Pudding Mill River Requiem – part two

Looking down knobs Hill in 2005 from the junction of Marshgate Lane and Knobs Hill Road. The dip under the Northern Outfall is obvious.
Knobs Hill Road was named after the ancient prominitory known as Nobshill. The road also led to the warehouses known as Sun Wharves that were sited alongside the City Mill River. These were not wharves created by the Bow Back 1930’s improvements but from the 1970’s industrialists who thought it appropriate to give their waterside locations related names.
There were quite a few banners/graffiti around the Marshgate industrial area denouncing the Olympics. It is a little known fact but even boaters were against the Olympics – a large flotilia of boats held a demonstration against the proposed altertations to the Bow Back Rivers. Mike Stevens’ website ‘Metrocuts’ had pictures and a report but sadly the site is no longer being maintained properly and many pages missing, despite assertions the site would be maintained in his memory.

A sad sight. The Pudding Mill River in 2006

Another view in 2006

Looking over the retaining wall in Pudding Mill Lane at the end of the Pudding Mill River with resident gas cylinders
The Pudding Mill River used to be full of trash at this point, no doubt discarded from people who drove covertly along Marshgate Lane for a bout of unauthorised dumping. The above picture is actually a view looking over the wall from the former Marshgate Lane into the Pudding Mill River at the location where it was stanked off just before the Northern Outfall Sewer (see below)

The concrete barrier forming the end of the Pudding Mill River (circled red)
The concrete barrier that formed the end of the river can just be discerned through the undergrowth. The Pudding Mill River’s alignment once headed for the former navigation arch. That arch became the newly extended Pudding Mill Lane. This has all gone, and the arches under the Northern Outfall Sewer are now used by access roads to the 2012 Olympics site (or what is known as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.)

Yikes! By mid 2007 the Pudding Mill River (route marked red) had gone completely.

The Olympics stadium in 2012 from the Northern Outfall sewer, showing the old Pudding Mill course marked red

The Northern Outfall crossing was 252 feet long and its largest structure. It was built in the 1860’s

Where boats once went! Retaining walls through the Northern Outfall Sewer reused for the roadway.

Views of Pudding Mill Lane as it dived under the Northern Outfall. This alignment was once that of the Pudding Mill River.

Underneath the Northern Outfall Sewer adjacent to the old river was this fantastic piece of artwork! Actually it was some old notice board and someone had nailed a paintbrush to it. What ever the denotion was, over the decades it was left untouched and acquired a real antique, arty feel. This clearly valuable work of art probably got trashed when the redevelopment for the Olympics began.
Next: Pudding Mill Requiem Part 3