Archive of photographs and articles relating to the Thames at Gravesend
TYPE-23 frigate HMS Kent has arrived in London for a weekend-long visit The Duke-class frigate sailed up the Thames to the capital this afternoon, passing the county whose Duchy she is named after en route. She arrived at West India Docks at about 6.30pm where she will remain until Monday. The ship’s company will give Capability Demonstration during her visit for …
AN iconic steam ship left Tilbury yesterday afternoon to set off on an emotional return home to Scotland. TS Queen Mary has languished in the docks for seven years but is now finally on her way back to the Clyde thanks to the efforts of a charity formed to preserve her. The 77-metre long turbine steam ship was built in Dumbarton in the …
LONDON saw its biggest ever cruise ship christening yesterday when Viking Sea arrived in town. The brand new, 227 metre long cruise ship sailed up the Thames to arrive at Greenwich shortly after midday. 28 sailors were manning the yard arm of Cutty Sark, the iconic clipper ship, at Greenwich to welcome Viking Sea to London. The cruise ship, capable …
LONDON’s cruise season got under way this afternoon when the cruise ship L’Austral sailed up the Thames. The luxury megayacht-style ship made her way in to London in warm sunshine with blue sky and puffy white clouds above. L’Austral’s arrival into the upper pool alongside HMS Belfast is the first by a cruise ship so far this year. The 142-metre …
THE QUEEN’s row barge Gloriana has re-entered the Thames after her period of winter storage at the Port of London Authority’s facility at Denton Wharf, Gravesend. She was lowered in to the Thames by the PLA’s 70-tonne capacity boat-lift shortly before midday and then towed up river to St Katharine Docks by the CPBS-owned tug, Mad Dog. The beautiful 29-metre-long vessel will …
March came to an end and April started last week with a pleasing sunset and sunrise over the Thames at Gravesend. The sun sets on March 31st behind the old West Street station pier at Gravesend. The pier was part of a platform at the old Gravesend West railway station that jutted out on to the river. About 10 hours …
A FERRY which operated from Portsmouth to Gosport for fifty years has arrived on the Thames after being acquired by a new owner. The Portsmouth Queen left Portsmouth Harbour for the final time on February 29th and arrived on the Thames the following day. The vessel, which will be known as the London Queen, initially moored at the Gravesend old …
HMS Severn arrived in London yesterday afternoon and was greeted with a watery salute from a fire boat. The River-class patrol ship is in the capital to help mark the 150th anniversary of the London Fire Brigade. “Lucky Severn” was met by the fire boat, Fire Dart, at Woolwich and accompanied up Bugsby’s Reach with water shooting into the air. …
THE TYPE-23 frigate HMS Portland paid a short visit to London last week. Visiting the capital to support London International Shipping Week, Portland made her way up the Thames on Tuesday morning. Launched in 1999, HMS Portland is the fifteenth of the Duke-class frigates. She was moored in the Upper Pool alongside HMS Belfast for the duration of stay. Another …
THE CHILEAN navy’s sail training tall ship Esmeralda arrived in London earlier this week. The four-masted barquentine made her way up the river on Wednesday morning after spending the previous evening moored near Southend. 113-metres in length and constructed in the late 1940s with a steel hull, Esmeralda was met on her arrival in the capital by dark cloudy skies and …