Today's Canal : Paddington Arm
Today had a simple target - to get to our booked mooring in Paddington Basin. This system has only recently been introduced - when we were last here, seven years ago, CaRT were just beginning to experiment with two bookable slots at Rembrandt Gardens. This has now expanded to several moor nearby sites, including two sets in the basin itself.
We only booked a few days ago, just before leaving home, and so we had to take whatever was free. Tonight and tomorrow we are on Pontoon 6, next to the towpath. There are plenty of people around, including a large group of young ladies whose focus of activity was far from clear! But it did involve a lot of cheering and a finishing tape for runners (who probably only ran a very short distance, they certainly were not shod or dressed for Olympic finishing times)
With almost twelve miles to cover we set off just after 9, hoping to be moored up for a late lunch.
Immediately we passed under this splendid bridge, one of only two wooden ones on the Paddington Branch we read.
A short distance further and we passed the entrance to Engineers Wharf, a small modern development for just 23 residential boats, surrounded by several blocks of apartments. We have not discovered what the previous use of the land was not how it came by its name. The most recent mooring fee we have found was £6000 a year in 2016.
Ok, so it is just a picture and just a pipe bridge!
A number of railway lines, both Network Rail and TfL, cross the canal along its length.
Yet more new apartments - the blocks to the left were completed when were cruising here more frequently, 7 or 8 years ago.
We saw an article not long ago about the positioning of this narrowboat in the midst of a large housing development. Alas we cannot find it now but we do now that Pavo was built in 1935 as a Woolwich butty but later shortened as it is here. We think that it is some sort of community facility or meeting place for local residents.
Crossing the North Circular we were again surprised that even at 11 am it was not anything like as busy as we recall from the past.
From here on into Paddington there was a lot more surface duckweed, at times forming a complete blanket, only parted by passing boats.
Acton Lane Power Station was once an important supplier of electricity to north London but, despite expanding to a second site on the opposite bank, it eventually closed in 1983, when its efficiency had fallen well below more modern plants. However, there are still several large structures here which house equipment that is part of the distribution systems.
Just beyond is a very new bridge - probably not yet on Google maps - which looks as if it is a conveyor linking industrial activity on either bank. Beyond that we have not discovered anything about it.
We watched this building being developed and it seemed to take forever to finish. Now, it is beginning to show its age and may well need a bit of a makeover before long.
Yet another disappeared landmark are the gas holders at Kensal Green, demolished in 2021 - the famous Victorian cemetery is just opposite. BTW, did you know that Charles Babbage is but one of many famous people buried here? On the site of the former gas works are now these less memorable buildings.
A gas delivery, right to your gunnels!
As we expected, from here into Paddington there were very few vacant mooring opportunities and frequent double banking. Although there were more biats than we had ever seen before in the stretch up to here, it was always possible to find a useable spot within a few minutes of wanting to stop - unless you insist on being less than five minutes from the road to a nearby station (when there would be heavy competition for a short while) In the last part we cold only wonder at the ways in which boaters, who really want to be continuous moorers here (very few paid-for spaces) set about moving every 14 days - we guess that many never even attempt a 20 mile range! Does someone stand guard when they go off to fill the water tank?
Here we spotted a volunteer group, separate from but supervised by, CaRT. At first we saw some members collecting litter but later we saw this large group being taught how to obliterate graffiti with black paint. (Sign of the times that young adults have to be taught how to paint a wall!)
Almost into Little Venice and this is the last space we spotted - how come? Are there stones lurking under the water? Does its protection come at a price?
As we arrived at the narrows in Little Venice we passed a CaRT crew pushing a boat who told us to stop and contact the office (which is in the cottages alongside). As we came to a stop a helpful young man came to ask if we needed help - Christine went into the office whilst Mike pulled back to the water point as we learnt that there is no water point in Paddington Basin. We could also see that there are substantial efforts being made to aerate the water but the surface weed is as extensive as ever.
Eventually we were able to complete our journey down to the basin, beginning with crossing the pool.
Coming down the first part of the final arm from Brownings Pool, we passed two very large floating structures - not easy to call them boats! This one comprises two 'hulls' linked together. Both are thriving and substantial restaurants and drinking places, just outside the main Paddington Station. No wonder the Book Boat lost out a few years back!
Around the corner and we started to look for our mooring. The pontoon we used to use (just a little further) is now a GoBoats franchise - we had to take avoiding action from a couple a bit earlier! Yes, our expected slot was free and we slipped in and tied up.
Lunch was a priority but after that, little to say. Christine did take a stroll around Merchant Square development, most of the work that was underway when we last moored here is now complete, with a number of pleasant sitting areas.
11.7 Miles - 0 Locks
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