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Tuesday 3 February 2015

Brentford and back.

After arriving at Brentford we found out that the canal north was closed at the Hanwell Locks. We later found out that it was regarding the missing girl Alice Gross. There was no real concrete information so once we were settled I went for a walk to the locks to find out what I could. I got as far as Ontario Bridge when I was stopped by the Police. It seems that nobody had an idea when the canal was to  re-open so we had to sit it out. The next day was beautiful so we decided to go for a walk to Old Isleworth by the River Thames. We passed Syon House on our way there and decided we would come back and have a proper look round another day.

It was just about high tide by the time we got to Richmond Lock and some of the footpaths by the river were under water so it must have been a spring tide. It was opened in 1894 to maintain the river levels up to Teddington. After the old London Bridge was removed the water ebbed and flowed much faster so the water levels dropped. In the photo above under the arches are lifting barrages. Around two hours either side of high water they are lifted and boats can pass freely under the bridge. After this the sluices are lowered and the lock, next to the brick building must be used. It cost £5 for the lock and from the beginning until during WWII it cost 1p for pedestrians to cross. It is free now but closed at night.

Much of the area of Isleworth was still orchards at the start of the Victorian age but slowly mansions and grand houses were built due to the distance from a dirty London and the proximity already of  noble family residences and religious houses. The view above is of the Thames river frontage inside of Isleworth Ait, a very secluded spot. In the distance can be seen All Saints Church. It had been rebuilt in 1705 to plans drawn up by Christopher Wren but was burned down by two school boys arsonists in 1943. The church in the photo locks as though it has been there many a long year but it was built in 1970!. The white building is along Church Street which has many fine examples of Georgian buildings. The building behind the boat in the foreground is the Town Wharf but we had a pint at the London Apprentice just by the white building that is an historic pub with lovely views from the riverside terrace.

I had been talking to another moorer who had to get back to Apsley Marina up the Grand Union and couldn't wait. He was very nervous of going down the Thames himself so I volunteered to go with him. I checked he had all the gear and the boat looked sea worthy so left him to organise everything. We set of and had an unevetual journey until just before the lock at Limehouse when the engine stopped! The floor boards were lifted to see the engine underwater! I spoke to Thames VTS and explained the situation to them. I went for'd and dropped the anchor that fortunately bit quite quickly and we rode to it easily. When then managed to pump out the engine hole but were worried about starting the engine as the water had been up to the air intake. I requested a tow to the pontoons outside the Lock at Limehouse and in about twenty minutes a PLA launch turned up, hipped us along side and quickly had us moored up. During our wait several of the ferries and launches slowed and asked if there was anything they could help with which was good of them. I left him to to it then as I was going to meet Helen and Amy who had been to Buckingham Palace for the day. We had something to eat and then caught the tube and bus back to the boat.

There was still no news about the re-opening of the canal so we went back to have a look round Syon House. We had a good walk around the beautiful grounds with the definite highlight of the Great Conservatory designed by Charles Fowler of metal and glass. It was completed in 1827 and was soon filled with exotic plants from around the world.

Syon Park and House has been owned by the Percy, the Duke's of Northumberland, since 1594 and many great affairs and figures of history have been attached to the place. The tour of the house was fascinating too but the splendour of the conservatory warrants another photo. It would be a magical place for a wedding but you would need deep pockets or a good lottery win to afford it I suspect.

When we got back to the boat there was still no information so we decided to go back down to Limehouse on the Thames. After a quick chat with the Thames Lock Keeper we were off and soon on the way down the Thames again. We were given a deadline at Limehouse of 1800 as they would then be leaving and they would not wait a second longer. It was difficult to judge the speed but we seemed to be falling behind so we had the engine opened up. The real built up area of London seems to start when you approach Vauxhall bridge with the St. George's Wharf development on the South Bank at Nine Elms. St. George's Tower on the right is the tallest residential building in the UK with highest swimming pool too. The 52 floors reach up 181mts and only opened in 2013.

Here we are back at Vauxhall Bridge and the bronze statue this time is of Architecture.

By now I was seriously worried that we would miss our deadline and would have to spend the night ton the pontoon outside the lock, which desperately didn't want. We were flat out and cutting inside buoys and using the inner arches of bridges to make up time we. soon passed County Hall and the London Eye.

The Tower of London looks so small these days compared with all the much more modern structures around. For all that though it is still an imposing sight. We could not see the rivers of poppies that had been started to be placed in the moat, but helpfully there is a sign pointing out Traitor's Gate.

I had maintained contact with the lock keeper with our ETA and I let him hurry me on my approach to the lock so as not to miss the pen and made a bit of a mess of running straight in. All was well really and we were in the lock just before 1800 and safely back on a vacant berth soon after. There was no sign of the boat I had helped down the day before so he must have fixed what ever the problem was and got on his way north.

The next day we headed back up the Regents Canal towards Paddington. There seemed to be a few boats moving and there is always something of interest as you cruise through London. It wasn't until 1821 that these locks were completed and the access to the City Road Basin was completed. One of the items of the opening ceremony was the arrival of two loaded boats from Manchester. In true northern understatement they discharged and then set off back up north straightaway. City Road Basin was much more successful than Paddington Basin that had opened earlier as it was closer to Central London and many carriers etc moved there from Paddington.

Luckily we found a mooring in Paddington Basin, actually in the same spot as previously. Later that afternoon crowds assembled  near the fountain and the new fan bridge that we saw operating. The crowd was for the unveiling of a statue of Sir Simon Milton who was an instigator of the redevelopment of Paddington from his position on the Greater London Council. The fan bridge compliments the rolling bridge that we have still to see working.

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