2013
TQ2182 : Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal near Old Oak Lane
taken 10 years ago, near to Harlesden, Brent, England
Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal near Old Oak Lane
The Paddington Arm of the then Grand Junction Canal was opened in 1801 from Bull's Bridge near Southall to Paddington Basin. The canals were initially a success, particularly for transporting coal, building materials and other bulky loads, but the rise of the railways not long after the canals were built substantially reduced their importance. Now they are primarily a leisure facility. The Paddington Arm was one of the last to see the old-fashioned style of regular commercial traffic of paired narrow boats carrying the traditional materials such as coal, oils, and tar. The Paddington Arm now sees regular commercial traffic, usually in the form of aggregates. What was then the Central Electricity Generating Board laid cables under some of the towpaths in the 1970s, as here, and made them suitable for pedestrians again.
The towpath is followed by the Grand Union Canal Walk. The railway bridge just ahead carries Overground trains between Acton Central and Willesden Junction. This section of the canal is between Old Oak Lane and Scrubs Lane.
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