London Canals - The UK City's Waterways

Interesting buildings near London's Canals

Spitfire Works NW8

Large tiled mural above doorway of building showing different planes whose components were made here

Built for the Palmer Tyre Co and used to make aircraft parts during WWII, this 97,00 sq ft 1920s industrial building made parts for WWII fighter planes. The buildings were re-designed by Terry Farrell in 1988 providing light industrial units and offices, which included his own architectural practice. The aspect that I find potentially more attractive building is the one in Hatton Street with its unsual wing fascias that remind us of aeroplanes. The rest of the building's upper section has a more austere style typical of many factories of the time. Of course the frontage has been altered to enhance the building's character, and it seems to work well. The building in Penfold Street has a totally different style, which is a much more basic kind of art deco, that depends on its white painted walls to give maximum impact

The main buildings in Hatton Street

Upper floors of the Hatton Street buildings showing the 'wings'

The rear of the Hatton St building and the front/side of the Penfold St building

The Great Central's Goods Terminal used to be found opposite the Penfold Street frontage, at one time this was a very busy industrial estate and it is without a doubt that many aircraft parts could have been transported by rail from the depot across the road to other locations for assemblage into planes

Around Little Venice & Paddington: History and transport systems / Canute's 'Canal': The mythological waterway that wasnt / Croydon Canal: London's shortest-lived waterway, closing completely by 1837 / Cumberland Arm: A branch off the Regents Canal to Euston / Fleet River & Canal: The former Thames - Kings Cross waterway / Grand Surrey: The canal with an ambition to reach Portsmouth! / Grosvenor Canal: The Grosvenor linked Victoria to the Thames / Hertford Union Canal: A short cut with a nice flight of locks between the Regents Canal and the Lee Navigation alongside Victoria Park / Isle of Dogs (City) Canal: The Isle of dogs canal, where Canary Wharf now stands / Kensington Canal: The canal that became a railway and an underground route / Limehouse Cut & the Lee Navigation: The 28 mile route from London to Hertford / London's Canal Tunnels: There are three canal tunnels in London / McMurray's Canal: Wandsworths long forgotten waterway / Paddington Arm: The Grand Junction/Grand Union from Bulls Bridge to London / Pudding Mill River: Requiem for London's lost waterway / Regents Canal: This runs between Little Venice, Camden Town & Limehouse / Romford Canal: The penultimate, yet unfinished, canal to be built in London / Ruislip Feeder: The former waterway that fed the canal / Surrey Iron Railway: The route of the world's first public railway / Woolwich's secret waterway: The Royal Arsenal Canal

London Canals Outside: 1) Wendover Arm 2) Slough Arm 3) River Chess/Salter's Cut

Attractions near the London canals: Abbey Road / Bayswater / Crockers Folly / Derry and Toms / Edgware Road / Marylebone Goods / Nash Villas / Spitfire Works / St Pancras