One of two major GJCCo feeders in the London area, this was one of the longest ever built. It traversed the countryside between Ruislip and Hayes
The Grand Junction Canal Feeder from Ruislip
The Grand Junction Canal Company built two reservoirs south of the Chiltern Hills to supply water to the lower levels of its canal route towards London. One was built at Brent and the other at Park Hearn, near Ruislip. The engineer for Ruislip was John Rennie. The reservoir was brought into use in December 1811, its construction being neccessary by the refusal of the millers in the Colne Valley to permit water supplies to be made to the canal. Their eventual retreat meant that the Ruislip reservoir and feeder lasted a short few years in the purpose they were intended for. The waters from the reservoir were taken by a lengthy feeder of around eight miles and completed by 1816, southwards to the Paddington Arm of the Grand Junction canal at Hayes Gate Farm, near Southall. The location where the feeder met the canal was about 200 yards north of the current Uxbridge Road crossing in Southall
Despite improvements in the 1930's by the then new Grand Union Canal Company, the feeder's long length was responsible for its eventual downfall. The difference in levels between Ruislip and Hayes was fairly minimal and the flow of water was sluggish, causing it to silt easily, requiring constant maintenance and defeating the proper objective of feeding the canal. The reservoir and feeder were not really neccessary anyway, since the Grand Junction Canal had ample water supply from the Colne, Gade, Missenden, and Frays, all of which the canal used as part of its course through the Colne valley. The feeder's intended use lasted just 35 years and it was last used in 1851 to carry water that had been retained in the reservoir, to the canal. However the feeder continuned to trickle supply the canal with overflow water from the reservoir and excess water from local drains. Many of the accomodation bridges were rebuilt in the 1930's as a large section of the canal feeder was now a useful drainage ditch carrying surplus drainage waters. The British Transport Commission acquired the reservoir upon nationalisation 1948. One hundred yeas after it last fed the canal, in 1951, the BTC sold the reservoir to the Ruislip-Northwood Urban District Council. In 1965 it was transferred to Hillingodon LBC. The reservoir has subsequently been developed as a leisure amenity and nowadays it is known as Ruilsip Lido - and includes a minautre railway encircling most of the lake
Although the feeder's intended use ended in 1851, it has clearly continued longer in service as a drainage ditch for the local area as well as a supply sump for the canal. Despite the reservoir's cessation as a supply for the canal in 1851, the feeder continuned to send water to the canal as well as perform drainage functions. In this respect it is sometimes referred to as the Ickenham Stream between West Ruislip and the Yeading Brook near Lynhurst Road in North Hillingdon, and this section still carries a flow which finds its way into the Yeading Brook. It's recent usage included serving as an overspill for the Ruislip Lido carrying water as far as North Hillingdon. The construction of houses in the area prompted the lowering of the water level in the Lido for fear of flooding around 1991, and the surplus water into the feeder stream was instead diverted into the Canon Brook (information from Ruislip Online ). The feeder served as a drainage ditch between Charville and the Yeading Brook until the Yeading By pass was built and the waters diverted into a tributary of the Yeading Brook near Fairholme Crescent. These explain the various bridges that were built over the feeder at varous times in the first half of the Twentieth Century
The first part of the feeder walk from the Lido to Sussex Road, Hillingdon, is mostly fair, with occasional difficult sections and being mostly part of the Hillingdon Trail. From there to Kingshill it is mostly hard going, many sections proving to be difficult to walk. From Kingshill Avenue to Yeading it is fair to rough walking, and the final section to Hayes is entirely on street walking. Essentially its a full day's walking. The Hillingdon trail follows about 60% of the feeder's route, so it should not be viewed as a totally reliable guidance to the likely whereabouts of the feeder.
1) Ruislip Lido - Priory Field
A view of Ruislip Lido looking southwards. The water for the feeder left at the south west corner (extreme right in picture.) The water level today is kept well below what it would have been
A view of the feeder intake. Its much changed from the days when it was in use and the only crossing at this point was at the far end at what was known as the valve house - where the water drops into a tunnel and channled down to the start of the canal feeder itself. The feeder itself is overgrown and truncated, any water from it is allowed to escape into the local stream
Not much can be seen for the first mile or so, as new development has encroached or destroyed the route of the feeder. However where Bury Street and Breakspeare Road meet, near to Ruislip Lido, a public footpath sign indicates a route that actually runs along the mostly obliterated feeder route. Right by the junction itself, as in the picture shown, a small bit of the feeder can be seen in the trees. As one walks southwestwards, the route passes the rear of new housing, and there are few clues to the feeder's existence
Once Howletts Lane is reached, so few clues as to the feeder's existence makes one think they've taken the wrong turning. In the view (above left) the brown Hillington Trail signpost can be seen (and which follows the feeder's course for much of, but not all, its route.) Next to it by the tree are railings and these at one time protected pedestrains from falling into the canal feeder. On the opposite side of Howletts Lane (above right) a new footpath takes one through a lot of new housing estates. The feeder's route has been virtually obliterated, and one is left with no choice but to walk along Wallington Close towards Ladygate Lane
At Ladygate lane one must turn left and walk for a short distance towards the Whiteheath School. On the eastern side of the school boundary this footpath and its distinctive metal fencing can be seen. The canal feeder is clearly visible for a good distance on the left side of this path, and at least three small overbridges remain
The feeder's route is now clearly seen, as is this small accomodation bridge that has been painted red for reasons unknown. It runs between Sandalwood Drive and Whiteheath Avenue
This is the next accomodation bridge. In this view looking back towards the Lido, the date 1930 can be clearly seen on the bridge's southern abutment
By Larkspur Close fir trees have recently been planted in the bed of the canal feeder, and clearly some encroachment has taken place from adjacent properties onto the feeder's alignment. Beyond this point the feeder remains but is very overgrown
The feeder veers away from the pathway and one must continune for a bit until this short, but rather obscure footpath, heads off to the left. In about 20 yards one enters Priory Field, and a discernible path hugs the hedgegrow. walk along this path to the far south eastern corner where one has to duck under a what is supposed to be a stile but which is so high that it is lousy and useless. Immediately beyond is the River Pinn and one of London's unknown canal treasures - the 'lost' aqueduct over the river
