Old Turn Junction

Old Turn Junction, or Deep Cutting Junction (grid reference SP059868) is a canal junction in Birmingham, England, where the Birmingham and Fazeley Canal meets the Birmingham Canal Navigations Main Line Canal. The junction features a circular island.

History

When the first Birmingham Canal (now known as the BCN Main Line) was built in the late 1760s there was a dispute among the shareholders about where the canal should terminate. In the end two termini were created: one in 1772 at Newhall Hill, called the Newhall Branch, and the other in 1773 at the western end of Paradise Street, called the Paradise Street Branch. The junction of these two branches became known as Deep Cutting Junction, these days called Old Turn Junction. Deep Cutting was the name of the short stretch of canal between the junction and Broad Street Tunnel.

The Birmingham Canal Company head office was built at the end of the Paradise Street Branch, where there were wharves along the side of a pair of tuning fork shaped basins. This was Old Wharf, later partly filled in and built upon, leaving the present day Gas Street Basin.