Jump to content

Welsh Harp


Scholar Gypsy

Featured Posts

I do like the way computers can't think.....   May affect some canoeists...
 

>>>>>>>>>>

Notice Alert

Grand Union Canal
Starts At: Brent Reservoir (Welsh Harp)
Ends At: Brent Reservoir (Welsh Harp)

Monday 19 March 2018 until Friday 13 April 2018 23:59

Type: Advice 
Reason: 3rd Party Works


 

Original message:

 

Local highways contractors are carrying out resurfacing works on the carriageway at Cool Oak Lane Bridge.

 The works will consist of repairs to the brickwork and installation of width restriction barriers on the road bridge crossing, along with works to the underside using a scaffold tower and pontoon.

A road traffic management system will be in place during the topside bridge element works (i.e. Resurfacing and Parapet works).

You can view this notice and its map online here:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notice/12484/brent-reservoir-cool-oak-lane-bridge

You can find all notices at the url below:
https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/notices

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Markinaboat said:

never knew that! Nearest water must be at Stonebridge on the GU?

The Welsh Harp is owned by CRT. It was built by the Regents Canal Company although the feeder from it fed into the Grand Junction Paddington Arm. 

Tim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

And the feeder can be seen just west of Park Royal fire station.

I got the name right from the website http://www.firestations.org.uk  (I was going to say something a bit disparaging, but fire station nerds would probably say the same about us).

Further searches reveal:

  • there used to be  a similar feeder canal from Ruislip Lido to near Bulls Bridge
  • there was a proposal to drain Welsh Harp during WW2, as it was a very visible landmark for German bombers
  • canoeists have tried to navigate the feeder, but this gets rather difficult / dangerous in places!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

An interesting read is 'The Great Flood Of Brentford' by Valerie Bott which is a about a devastating flood caused by a breach in the reservoir which damaged dozens of boats and killed at least one boatman.

Tim 

Edited by Tim Lewis
Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

And the feeder can be seen just west of Park Royal fire station.

I got the name right from the website http://www.firestations.org.uk  (I was going to say something a bit disparaging, but fire station nerds would probably say the same about us).

Further searches reveal:

  • there used to be  a similar feeder canal from Ruislip Lido to near Bulls Bridge
  • there was a proposal to drain Welsh Harp during WW2, as it was a very visible landmark for German bombers
  • canoeists have tried to navigate the feeder, but this gets rather difficult / dangerous in places!

A few picture's of the feeder,

https://web.archive.org/web/20070914135130/http://www.bb-environment.org/Brent Water/litframe.htm

Unfortunately many missing

I have some pictures somewhere of the reservoir drained when BW did some major works to the dam a few years ago!

Tim

  • Greenie 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ruislip Lido when created, flooded a Hamlet. I send a small boat over there with a echosounder trying to find the remains and found a few uprights. Yes it was a bit weird. No evidence it was the hamlet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was a kid growing up in the area people used to talk about Welsh Harp Harry and Barn Hill Lill! :lol:

I think they were just fictional characters that someone with an overactive imagination had made up. I'm sure kids don't talk about stuff like that these days.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This thread has evoked so many memories, the Welsh Harp was fed by the combined waters of the Mutton Brook and the Dollis Brook which became the River Brent. There was a stream (the Silkstream) which passed through Monks Park this came from the direction of the Welsh Harp and ran parrarel with the North circular road maybe entering the River Brent passed Stonebridge.

I remember the Dew pond atop of Barn hill, my first wife lived in the Mall at the bottom of the hill .

Phil 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just looked Ruislip Lido and more memories flooded back just like the shot of the No 158 at South Harrow with the gasometer in the background  This was taken before they painted the word NO in very large letters and floodlit it at night. The gasometer had a red beacon on top and on one occasions an airliner mistook the beacon for Heathrow marker and actually managed to land at RAF Northolt. I heard the plane had to be stripped of a lot of weight to get it out again 

Phil 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup. Southall Waterless holder had LH on it. Think the pilot got mixed up.

image.png.4ad6ccbc62d92842ffeef8c050e397e3.png

I used to work on South Harrow gasworks.

 

PS at Richmond gasworks they found a frozen mulilated body that fell out of the wheel recess of an airliner.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As kids we used to play a daft game in Ruislip woods. We used to climb up saplings as far as we could and jump up the that bit grabbing the top and the sapling used to bend and lower us down. Until my mate tried it on a brittle tree and nearly killed himself

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.