Page 146 - A-Z of BCN 8a

A-Z of the Birmingham Canal Navigations

colliery and brickyard closures, the Valentia Arm was eventually filled in throughout its entire length. It was the next two
basins which became part of Allen’s Boatyard and the modern Valencia Wharf. The first of the Allen basins had been
constructed to serve the needs of Radnalfield (sometimes called Radnall Field) Brickworks and Colliery, which at one time
was owned by Wood & Ivery. The mine, established first, covered some 30 acres of mineral property that had seams of Brooch,
Heathen, New Mine and Thick Coal as well as Gubbin and New Mine Ironstone. The surface plant included a steam winding
engine, pumping engine, and pit head gear, but little else. 600 yards of horse drawn tramway linked the pithead with the
canal basin wharf, where the different grades of coal and ironstone were sorted into boats by the loaders. The brickworks
was constructed after 1876 to work a layer of good quality surface clay. After the brickyard opened, the tramway was used
to bring bricks down to the wharf for loading into boats.

T & S element horse drawn boat, based from Valentia Wharf.

The second of the Allen basins, and the third of the group, served the glassworks of W E Chance. Known as the Oldbury
Glassworks, this works made it their speciality to produce glass lampshades. Basin No. 4 served the Churchbridge Tube Works
that belonged to the firm Accles & Pollock. Accles had previously been involved with ammunition, cycle and motorcar making
at the Holford Mills, Witton, but when this business failed, in 1901, had transferred to the Churchbridge Works. Accles &
Pollock were later to enlarge their business through the construction of the Paddock Tube Works, on former brickyard land
north of Whimsey Bridge. J & S Tonks used basin No. 5 as a coal wharf. These Birmingham based coal merchants carried coal
to Paddock Tube Works from the Cannock Chase Collieries.

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