Brass Birmingham is played in 2 eras: the canal era and the railway era. Just like in the Industrial Revolution, you make connections through channels at the beginning of the game. In the second era, railways are available and you can expand your network via rail. In both eras you build and develop different industries, trade goods, receive income and try to earn the most points!

Due to the random design, no two games are the same. The bonuses are different per location and the cards in your hand are also different every game. Each turn you can choose from 2 of the 6 actions. For every action you take, you must discard a card from your hand. You continue to do this until the draw pile runs out, at which point the era ends. The player who spent the least on their turn starts the next turn, so be smart about what you spend your money on!