History - GU Southern

[WJM]

Not sure if anyone can help with this one - anyone good on canal history here?

 

The Grand Union Thames Lock was doubled to a pair of electric powered locks in 1962, yet the Docks at Brentford closed in 1964! Has anyone any idea why money was spent on this expansion at this late date in canal history when surely business was in terminal decline at that point? (the 'new' lock is now abandoned)

[tobytimothy]

Although not a direct answer to this topic I thought I would post something I found which is about Brentford and is history. Bit like bringing a bit of the past back to life.

 

Quote from Lock & Quay published by The Docks and Inland Waterways Executive (January 1950)

 

On the evening of Friday, November 25, Brentford was well and truly in the limelight. The lock-side was bathed in the light from many arc lamps surrounding the lock area and shining on film stars Glynis Johns and Douglas Fairbanks Jnr. The occasion was the filming of some shots to be used in the film "State Secret" being produced by British Lion Studios Ltd.

[fender]

Not a direct answer either, but its well documented that many railways in the 50's and 60's recieved a lick of paint and other improvements, and then suddenly closed. Possibly a way to accelerate an imbalance in incomings and outgoings on the account sheets.

 

Also in the news today I read that the Swansea and Mumbles was actually making a good profit (5000k) every year - not the massive losses some idiots had made out.

 

(ps I've just added the link for anyone's reference: http://icwales.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/02...-name_page.html )

 

The problem is accountants. Brentford docks shouldnt have closed but some idiot had their hand in there - the same goes for the Surrey Docks etc, in fact the entire London dockland system was subject to sudden and rather questionable closures.

 

It all depends on which way some accountant or white collar worker has their head screwed.

Edited March 23, 2007 by fender

[Paul H]

The confusion is there were two Brentford docks!

 

The Brentford Dock which closed in 1964 was built by the GWR as an interchange basin with the Thames so that Thames lighters could tranship their cargoes in to railway wagons and vice versa. It is now an upmarket marina and housing develoipment. As far as I am aware there was never a direct connection with the canal.

 

Thames Locks at the start of the Grand Union give access to the former British Waterways wharves and warehouses which were still in use well in to the 1980s or early 1990s. Most stuff latterly came and went by road but lighters still came in off the Thames and Roses limejuice was loaded on in to narrow boats until as late as 1982 for onward carriage to Boxmoor. I think lighter traffic was still quite heavy (ho ho) until the 1970s and with only a small operating "window" either side of high tide, as many lighters had to be passed in or out in about 2 hours as possible so dualing the locks was probably a good investment.

 

It is a while since I've been down there but I understand much has now been redeveloped but there is a fight to retain what is left.

 

Paul H

[blackrose]

The confusion is there were two Brentford docks!

 

The Brentford Dock which closed in 1964 was built by the GWR as an interchange basin with the Thames so that Thames lighters could tranship their cargoes in to railway wagons and vice versa. It is now an upmarket marina and housing develoipment. As far as I am aware there was never a direct connection with the canal.

 

Thames Locks at the start of the Grand Union give access to the former British Waterways wharves and warehouses which were still in use well in to the 1980s or early 1990s. Most stuff latterly came and went by road but lighters still came in off the Thames and Roses limejuice was loaded on in to narrow boats until as late as 1982 for onward carriage to Boxmoor. I think lighter traffic was still quite heavy (ho ho) until the 1970s and with only a small operating "window" either side of high tide, as many lighters had to be passed in or out in about 2 hours as possible so dualing the locks was probably a good investment.

 

It is a while since I've been down there but I understand much has now been redeveloped but there is a fight to retain what is left.

 

Paul H

 

I'm moored opposite the warehouses they want to demolish & redevelop, one of which includes the last remaining dock overhanging the towpath on the GU. Although it was only built in the 50s, there's some sort of protection order on it but it's doubtful if that will be enough to save it.

 

Initially there were plans for 15 storey blocks of flats but that was rejected by the council. I heard that BW actually owns part of the redevelopment firm which seems like a terrible conflict of interest to me - a responsible waterways authority should be trying to protect its heritage. How long ordinary administrative staff at Hounslow council can hold out against high-powered lawyers & execs is anybody's guess, but it will be sad when the interesting old boatyards & docks of the area (especially those down near Thames Lock), are transformed into bland waterside developments that look the same as everything else.

[WJM]

Thanks for the response - You are right, there were two Brentford Docks, the Railway interchange, still called Brentford Dock and the Canal Wharves now called Brentford Island. The Railway interchange was redeveloped initially by the GLC as a utopian new council estate but the GLC was killed off half way through the build and it was taken over by private developers who completed it as an upmarket estate. As a result it has an odd feel about it.

 

The canal docks were certainly not operating in the late 80s when I first came to Brentford, the warehouses were still in use for land based activity but there was nothing happening on the canal. I reckon the canal traffic must have died off close the 1982 and the last lime juice deliveries. That would answer my question though about why the Thames Locks and the Gauging locks were modernised in the 1960s as a last attempt to inject life into the wharves.

 

I am moored on the old canal wharves, now mostly redeveloped. There is one set of overhanging warehouses left but they are rotting away and of no great architectural or structural merit - I think the best way forward for them is to insist that whatever repalces them copies the look - with the overhang and a similar shape and feel. Overall, redevelopment is best - most of the 'heritage' left in Brentford is just festering meritless wasteland.

 

Anyone know when the Gauging Locks lost their lockeeper in favour of user operation?

[Hairy-Neil]

Anyone know when the Gauging Locks lost their lockeeper in favour of user operation?

 

Mid 1990's IIRC.