Monday 5 December 2016

Walking the waterways (3) : Limehouse Cut

The Limehouse Cut is a short canal in East London that connects the Lee Navigation to the Regent's Canal at Limehouse Basin. The canal begins (or ends depending on your point of view) at Bow Locks. After Bow Locks the canal travels 2 miles through Tower Hamlets until it meets the Regent's Canal at Limehouse Basin, which is where the canal joins the Thames.

The canal scheme obtained an act of parliament in 1767 and was operational by 1769 though was said to be only wide enough for one barge to pass at a time. Various improvements and enhancements were made to the canal over the following decades.
Bow Locks
Originally the Limehouse Cut connected directly onto the Thames but that was changed in 1968 because of the need to replace the river lock. Instead a new short length of canal was built to connect the Limehouse Cut to Limehouse Basin allowing traffic to use the river lock there instead.
Abbott Wharf Dock

Railway Bridge, one of a number which cross the canal

Canary Wharf in sight!