As can be seen from the people standing in the hold, the barge alongside what is now the Island development is most definitely a Thames size vessel! That’s why the two sets of locks here were built larger than those further up the canal – this area was always intended to take advantage of the Thames’ proximity.
There was never any need to tranship between barges and narrowboats out on the Thames as suggested, because these barges could be and were regularly navigated along the tidal River Brent part of the canal. More large barges can be seen in the background underneath the overhanging warehouses.