Built in 1785, The canal served local industry and was eventually extended to Walsall in 1799.
The final link north to the Wyrley and Essington Canal was not until the completion of the Walsall Branch Canal in 1840.
The Walsall canals can form part of three small rings, these are:
From Pudding Green Junction on the Wednesbury Old Canal, to Birchills Junction,
Left into Wolverhampton on the Wyrley and Essington Canal, then at the Horseley Fields Junction turn south back down the BCN (Main Line) to Pudding Green Junction.
From Pudding Green Junction on the Wednesbury Old Canal, to Birchills Junction, right towards Chase Water on the Wyrley and Essington Canal, at Catshill Junction
take the Daw End then Rushall Canals to the Tame Valley Canal at the Rushall Junction, turn west and return to the Walsall Canal at the Tame Valley Junction.
From the Tame Valley Junction, follow the Tame Valley Canal to its junction with the Birming and Fazeley Canal at Salford Junction (under a major moterway intersection)
, turn south into Birmingham City Centre for the BCN (Main Line) at Old Turn Junction. Return via Pudding Green Junction to the Walsall Canals.
Much of the industry and branch canals are now lost, in the 1980's the canal had still retained much of its original character.
The book The Birmingham Canal Navigations by the Birmingham Branch I.W.A, gives an idear what the canal was like.