IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Stansted Road, HOUNSLOW, TW6 3LW

The Duke's river is on the left. Both are here diverted around Heathrow Airport, although both were artificial rivers anyway. The Duke's 16th century river was to augment water supply for his mills by diverting water from the River Colne to the River Crane. The Longford River was dug in the 17th century to supply water to Hampton Court from the River Colne.

A boast on the building informs us what they do - 'Ground handler of the year, 2014, 15, 16 & 17'.

The Longford and the Duke of Northumberland's Rivers flow side by side close to the west and south perimeters of Heathrow Airport. Both man made rivers anyway, created for water supply and mill augmentation respectively, they formerly followed separate courses but were brought together during the airport construction. Here they flow along a grassy strip between two main roads. Along here, the Longford River is the county border between London and Surrey. A fairly new border created in 1965 when Greater London and its boroughs took over most of what was once Middlesex, and Surrey inherited places like Bedfont which were outside the zone for some reason.

Stirling Road heads off to the left here.

Taken from the Southern Perimeter Road. The river has been canalised to pass around Heathrow Airport.

The southern perimeter of Heathrow Airport can be seen on the left.

The junction of Long Lane with the Bedfont Road. One of the Heathrow based catering firms producing food for the airlines is in the background.

Looking downstream along the diversion of the original 16th century artificial cut around Heathrow Airport. It runs from the River Colne to the River Crane, and was to augment the water supply for the duke's mills.