington, Staffordshire|Whittington]], near [[Lichfield]], was built by the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal Company, with the remainder of the route to Fradley Junction being built by the [[Trent and Mersey Canal]]. Both sections used the route authorised by the [[Coventry Canal Act 1768]] ([[8 Geo. 3]]. c. 36), but although the Coventry Canal subsequently bought back the northern section from the Trent and Mersey Canal, the southern section remained in the ownership of the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal. However, it is often regarded as being part of the Coventry Canal, with the [[Canal and River Trust]] quoting the length of that canal as being {{convert|38|mi|km}} which includes the Birmingham and Fazeley section.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network/coventry-canal |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200918225141/https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/enjoy-the-waterways/canal-and-river-network/coventry-canal |archive-date=18 September 2020 |url-status=live |title=Coventry Canal |publisher=Canal and River Trust |access-date=15 February 2021}}</ref>

Historically the canal started at Farmer's Bridge Top Lock (the real Farmer's Bridge Junction), where it met the already existing Birmingham Canal Newhall Branch. That branch has now been built over, with only Cambrian Wharf surviving.

The Birmingham and Fazeley Canal forms part of the [[Warwickshire ring]].

===Features===

At Common lock 10, on the lower lock tail, an inscription can be found in the stonework. It reads: "Pax Missa Per Orbem, Pax Quaeritur Bello", which translates as "Peace Is Sent Throughout The World, Peace Is Sought Through War". The inscription comes from two coins, the first part from the [[Queen Ann Farthing]], and the second part from the [[Broad (English gold coin)|Cromwell Broad]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://24carat.co.uk/frame.php?url=coininscriptionsframe.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720174454/https://24carat.co.uk/frame.php?url=coininscriptionsframe.html |archive-date=20 July 2011 |url-status=live |title=Legends & Inscriptions on British Coins (Starting with "P") |publisher=Chard (1964) Ltd, Jewellers}}</ref>

{{PoIgb start|type=collapsed}}
{{PoIgb|[[Old Turn Junction]]|52.4792|-1.9139|SP058868|[[BCN Main Line]]|name=Old Turn Junction}}
{{PoIgb|Stour Valley railway tunnel|52.4794|-1.9138|SP058868|[[Stour Valley Line|Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stour Valley Railway]] runs beneath canal|name=Stour Valley railway tunnel (below)}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge Junction (original)|52.4806|-1.9125|SP059870|Junction with former Birmingham Canal Newhall Branch}}
{{PoIgb|Cambrian Wharf basin|52.4806|-1.9118|SP059870|}}
{{PoIgb|Newhall Branch (closed)|52.4808|-1.9110|SP060870|}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge top lock 1|52.4808|-1.9120|SP059870|}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 2|52.4811|-1.9110||}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 3|52.4813|-1.9101||}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 4|52.4815|-1.9092||}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 5|52.4820|-1.9082||}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 6|52.4823|-1.9076||}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 7|52.4826|-1.9070||}}
{{PoIgb|Whitmore Arm junction|52.4828|-1.9067||dry}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 8|52.4829|-1.9064||}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 9|52.4833|-1.9057||Directly under [[Newhall Street]]}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 10|52.4837|-1.9050||Directly under Brindley House}}
{{PoIgb|[[British Telecom Tower (Birmingham)|British Telecom Tower]]|52.4835|-1.9043||name=British Telecom Tower}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 11|52.4841|-1.9043||}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge lock 12|52.4851|-1.9027||}}
{{PoIgb|[[Birmingham Snow Hill railway station|Birmingham Snow Hill station]] bridge|52.4854|-1.9021||name=Snow Hill station bridge}}
{{PoIgb|Farmer's Bridge bottom lock 13|52.4859|-1.9012|SP067875|}}
{{PoIgb|[[A38 road|Aston Expressway (Aston Road)]]|52.4903|-1.8894|SP075880|name=A38 (Aston Expressway)}}
{{PoIgb|[[Aston Junction]]|52.4902|-1.8887|SP075880|[[Digbeth Branch Canal]]|name=Aston Junction}}
{{PoIgb|Aston top lock 14|52.4904|-1.8882|SP075881|}}
{{PoIgb|Aston lock 15|52.4908|-1.8873||}}
{{PoIgb|Aston lock 16|52.4913|-1.8866||}}
{{PoIgb|Aston lock 17|52.4918|-1.8859||}}
{{PoIgb|Aston lock 18|52.4924|-1.8853||}}
{{PoIgb|Aston lock 19|52.4929|-1.8846||}}
{{PoIgb|Aston lock 20|52.4940|-1.8833||}}
{{PoIgb|Aston lock 21|52.4946|-1.8824||}}
{{PoIgb|Aston lock 22|52.4986|-1.8774||}}
{{PoIgb|Aston lock 23|52.5005|-1.8733||}}
{{PoIgb|Aston bottom lock 24|52.5035|-1.8711|SP087895|[[Cross-City Line]]}}
{{PoIgb|[[Salford Junction]]|52.5085|-1.8591|SP095901|[[Tame Valley Canal]], [[Grand Union Canal]]|name=Salford Junction}}
{{PoIgb|Factory over canal|52.5083|-1.8449|SP105900|150 yards under factory buildings, open on one side}}
{{PoIgb|Erdington Hall Bridge|52.5081|-1.8432|SP106900|Original site of bridge}}
{{PoIgb|Minworth top lock|52.5225|-1.7957|SP138916}} 
{{PoIgb|Minworth middle lock|52.5252|-1.7904|SP142919|}}
{{PoIgb|Minworth bottom lock|52.5288|-1.7775|SP150923|}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth Tunnel|52.5364|-1.7389|SP177932|}}
{{PoIgb|[[M6 Toll]] motorway bridge|52.5411|-1.7296|SP183937|name=M6 Toll bridge}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth top lock 1|52.5413|-1.7289|SP183937|}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth lock 2|52.5456|-1.7217|SP190942|}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth lock 3|52.5463|-1.7206|SP190943|}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth lock 4|52.5472|-1.7198|SP191944|}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth lock 5|52.5482|-1.7190|SP192945|}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth lock 6|52.5502|-1.7174|SP197947|}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth lock 7|52.5544|-1.7140|SP195952|}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth lock 8|52.5603|-1.7100|SP198959|}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth lock 9|52.5625|-1.7093|SP198961|}}
{{PoIgb|Common Lock 10|52.5678|-1.7064|SP200967|}}
{{PoIgb|Kigsbury swivel bridge|52.5731|-1.7036|SP200973|}}
{{PoIgb|Curdworth bottom lock 11|52.5733|-1.7035|SP202973|}}
{{PoIgb|Aqueduct|52.5866|-1.7051|SP199988|Near [[Middleton Hall, Warwickshire|Middleton Hall]]}}
{{PoIgb|Drayton swivel and ornamental bridges|52.6047|-1.7065|SK198008|}}
{{PoIgb|Fazeley Mill Marina|52.6100|-1.7034|SK200014|}}
{{PoIgb|[[Watling Street]]|52.6151|-1.7012|SK202020|name=Watling Street}}
{{PoIgb|[[Fazeley Junction]]|52.6154|-1.7010|SK202020|[[Coventry Canal]] (to Coventry). Continues as de facto B&F to Whittington|name=Fazeley Junction}}
{{PoIgb|Whittington Brook|52.6724|-1.7556|SK165083|[[Coventry Canal]] (detached part) to [[Huddlesford Junction]]}}
{{PoIgb end}}

{{GeoGroup}}