The former Porta Bella dock, now another of those useless water features that people seem to like turning canals into. Whats all this talk of ‘restoration’ when this happens? Houses in Harrow Road whose backs are right on the canal’s edge. These are the only such examples left on London’s…
A slightly scruffy looking stretch of canal belies these electricity substations and their service bridges east of Acton Lane, Harlesden. This was the site of METESCo’s Acton Lane power station, built in 1899. An aerial view of the complex can be seen at Britain from Above. The canal enters a…
The canal has a lengthy run past Horsenden Hill Golf Course as far as the WLCC at Alperton. Despite the location it is surprisingly rural The West London Crusing Club’s moorings at Alperton Modern copy of a traditional bridge at Alperton – the concrete arch gives away its origin The…
Northolt boatyard, offering services, gas and diesel. Its operated by High Line Yachting of Iver. This is the last opportunity to fill up before London. The next opportunity is Springfield Marina on the Lee Navigation – unless one happens to meet either of the area’s working narrowboats that sell coal…
The Padddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal (formerly the Grand Junction Canal) like all the Grand Union routes, was actually owned by the Regents Canal company. Their Grand Union network was formed in 1929 and was the last major waterways merge before nationalisation. The Paddington Arm was one of…
Having run past St Pancras church the Fleet heads towards Camden. Slight traces of the valley can be discerned here and there, mostly on an alignment to the west of the Regents Canal. The river was culverted around the time of the canal’s construction between Camden and Kings Cross. The…
Kings Cross Bridge – old street name sign on the side of the Scala entertainment centre. This sign can be seen from Kings Cross station (see below) A general view of Kings Cross Bridge. The Scala is on the right. There is still a ‘bridge’ here, it crosses the Metropolitan/Circle/Hammersmith…
In nearby Frederick Street, just off Kings Cross Road, is this small community gardens set in a depression. Its pretty obvious this was once the bed of the river itself The Fleet River now flows in its ‘sewer’ from Cubitt Street to Grays Inn Road, where it turns to cross…
At one time the Fleet river gently meandered between Mount Pleasant and Baggnige Wells. However by 1830 its course had been straightened out and that alignment now forms a large part of the alignment of Phoenix Place and Pakenham Street, and it is this alignment along which the Fleet Sewer…
Past Onslow Street the river headed across Clerkenwell Road northwards towards Ray Street. Much confusion over the Fleet’s alignment arises because of the massive changes to the valley as a result of the building and presence of the Metropolitan/Circle lines in the area. Many people think the railway was built…