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On the evening of 20th September 2007, Friends were joined by members of the LondonTransport Industrial Archaeology Group for a two-hour cruise up and down the Thames:
The late-afternoon weather was anything but encouraging, witha heavy downpour only half an hour before embarkation time at1645 (for a prompt departure at 1700 hours). However, by thetime the party of some 80 Friends and LTIAG members werecomfortably seated on board Capital Pleasure Boats' MV GoldenStar, with a welcoming cup of coffee or tea on offer, the skieshad brightened; this enabled those so wishing to take upposition on the small open rear deck, better for photography, butnot for hearing the informative commentary given by AndyGriffiths, TfL's General Manager, London River Services.
The cruise followed an initial course up-stream, past the Housesof Parliament and turning close to Millbank Millennium Pier, oneof eight now managed by Transport for London. (For the record,the others are: Festival, Embankment, Blackfriars Millennium,Bankside, Tower Millennium and Greenwich; we cruised past allbut Greenwich on our two-hour itinerary.)
Proceeding down-stream, we called again at Westminster Pier,where one or two latecomers boarded. Then it was full-ahead forthe Tower and beyond, turning for home opposite the ThamesPolice Headquarters at Wapping. Andy pointed out the sightsand piers, explained the various scheduled tourist andcommuter boat services now available and commented on thebusy river traffic in general. There is not room in this briefaccount to record all that we heard and saw. Noteworthy,however, were two large cruise liners: Silver Wind, mooredalongside HMS Belfast; and Deutschland, moored below TowerBridge. Cruise passengers not on-shore enjoying the Londonsights returned a friendly wave.
Andy also pointed out the historic vessels we passed. As well asthe familiar Tattershall Castle and Queen Mary (the former ClydeTurbine Steamer - not the new Cunarder!), we glimpsed:Viscount, dating from 1908 and still in active up-river service onthe tourist route to Hampton Court and occasionally on thePutney Bridge to Blackfriars commuter runs; Royal Princess andViscountess (from 1935 and 1926 respectively); and St.Katharine, the PLA luxury steam yacht, now in use as a staticvenue.All too soon we were back at Westminster. It was a splendidevening, watching the sights of London go by from the relaxedsurroundings of the boat, aided by its bar facilities, goodcompany and informative commentary. Our thanks go to AndyGriffiths for his willing participation in the event, to Capital Pleasure Boats and to LTIAG visits officer, Paul Blackwell, whoorganised the event with the assistance of his secretary Ivy Kasote.
LTIAG
The London Transport Industrial Archaeology Group organisesmeetings and visits on industrial archaeology topics and publishes a regular newsletter, all for an annual subscriptionof £1.
Friends are welcome to join LTIAG. The meetings are in the District Line Room (727) at 55 Broadway, starting at 1745 hours. Further details and a specimen newsletter areavailable from the Friends' newsletter Editor.
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