Ornamental Canal

Looking along the Ornamental Canal towards The Shard.

Just to the east of St Katherine Docks and Marina you will find Hermitage Basin, a small oasis amid a now residential area. This basin is all that is left of the London Docks, which were filled in for redevelopment in around 1983.

The old walls of the London Docks.

To keep the history of the London Docks alive a canal was designed, that would link Hermitage Basin to Shadwell Basin. This canal was not designed for river traffic and so was built as an ornamental reminder of bygone times.

Not navigable, but full of wildlife. 

The former dock walls were used as features along the Ornamental Canal, which would pass alongside Tobacco Dock, the only warehouses to survive the redevelopment, as it made its way in a north-easterly direction towards Shadwell Basin.

The Tobacco Dock warehouses were built in 1812.

As the canal nears Shadwell Basin it passes beneath Wapping Woods, so the towpath leads you up through this wonderful little park, before rejoining the canal near Shadwell Basin.

Warships on the River Thames

HMS Belfast, the Tower of London and Tower Bridge (2018).

Over the centuries the River Thames has seen many ships cruise her waters. Some of these ships were built in Deptford, or one of the other shipyards along her banks, while other ships were broken up on the banks of the River Thames, when they were decommissioned. 

Since the end of World War II, with the creation of NATO, ships from various navies from a myriad of NATO powers have visited London, often mooring at Greenwich or Canary Wharf docks, while others go upstream and moor next to HMS Belfast (C35).

Below are just a few of the Naval ships that have visited the River Thames.

HNLMS Luymes alongside HMS Belfast (2019).

HNLMS Luymes (A803) is a hydrographic survey vessel of the Royal Netherlands Navy.

HMS Belfast from The Shard (2019).

HMS Belfast played a major role in the sinking of the German Ship, Scharnhorst, in 1943, before taking part in the D-Day landings in 1944, where she was one of the first ships to open fire. Her guns were so powerful that, when fired, they cracked the toilet bowls onboard.

HNoMS Nordkapp alongside HMS Belfast (2023).

The HNoMS Nordkapp (A531) serves as the flagship of Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One.

HMS Illustrious at Greenwich, with the Cutty Sark in the background (2013).

The Royal Navy Invincible-class aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious (R06) on a visit to Greenwich, in 2013. She was commissioned in 1982 and was decommissioned in 2014. She was intended to become a museum, much like HMS Belfast, but all the bids fell through as the upkeep of the 22,000-ton ship was not feasible, and so was sold for scrap in 2016.

HMS Illustrious at Greenwich (2013).

HMS Illustrious at Greenwich (2013).

HMS Blyth cruising down the River Thames.

HMS Blyth (M111) is a Sandown-class minehunter, launched in 2000 and decommissioned in 2021.

HNoMS Nordkapp alongside HMS Belfast (2023).

German frigate Mecklenburg-Vorpommern alongside HMS Belfast (2012).

 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is a Brandenburg-class frigate of the German Navy. She was commissioned in 1996. As of January 2018, the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern has sailed 29,000 nautical miles and rescued 700 people during various assignments.

'Light Tunnel'

King's Cross Light Tunnel.

I had heard, and seen images, of the Light Tunnel at King's Cross station, but had yet to see it.

Considering its location, linking King's Cross with St Pancras International stations it also guides visitors towards Granary Square and the markets, restaurants and shops near Coal Drops Yard, it wasn't the easiest thing to find. 

I entered it by using the entrance from King's Boulevard, which, I think, is a better way to first experience the light installation.

Colour-changing LED screens.

Using the King's Boulevard entrance to the King's Cross underground station really sets the mood for what you are going to see.

Ready Money Drinking Fountain

The Ready Money drinking fountain, also known as the Parsee Fountain.

If you walk along the main Broad Walk, of Regent's Park, you will come across this beautiful drinking fountain, which is situated close to the highest point of the park.

Sir Cowasjee Jehangir, whose nickname was 'Ready Money', a wealthy Parsee from Bombay (now Mumbai), was a well respected philanthropist, funding asylums, colleges and hospitals, in India. He gave the fountain to the British nation as a 'thank you' for the protection his countrymen received by the British, in India.

It was built in 1869 and cost £1,400. It is made from 10 tonnes of Sicilian white marble and 4 tonnes of Scottish pink and grey granite. It was designed by Robert Kierle and constructed by the sculptor Henry Ross.

There are carved busts, in the gables, of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert and Cowasji Jehangir, with the the fourth gable containing a clock.

Below each of the four basins are small apertures which allowed dogs to drink at the fountain, too.

It became Grade II listed in 1970 and was fully restored, thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, between 1999-2000.

Between 2016-2017 further restoration work was carried out.

Walking with Keilyn: Gunnersbury Park & Museum

The view from the mansion.

Friday April 12, 2024.

As it was the last day of the Easter holidays, and my last day of annual leave, Keilyn and I decided to take a trip to London, but chose an area that neither of us had visited before. 

Our journey began as usual with us catching a Metropolitan line train to Northwick Park, where we waited for just a few minutes for an Uxbridge bound train, which we took to Rayners Lane, where we took a Piccadilly line train to Acton Town. Keilyn was super excited, as she had never been on the Piccadilly line before. Arriving at Acton Town we walked the ten minutes to the grounds of Gunnersbury Park & Museum.

A map of Gunnersbury Park.

We entered the mansion and found ourselves at the shop/reception, where we were given a guide map and shown the best route to take. As the museum is free I made a donation, which, after our visit, I could easily have doubled. Our first stop was to the toilets, which were used by the Rothschild's as a 'Strong Room' before being converted, and then we were off to the Butler's Pantry, where the 'Object Detectives' interactive event was being held. We were joined by four other children and their families and then the event began.

The three organisers began by explaining that we would be shown five items and we were to work out what they were, how old they were, what they were made of, etc.. 

• The first item was a scallop shell with a (replica) hard mixture on its surface, along with what looked like dried grass. 
• The second items were a piece of broken green-tinted glass and a small green-tinted glass bottle, which we had to wear white gloves to handle.
• The third items were white cloth hoods.
• The fourth item was a copper with a hinged lid, which was attached to a long wooden handle.
• The fifth item was a canvas and metal contraption, with a clear plastic 'window' and a hard plastic downpipe coming from its left side.

Answers at the bottom of the page.

Once we had deduced the what, where, why, who, when and how for each of the items, with Keilyn working out most of them, we made our way off to the next part of the mansion.

Our next stop was Servants' Hall, which was where the indoor servants ate their meals. The servants used this room for recreational activities, too. Now it is home to the 'Toys and Games' gallery, although many of the original features of the room still survive to this day, including the fireplace.

Servants' Hall fireplace.

Toy Daleks.

The next stop on our tour was to the Victorian kitchens that include a pastry room, scullery, chef's room and butchery. These rooms were particularly impressive and Keilyn was constantly asking questions of the volunteer, which showed her interest in the place.

The Victorian Kitchen.

From here we headed to the Rothschild Rooms that include the Dining Room and the Long Gallery, both of which have amazing views out across the lawns, across one of the ponds and the surrounding grounds. 

The Long Gallery looking towards the Dining Room.

Then we headed to the third of the Rothschild rooms, the Drawing Room, where an exhibition of prosthetic design for television and film was on display. It was in this room that we first noticed the sign "PLEASE TOUCH". We would soon realise that nearly everything we would see could be interacted with, unless specifically stated, which makes a change from most museums and stately homes that we have visited.

A moulded alien face... and Keilyn.

Our next visit was to the 'People and Place' gallery, which delves into the local history of Ealing and Hounslow. A fascinating collection of artefacts were on display charting the entire history of the area.

Prehistoric finds.

Ancient coins.

We then headed up the grand staircase, where we entered the 'Leisure' gallery, where film, sports, television, theatre and musical traditions , from the local communities, were all on display. This included the rich film studio and BBC history of the area, and how Ealing and Hounslow became known around the globe.

Marvin the Paranoid Android.

Passport to Pimlico poster.

Now Showing.

From here we headed to the 'Home' gallery, where there was an exhibition BBC Television VFX, with countless models and props from Doctor Who, The Tripods, Star Cops and Blake's 7, to name but a few. 

Model Railway at King's Cross station 'Family Lounge'

A model of the 'Mallard' steam locomotive.

Recently I have been using King's Cross station a lot more, as I have been travelling to Peterborough to see friends. Or, waiting there for friends to arrive. Either way I have been visiting around King's Cross station more than usual. 

Of course, there is the architecture of the station, but I have found the family room to be a quiet place to relax, while waiting for trains to arrive or depart.

Some of the detailed model buildings.

The family lounge has seating, a soft play area for the little ones, comfy seats, table top games and screens, showing what it is like to drive the LNER Azuma train, and display cabinets with models of the 'Flying Scotsman' steam locomotive.

But its main attraction has to be the giant Hornby model railway, that takes centre stage of the lounge. With its intricate detailing, different models of the LNER fleet, plus models of the 'Mallard' and 'Flying Scotsman'.

Walking with friends: Canary Wharf to Mudchute... and beyond

Erin, Keilyn and Alfie, ready for London.

Saturday April 6, 2024.

With Emma having gone away for the weekend, with her friend, and Gary staying with us, along with his son, Alfie, we decided to take Alfie on his first trip to London.

With lunches packed we set off for the short walk to Watford Metropolitan station, where we caught a train to Finchley Road and then a Jubilee line train to Canary Wharf. Alfie fell asleep as we left Watford and didn't wake until we reached Canary Wharf station. As the train pulled in to Finchley Road Keilyn showed off her 'Mind the Gap' t-shirt to the driver, making him chuckle. 

Leaving Canary Wharf station we took the obligatory photo of everyone in Richard Hudson's 'Tear', which everyone should do when visiting the area.

Mudchute Park and Farm is just a short twenty minute walk from Canary Wharf station, which allowed us to take plenty of photos of the buildings, docks. boats and more.

A quick stop at Asda, to get drinks, use the facilities and for Keilyn to have her photo taken with a postbox.

Crossing the Asda car park brought us to the entrance to Mudchute Park and Farm, just as lunchtime approached, so we sat and had something to eat, before taking Alfie to see the animals. Donkeys, peacocks, rabbits, goats, pigs, chickens, sheep and much more were in the various fields, paddocks, pens and stables.

'Blow Up' Bridge

Approaching the 'Blow Up' Bridge, from the west.

I have walked Regent's Canal on many an occasion, passing beneath bridges and through tunnels, but one bridge stands out from the rest. Not because it is ornate or is the oldest, but because it had to be replaced after it was blown up, by accident.

The barge 'Tilbury' was one of six barges being pulled along Regent's Canal by a steam tug, destined for the Midlands. Its cargo contained coffee, nuts, barrels of petroleum and about five tons of gunpowder. It is believed that one of the people onboard 'Tilbury' struck a match, just before 05:00 on the morning of Friday October 2, 1874, just as they were passing below the Georgian Macclesfield Bridge.

Walking with friends: King's Cross to Camden... and beyond

Canalside Green Steps.

Monday April 1, 2024.

As it was Easter Bank Holiday Monday, my friend Steve and I decided to take a trip to London, specifically to visit the regenerated King's Cross area and then to see where our feet led us.

Our journey began from from Watford Metropolitan station straight to King's Cross, taking less than an hour.

Exiting King's Cross station we headed into St Pancras International, so that I could point out the free jukebox and the model of 'HMS Alice Liddell' to Steve, who had never seen them before. This took us out onto Battle Bridge Place, where children and families were enjoying the IFO (Bird Cage), and we took a left up King's Boulevard towards Regent's Canal and Granary Square.

The first coffee van that we stopped at was having an issue with their machine, so we crossed to Granary Square, where we discovered 'Matchado'. This was a revelation as this little van, near Granary Square, is London's first Matcha specialist café, specialising in Japanese Matcha and hand-crafted special Matcha sweets. Steve opted for a latte, while I had a Sencha green tea. Both were excellent.

London's first Matcha specialist café.

From here we began our wander by heading to Coal Drops Yards, then Stable Street, which was full of food, clothing and jewellery stalls, before turning west to see Gasholder Park. 

Gasholder Park.

Then we headed through Lewis Cubitt Square and Lewis Cubitt Park, before heading down York Way, so that I could see the old York Road underground station. This station opened in 1906 and was closed in 1932.

York Road station (disused).

We then turned down Handyside Street and into the Granary Square building. The architecture of this building, including its interior, is something to behold. These Victorians warehouses and ancillary buildings were obviously built to last and I am glad that the regeneration of the area has saved as many of these buildings as possible.

Inside the Granary Square building.

After this we found ourselves in a wonderful canopied area full of market stalls.

Canopy Market, where there is something for everyone.

After a good peruse of the stalls, where artists, jewellers, seamstresses and more were displayed their wares, we decided it was time for a spot of lunch. And there was much to choose from. Rice dishes, oysters, burgers, Thai noodles, Indian dishes, pastries and so much more. In the end we decided to try 'The Frenchie', who was selling duck burgers.

We did duck ourselves.

'Identified Flying Object' (Bird Cage)

Keilyn swinging inside the birdcage.

Since the redevelopment of the area around King's Cross many art installations have come and gone. 

One of these installations, that appeared in the sky above King's Cross, was Jaques Rival's IFO (Bird Cage), which, for 95% of the time, rests in the centre of the Battle Bridge Place.

Although this birdcage has white bars, at night it changes to a neon spectrum, releasing the energy that it has stored throughout the day.

Its bars are wide enough for people to walk through and, should you enter the birdcage,  you will find a swing at its centre.

The rain allows for some great reflections.

The IFO (Identified Flying Object), designed by Jaques Rival, was originally intended as a framing device for street theatre, during the day. Once a month it was hoisted up into the sky, above Battle Bridge Place, to light up the area.

The IFO (Bird Cage).

This 9m (29.5 ft) high white cage, containing a swing, was installed in 2011 and was to be in place until 2013. Unbelievably, it is still there.

For me, the Bird Cage is a quirky piece of art that sticks out like a sore thumb, during the day, but looks perfectly suited to the area at night, when it becomes luminous.

Greenwich Steam Ferry

The Greenwich Steam Ferry was an engineering feat, but also a commercial failure.

Ferries had operated historically from Greenwich, at Billingsgate Dock, Garden Stairs and elsewhere, to the southern tip of the Isle of Dogs, since at least 1333.

Billingsgate was the main dock in Medieval Greenwich and was home to the large Greenwich fishing fleet, which relocated to Hull and Grimsby in the 1850s. This relocation was, in part, due to the arrival of rail transport. 

The earliest ferry from the Isle of Dogs to Greenwich was called Potter's Ferry, which began in the 17th century. This lucrative route's rights were coveted by Watermen who wished to control the waterways.

Up until 1812, only foot passengers were permitted to be ferried across the River Thames. Following an 1812 Act of Parliament a horse ferry was established.

The building where the ferrymen waited between crossings.

The Billingsgate ferry was replaced after 1821 with one at Horseferry Dock, a little further down river. Billingsgate Dock was widened and enlarged, by an Act of Parliament  in 1850, to help improve the docks use by the public.

These ferries ran until they were closed by the Metropolitan Board of Works Act of 1883. Five years later, in 1888, the Greenwich Steam Ferry began operation.

Johnson's Draw Dock, north bank, close to the pier where passengers embarked on the ferry to Greenwich.

The Greenwich Steam Ferry was an innovative design whereby passengers and vehicles were transported down the foreshore on moving platforms to waiting ferries. This design, although unique in England, was used throughout America and overcame the problem of reaching the ferry at low tide.

Diagrams of the moving platforms and pulley system.

These moving platforms were pulled up and down on cables operated by engines in the cellar of the ferry terminal buildings. These landing platforms could be raised and lowered according to the tide, thus allowing the heavy cargo trucks and carriages to have a smooth access to and from the waiting ferries.

The north ramp for the Potter's Ferry.

Commercial and operational difficulties meant that the Greenwich Steam Ferry was suspended in the 1890s. Then, with the Blackwall Tunnel opening in 1897 and construction of the Greenwich Foot Tunnel, beginning in 1899, the Greenwich Steam Ferry finally closed in 1899.

The ferry terminal building, on the south bank, remained standing until the 1990s.

The ramp on the south foreshore.

Today, all that remains are the concrete ramps, on the north and south foreshores, and the walls on south terminal still retain the three cable ports, used to raise and lower the moving platforms.