Parking near City Road basin

[Stilllearning]

I think the basin is set aside as a canoe club and other water borne sports area. Also I think it is very shallow, but this is from my memory of walking past it one day last year in the rain on my way up to the London Canal museum, so I wasn't concentrating as much as usual on canals. It does seem to be rather a waste of prime mooring space in central London though.

[Charlotte Burnett]

Wot Stillearning says…..they lease from CRT is my understanding….with the situation with moorings here I can see that changing.

[RLWP]

It does seem odd to have a huge open area, and a dozen boats huddled together on the towpath opposite

 

Richard

[alan_fincher]

My van is exactly the same size as a Peugeot 306, she is a luxurious 306, four door automatic hatchback, and is known as Aunty Mabel

 

Ah I had an Aunty Mabel, also about the size of a Peugeot 306.

[junior]

Wot Stillearning says…..they lease from CRT is my understanding….with the situation with moorings here I can see that changing.

 

I agree that it's silly to have boats triple moored and moored on the lock landing opposite, when there's a huge empty space prime for moorings withing 50m.

 

However, there is a huge amount of development going on around the basin of what I would imagine are multi-million pound apartments. I can't imagine CRT getting very far with trying to create mooring under their windows based on all the hoo-ha in Islington about smoke and generators.

[PaddingtonBear]

It is too shallow and is leased to 2 local water activity clubs, mainly to do with yoofs who are very keen to protect 'their' space . The new developments are also an issue otherwise don't you think all the continuous moorers would form a basin sized raft, you were lucky to get away with out getting mugged.

[RichardN]

It is too shallow and is leased to 2 local water activity clubs, mainly to do with yoofs who are very keen to protect 'their' space . The new developments are also an issue otherwise don't you think all the continuous moorers would form a basin sized raft, you were lucky to get away with out getting mugged.

 

Is it shallow? I have ventured down a bit with no issues but did not go past the pontoon, the Mayor and Entourage got to the opening ceremony at the south end a few years ago by boat - Tarporley or Angel? Article here. I remember talking to the Contracts Manager who did the works and he thought that the minimum depth was 3' 6"?

 

All the Planning Drawings that I have seen show boats moored in the basin, I have seen mention of moorings in past BW minutes, no idea why it has not been developed for mooring. That said it would be sensible to wait till the Mount Anvil Development is finished - piccie here. Incidentally I think they sponsored the last Angel Festival in some way so are canal aware and pay due respect to the great people who organise the Angel Canal Festival (or they were scared of a certain apparently formidable lady).

[GUMPY]

 

What is the situation with City Road Basin?

 

 

Tim may correct me onthis but I believe the reason that its empty is that underneath part of it is a large electricity substation. The basin is kept empty to prevent any damage occurring.

[alan_fincher]

Tim may correct me onthis but I believe the reason that its empty is that underneath part of it is a large electricity substation. The basin is kept empty to prevent any damage occurring.

 

This may be of interest? From this document.

 

2.3 Constraints

Apart from conventional planning and urban design constraints, the principle restrictions on the Masterplan

relate to the electricity infrastructure that surrounds the head of the Basin.

EDF Energy (formerly London Electricity) occupies the proposed Basin entrance from City Road under a long

sublease from CRBL and so direct access from the City Road bridge will only be possible if the transformer

equipment is screened or decked over, providing protection of the existing buildings and ventilation shafts

whilst maintaining existing easements and access routes.

On the east side of the Basin is a series of three unsightly National Grid transformer buildings, which occupy

the middle and southern end of Wharf Road. These buildings will remain on the Basin due to their essential

role in providing electrical power to the City. Security fencing will need to be maintained along the frontage of

the Basin, although the utilities companies have agreed to allow public access immediately adjacent to the

Basin edge.

Associated with the electricity and National Grid buildings is a network of high-voltage cabling which runs

along a 3 metre zone below the footpath on the east side of the Basin. These cable trenches are protected by

a grid of pre-cast concrete covers which cannot be altered. The cables extend at the north end under the

Regent

’

s Canal to the north side of the towpath and occupy the southern end of the Basin head, feeding a

network of cable routes running below City Road. As discussed above, access to these cables routes for

maintenance must be maintained.

Access for fire safety and maintenance vehicles, including an articulated low-loader lorry, will be required

approximately every 15 years for replacing transformers. The Masterplan allows for matching existing rights of

way agreements held by National Grid and EDF Energy in respect of emergency and maintenance access,

from both Graham Street through 261 City Road site, as well as the access route between 259 City Road and

the large National Grid transformer building

 

[GUMPY]

 

 

This may be of interest? From this document.

Effectively confirms what I said except its the feeder cables not the station itself. Still the electricity board.

[RichardN]

Effectively confirms what I said except its the feeder cables not the station itself. Still the electricity board.

 

Over the years I have walked through most of the cable basements and those cable ways which you can walk through. I believe none extend under the water as it is now.