PCC NOTES ON VISITING THAMES CREEKS
BELL LANE CREEK and RIVER WANDLE
The creek is best tackled on a rising tide. The journey from Limehouse takes around one hour. High water at Bell Lane Creek is 30 minutes after High Water London Bridge. The creek is accessible for around 2 hours either side of high water. The optimum time to leave Limehouse is 2Y2 hours before High Water at London Bridge. This ensures adequate time to visit the creek and continue upstream to Brentford. Remember to keep to the right hand third of the river on your passage upstream to Wandsworth Bridge.
The Creek, which is at the mouth of the River Wandle, was once used by lighters and sailing barges to service Wandsworth Town Wharf . This was particularly so after the adjacent MacMurray’s canal lock was closed in 1923, subsequently the Creek was used by pleasure craft. The entrance is in the southern bank of the river, one quarter of a mile upstream of Wandsworth Bridge and is located just beyond the western boundary of the West London Waste Transfer Site and Wharfs which are easily recognised by the lighters with the waste containers and the large mobile gantry cranes!
Some ten years ago an impounding weir was constructed at the Creek Mouth. This acts as a ‘half tide’ sluice. The gate, situated between the Red and Green Marker Posts, which define the navigable channel ten metres wide, can be raised automatically when the tide falls to weir level to impound the remaining water in the Creek The Gate remains in the lowered position during high water to facilitate the transit of craft. The aim is to use this window to enter and leave the Creek.
Navigators may wish to note that the Crest of the Weir is at 1.90 metres above OD, but the Cill level with the Gate Lowered is at 0.00 AOD, giving a minimum depth of water over the lowered gate sill of 1.90 metres in relation to the crest of the weir. The actual depth of water above the sill at any time is indicated on the gauge board attached to the river wall.
By leaving Limehouse 2Y2 hours before HW LB, by the time you reach the Creek, there should be adequate depth over the gate to make the transit into the Creek. However, it is always wise to proceed slowly over the gate itself!
The Creek is less than 14 mile in length and follows the Right Hand Fork just upstream of the entrance. Proceed slowly under the railway bridge and turn to the left to reach the creek end at Bell Weir. Depending on the length of craft, turning in the creek is possible, but sometimes it is necessary to reverse back to the bend to facilitate the turn.
Proceed up the Creek, take your photos, and then return the way you came in, again taking care to slowly cross the gate area. The visit should take about 25 minutes overall.
The onward journey to Brentford takes 114 hours and it is recommended that craft proceed upstream to Brentford Thames Lock which is open 2 hours either side of HW Brentford (one hour later than HW London Bridge).
Please note, you will be arriving at Brentford around High Water. This will mean that headroom will be severely restricted under Brentford High Street Bridge. Take the centre of the arch and proceed with caution. The Gauging Lock ahead is User Operated with a BW Watermate key.
ALL BOATERS AND SKIPPERS ARE REMINDED THAT THEY UNDERTAKE THE CRUISES COMPLETELY AT THEIR OWN RISK. THE ST. PANCRAS CRUISING CLUB AND ITS OFFICERS CANNOT ACCEPT ANY LIABILITY FOR THE SAFETY OF CRAFT ON THE TIDAL THAMES