The Newport Branch is entirely closed today. It was originally built as a branch of of the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal, linking to the Shrewsbury Canal.

From reading articles on the web, you might be lead to believe that much of it is gone. Maybe because it passes through such a desolate area, it hasn't been built on, so restoration along the original line seems feasible (though of course expensive and slow, as progress on the Montgomery has shown). The section between Norbury Junction and Newport seems like it might be restored relatively easily. The problem with section is the high number of locks, which means a lot of expense (a set of gates for a single lock in in the tens of thousands of pounds range), and also a lot of water supply needed, which would have to come from the Shropshire Union main line. Also, the dry dock at Norbury Junction would have to go.

No restoration is taking place on this canal currently, though the Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust have started to make some progress at restoring Wappenshall Junction.

The Shrewsbury Canal is in a sorry state today. No restoration is taking place on this canal currently, though the Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust have started to make some progress at restoring Wappenshall Junction.

The Whitchurch Branch of the Ellesmere Canal ran close to Whitchurch town centre. Today only a short section remains, used mainly for moorings. 

The Prees Branch on the Llangollen Canal is today a short branch that leads to Whixhall Marina. It was originally longer, reaching Quina Brook, though like many canal schemes it didn't reach its original goal of Prees.

The Montgomery Canal has a long straight section, just south of the Perry aqueduct. It then heads towards Rednal Basin. It wasn't always this way though.

The Weston Arm of the Montgomery Canal ran from Welsh Frankton to Weston Lullingfields, and was built as part of the Ellesmere Canal. It was originally going to be the main line, taking traffic from the River Mersey at (what is now) Ellesmere Port to the River Severn at Shrewsbury, however like so many canal schemes it was never completed as intended. It ended up being closed in 1919 after a breach. Canal books often make many references to the Weston Arm, but few give it any real detail. After seeing the tiny stub of the canal that remains, I wondered where it went.