Grand Surrey Canal

Surrey Docks, Canals and Wharfs
fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Grand Surrey Canal

Postby fosney » Wed Jan 18, 2017 4:00 pm

The Grand Surrey canal

Authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1801, the Canal was originally intended to extend northwards to Rotherhithe and was 15K long.
Originally named the Kent and Surrey Canal it was built during the 19th Century. It opened to the Old Kent Road in 1807 and to Camberwell in 1810 and was extended to Peckham in 1826. The main cargo handled on the canal was timber. The Canal closed progressively from the 1940s with all but the Greenland Dock Section, which closed in the 1970s. Much of the route is traceable and has been turned into linear parks and many of the old bridges remain.

The original intention was for the Surrey Canal to be linked to the Croydon Canal, to Epsom, via New Cross and a series of 28 locks in two flights to keep the Canal supplied with water. Reservoirs were constructed at Sydenham and South Norwood, the latter still exists. The Canal was 34ft wide and a maximum depth of 5ft. By 1811, 22 barges plied the Canal the barges being 60ft long and 9ft wide and could carry 30 tons. After the initial flight of locks, most of the canal followed the 160ft contour. The final two locks at Croydon raised the Canal to 174ft. Because there was no source of water, the steam pumping station was built to pump water to the summit.

The Canal was never a success, and closed in 1836. Most of the alignment was used by the London and Croydon Railway Company. After the Canal closed, sections were retained for leisure use. A section at Betts Park in Anerley was used as a boating lake and can still be seen at the northern corner of Betts Park.

kiwi
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:53 am

Re: Grand Surrey Canal

Postby kiwi » Wed Jan 18, 2017 4:04 pm

Re-Grand Surrey Canal.
For a lot of us the canal holds a lot of memories and as we know it ran from Rotherhithe to Peckham, which means, it passed through a few different boroughs, including Deptford & Peckham, which is not part of our manor but for information’s sake I have posted these pictures. If you feel that they should not be on site please say, no problem. :)
Trundleys Road. SE8, near the G.S CANAL.jpg
Trundleys Road. SE8, near the G.S CANAL
Grand Surrey Canal, London Fire Brigade boat during WWII, about to turn and pass underneath Evelyn Street, Blackhorse Bridge,towards Old Kent Road.  X..png
Grand Surrey Canal, London Fire Brigade boat during WWII. The boat is about to turn and pass underneath Evelyn Street, Blackhorse Bridge, towards the Old Kent Road.
2   Grand Surrey Canal, with Jones & Higgins Peckham in background.   X..png
Grand Surrey Canal, with Jones & Higgins Peckham in backgound.
2   Grand Surrey Canal c1930, roughly the same location.  X..png
Roughly the same location.
Last edited by kiwi on Sat Mar 04, 2023 12:27 am, edited 1 time in total.

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Grand Surrey Canal

Postby fosney » Mon Feb 06, 2017 11:02 am

Metal and hardware products.jpg
Metal & Hardware Products

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Grand Surrey Canal

Postby fosney » Mon Feb 06, 2017 12:23 pm

AG batt Wharf.jpg
AG Batt Wharf

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Grand Surrey Canal

Postby fosney » Mon Feb 06, 2017 2:29 pm

H Dusssek Glengall wharf.jpg
H Dussek Glengall Wharf

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Grand Surrey Canal

Postby fosney » Mon Feb 06, 2017 2:44 pm

Surrey Canal near Wells St.jpg
Surrey Canal near Wells Way

fosney
Posts: 836
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 4:18 pm

Re: Grand Surrey Canal

Postby fosney » Mon Feb 06, 2017 3:51 pm

Harbrow Bridge Wharf.jpg
Harbrow Bridge Wharf

SueH
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Feb 19, 2017 8:30 pm

Re: Grand Surrey Canal

Postby SueH » Sun Feb 19, 2017 8:55 pm

Grandad Batt's Timberwharf Deptford 1931 001.jpg
Grandad Batt 001.jpg


I have just found your blog and would like to add my photo of A G Batt & Co. This timber wharf was owned by my Grandfather, Archibald George Batt. I have also attached a photo of him for your records. My father always told us that Grandad's wharf was on St Katherine's Dock and the photo has Deptford written on the back.

kiwi
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:53 am

Re: Grand Surrey Canal

Postby kiwi » Mon Feb 20, 2017 8:22 pm

canal6.jpg
The Grand Surrey Canal, Canal Bridge, being drained c1970. Just along from this spot was Bowles Road which was the site of the London Transport garage Old Kent Road, closed in 1958.
CANAL.png
The state of the Canal near Wells Way (Burgess Park) as it appeared in 1960.
Surrey Canal improvement.  X.png
Surrey Canal improvement.
Last edited by kiwi on Sat Jul 01, 2023 3:48 am, edited 2 times in total.

kiwi
Posts: 4802
Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2017 2:53 am

Re: Grand Surrey Canal

Postby kiwi » Tue Mar 07, 2017 4:19 am

canal3.jpg
The Canal Office in 1984 just after the new Plough Way had been constructed.
14 years had passed since the last boat ventured onto the canal
canal2.jpg
The Canal Office in 1984
canal 1.jpg
The railway bridge on Surrey Canal Road by Ilderton Road.
This carries the lines to Queens Road Peckham

Another old canal bridge was a major feature on the Old Kent Road, until the early 1990s – the junction with Peckham Park Road, by the North Peckham Civic Centre, is still called Canal Bridge. Canal-side cottages remain in a private close just off the Old Kent Road – now hidden from view (almost literally) by the big retail barns which appeared there after the canal bridge was destroyed.
CANAL BRIDGE, OLD KENT ROAD.jpg
Last edited by kiwi on Tue Apr 17, 2018 3:05 am, edited 1 time in total.


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