Talking about this earlier, spending all day on the boats playing run outs, racing the boat back by using the foot tunnel and the lift or occasionally going to the swing park. Got a bit much when I hit 40 as the knees had gone.
Talking about this earlier, spending all day on the boats playing run outs, racing the boat back by using the foot tunnel and the lift or occasionally going to the swing park. Got a bit much when I hit 40 as the knees had gone.
I walked the foot tunnel the evening of the Shrewsbury playoff game, for the first time in decades. Bit creepy down there to be honest, and as we lost I'm not doing it again!
I read about this on an official website recently, probably Royal Greenwich. It gave all the details of the dates of closure and when it starts to run again and alternative river crossings. At the bottom it said, However during this period of closure the foot tunnel will remain open. Made me laugh, not much use to a 10 ton truck!
I wonder if you can still go downstairs and see the engines ?
I can remember being taken on the old black paddle steamer ferry boats when I was a little lad, with it's tall thin funnel. A crew member took me and my Dad down into the engine room .... shiny brass and the noise, is all I can recollect now.
Belay your style of speech Mr Guru, lest you’ll soon be finding yourself at the gunnels, where His Majesty’s cat awaits you and shall harshly score your poxed ridden back!
I read about this on an official website recently, probably Royal Greenwich. It gave all the details of the dates of closure and when it starts to run again and alternative river crossings. At the bottom it said, However during this period of closure the foot tunnel will remain open. Made me laugh, not much use to a 10 ton truck!
I’ve no doubt one or two Eastern European truckers will give it a go though.
My lasting memory of the Woolwich Ferry is from the mid-1950s. I had contracted whooping cough, and although I was past the infection and back at school, I was still “whooping”.
The local folk cure for this, my mother was told, was to travel back and forth on the Woolwich Ferry, so off we went one Monday on the bus to Woolwich, and onto the ferry. I remember looking through a window from the passenger area into the engine room and marvelling at the gleaming brass-work and the massive pistons driving the paddle wheels.
Of course, Monday was traditional wash day, so in addition to the permanent sulphurous smell which came from the Thames in those pre-clean up days, there were huge “icebergs” of soapsuds gently floating down stream! I’m not sure whether it was the smoke from the steam ferries or the aroma of the Thames which was supposed to effect the cure, but unsurprisingly neither worked!
Yes, I have used the “modern” ferries which replaced these vessels in 1963, which are now to be replaced in their turn, but for me they totally lacked the interest of those old boats.
Talking about this earlier, spending all day on the boats playing run outs, racing the boat back by using the foot tunnel and the lift or occasionally going to the swing park. Got a bit much when I hit 40 as the knees had gone.
Ray we used to do this for hours mate and then into nth woolwich Park to climb the helicopter climbing frame
Down on the pebbles and sand collecting the clay pipes and the old coins and Victorian relics
I'm gutted and had no idea this was happening. My mum's dad used to work at Woolwich Power Station and knew the ferrymen, he used to take me on the ferry's every week and we were allowed to watch the engines working from the engine room. Another piece of my childhood going.... I must try and get down there before the 5th.
Belay your style of speech Mr Guru, lest you’ll soon be finding yourself at the gunnels, where His Majesty’s cat awaits you and shall harshly score your poxed ridden back!
As someone from north of the water travelling over the Woolwich Ferry as a kid with my granddad was a huge part of my matchday experience and all part of the day out.
Love 'em and still tried to justify using them even when it made sense to go another way.
I'm gutted and had no idea this was happening. My mum's dad used to work at Woolwich Power Station and knew the ferrymen, he used to take me on the ferry's every week and we were allowed to watch the engines working from the engine room. Another piece of my childhood going.... I must try and get down there before the 5th.
You're about my age, Red Mid. If you can recall being taken to the engine room, then I bet you're remembering the old paddle steamer ferry before it was taken off in the 1960s?
It's their replacement diesel ferries that are themselves being replaced now.
I'm gutted and had no idea this was happening. My mum's dad used to work at Woolwich Power Station and knew the ferrymen, he used to take me on the ferry's every week and we were allowed to watch the engines working from the engine room. Another piece of my childhood going.... I must try and get down there before the 5th.
I'm gutted and had no idea this was happening. My mum's dad used to work at Woolwich Power Station and knew the ferrymen, he used to take me on the ferry's every week and we were allowed to watch the engines working from the engine room. Another piece of my childhood going.... I must try and get down there before the 5th.
Ffs Wally, they replaced that one ages ago.
Where did you get that pic, Ray?
That's the paddle steamer I remember when I was a little lad!
Comments
Will be interesting to see what the new ones are like
A crew member took me and my Dad down into the engine room .... shiny brass and the noise, is all I can recollect now.
Must have been early 1960s.
I had contracted whooping cough, and although I was past the infection and back at school, I was still “whooping”.
The local folk cure for this, my mother was told, was to travel back and forth on the Woolwich Ferry, so off we went one Monday on the bus to Woolwich, and onto the ferry. I remember looking through a window from the passenger area into the engine room and marvelling at the gleaming brass-work and the massive pistons driving the paddle wheels.
Of course, Monday was traditional wash day, so in addition to the permanent sulphurous smell which came from the Thames in those pre-clean up days, there were huge “icebergs” of soapsuds gently floating down stream! I’m not sure whether it was the smoke from the steam ferries or the aroma of the Thames which was supposed to effect the cure, but unsurprisingly neither worked!
Yes, I have used the “modern” ferries which replaced these vessels in 1963, which are now to be replaced in their turn, but for me they totally lacked the interest of those old boats.
Down on the pebbles and sand collecting the clay pipes and the old coins and Victorian relics
Just replacing the old vessels with new ones and not before time.
Love 'em and still tried to justify using them even when it made sense to go another way.
It's their replacement diesel ferries that are themselves being replaced now.
That's the paddle steamer I remember when I was a little lad!