a new branch railway, following the route of the Worcester and Birmingham Canal south to the Birmingham and Gloucester Railway to allow access to their new station at Kings Norton. Needing finance for construction of the BWSR, the newly formed Midland Railway became involved in the deal. An eventual agreement was reached with the then loss making canal company, who would be paid a rent for the land, which later became a guarantee of a 1% share dividend. The payments to the canal company and development began in 1873, and the line was running by 1875. Originally the railway terminated at Granville Street station and later the Central Goods station and goods yard through a tunnel under the canal, both stations now demolished and built upon. Today it forms a large part of the southern section of the Cross-City Line which runs in another tunnel under the canal adjacent to the Holliday Street Aqueduct. Today At Selly Oak, a new aqueduct, the Ariel Aqueduct (named after the former Ariel Motorcycles factory nearby), was constructed in 2011 to carry the canal over a new section of the A38. The canal is popular for leisure and has narrowboat hire centres at Alvechurch, Worcester, Tardebigge, Dunhampstead and Stoke Prior. The canal forms part of the Stourport Ring, a popular cruising circuit for holiday boating. The ring takes in parts of four waterways, is long, and includes 105 locks. Another ring which includes the Worcester and Birmingham Canal is the Avon Ring, which is long with 129 locks, and also includes parts of four waterways. See also Canals of Great Britain History of the British canal system Bittell Reservoirs Tardebigge Engine House Wychall Reservoir References Joseph Priestley (1831) Historical Account of the Navigable Rivers, Canals, and Railways, Throughout Great Britain, Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown and Green Ordnance Survey First Edition map External links Worcester Birmingham & Droitwich Canals Society map of milestones along the Worcester Birmingham Canal (click a pin &/or zoom out for all GB) Canals linked to the River Severn Transport in Birmingham, West Midlands Transport in Worcestershire Tourist attractions in Birmingham, West Midlands Canals in Worcestershire Canals opened in 1815