Paddington Basin is an area of Paddington, London named after the nearby canal basin.

The junction of the Regent's Canal and the Grand Junction Canal is close to this point but the basin itself is the terminus of the Paddington Arm of the Grand Junction Canal. It was opened in 1801. Paddington was chosen because of its position on the New Road which led to the east, providing for onward transport. In its heyday, the basin was a major trans-shipment facility, and a hive of activity.

A consortium in partnership with British Waterways began work in January 2000 by draining the basin.

The basin is now the centre of a major redevelopment and is surrounded by modern buildings. It is the site of The Rolling Bridge, built in 2004.

Marks & Spencer Head Office is now located here after moving from their Baker Street site in 2004.

The nearest London Underground stations are Edgware Road and Paddington. London Paddington is also a National Rail station.

[edit] See also

• Canals of the United Kingdom
• History of the British canal system
• List of canal basins in the United Kingdom

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• http://www.paddingtonbasin.co.uk/
• http://www.p-w-p.co.uk/
• Masterplan of development work

Coordinates: 51°31′06″N 0°10′25″W / 51.518471°N 0.17355°W / 51.518471; -0.17355