The Grand Surrey Canal
The Surrey Canal was converted into a road over almost half its length! But its not a surprise in terms of assessing modern paradigms for this fate has befallen several of London's old waterways. Bits of the old Grand Junction/Grand Union, the Croydon, Cumberland, Grosvenor, Kensington and Romford canals, plus the Ruislip canal feeder, have been converted into roads
Along the canal route - Evelyn Street to Surrey Canal Road
A rather mucky, unadopted road (not always shown on the maps) off Evelyn Street is known as Canal Approach. This utilises the old canal route. The sides of the canal and mooring rings can be seen in many places along this road. Nowadays the access at Evelyn Road is mostly locked so it may be best to approach from the other end
Canal Approach on the east side of the London and Greenwich Railway route. This was the course of the canal and at the base of the buildings along the left side can be seen many mooring rings!
An old mooring ring seen at the base of one of the buildings in Canal Approach
Another scrapyard in lieu of a canal. This is just before the London & Greenwich railway viaduct in Trundleys Road
A little bit of history. Remains of the canal at the London and Greenwich crossing had been filled in and the road in front was being remodelled to form the junction with the new Surrey Canal Road. This was 1984
From the adjacent park it is possible to see the original London-Greenwich railway arch that crossed the canal
The same bridge today - its arches are used as a car repair yard by the name of Surrey Canal Commercials
The junction of Trundleys Road and Surrey Canal Road. The bridge in the distance carries the London Overground's branches to New Cross/New Cross Gate/Croydon. The lines diverge just south of the bridge and is known as Canal Junction. From this point westwards the Grand Surrey Canal ran dead straight as far as Ilderton Road
Between the London Overground bridge and Juno Way the edge of the former canal is now part of the public footpath and at several locations mooring rings can be seen
Surrey Canal Road bridge carrying the London - Croydon railway over the former canal alignment. This location is actually the junction where the Croydon Canal left the Surrey Canal on its journey southwards
A pretty modern addition to Surrey Canal Road. This footbridge was not there when the canal existed. A number of mooring rings and bollards can still be seen along the egde of the road, indicating the canal's former presence
Part four of Grand Surrey route to the Old Kent Road
THE ROUTE:
Buildings / Surrey Docks 1 / Surrey Docks 2 / Surrey Docks 3 / To Old Kent Road / Canal Junctions / Canal Names / Bridges / Wharves / Peckham / Camberwell
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 from Camden to Euston / Grand Surrey: The canal with an ambition to reach Portsmouth! / Grosvenor Canal: The Grosvenor linked Victoria to the Thames / Kensington Canal: The canal that became a railway and an underground route / London's Canal Tunnels: There are three canal tunnels in London / 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 / Westbourne River: The old waterway from Kilburn to the Thames / Woolwich's secret waterway: The Royal Arsenal Canal
Attractions near the London canals: Abbey Road / Bayswater / Crockers Folly / Derry and Toms / Edgware Road / Marylebone Goods / Nash Villas / Spitfire Works / St Pancras