Blow-Up Bridge To Camden Market

Macclesfield Road got it’s other name, Blow-Up Bridge, in the early morning of 2nd October 1874 when a train of barges towed by a steam tug were passing along the canal. One of the barges, ‘Tilbury’ was carrying several barrels of spirit and about 5 tons of gunpowder. As it passed under the bridge it exploded, killing the crew and demolishing the bridge. The fact that the canal runs in a cutting at this point probably saved many lives as the blast went up rather than outwards. The bridge was rebuilt quickly, using the original cast-iron columns, but they were put back in different positions, so the grooves cut in them by countless ropes were now on the towpath side. Look at the inner, towpath, face and you’ll see them today.

Ahead, on the towpath side you’ll be able to see the Snowdon Aviary, opened in 1965. Opposite are some of the animal pens in the London Zoo. They do get changed around occasionally, but for the past few years they have held part of the Antelope collection.

Do NOT attempt to land at the Zoo landing stage. It is private and strictly monitored
If you want to visit the Zoo, moor up at the Camden Visitor moorings and follow the signs.

Ahead, you will see the Feng Shang oriental restaurant at it’s mooring in Cumberland Basin (not the original Cumberland Basin, which was at the end of a branch canal that ran from here for three quarters of a mile round the eastern end of Regents Park, but was closed and filled in with rubble from the second world war in 1948). There is a blind 90 degree turn to the left now, so keep the speed right down and proceed gently. There is plenty of room to pull back if necessary, but if you’re bothered at all put someone ashore to go ahead and make sure the way is clear.

Camden Visitor Moorings appear on the left soon after the junction and the two road bridges - Waters Meeting and Grafton

Another gentle word of warning
Part way along there are the remains of a horse ramp, which were built each side of railway bridges to help the boatmen recover their horses if they fell into the canal. There are quite a few from now on, and some of them are in excellent condition, but this one isn’t.
Be careful that you don’t misjudge your approach and hit the submerged bit, (you may tip somebody overboard), or step onto the towpath only to find it’s made of water.

Next is Gloucester Avenue or ‘Fitzroy’ bridge, followed by the rail bridges that serve Euston Main Line station and as the canal widens ahead, on the off side is the Pirate Castle Youth Activities Centre. On the towpath side there is a building that matches the architecture of the Pirate Castle. It is an Electricity Board Pumping Station. Beyond the castle, which sits on the Oval Road bridge, is a large white building which used to be owned by Gilbeys Gin. Warehousing on the towpath side was also owned by Gilbeys. Mooring bollards are for short term mooring at Camden Market, the entrance to which is on the left just beyond the raised towpath ahead, which lifts the towpath over the entrance to a short dock into the Camden Catacombs, and is all that remains of a complex of docks and wharves that used to serve this area.
Camden Market has it’s own web site as does the Jongleurs Comedy Club
The cast iron footbridge that spans the head of the lock also crosses the entrance to the former Dingwalls Timber Wharf (now the starting point for the WaterBus to the Zoo and Little Venice).

It is at this point that the towpath transfers to the southern side of the canal for a few yards. It crosses back after the lock, which is officially known as Hampstead Road Top Lock, but is also called Camden Top Lock.
The old winch sitting beneath the footbridge was originally used to move barges at Limehouse before the entrance to the Limehouse Cut was modified.

This is the first of the locks that will lower the canal to it’s final destination at Limehouse, and is the only one where both chambers are operational. All the others have had one chamber converted into an overflow weir.The preferred chamber to use is usually indicated by a timber beam obstructing the head and tail of the out-of-use chamber.