Transport on the Regent's Canal

Transport on the Regent's Canal includes a number of water transit services which run along the Regent's Canal in London, England, UK. Several privately owned boat companies operate services which are open to the public, providing both leisure cruises and regular scheduled "water bus" services along the canal between Little Venice, London Zoo and Camden Lock.

Regent's Canal
LocaleLondon, England, UK
WaterwayRegent's Canal
Transit typeWaterbus services
OperatorJason's Canal Boat Trips
Jenny Wren
London Water bus Company
No. of lines1
No. of vesselsNarrowboats:
Jason's - 1
Jenny Wren - 1
London Waterbus Co. - 4
No. of terminals3

Operators

The boat companies running services include the London Waterbus Company, the Jenny Wren and Jason's Canal Boat Trips. The companies operate on the canal under licence from Canal and River Trust,[1] and are run independently of other London public transport services and therefore cannot use Oyster Cards or contactless payment on these services.

Vessels
A water bus near London Zoo

The London Waterbus Company has a fleet of four traditional canal barges or narrowboats which have been converted to carry passengers as a water bus service. Two of the vessels are of historic interest and are noted on the National Register of Historic Ships.[2]

Services

The London Waterbus Company runs daily scheduled water bus services all year round, with regular services running between Camden Lock and Little Venice, as well as Zoo Express services into London Zoo (including zoo admission). They have online ticketing with additional limited walk up availability for seats with card payments onboard. The Jenny Wren operates a similar route, offering a scheduled pleasure cruise service from Camden Lock to Little Venice and back with a tour guide.[3] During the winter months, the boat is available for private hire only.

Jason's Trip has operated public trips from Little Venice to Camden since 1951. Jason operates from the first weekend in April to the first weekend in November.[4]

Route
London Waterbus
 Little Venice Warwick Avenue
 A5
 Maida Hill Tunnel
272 yards (249 m)
 Chiltern Main Line bridge
 A41
 London Zoo
 Cumberland Basin
 A5205
 West Coast Mainline bridge
1
Camden Lock
Camden Town
Camden Road

At the western end of the canal, water bus services run from the area known as "Little Venice" in Maida Vale, north-west London, at the junction of the Regent's Canal and the Grand Union Canal. This part of the canal was originally called Browning's Pool, after the English poet Robert Browning who lived here from 1862 to 1887, and who is believed to have coined the name "Little Venice".[5]

From Little Venice, the canal passes under the ancient Roman Road of Watling Street (today the A5 road) through the 272 yards (249 m) Maida Hill tunnel, and then passes through St John's Wood, curving parallel to Prince Albert Road around the northern edge of Regent's Park. The London Zoo water bus stop lies on the zoo side of the canal and can only be accessed by London Zoo visitors (there is no access to Regent's Park without buying a zoo ticket).

At the Cumberland Turn, the junction with the former Cumberland Basin, the canal bends left past a floating Chinese restaurant. The service terminates at the Grade II listed Camden Lock, only twin-lock remaining on the Canal. The locks were constructed in 1818–20 by James Morgan, and are located in the popular Camden Town area.

See also

References
  1. "Boating in London". British Waterways. Archived from the original on 5 May 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  2. "Information". London Water Bus Company. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  3. "Jenny Wren". Walker's Quay. Retrieved 17 August 2009.
  4. "Jason's Trip". Jason's Trip. Retrieved 27 April 2011.
  5. Little Venice Music Festival
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