The Old Order
This page looks at some old London canal scenes. The Thames isnt
actually a canal but the pics are of interest so they are included
as its an IWA cruise
This scene from January 1985 shows Alex Prowse's Barge Crook which
was his art gallery for 23 years. The interest here is the simple
gold lettering 'A&J Prowse' on the rear of Barge Crook
September 1987, and the greenhouse has been added to the top deck
of Barge Crook. I think thats Alex by the steps talking to his wife
Jan by the greenhouse. Note the motely collection of cruisers
moored at Browning's Island
During the 1980's and early 1990's I often joined up with Kirk
Martin as a volunteer to help out with the community trips up and
down the Regents Canal. This view from April 1986 shows Kirk trying
to remove some obstacle from the prop at the entrance to the
Hertford Union canal
Tarporley was often adorned with flowers on the rear cabin. The
colour scheme was also more attractive than the one it now has. The
female is Caroline, an actress who can be seen in alternative
theatre and has been in plays up and down the country as well as
abroad. In 1986 she was an artist and hadnt even thought about
going into acting. Her recent solo plays were a major success. The
location is Old Ford September 1986
This is the old Limehouse ship lock in August 1986. This was the
morning the large flotilla set out from here to Brentford where the
National Waterways Rally of that year was taking place. The size of
the old lock was immense compared to the tiny thing we now
have!
Limehouse Ship Lock as the IWA flotilla prepares gather in the lock
and set out for Brentford
I think there must have been over 30 boats in the old ship lock! We
all squeezed in somehow. August 1986
The gates open and we are out onto the Thames. It was a very calm
river that day
Blue Circle Enterprise passing the IWA flotilla on her way
downstream by the Albert bridge
Gathered by Brentford High St bridge to wait for the gauging
locks
Looking towards the gauging locks at Brentford. Notice the boats
moored up the River Brent to the right. BW would have a heart
attack if anyone tried to moor up there these days as notices
forbid it on the basis that there are underwater obstructions
This is Portabella Dock when it was in use. Nov 1986
Brick chimney on residential barge moored in Paddington Basin. The
Harrow Road/M40 flyover can be seen. November 1986
Paddington basin November 1986. A few barges moored up here out of
use
Progress on her moorings at Cowley in March 1987. She was the boat
that opened the new Hatton Locks in 1934 and championed as the way
forward for the then new Grand Union Canal Company. As it turns out
she had to be taken by road to Hatton because the bridgeholes
weren't big enough for her to pass through!
Little Venice March 1987. We had just moored Tarporley up and were
about to have our lunch when I discovered this woman struggling in
the water a little way out in the pool. Kirk and I rescued her and
then the police came. She was found to be drunk, and escorted to
nearby St Mary's for a check up. I recieved a note of commendation
from the Metropolitan Police for helping to rescue her
This picture has some history. During 1987 the towpath through
Regents Park was dug up for new electricity cables. At the same
time it was also widened. This view shows the newly widened towpath
with the cables in place underneath. The towpath at that time
between Little Venice and Camden was known as Canal Way. A closer
look at this picture will reveal the flats on the right that used
to overlook this section of canal in the park. These were
demolished and of course the modern 1990's/2000's classical Nash
style houses are now the main feature along this stretch
There was so much work going on that all the London trip boats
(Jenny Wren, Jason, Tarporley, the London Waterbuses) all had to
wait their turn to get through this work site! Waits were often up
to half an hour as the barges had to be moved back to allow
passage. Of course if work was underway then one had to wait until
the piling had been driven in fully before the barges could even be
moved
The barge with the crane doing the pile driving moved out of the
way to let Tarporley though on her return to Battlebridge Basin. It
was still a tight squeeze though for full length boats passing this
section
Just round the corner from Regents Park is Marylebone Wide in
January 1988.This used to be a busy location on the canal with
transhipment to the railway depot which was sited where the flats
are on the right. Although all traces of this depot have been swept
away, there's still an overbridge on Lisson Grove and retaning
walls along Penfold Street, Capland Street etc, and the remains of
one of the gateways to the depot at Luton Street. The moorings are
mostly side-on, just a handful of end-on moorings in the distance.
Today the number of end on moorings have greatly restricted the
navigable width of the canal
In October 1988 during a run from Battlebridge Basin to Litte
Venice we were forced to stop in St Pancras lock and have a very
early tea break. BWB were reparing the lock gates on site. After
some wait BWB were able to let us continune through the lock. It
was strange going up the lock with the staff continuing to to plane
and ready large oak sections for the top gates
The boat guests having their early tea break while we wait for BW
to finish those sections of oak gate protectors. As soon as we had
left BW emptied the lock and carried on with their work. I dont
think this kind of work would be allowed today given health and
safety considerations etc