The Croydon Canal

Since the company lost its opportunity for an independent route to Rotherhithe, and having to share a route with the Grand Surrey Canal, we shall now refer to it as The Croydon Canal, which it has always been known by

The route through New Cross

Since the original feature was created, further research has shown that some of the earlier published research into the canal has been in error. The commonly thought assumption that the canal was built upon by the new London and Croydon railway is even less than we thought. As an example the railway and canal route have been shown to have existed through New Cross quite independent of each other, with the locks apparently still in use! The canal existed to the west of the main railway lines, and then diverted to the east side on the land of what is now Goldsmiths College, so it is possible that the canal remained in use whilst the heavy earthworks were underway to build the incline from New Cross to Honor Oak, and it could have remained for a time after to serve the New Cross area via the first few locks, with a feed coming down the remainder of the now superseeded locks

    

Travelling to the New Cross stations on the East London Line, one passes the signal box which is aptly known as Canal Junction, as it is situated by the bridge over what was once the Grand Surrey Canal. The line to New Cross branches off at Canal Junction, whilst the route to New Cross Gate is the 'main line.' A short distance past Canal Junction, the East London line crosses Coldblow Lane and makes a left hand turn to run along the London - Brighton for the short distance to New Cross Gate. As seen above, this is the nearest one can get to the approximate site of Lock No.1 of the Croydon Canal - that is without being a railway employee! Lock No.2 was short of the platforms at New Cross Gate station, and the First Capital Thameslink train is seen passing where the second lock was once roughly situated. This is a view of New Cross Gate (below) The Croydon Canal ran approximately along the down line platform, in the centre of the picture, not on the main down lines. Note: The East London Line is no more. In 2010 it will be part of the new London Overground Network and connect West Croydon to Highbury and Islington

    

At the country end of the station, where the road overbridge is, the canal moved slightly to the left and passed through the left hand bridge hole, this being roughly the location of Lock No.3, before making a turn further to the left towards Shardeloes Road. Below left is a close up of the bridgehole. The grey control boxes are about at the former entrance to Lock No.3. Behind them, further to the left in the undergrowth, are stone blocks that are said to be the remains of the lock, or canal bridge, or whatever. Now that it has been found that the canal did exist at the same time as the railway the origin of these stone blocks are more obscure than once thought

    

These stone blocks (above right) can be seen easily from the footbridge leading to the platforms, and can be studied using a zoom lens. Popular thought is they were part of the canal, but are said to be stone sleepers ordered for the London and Greenwich Railway, and abandoned when that railway decided upon wooden sleepers. However, they seem quite well arranged - close inspection reveal that some have had mortar between them. But this is not conclusive as to whether they are part of a canal wall, part of the old canal bridge here, or old stone sleepers abandoned - they may have even been something to do with the atmospheric railway that replaced the canal to Croydon. One or two of the stone blocks have drilled holes, which may have been for holding rail lines, or for supporting handrails, but the true identity of the New Cross stones remain a mystery. A look at the narrows on the Regents Canal at Little Venice, forming the bridgehole under Warwick Avenue bridge, reveals a similar arrangment of stones (this particular section of the Regents was begun in 1812) It is quite possible therefore, that the stones at New Cross are the entrance to the bridge hole that immediately preceeded lock no.4. The railway bridge hole appears to be approximately where the canal passed under the road at this location. We now move on and look at the route of the canal as it passed from New Cross to Barriedale