The Grand Surrey Canal
Old Kent Road before it was redeveloped, was instantly recognisable as a focal point of the former canal with its wharves, towpath edging, mooring rings, Old Kent Rd bridge. Now one would not know a canal had ever existed here
Along the canal route - Ilderton Road to Old Kent Road
From Ilderton Road to the Old Kent Road there isnt really anything to see of the canal's route. Its virtually built upon with warehouses and industry
These houses at Varcoe Road, just off Ilderton Road, are actually built on the canal's alignment
The PC World on the Old Kent Road stands on the canal's course
A look back in time to the 1980's when there was still some semblance of a canal here. This is the canalside at Old Kent Road just south of the bridge. The concrete way is actually a wharf and mooring rings could be seen along here. Ahead is one of the canals many timber yards, this particular one which has survived to this day and whose buildings can still be seen. Boats used to unload under the extended part of the roof. The spindly structure in the middle between the buildings was added after the canal was filled in
Not a brilliant before and after picture - since the huge B & ;Q store is in the way! But one can compare this with the previous 1980's picture to see what has happend to the wharf at this point
The canal as it turned from the Old Kent Road en route for Camberwell. This was the site of the large wharf which extended southwards from the canal at Old Kent Road. The buildings seen in the 1980's photo can be viewed on the extreme left hand side. The roof is recognisable
Just past the Old Kent Road is this MacDonalds car park. The canal ran behind the fencing at the far side of the car park. Beyond here to the junction with the Peckham branch there is no trace of the Grand Surrey at all. To contiune viewing the canal route select the Peckham or the Camberwell options
GSC notice in the London Canal Museum
The above notice illustrates a major problem with the Grand Surrey Canal. Child fatalites. A number of these in the sixties certainly prompted the Port of London Authority to close the GSC beyond Old Kent Road. In some ways it wasnt an inconvience to close this western section of the canal as it had already lost its traffic, and by the time final closure came only the wharves as far as Blackhorse Bridge were in use
THE ROUTE:
Buildings Surrey Docks 1 Surrey Docks 2 Surrey Docks 3 To Old Kent Road Canal Junctions Canal Names Bridges Wharves Peckham Camberwell (Burgess Park)
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