The Grand Surrey Canal
Quite a few Surrey Canal overbridges remain
Bridges of the Surrey Canal
Oxestall Road bridge. The last bridge ever to be built over the Grand Surrey Canal. The bridge and surrounding estate were built in the 1960's, when the canal was still working. Being just down the canal from its entrance lock, the bridge had the honour of seeing the last boats on the canal in 1970
Blackhorse Bridge. This side is green and the other is, well a sort of blue! The architecture is typical of the Grand Surrey's more elaborate crossings
The towpath tunnel through Blackhorse Bridge. The Grand Surrey had several of these separate towpath arches. These did not affect traffic as the main propulsion method on the canal was either sail or motor
Another towpath tunnel, this time under the London and Greenwich arches near Trundleys Road, New Cross
A wider view of the London and Greenwich crossing. The canal ran through the wider section on the left
Behind the fencing the original London and Greenwich Railway's canal arch can still be seen
A photograph of the London-Croydon railway bridge - just after the Surrey Canal Road was built. This bridge and its railway lines replaced the Croydon Canal in the 1830's
The same bridge today. This is the location at which the Croydon Canal started off on its journey southwards
The other railway bridge on Surrey Canal Road by Ilderton Road. This carries the lines to Queens Road Peckham
A 1985 view of the Old Kent Road canal bridge
After the canal closed the bridge was used as a subway. Steps were constructed either side leading down to towpath level to allow pedestrians to pass under Old Kent Road. Note the mooring ring in the foreground - several of these some with chains, existed at this location years after the canal had closed. Many of the Grand Surrey bridges were built in a simlar style to this one. The lamps on the bridge are said to have been lit by gas, and were some of the earliest in London to be lit. As far as I remember, the lamps were either broken or the columns were missing
This is a substantial construction as far as the canal was concerned. It was of gigantic proportions, and it goes nowhere today because it is quicker to walk at grould level. This, a modern folly inadvertently 'constructed' by the Port of London Authority through its short-sighted closure of the canal, this stupendous 'footbridge to nowhere' always gives a delight when walking across it!
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