British Marine Federation Boatyards Marinas and Services around the River Thames 3rd Edition With the compliments of the Thames Boating Trades Association Introducing the The Thames Boating Trades Association The Thames Boating Trades Association (TBTA) currently has about 185 members throughout the Thames corridor and is an association within the British Marine Federation. One of the aims of both organisations is to assist members and promote boating; this booklet will hopefully assist you with leisure time around the Thames including a guide of so many exciting things to see. I am very proud to have been elected chairman of the TBTA as my families company was a founder member of the association many years back. I have worked in the industry for over 35 years and have always had a passionate interest in boats and in particular the royal river for its beauty and friendly atmosphere, I hope you enjoy it just as much as I have. We welcome all boat owners and holidaymakers to the Thames and hope our members can be assistance to you. This directory is our 4th edition and is packed with usual information and an A-Z listing of our members. If you require any further information the following websites should be of use: www.britishmarine.co.uk www.visitthames.co.uk www.waterscape.co.uk www.boatingadvice.co.uk Good boating John Salter FMW Chairman TBTA 1 Welcome to the Thames This is a rive rich in boating history as well as being one of the most beautiful waterways in the country. The Environment Agency, as navigation authority, welcomes you and hopes you will have time to explore the river and its traditions. From Lechlade to Teddington our lock keepers and staff work hard to maintain locks, weirs and water levels, patrol the river and provide mornings, sanitary stations, electricity charging points, campsites, angling platforms and other facilities. They are here to help, so please ask if you have any queries. We now register over 25,000 powered and unpowered craft every year, and as the river is increasingly linked by new waterways to national network, we look forward to seeing more boaters from around the country. To help your planning, the Agency publishes a range of free leaflets - A Users Guide to the Thames, Camping by the River Thames, Tips for Visiting Boaters and Hiring a Boat. We also publish, for a small charge, ‘Out and About Guides’ for each reach of the river, providing details of nearby shops, launderettes, local hospitals, public transport, boating facilities, post offices, restaurants and more, as well as sites of local interest. Please call the information line: 0845 601 5336 or see the Agency’s Thames website www.visitthames.co.uk Looking after the river Managing the non-tidal Thames is a long-term project. Much of the river is an important wildlife habitat and the Agency’s work involves balancing the needs of visitors, the boating trades community, businesses, residents and wildlife. And making really substantial improvements to locks and riverside facilities requires huge investment, and long term planning with local authorities, many landowners and residents, and hundreds of clubs and businesses. But we are getting there. Thames, Ahead, the projects set up in 2000 to promote the river and improve facilities, has made considerable progress and was commended at the 2003 Waterways Renaissance Awards. We hope you enjoy you time on the river. Useful Environment Agency Contacts: Information line and leaflets: 0845 601 5336 Craft registration: 0118 953 5650 Floodline and river information: 0845 988 1188 What to do on or near the Thames: www.visitthames.co.uk About the Environment Agency: www.environment-agency.gov.uk 2 Contents The Environment Agency 2 From Lechlade - Oxford 4 - 5 From Abingdon to Wallingford 6 - 7 From Moulsford to Sonning 8 - 9 From Sonning - Maidenhead 10 - 11 From Maidenhead - Staines 12 - 13 From Staines to Sunbury 14 - 15 From Walton to Richmond 16 - 17 Access to other waterways The Oxford Canal 5 The Kennet & Avon Canal 9 The River Wey Navigation 14 The Grand Union Canal 17 Boatyard and Services The Boat Safety Scheme 18 Boat Safety Examiners 18 Useful Addresses 19 Boatyards and Services Classified 19 - 24 Boatyards & Services - Alphabetical List 25 - 32 All photographs in this publication by courtesy of Chris Cove-Smith. 3 Lechlade ~ Oxford The non-tidal section of the Thames is generally navigable from Inglesham near Lechlade (where there is a convenient turning point), downstream to just below Teddington Lock, about 128 miles. Above Inglesham the river is accessible only to small boats and canoes. Below Teddington the river starts to be tidal down to EYNSHAM the half tide lock at Richmond and then on to the Tideway. The non- tidal section is administered by the Environment Agency - Thames OXFORD CRUISERS Region from their office at Reading Tel: 01189 535000. A river HIRE BOATS Eynsham Lock registration is required, and boats based on the Thames must have a Boat Safety Certificate. (See page 18) . THCA Pinkhill Lock SUTTON FILCHAMPSTEAD WEST END HA’PENNY BRIDGE Northmoor SHIFFORD Lock MORETON APPLETON Shifford Lock COTSWOLD BOAT HIRE To Lechlade At Lechlade COTSWOLD RIVER CRUISERS Below Teddington Lock the river is administered by the Port of London Authority Tel: 0171 265 2656 (see page 16). There are links with the Oxford Canal (page 5), the Kennet and Avon Canal at Reading (page 9) the River Wey at Weybridge (Page 15) and the Grand Union at Richmond (page 17). 4 The Oxford Canal The Oxford is a narrow canal Duke’s Lock accessible only to boats of maximum 6ft 10 beam and is Duke’s Cut GILES REINFORCED entered by way of Dukes Cut King’s Lock Woodcote Lock PLASTICS LTD Lock and Dukes Lock or through the Isis Lock. The Oxford is a COLLEGE CRUISERS charming contour canal winding HIRE BOATS Godstow through the Rural countryside, Lock THCA linking the upper Thames with the Grand Union Canal and the OSNEY MARINE route to Birmingham. There ENGINEERING are no reciprocal licence BOSSOM’S BOATYARD COMPANY arrangements for Thames £ Registration holders but short term licences are available. Isis Lock OXFORD Telephone: British Waterways Customer Osney Bridge SALTER BROTHERS HIRE BOATS Services at 01923 BOTLEY 201120 for details £ Osney and the name of a Lock Local Agent. Central Oxford For vessels visiting the Thames from the Few would argue that this is the best way to make Oxford Canal, short your entrance into the city. The long tow path, college period registration boat houses, Christ Church Meadow and the Cherwell can be obtained from with its punts are all below Folly Bridge. While you are Iffley Eynsham, Kings, trying your hand at punting you will see college Lock Godstow or Osney 'eights' practising. Oxford should be seen on foot – Locks during lock- there is so much to see. A university city since the keepers hours of duty. 12th century. We suggest a stroll from the river to the Tourist Information Centre and take the two-hour tour or frequent mini-bus tour. In the evening book seats at the famous Playhouse Theatre. Sandford Lock LOWER RADLEY To Radley OXFORD Rowing boats and punts below Foley Bridge. 5 To Lower Radley Abingdon ~ Wallingford RADLEY ABINGDON ABINGDON BOAT CENTRE HIRE BOATS D PO GAS Abingdon Lock THCA CLIFTON HAMPDEN Culham Bridge Culham Lock Clifton Lock Abingdon Once the County Town of Berkshire, Abingdon is the first of a number of important market towns on the river. Abingdon used to boast a powerful abbey and today there are Clifton Hampden two groups of monastic buildings remaining. These With the village church on the west buildings are in Thames Street next to the Upper bank and the famous 'Barley Mow' Reaches Hotel where a 14th century watermill can be on the east, an impressive village seen from the restaurant. The moorings in Abingdon with its imposing six-arched bridge are an excellent feature of the town and are an designed by Sir Gilbert Scott. You encouragement to stay awhile and explore. must admire the 'Barley Mow', Half a mile upstream of Abingdon Lock is the now restored to its original and unusual disused Swift Ditch Lock which was built in 1624. Only design with its low pitched gables, the second pound lock, the type of lock you see on the thatched roof and latticed windows. river today, ever built in this country, it is situated in the A favourite with Jerome K. Jerome, Swift Ditch Backwater which was once the main who stayed here while writing navigation channel of the river. 'Three Men In A Boat'. ABINGDON 6 Dorchester From Day's Lock take the path over Dyke Hills for the half mile walk into Dorchester. Strictly speaking Dorchester is on Thame and not Thames for it is to the south opposite Little Wittenham Wood that the River Thames offers itself to the ever growing Father Thames. An area rich in history, Dorchester was once the cathedral city of Wessex and later Mercia, from the 7th to the 9th centuries. The Abbey, with its Jesse window, is one of the most important buildings in the Thames Valley. DORCHESTER WALLINGFORD Day’s Lock SWANCRAFT LTD HIRE BOATS D GAS THCA Benson Lock Wallingford Celts, Romans, Saxons and Danes fought for the river crossing while William the Conqueror marched on London from Hastings by way of Wallingford. From the WALLINGFORD river it is the superb 900 ft. long bridge, only 15 ft shorter than the old London Bridge that heralds today's river crossing. A wide variety of inns, a busy market place, the excellently restored Lamb Hotel into an antiques and craft arcade and the centuries- old remains of both castle and fortification make Wallingford a place to explore with To North Stoke the 15th century George Hotel where Dick and Moulsford Turpin once stayed.