Old Oak Common to Bulls Bridge on The Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal.

As the Paddington Arm leaves London the surrounds slowly become much more countriefied with lots of trees and so on.

This follows on from our Paddington Arm from West London to Kensal Green topic. Particularly on this part of the Paddington Arm the canal is crossed by quite a few railway bridges many of which are really beautiful girder railway bridges. These carry railway lines into the still extensive Old Oak Common railway marshalling yards - always as you wander along you can hear trains rushing by and even get a glimpse of them over the old nicely bricked wall. It all must have been a fantastic sight in the old Great Western Region days of steam engines. It's easy to imagine GWR Halls, Castles and Kings pulling their passenger and freight trains through the area whilst small steam tank engines huffed and puffed around busily shunting various freight wagons and carriages here and there.
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The last few miles of The Paddington Arm towpath to it's end where it meets the Grand Union Canal is fairly enclosed and bordered by high hedging - therefore there is little opportunity to stop for a while and certainly nothing like any bench seats etc. available. However at Ballot Box Bridge if you cross over said bridge here is a children's play area and several picnic tables and seats around plus a public toilet can be found by walking on up to the visitor's centre.

The Paddington Arm finishes it's journey from West London at Bull's Bridge Junction where it connects up with the The Grand Union Canal at Bulls Bridge. To make a circular walk or cycle ride you can turn left along the Grand Union's towpath to head on back into London where the canal meets up with the River Thames opposite Kew Gardens or if you turn right along the towpath then you will be heading towards Denham, Northampton and eventually Birmingham.