Summit Bridge, Smethwick

Bridge

Summit Bridge

Coordinates| 52°30′10″N 1°58′41″W﻿ / ﻿52.50278°N 1.97806°W﻿ / 52.50278; -1.97806
OS grid reference| SP 0158 8943
Carries| Roebuck Lane
Crosses| BCN Old Main Line
Heritage status| Grade II* listed
History
Designer| John Smeaton
Construction end| 1789
Location

Summit Bridge is a road bridge over a canal, built in 1789. It crosses the Old Main Line of the Birmingham Canal Navigations in Smethwick, in the West Midlands, England; it was part of John Smeaton's improvements to the canal system at its highest point in the area.

It is a Grade II* listed building, listed on 8 February 2007.[1] It is also a scheduled monument.[2]

## History and description

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Summit Bridge was built in 1788–79, as part of a project carried out by John Smeaton to deal with the water shortages at the summit level, and to deal with traffic congestion by reducing the number of locks along the canal. By cutting through the hill, the summit level was reduced from 492 feet (150 m) to 472 feet (144 m). Summit Bridge was built to carry Roebuck Lane across the cutting.[1][3][4]

The bridge has a single span; it is built of red brick, with brick coping. On the north-west face there is a cast-iron plaque bearing the date "MDCCXC" (1790). The canal towpath is on the south-west side.[1]

A short distance to the south, Galton Bridge carries Roebuck Lane over the New Main Line, the adjacent canal built by Thomas Telford in the 1820s.[3]

## References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Summit Bridge, Smethwick.

1. ^ a b c Historic England (8 February 2007). "Summit Bridge (1391875)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 27 October 2018.
2. ^ Historic England. "Smeaton's Summit Bridge (1005903)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 2 September 2019.
3. ^ a b Birmingham Canal: Historical Information Inland Waterways Association. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
4. ^ A P Baggs, G C Baugh and Johnston D A, "Smethwick: Communications", in A History of the County of Stafford: Volume 17, Offlow Hundred (Part), ed. M W Greenslade (London, 1976), pp. 96–98 British History Online. Retrieved 28 October 2018.

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Birmingham Canal Navigations

Navigable|

* BCN Main Line
* Birmingham and Fazeley Canal
* Bumble Hole Branch Canal
* Cannock Extension Canal
* Digbeth Branch Canal
* Dudley Canal
* Engine Arm
* Gower Branch Canal
* Icknield Port Loop
* Netherton Tunnel Branch Canal
* Rushall Canal
* Soho Loop
* Spon Lane Locks Branch
* Tame Valley Canal
* Titford Canal
* Walsall Canal
* Wednesbury Oak Loop
* Wednesbury Old Canal
* Wyrley and Essington Canal

Unnavigable|

* Anson Branch
* Bentley Canal
* Bradley Branch
* Lichfield Canal
* Ridgacre Branch
* Tipton Green and Toll End Canals

Junctions|

* Aldersley Junction
* Aston Junction
* Birchills Junction
* Bromford Junction
* Catshill Junction
* Fazeley Junction
* Horseley Fields Junction
* Huddlesford Junction
* Ogley Junction
* Old Turn Junction
* Pelsall Junction
* Rumer Hill Junction
* Rushall Junction
* Salford Junction
* Smethwick Junction
* Spon Lane Junction
* Tame Valley Junction

Reservoirs|

* Chasewater
* Edgbaston Reservoir
* Netherton Reservoir

Tunnels|

* Dudley Tunnel
* Lapal Tunnel

Aqueducts|

* Engine Arm Aqueduct
* Stewart Aqueduct

Bridges and viaducts|

* Galton Bridge
* Parkhead Viaduct
* Summit Bridge

Pumping stations|

* Smethwick Engine

Locks|

* Delph Locks

Basins|

* Gas Street Basin

Adjoining canals|

* Coventry Canal
* Grand Union Canal
* Pensnett Canal
* Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal
* Stourbridge Canal
* Worcester and Birmingham Canal

Other|

* Boat Gauging House, Tipton
* Galton Valley Canal Heritage Centre
* Water levels of the Birmingham Canal Navigations

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