London Canals - The UK City's Waterways

The Grand Surrey Canal

The route to Peckham was added as an afterthought, and was the last bit of the Surrey Canal ever to be built

The Peckham Branch

This is probably the most delightful part of the Grand Surrey's remnants. The branch is virtually complete and has bridges and retaining walls. The only things missing are the towpath (which ran on the west side) and the actual canal terminus. The walk from Peckham connects to the walk through Burgess Park. In the 1960's Peckham and Camberwell were occasionally the destination for extended full day tours from Little Venice operated by either the London waterbuses or Jasons Trip!

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Hill Street Bridge is the first of the two bridges on the Peckham branch

Foundation stone for Hill St Bridge, quite vandalised obviously

A rarity - a GSC milestone at Hill St bridge. Its 3 & half miles to the Thames

Another Hill St bridge plaque - the date of build

The Peckham bridges were of elaborate style. This is the second one, known as Commercial Way bridge

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A view southwards to the site of the canal terminus at Canal Head in Peckham

Canal Head. Its now the location of the new library. There used to be a bit of a road called Canal Head but it no longer exists. The Nat West tower (or Tower 42) can be seen. The only building left that is linked with the canal is the one on the right. This used to be a timber warehouse

Waterways World published an article a few years ago showing a couple of pictures of a narrow boat cruise from the Regents Canal to the Grand Surrey in the 1960's. The article claimed the Peckham branch was the remaining bit left of the old route to Croydon. It was a great shock to see such an error written into the magazine on page 99. This erroneous information is quite appalling, having come from such a prestigious magazine whose claim to accuracy has often been unrivalled

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 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 / Metesco / Nash Villas / Spitfire Works / St Pancras