Croydon Canal - History

History

Authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1801, the canal was originally intended to extend northwards to Rotherhithe, but the simultaneous construction of the Grand Surrey Canal provided a convenient access route. It was 9.25 miles (15 km) long, and opened on 22 October 1809.

The Croydon Canal linked to the Croydon Merstham and Godstone Railway (itself connected to the Surrey Iron Railway), enabling the canal to be used to transport stone and lime from workings at Merstham. The canal was never extended further south-west, as was initially intended, to reach Epsom.

The canal was originally planned with two inclined planes but 28 locks, arranged in two flights, were used instead. To keep the canal supplied with water reservoirs was constructed at Sydenham and South Norwood: the latter still exists as South Norwood Lake in a public park.

The canal was 34 feet (10 m) wide. It had a maximum depth of 5 feet (1.5 m). By 1811 22 barges plied the canal. The barges were 60 feet (18 m) long and 9 feet (2.7 m) wide and could carry about 30 tons. The main cargo was timber.

After the initial flights of locks, most of the canal followed the 161 ft (49.1m) contour.

The final two locks at Croydon Common raised the canal to the 174 ft (53m) contour, and because there was no natural source of water a steam pumping station was built at the foot of the locks to pump water up to the summit pound.

The canal was never a success and closed in 1836., the first canal to be abandoned by an Act of Parliament. Much of the alignment was used by the London & Croydon Railway Company, which had bought the canal had been sold for £40,250, for part of the railway between London Bridge and West Croydon, which is on the site of the canal basin.