Barging Through Old London in 1924 > .
Modern London's Regents Canal - Little Venice to Camden Lock - Joolz > .
Take a trip on a horse-drawn towing barge from Limehouse into old Central London! The trip goes over the Regents Canal from Limehouse, via the Wharves of East London, Mile End Road, Various locks, White Chapel, Heartford Union Canal, Old Ford, Acton's Lock, Hackney, through Islington Tunnel, passes under the New River, over the GNR at Kingscross, under the Midland at St.Pancras, Kentish Town, Alpine Chalet, through Regents Park and London Zoo and ends at Paddington Basin just off Edgeware Road. Viewers have reported that this route can still be followed, either by boat or by following the old paths for the horses to draw the barges through the canal until about 50 years ago. It is remarkable how much of this film can still be recognized today.
00:00 Regents Canal Dock in Limehouse
00:13 The barge is transporting 85 tons of coal
00:33 Wharves of East London
01:00 Under Mile End Road
01:22 Another lock, raising the barge by 6 feet
01:53 Whitechapel
02:16 Heartford Union Canal; River Lee branches off to Bishops Stortford
02:40 Rural scenery at Old Ford
03:10 Acton's Lock by London Fields
03:40 Through Hackney
03:53 Past City Basin
04:20 Through Islington Tunnel, assisted by steam tug, near Angel
04:32 The tunnel is 1.2 km long, takes half an hour
04:45 End of Islington Tunnel
04:58 Over the Great Northern Railway at Kings Cross
05:27 Under the Midland at St.Pancras
05:48 Kentish Town
06:10 Lock keeper's Alpine Chalet
06:20 The 12th lock since leaving Limehouse
06:38 Camden Lock
06:50 Under the old London and Western Main Line
07:00 Primose Hill (Lovey's central)
07:08 Through Regents Park
07:18 Through London Zoo
07:44 Another tunnel without the help of a tug
07:54 Gilbeys Wharf and the old Camden Goods Station
08:18 Hard work without the assistance of Dobbin the horse
08:35 End of the journey at Paddington Basin, near Edgware Road
08:49 The End
