Langley

Today's Canals : Grand Union Main Line, Slough Arm

Today was basically allocated as Car Shuffle Day - retrieving our car from Froud's Bridge Marina, the start of this trip. However, the best place to begin that operation seemed to be as close to the Elizabeth Line as we could get. As we have booked to,leave the boat at High Line Boatyard on the Slough Arm, taking a train from Langley Station was by far the most convenient. 

Although there are no locks, we still had around 7 miles to cover, the better part of the morning. As we prepared to set off, we enjoyed the start of a wonderfully bright and sunny day, leaving our overnight mooring.

Unfortunately for all along the Main Line part of the day, the sun was frequently in just the wrong direction for taking photos! Even the iconic Bulls Bridge is almost washed out.

For a number of years we moored our previous boat, Take Five,in Packet Boat Marina at the start of the Slough Arm. Whenever we came south from there our first target was to smell the Nestle Coffee Factory at North Hyde. (see here) This operation was transferred from here to Derbyshire in 2014. It took some time for redevelopment to commence and even two years ago when we passed by, much of the production works was still standing derelict.

But now a large change has taken place. It seems that the planning intention is to develop part as commercial/industrial and part as housing, under the branding Hayes Village. The area nearest to the canal contains two very large logistics units, currently operated, we think, by TransGlobalExpress, an international parcels operation.

A little further and another substantial site has been razed to the ground prior to wholesale redevelopment into 407 apartments. Most of the site was very run down and probably comparatively low value activity. It is said that the rapid regeneration of the area is in large part a consequence of the opening of the Elizabeth Line.

One landmark (for us) was a quarter circular shaped office building (see here) but we never did discover what it was originally for. At least we have now found that it was only post war in age.

Comparing pictures from previous years with today shows that the vegetation has grown considerably. Eleven years ago it was entirely devoid of any greenery. In general the growth of vegetation has done a lot to soften the landscape and to hide some of the less attractive land uses from the canal but there are times when it can make navigation difficult.

We moored for a short while outside the large Tesco store in Yiewsley, time enough for Christine to pop in and pick up some bread and milk whilst Mike continued to chat to a chap from one of the boats that came down from teddington at the same time as ourselves.

Starting off again we very quickly arrived at Cowley Peachey Junction where we turned left onto the Slough Arm. Just around the corner is the entrance to Packet Boat Marina where we moored for several winters. This is one of several former British Waterways developments that were sold off three years ago.

Although our speed quickly dropped as we left the junction behind we were pleasantly surprised to discover that the infamous weed had not taken over as it has in the past. Even the duckweed that was very evident between Brentford and Bulls Bridge was missing.

We continued past High Line to Bridge 7 where we expected to find a moor-able bank and be only five minutes walk from Langley Station. Soon it was time for lunch.

Just before 2 o'clock, Mike set off on the Car Shuffle. Langley is on the new Elizabeth Line out to Reading where he walked a short distance from the railway station to a bus stop for the Jetblack 1 service that we have already used several times this year when on the Kennet and Avon. Both services ran perfectly to time.

After being dropped off at the start of Froud's Lane it was a ten minute walk to the marina where the car awaited. The journey back to High Line was straightforward, mostly on the M4 (which was not over busy) with Junction 5 being very close to the destination. After settling the account for he mooring, Mike then walked back to the boat along the towpath, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile Christine had, as usual, made a start on a clean through as well as processing a load of washing.

7.1 Miles - 0 Locks