Levels
The BCN is built on three main levels, each with its own reservoirs.
- 453 feet (138 m) O.D., the Birmingham Level;
- 473 feet (144 m) O.D., the Wolverhampton Level;
- 408 feet (124 m) O.D., the Walsall Level
These levels are linked by locks at various places on the network.
There are also stretches on their own levels.
- The Titford Canal and its branches were built at 511 feet (156 m) O.D., linked to the Titford Reservoir (Titford Pool). A feeder supplies water to the Edgbaston Reservoir.
- A short section of the BCN Old Main Line, at Smethwick Summit, was built at 491 feet (150 m) O.D.. Pumps at either end were built to pump water used by the locks back to the summit - one at Spon Lane locks, and one at Smethwick locks: the Smethwick Engine. When the summit became too busy John Smeaton designed a scheme where it was lowered by 18 feet (5.5 m) to the Wolverhampton level, eliminating six locks and providing a parallel set of locks at Smethwick which improved traffic throughput. It also linked to the general Wolverhampton Level supply of water.
Read more about this topic: Birmingham Canal Navigations
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