Engine Arm Aqueduct facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Engine Arm Aqueduct |
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The Engine Arm Aqueduct, cast by Horseley Ironworks
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Coordinates | 52°29′52″N 1°57′59″W / 52.4979°N 1.9665°W |
OS grid reference | |
Carries | BCN Engine Arm |
Crosses | BCN New Main Line |
Locale | Smethwick |
Maintained by | British Waterways |
Heritage status | Scheduled Ancient Monument |
Characteristics | |
Trough construction | Cast Iron |
Pier construction | Stone |
Total length | 52 feet (15.8 m) |
Width | 8 feet (2.4 m) |
Traversable? | No |
Towpaths | Both |
Number of spans | One |
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 and is Grade II* listed.
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.