70-682: Anerley Town Hall is a municipal building in Anerley Road, Anerley , London. It is a locally listed building . The building was commissioned by the Parish of St Paul's Church, Anerley as their vestry hall. The area chosen for the new building was part of a 56 acres (23 ha) site occupied by the North Surrey District School. The town hall was designed by George Elkington in the Italianate style and built by J & C Bowyer, builders, at
140-431: A Scottish silk and wine merchant originally from Galashiels named William Sanderson bought land at the auction of the former Penge Common and built the first house in the area, which he named "Anerly" (later Anerley Lodge), a Scottish Borders and Northern English dialect word meaning "solitary" or "only", and the road subsequently became known as Anerley Road, also giving the name to the surrounding area. Sanderson's name
210-583: A band playing "God save the King". The proprietors witnessed the arrival of the barges at the Croydon basin, examined the wharf and warehouses before walking to the Greyhound at 4pm, led by the workmen marching in order with their tools on their shoulders and accompanied by a band. Despite the canal being opened, it was not complete. They had not built the road mentioned in clause 10 of their first act between Church Street and
280-440: A canal with locks was made soon after the act of Parliament was passed, because " it was realised the boats would be too small to meet the needs of the public, particularly the conveyance of large sized timber ". The board realised there would be little cost advantage over toll-roads without larger 30-35 ton (30.5 - 35.6 tonnes) boats and traffic on the canal would be less than Rennie’s estimate of 5 boats in each direction. Trade
350-671: A commodious bridge carried the New Cross Road over the canal at New Cross. Contrary to Rennie's original plan there were also locks between New Cross Road and the Grand Surrey Canal. The proprietors expected to join the Grand Surrey canal by July, having announced to the public that it would be open for navigation from the Thames to the crossroads at (South) Norwood. The canal was at least partially open by 15 August 1807. Hugh McIntosh,
420-570: A consultation exercise on the matter finishing in December 2006. However the then Mayor of London Boris Johnson cancelled the £170 million extension in November 2008. Croydon Canal The Croydon Canal ran 9 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles (15 km) from Croydon , via Forest Hill , to the Grand Surrey Canal at New Cross in south London , England . It opened in 1809 and closed in 1836,
490-413: A cost of £4,341; it was officially opened on 30 April 1879. The original design involved three bays with a central doorway on the ground floor; there were two windows above the doorway and three windows in each of the other bays on the first floor; a copper -clad clock-tower was erected on the roof. The assembly hall was set to the southeast of the main building and featured an unusual hammerbeam roof with
560-474: A deviation between Brockley and the Grand Surrey Canal so the ascent / descent would be less steep, take the canal closer to the King’s Yard and join the Grand Surrey at its southeast corner. This conflicted with plans for a branch of the Grand Surrey Canal to Deptford, and was objected to by their board. Instead, reservoirs were built at South Norwood and Sydenham. According to the resident engineer Dudley Clark
630-518: A government report by Sir Edwin Herbert , the short-lived Penge Urban District Council was abolished and Anerley and Penge were incorporated into the new London Borough of Bromley . With the demise of local government Crystal Palace & Anerley became a ward in the London Borough of Bromley. Nowadays Anerley Town Hall is still in use as a community centre run by Crystal Palace Community Trust ,
700-427: A horse led along the towpath on the easterly side of the canal. At least initially, the docks on the Grand Surrey Canal near the Thames had no towpath. There was also no towpath on the Thames, which barges navigated using the tides, rudder and oar-like sweeps. Navigation through the pool of London was particularly dangerous because of the shipping, and in 1818 a Croydon canal bargeman was assaulted seeking shelter at
770-581: A long curved pond in the Dacres Wood Nature Reserve in Dacres Road, Forest Hill. This was considered for redevelopment in 1989, but research by Lewisham Council resulted in its identity being confirmed and it now forms an attractive wetland, having been returned to its former width. There is a high pavement in David's Road, Forest Hill, which is thought to be part of the towpath. Part of the wall below
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#1733085384664840-492: A major construction contractor, claimed he played a significant part in the canal’s construction. Having already spent over £68,000 on the canal, the company required a further £30,000 to complete the works and repay the money borrowed. They petitioned Parliament on 10 February 1808 and were granted authority to raise the additional funds via the Croydon Canal Act 1808 ( 48 Geo. 3 . c. xviii) on 14 April 1808. Although
910-460: A meeting of prospective investors was held at the Croydon Greyhound where it was agreed that a canal from Croydon to Rotherhithe would be of great utility to Croydon, towns close to the canal and considerable parts of Kent, Surrey and Sussex. A detailed survey was made by Mr Warner, and John Rennie was hired as the consulting engineer. This canal took a more direct line to Rotherhithe along
980-406: A private mooring during tempestuous weather. The boats had to be registered with the canal company and the number, name of the owner and abode had to be painted in white letters 4 inches high on a black background (clause 105). The canal company had its own barges, not only for the construction and maintenance of the canal, but also for its own freight carrier business that barely broke even. This
1050-540: A ridge of higher ground, which could loosely be described as the west side of the Ravensbourne valley. It headed northeast from West Croydon to Selhurst, turned north to South Norwood, Sydenham, Forest Hill and New Cross to join the Thames at Rotherhithe. The canal would remain on the same level from Croydon to Brockley at 149.6 ft (45.6 m) and drop down the hillside by 17 locks or 2 inclined planes by slightly different paths to New Cross, where it would remain on
1120-532: A series of fully furnished commercial offices in November 2003. The library moved out of the town hall into dedicated facilities in Green Lane in September 2014; This allowed the former library area to be used as a play area for children. Crystal Palace Community Trust, a local charity, obtained a 40-year lease over the building with the intention of managing it as a community asset from August 2017. Items of interest in
1190-458: A well or spring. The canal had 28 locks, 11 more than Rennie planned (excluding the Thames lock): 10 near New Cross, 16 between Forest Wood (Honor Oak Park) and Brockley, and two near Selhurst. The locks would only admit boats 60 ft (18 m) long rather than 75 ft (23 m) long as originally proposed. Lock 26 near Honor Oak Park had three gates which could be used singly or in pairs, and would today be counted as two locks. Near
1260-631: Is the first to appear in the first rate book, dated 18 June 1827, now held in the London Borough of Bromley archives. The Croydon Canal was opened on 22 October 1809, and passed through Anerley. The canal was a financial failure and lasted only 27 years, being sold to the London and Croydon Railway Company for £40,250. The London and Croydon Railway used most of the former canal for the new railway line, but two remnants are still visible in Betts Park , Anerley and Dacres Wood, Sydenham . The railway deviated from
1330-569: The A2 or Hammersmith flyover London section today), would have seen a lot of destruction of property in Anerley and a great increase in noise pollution. After much consultation and Government dithering the various London Ringway projects were cancelled, including the A214 section. In the era of street trams, a tramway ran down Anerley Road, turning into Croydon Road. It joined the main tram network at West Croydon . In
1400-626: The Anerley Arms is still serving beverages in a traditional saloon bar, and a segment of the Croydon Canal remains in Betts Park . The name Anerley is mainly applied to the district around the western half of the SE20 postcode in the proximity of Anerley railway station , to the north around Anerley Hill and Crystal Palace railway station in the SE19 postcode, and to the south as far as Birkbeck station (near
1470-647: The River Wandle to the detriment of their mills. As a result the canal had raised banks across Croydon Common so it only cut 3 ft (0.91 m) into the soil and reduced its depth to 5 ft (1.5 m). The summit level between Selhurst and Honor Oak Park was also raised further up the hillside. Despite these delays the canal received royal assent on 27 June 1801 via the Croydon Canal and Croydon, Streatham, Dulwich and Sydenham Water Supply Act 1801 ( 41 Geo. 3. (U.K.) c. cxxvii). The decision to implement
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#17330853846641540-495: 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 were constructed at Sydenham and South Norwood ;
1610-522: The Croydon canal bill in the House of Lords . As a result, the Croydon canal was changed to join the Grand Surrey Canal rather than the Thames. There were other petitions for and against the canal but the biggest effect was the petition from the Wandle mill owners. They were concerned that a deep cut across Croydon Common, between West Croydon and Selhurst would drain water into the canal instead of Norbury Brook and
1680-505: The Croydon wharf and in January 1810 they invited tenders for warehouses at Croydon, with more in August. A third act of Parliament, the Croydon Canal Act 1811 ( 51 Geo. 3 . c. xi) was sought and granted in 1811 to raise £80,000 (with £2,658 in hand) to pay off debts (£25,700), loans (£29,615) and complete the works (£27,343). The total cost of the canal and works was £150,000. Tenders for
1750-511: The Parish of St Paul's, forming in 1861. Anerley Vestry Hall (later Anerley Town Hall ) was built in 1878 for the sum of £4,341, to conduct public business for the exclave Hamlet of Penge in the Parish of Battersea. It became a Town Hall in 1900 as a result of the London Government Act 1899 , when Anerley became part of the new Penge Urban District in Kent . The Hall was enlarged in 1911 for
1820-545: The Thames, the Grand Surrey Canal became a dock which had a lock to protect the canal, and another at the Thames, making a total of 31 locks for the navigation from Croydon to the Thames. The canal was officially opened on Monday 23 October 1809 with a procession that left Sydenham at 11am to a band playing "God save the King" and a 21 gun salute. The proprietor’s barge was followed by “ a great many barges loaded with coal, stone, corn etc. ” At Croydon they were greeted by many thousands of people, church bells, guns firing and
1890-426: The act did not increase the tolls, the minimum tonnage was increased from 4 to 20 tons when passing through a lock. Tenders were placed for bricks, building the basin wall at Croydon, fencing, a crane, counting house, warehouse and lock keeper’s cottage at Forest Wood. Despite raising the summit level, it was still lower than Croydon Common and a deviation between Selhurst and West Croydon was considered. Instead it
1960-408: The beams connected by wrought iron rods. The building became the headquarters of the new Penge Urban District formed in 1900, and was significantly extended by the creation of three extra bays to the northwest at a cost of £3,229 to incorporate a council chamber and committee rooms in 1911. Further changes were made to create a courtroom for petty sessions in 1925. The town hall continued to be
2030-514: The canal closed, sections were retained for leisure use, and some remained in water for a considerable time. The section at the Anerley Arms, Ridsdale Road in Anerley was used as a boating lake, and the area was called Anerley Tea Rooms. The canal in Betts Park was turned into a concrete trough in 1934, approximately 170m can still be seen at the northern corner of Betts Park. Another section exists as
2100-454: The canal course entering a new cutting near what is now Anerley railway station (opened on 5 June 1839 and named initially as Annerley Bridge Station). William Sanderson made land available in return for the creation of the railway station adjacent to his house "Anerly". Isambard Kingdom Brunel built an atmospheric railway along this course in 1845, but it was short-lived. The inability to include points on an atmospheric railway resulted in
2170-463: The canal tramway by around £600 per annum with goods from Merstham quarry transported to the canal via the Croydon Merstham and Godstone iron railway. Toll revenues averaged about £2,700 between 1820 – 1824, but there were additional revenues from rents of about £350 p.a. and £80 p.a. from osier sales, as well as the freight business. This was comparable with Dodd’s estimate, but the capital cost
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2240-400: The canal would stimulate demand by reducing transportation costs to a quarter to a third of those by road and extend trade to places as far away as East Grinstead. The committee did determine its own forecasts following Rennie’s report, but Phillips feared the lack of manufacturing towns, mines and heavy goods would prevent a proper return for investors. Trade was boosted with the opening of
2310-433: The canal “ is of itself so considerable, that, with the addition of a large reservoir upon Sydenham, and another upon Norwood Common, it leaves no doubt, of a most ample supply in the driest season." The reservoirs collected rainwater from the adjacent hillsides by ditches or feeder canals. Rainwater was also collected by ditches on Plowgarlic / Telegraph Hill above New Cross that fed into small reservoirs or side ponds at
2380-425: 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. The barges, or strictly lighters , had flat bottoms, which were joined to the sides of the boat by a quadrant of a circle to reduce damage to the canal bank. Depicted in several paintings, the barges had no living accommodation, were steered by a large rudder and pulled by
2450-518: The construction of flyovers one of which runs through Anerley between Crystal Palace railway station and Sydenham railway station . A train collision occurred at Anerley on 5 October 1844 - 24 people were injured, although no fatalities occurred. The driver was found to be at fault, along with a lack of tail lights. The report stated the following: "The second train passed the Jolly Sailor Station (now Norwood Junction) about three minutes after
2520-443: The early days a stationary engine was needed to haul trams up the steepest part of Anerley Hill. Later models were able to climb unassisted, but special gearing was designed exclusively for this route. The tramway was replaced by trolley buses on route 654 which operated until 1959. TFL had proposed the extension of Tramlink services from Harrington Road tram stop to the bus station on Crystal Palace Parade via Anerley Road, with
2590-480: The first canal to be abandoned by an act of Parliament. Authorised 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 + 1 ⁄ 4 miles (15 km) long, and opened on 22 October 1809. The Croydon Canal linked to the Croydon, Merstham and Godstone Railway (itself connected to
2660-462: The first, the green light being then exhibited there as a signal to go on with caution; and on approaching the Anerley Station, the engineman of this train observed a red light on the signal post, which was the signal to stop at that station; but not seeing the red light that ought to have been exhibited in the rear of the preceding train, he considered it was gone. and just as it was slowly quitting
2730-414: The gas vacuum engine made a profit of over £100 a year before considering the useful work it was doing. Unlike a steam engine, which required time for the water to be heated into steam, Brown’s engine could be turned on and off almost instantly; it was typically used for 3 hours every other day. Around 1827 there was a steam engine near today’s Towpath Way, south of Tennison Road, Selhurst to pump water from
2800-403: The headquarters of the urban council for much of the 20th century but ceased to be the local seat of government when the enlarged London Borough of Bromley was formed in 1965. It was extended with a new structure at the rear to accommodate a public library and also to create additional space for Bromley Council's housing and social services departments in 1987. The main building was converted into
2870-473: The hillside in a tank of water or caisson , counterbalanced by another caisson being raised. Bridges would be minimised where possible by using paved fords, the whole costing no more than £25,000. After finishing his report in November 1799, Dodd had no further involvement with the Croydon and Rotherhithe Canal, but went on to promote a scheme for a Grand Surrey Canal from Rotherhithe. Following Dodd’s report,
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2940-482: The iron and woodwork on “ upwards of 20 ” locks were received a month later. By October 1805 Sydenham reservoir had been completed, the canal was in water and in use from within a few miles of the town of Croydon to Brockley Green for conveying bricks, timber and other materials for the works. The Brockley locks were “ well built and exceedingly water tight ”. Closer to New Cross the canal was less complete and locks were in every stage of their progress. Around March 1807
3010-685: The junction of Anerley Road. Two people were killed and the damage to property were three houses destroyed with a further 20 houses severely damaged. On 11 July 1944 the third V1 Rocket strike to hit Anerley landed on Anerley Road at the Junction with Crystal Palace railway station. People had heard the rocket cut out and ran for cover, with many failing to find any, resulting in 11 deaths. The shops on Crystal Palace Station Road were totally destroyed, and on Anerley Road 18 shops were demolished, eight shops and seven houses severely damaged and 84 houses suffered minor damage. The Paxton Arms public house on Anerley Hill
3080-553: The latter still exists as South Norwood Lake in a public park. A canal from Croydon to Rotherhithe was the idea of Ralph Dodd , who had been commissioned in 1799 to ascertain “… the most eligible part of the River Thames” for a canal from Croydon. Dodd’s canal was to be on a small scale, only 3 + 1 ⁄ 2 ft (1.1 m) deep and 24 feet (7.3 m) wide at the top for boats up to 20 tons (20.3 tonnes). It would start in today’s Tamworth Road, Croydon and head north to
3150-432: The locks. The canal was 34 feet (10 m) wide. It had a maximum depth of 5 feet (1.5 m). After the initial flights of locks, most of the canal followed the 161 feet (49 m) contour. The first 2¼ miles of the canal was dug approximately between today’s Penge West and Forest Hill railway stations. By 17 April 1804 tenders were invited for cutting the remaining 2 miles of the canal’s north end and contracts for
3220-631: The nearby Crystal Palace. After the closure of the gardens, The Anerley Arms, a hotel built in the Swiss-style which had catered to visitors, was expanded and rebuilt in Victorian classical style, this building still stands next to the station. The present day Anerley Arms is referred to in the Sherlock Holmes story The Adventure of the Norwood Builder and celebrates its connection with the story. As
3290-594: The path has been rebuilt with murals depicting transport in Forest Hill. The Norwood reservoir is now preserved as South Norwood Lake . Download coordinates as: McGow, Peter (July 2000). The Croydon canal . Museum of Croydon. Unpublished. White, Ken (January 1989). Croydon Canal and its neighbours . Lewisham local history and archive centre. Unpublished. Grindlay, Steve (3 May 2008). "Croydon canal company" . Flickr . Homer, Thomas. "The Croydon Canal" . canalmuseum.org.uk . Archived from
3360-547: The railway station on Anerley Station Road. Two A roads , the A213 and A214 pass through the area. During the late 1960s and 1970s the A214 was to be part of the London Ringways project. The A214 was to become Ringway 2 and it would have passed through much of Anerley, and have followed the railway line from Birkbeck station and travelled north. The construction of the A214 into the planned London Motorways network (much like
3430-434: The result of a gas explosion in 1978 the ground floor was destroyed but no-one was injured. The badly damaged pub was sold by Charrington Brewery to Samuel Smith 's in 1979. Restoration work was undertaken using traditional materials to restore the interior back to its Victorian appearance. From the 1860s the residential area rapidly developed, grand Victorian houses were built along Anerley Road, and Anerley became part of
3500-447: The road, and a tramway along its east side were sought. The tramway connected with the Croydon Merstham and Godstone railway and ran alongside the south side of the canal basis. It was open for business by January 1812 when it was leased to Edward Grantham. Other work included enlarging the reservoirs and building wharves at New Cross and Sydenham. Sydenham wharf was on the site of today’s Sydenham railway station on Sydenham Road and
3570-475: The same level to a tidal lock at the Thames. Rennie agreed that a canal of small dimensions would be sufficient, but recommended a larger canal to act in part as a reservoir. It was to be 6 ft (1.8 m) deep, 34 ft (10 m) wide along the summit level from Croydon and 44 ft (13 m) wide on the lower Rotherhithe level. Rennie also favoured a canal with steam powered inclined planes over locks on cost grounds. A disadvantage of inclined planes
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#17330853846643640-495: The south of Upper Norwood , west of Penge , north of Elmers End and east of South Norwood . The northern edge of Anerley contains part of the area commonly known as Crystal Palace , and the site of the ancient Vicar's Oak where the London boroughs of Bromley , Croydon , Lambeth and Southwark meet, with Lewisham 800 yards (740m) away. Anerley began as a "new town" within the ancient hamlet of Penge. Prior to enclosure in 1827, what would later become known as Anerley,
3710-468: The station he ran into it, but with diminished speed" Anerley Gardens opened in 1841, and provided entertainment to the growing 19th century leisure industry . With the new medium of rail travel and boasting its own station, Anerley become a desirable social venue, with regular dances, a boating lake, a Swiss cottage and a maze. The old Croydon Canal was also a popular destination for anglers . The pleasure gardens closed in 1868, due to competition from
3780-553: The sum of £3,229 and contained offices, a public hall, the council chamber, committee rooms, and a petty sessional court which opened in 1925. During World War II Anerley suffered extensive bomb damage, with five V1 rockets landing; a further six landed in Crystal Palace Park and a total of 23 in the whole SE20 district. On 18 June 1944 it was reported a V1 Rocket was being chased by a Spitfire , and then shot down by AA gun fire. The shot down V1 fell upon Anerley Park near
3850-484: The town hall include the first-rate book dated 18 June 1827 which records the first-rate payment by William Sanderson, a resident at "Anerley House", the first house to be built on the former Penge Common . Anerley Anerley ( / ˈ æ n ər l i / ) is suburb of south east London , England, within the London Borough of Bromley . It is located 7 miles (11 km) south south-east of Charing Cross , to
3920-484: The traditional Kent-Surrey boundary). The SE20 postcode district was officially named Anerley but covered Anerley, Penge and parts of Beckenham . In 2024 the Heart of Anerley obelisk was erected in Betts Park in advance of the bicentenary celebrations in 2027. Anerley is served by London buses routes N3 , 75 , 157 , 197 , 249 , 354 , 358 432 and bus 356. The 432 and 249 now terminate at Anerley Bus stand, behind
3990-464: The west of London Road (A23) until Broad Green where it would swing northeast towards Selhurst , Woodside and the west of Beckenham . It would broadly follow the Ravensbourne valley to Lewisham and Deptford , finally turning west of north to join the Thames at Rotherhithe, a distance of about 12 miles. Instead of locks there would be horse-powered inclined planes where the boat would be lowered down
4060-411: Was also partially destroyed and would not re-open until 1955. The last rocket would strike Anerley 24 August 1944. By the beginning of the 20th century, Anerley's heyday was over, with much of the grand Victorian houses being converted into flats. In the 1960s and 1970s housing estates were constructed on former bombs sites and "slum clearances" to ease the post-war housing shortages. In 1965, following
4130-575: Was also threatened by the Surrey Iron Railway , which had received royal assent a month before the Croydon canal. Connection with the Grand Surrey Canal took boats close to the King’s Yard and victualing office at Deptford. These docks supplied the Royal Navy , but supply ships sailing along the coast to Portsmouth were liable to attack from the French and an inland navigation was desirable. In 1802, Rennie
4200-500: Was an unoccupied part of Penge Common , that did not fully develop until the 1850s following the relocation of the Crystal Palace to Penge Place at the top of Sydenham Hill. A government Enclosure Act of 1827 to divide and inclose a parcel of waste land called Penge Common stipulated that a 50 feet (15 metres) wide, new road, was to be set out from Clay Lane (now Elmers End Road) to Church Road, Upper Norwood . In October 1827,
4270-428: Was commissioned to consider extending the canal to Portsmouth , but ultimately nothing became of it. The adoption of locks required a water source for the canal to replace water lost when ascending / descending through the locks. Rennie’s original plan was to pump water from the Thames, which with the cost of the locks made it nearly £20,000 more expensive than a canal with inclined planes. The proprietors considered
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#17330853846644340-439: Was decided to raise the canal by two additional locks near Selhurst . These final two locks at Croydon Common raised the canal to the 174 feet (53 m) 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. At around £300 p.a. this was expensive to run. In June 1830 a new pumping engine was installed on Croydon Common, which
4410-554: Was described as able to lift water a height of 11 feet (3.4 m) at a rate of 2,000 imperial gallons per minute (9.1 m /min). Tenders for its purchase (including the 18-foot (5.5 m) diameter gasometer) were to be sent to the offices of the Croydon Railway Company, which shared the same address as the London and Croydon Railway Company and dealt with the acquisition of the canal and disposal of any unwanted assets. After
4480-553: Was for the cost of 47 bridges (£6,460) and steam engines to power the inclined planes (£6,000). The large number of bridges were necessary to allow land owners to access land bisected by the canal. Rennie completed his report on the 8 October 1800, which was presented to the investors on 10 October 1800. They adopted Rennie’s recommendation for a canal with inclined planes and submitted a petition to parliament on 18 February 1801. A petition for Dodd’s Grand Surrey Canal had already been submitted, and its proprietors petitioned against
4550-428: Was initially leased to R Hutson on 22 December 1813. It was subsequently let to Henry Doo on 23 October 1824 until the canal closed when he was a successful coal merchant, lighterman and boat owner with an average trade of £700 p.a. Land owners were also entitled to build wharves (clause 102), which included Penge wharf on the north side of Penge High Street, near Penge West railway station. By 1811, 22 barges plied
4620-502: Was never a success and closed in 1836, the first canal to be abandoned by an act of Parliament, the London and Croydon Railway Act 1835 ( 5 & 6 Will. 4 . c. x). Much of the alignment was used by the London and Croydon Railway Company, which had bought the canal for £40,250, for part of the railway between London Bridge and West Croydon station , which is on the site of the canal basin. The gas vacuum engine appears to have been in full working order when offered for sale in 1837. It
4690-407: Was often prohibited in canal acts to reduce the risk of anticompetitive behaviour. Pleasure craft also plied sections of the canal, to the benefit of several hostelries. The Selhurst lockkeeper, ‘old Grumble’, rented boats at a shilling (5p) an hour. Dodd’s introductory report forecast revenues of more than £3,200, most of this was from the importation of coal via London: Dodd believed
4760-445: Was significantly higher. The tolls authorised by parliament were also higher, although the company may have set lower rates: Profits and dividends were significantly less because of costs. In 1827 the canal made a profit of £196 on revenues of £3,634, which had steadily declined from a profit of £500 in 1825. There were calls to close the canal, but it was agreed to continue for another year without incurring further expense. The canal
4830-423: Was the first commercial installation of Samuel Brown's gas vacuum engine, and quite probably the first commercial internal combustion engine in the world. The economics of the gas engine were interesting as the gas it consumed was made by turning coal into coke . The value of the resulting coke and coal tar by-products of making the gas substantially exceeded the cost of the coal, ground rent, repairs etc., so
4900-404: Was they could only lift smaller, lighter boats that limited the bulky goods that could be carried on the canal. Several 5-7 ton (5.1 - 7.1 tonnes) boats or barges could be pulled in gangs by a single horse, but there would be delays at the inclined planes where the boats were individually raised or lowered. At over £46,000 Rennie’s canal was nearly twice the cost of Dodd’s; a large proportion of this
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