Titford Pools.
For a long time, this has been the Cinderella of the BCN. It is the highest part and was originally built as a reservoir to hold water from the nearby Rowley Hills to feed into BCN Old Main Line level at Smethwick, via the Rotton Park Reservoir. When it later became a canal in its own right, the arm to the left developed into the Causeway Green Branch. To the right the Portway Branch. Both now sadly truncated. Behind the trees is the larger of the two Titford Pools. Beyond the motorway (which can just be seen crossing the canal on the right) is a second, smaller pool.
At one time, the area became a popular Pleasure Park. Following a drowning just before the start of World War II, it fell into disuse. When the M5 Motorway was built, water run-off was allowed into the pools below, as this was seen as an opportunity for a free water supply. Unfortunately, this resulted in a build-up of silt, making navigation very difficult and therefore quite an achievement to cruise your own narrow boat in the Titford Pools – something we did last year. Now, however, they have been dredged to a full navigable depth, which will encourage more boats to visit. The statue is a tribute to the area’s past, with an inscribed stone saying “In Memory of Marie Smith 1922-2015. Lover of Canals Industrial History”.
Photograph Details:
- Taken: 24 Jan 2020
- Camera: Canon 5D MkIII
- Lens: Canon EF 24-70mm 1:2.8 L II USM
- Focal Length 24mm
- F/2.8
- 1/30 Sec
- ISO 100