From it ran the Dartmouth Branch northwards and the Halford Branch southwards to collieries. The 'Island Line' – Thomas Telford's BCN New Main Line cut in a straight line from Tipton Factory Locks towards Spon Lane bottom lock (Bromford Junction, and then on to Smethwick and Birmingham). It cut into the original Wednesbury Canal, forming Pudding Lane Junction, and the short, curved length of the Wednesbury Canal between there and Bromford Junction was lost. The Wednesbury Old Canal was given abandoned status by 1955 and 1960 Acts. Recent road developments (Black Country New Road) at Swan Bridge Junction have severed the connection to the remaining, navigable canal, and have also severed the Ridgacre Branch from the canal network. Wednesbury Canal original features See also Canals of the United Kingdom History of the British canal system References Historical Map of the Birmingham Canals, Richard Dean, M. & M. Baldwin, 1989, Ordnance Survey Six Inch Series (1:10,560), Map SO99SE, 1955 Canals in the West Midlands (county) Birmingham Canal Navigations Wednesbury Canals opened in 1769