West Bromwich sits within the densest canal network in the world — the Black Country's waterways were built in the late 18th and early 19th centuries to carry coal, iron, and finished goods between the industrial towns and the wider canal system. The network around West Bromwich includes the Old BCN Main Line (1769) and the New Main Line (1828), engineered by Thomas Telford with his characteristic straight-line approach to canal design.
The Spon Lane Locks Branch connects the two main lines and includes the Stewart Aqueduct, a modest but historically significant structure where one canal passes over the other. The towpaths are walkable and offer an unusual perspective on the industrial landscape — the back of the conurbation, away from the retail parks and ring roads. The section around Oldbury and Spon Lane, just south of West Bromwich, is particularly atmospheric, with 19th-century industrial buildings still visible alongside the water.