Engine Arm Aqueduct

The Engine Arm Aqueduct near Smethwick, West Midlands, England, was built in 1825 by Thomas Telford to carry a water feeder, the Engine Arm, from Edgbaston Reservoir over the BCN New Main Line canal to the adjacent and parallel Old Main Line. It is a Scheduled Ancient Monument[1] and is Grade II* listed.[2]

Engine Arm Aqueduct
The Engine Arm Aqueduct, cast by Horseley Ironworks
Coordinates52.4979°N 1.9665°W / 52.4979; -1.9665
OS grid referenceSP023888
CarriesBCN Engine Arm
CrossesBCN New Main Line
LocaleSmethwick
Maintained byBritish Waterways
Heritage statusScheduled Ancient Monument
Characteristics
Trough constructionCast Iron
Pier constructionStone
Total length52 feet (15.8 m)
Width8 feet (2.4 m)
Traversable?No
TowpathsBoth
No. of spansOne

It is a 52-foot (16 m) span structure consisting of a cast-iron trough supported by a single arch with five ribs, each consisting of four sections with bolted joints. The trough is supported on three of the ribs, with the adjacent towpaths being supported by cast-iron arcades of Gothic-styled arches and columns. All cast-iron features were manufactured at the Horseley Ironworks in nearby Tipton. The waterway in the aqueduct is 8 feet (2.4 m) wide with the towpaths either side being 4-foot-4-inch (1.32 m) in width each. The eastern towpath is paved in brick with raised strips for horses.[3]

See also

References

  1. Sandwell Council - Top Ten Canal Attractions Archived 28 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  2. Historic England. "Engine Arm Aqueduct  (Grade II*) (1391874)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 8 March 2015.
  3. Civil Engineering Heritage: Wales and West Central England, (2nd Ed.), Roger Cragg, 1997, Thomas Telford (ISBN 0727725769)
  • Canal Companion - Birmingham Canal Navigations, J. M. Pearson & Associates, 1989, ISBN 0-907864-49-X


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