 The Stourbridge Railway was absorbed by the GWR on 1 February 1870.Effective from 1 August 1863 the West Midland Railway was amalgamated with the Great Western Railway.The accounts of the WMR were kept separately for some years; the former Worcester and Hereford Railway shareholders received a guaranteed 5% (because of earlier agreements) and the OW&WR shareholders got 72% of the residue.