Thames pageant

Created a thread for this as there's probably several members watching today,

I'll kick off... just heard a steam whistle from the window, so had a look.. saw the best part of 40 narrow boats making their way upstream to the city in the gloomy mist.. !!! lead by a steam powered narrow boat.

 

Looking at the weather I reckon there's more water falling from the sky than there is in the Thames.

 

A couple of pictures of the Narrow Boat procession heading into the city, not sure the last time so many narrow boats were in the thames.

 

it is as gllomy and wet as the pictures suggest... keeps like this I may need the tripod and a tent.

 

Steam Narrowboat President.

The Railway Preservationists may want to watch out for the Canal Preservationists aboard their boat 'Fulbourne'. The boat is a 1937 'Large Woolitch' variant of the Town Class. The owners/crew are all active 'Navvies' with the Waterway Recovery Group, the travelling volunteer manpower of the canal restoration movement.

There are huge numbers of historic vessels in the Pageant, both within the 'Historic' groupings and elsewhere. For example a friend of mine is firing aboard the Thames Passenger Steamer Nuneham (1898). She is part of the Royal Squadron, carrying VIPs.

Rick

 

'Princess Elizabeth' LMS 6201 was also present on the nearby Battersea railway bridge. She greeted the Queen with a series of hoots as the Queen was taken by boat across to the 'Spirit of Chartwell' before moving off before the pagent got under way.

(By the way, the NB Fulbourne is a 'Large Woolwich', so called because it was built at Harland and Wolff's North Woolwich boatyard, a couple of miles from where I used to live on the south side of the river. And even we Woolwich locals pronounce the town's name as you've spelt it! )

John Webb

 

With the weather how it was, today isnt a day for quality pictures.
However given the sheer number of boats down the thames today, I can only show quantity of pictures.
Truly amazing, something I have never seen before

I definitely felt the Dunkirk spirit on the riverside today, surrounded by people getting soaked, running for cover and cheering on the sight of all the boats !

anyways, here's my quantity from the day:



In the hour or so before the start today I have never seen the Thames so smooth (see 2nd picture).. it was like a mill pond on a calm day. King Canute would be proud.
For the weather.. compare picture 2 to picture 14.. it's almost a spot the difference in background buildings !

 

The weather was better earlier on.

Here is my offering-two from near the front:





Duncan