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. Now its difficult to know a canal ever existed at that location
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 as the route is occupied by warehouses and various industries
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 flooring is actually a wharf and mooring rings could be seen along here. Ahead is one of the canal's many timber yards, this particular one which has survived to this day. Boats used to unload under the extended part of the roof. The open sided structure in the middle 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
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
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