THE PORT OF AUTHORITY MAGAZINE b ISSUE 7 b SPRING 2009 t n e m m o C

Simon Sherrard

2009 marks the centenary of the Port of country. The PLA’s core responsibility of London Authority. For a hundred years it safety of navigation continues and each has been our proud year we oversee the responsibility to movement of more than help all river users 10,000 large ships on make the most of the river. the Thames, safely. The prospects for the In our early Port of London and the years our challenge Thames look surprisingly was to make sure good, in spite of the that the Port was uncertain economic

Editor: able to operate as times. People will Doug Kempster the lynchpin of continue to need the Design: what was at the fuel, food and other Eureka Marketing Solutions time the world’s essentials that come 020 7801 1480 leading trading through the Port. There Photographers: nation. This is also significant Andy Wallace Samuel Ashfield involved bringing investment planned in John Neligan order to a chaotic new facilities and Ferrari Press Agency Gavin Parsons and crowded river, interest in using the river Museum of London making sure the for moving goods and Damen Shipyards RNLI Gravesend approach channels materials is at an Thames Water were deep enough unprecedented level for University of Southern Denmark and investing in the most modern cargo- projects including the Olympics, Crossrail Port of London Authority handling technology of the day. and the Thames Tunnel. We will continue London River House Through the subsequent years we to do our job working with many other Royal Pier Road Gravesend addressed a series of different challenges. organisations to make sure that the DA12 2BG, UK The Port made its invaluable contribution various aspirations can be accommodated Enquiries: in two world wars and within 20 years of on our busy river safely, efficiently [email protected] Telephone: World War II ending, the Port was and securely. 01474 562 305 handling the most cargo in its history. For more information But, a technological revolution saw ships on the Port of London increase in size and move down river in Authority, go to: search of deeper waters. www.pla.co.uk Today the PLA is no longer directly Simon Sherrard involved in cargo handling; nevertheless Chairman London is the second largest Port in the Port of London Authority

2 Divers have started mapping the remains of an Elizabethan ship that was raised from the Thames Estuary. The underwater archaeologists from the University of Southern Denmark are studying the Gresham wreck as part of a major research project that’s being supported by the Port of London Authority (Tidal Thames 3). The ship’s timbers, discovered in 2003 during a PLA survey of the Princes Channel, now lie in Horsea Lake, Portsmouth, where they’re being kept to prevent them drying out. The archaeologists’ findings will be Water Chiefs Get Ratty added to a raft of technical reports and research papers on the vessel that are Bosses at Europe’s largest sewage then bring the voles back to being highlighted at a series of works are rounding-up rare water Crossness to enjoy the new reed conferences over the next four years. The wreck became the authority’s voles. ditches we’ve created. responsibility once salvage teams The animals – the inspiration “Water voles are an important removed it from the shipping channel. for Ratty in Kenneth Grahame’s feature at Crossness where, over The hull, which dates back to around Wind in the Willows – have been recent years, we have re- 1574, is the only known well-preserved example of a small English merchantman thriving on the river’s marshes. established over 1.5km of from the Elizabethan period. But work to expand Thames ditches for them and have seen Water’s treatment facility at them thrive.” Crossness could endanger them if Thames Water and independent they remain in the area. wildlife experts have set their So conservation teams from the sights on 30 water voles which company are packing the are currently living around three protected species off to the coast sludge lagoons. while construction’s carried out. The conservation teams are Thames Water’s Martin Wagner using carrots and apples to entice said: “We want to make sure these the creatures out before bussing Port authority lock keeper Bert voles are not disturbed or hurt in them to the Wildwood Trust Wolff, who hauled a disabled man any way. sanctuary in Herne Bay, Kent. from the river at Richmond (Tidal “That’s why we’re transferring The extension to Crossness Thames 6), has been commended them to a breeding sanctuary in Sewage Works, which serves by the Metropolitan Police Service for “outstanding professionalism in Kent. around two million people, will the rescue of a drowning male and “They’re likely to stay there for boost treatment capacity by 44 the rendering of emergency life about two years, where we hope per cent. support saving the male’s life”. their numbers will increase. We’ll s w e Sailor’s Sleeping Bag Ordeal N r e Rescuers dragged a 15-year-old waves in seconds but a member v i girl from the Thames as she of the public, who’d witnessed

R struggled to get free…of her the incident, dialled 999 and sleeping bag. asked for the coastguard. Boat crews found the teenager The caller was able to give the fighting for her life after they’d emergency services the yacht’s been called to assist a sinking last location, and three rescue yacht. vessels – the Port of London The vessel, holed beneath the Authority’s dive boat PLA Diver , waterline, went under so quickly the Gravesend lifeboat, and the that the girl didn’t have time to London Port Health Authority get clear of her bedding before launch Lady Aileen – were sent to the river came crashing in the scene. around her. PLA diving supervisor Kevin Her father, the yacht’s 45-year- Leadbetter said: “The sailors old skipper, tried to radio for were very lucky. The incident help, but was overwhelmed by happened pretty close to low the cold waters before he could water, when the current was give coastguards his position. almost slack. Any earlier or later And two other sailors, both 19, and the tide would have whipped who managed to reach the shore, them away. got trapped up to their knees in “There were also three rescue mud. vessels within striking distance, The incident happened in so help was on the scene within February when the 27 foot yacht, moments.” him in a very bad way. Muddy Waters , was on passage Kevin and the PLA divers Lifeboat helmsman Graham from Whitstable to London. moved straight in to secure the Tassell said: “He was only semi- The craft had been moving up sunken yacht, preventing it conscious and, despite being in Gravesend Reach when it sailed from sliding back out into the the water for such a short time, out of the safe channel and into river and becoming a hazard to his body temperature had waters off east Tilbury. other craft. dropped by about five degrees to Vessels normally avoid the The lifeboat and London Port a life-threatening level.” area because large man-made Health Authority vessel went Gary Ruddock, senior barriers or groynes – built to after the casualties. navigator aboard the Lady Aileen , keep the river channel clear of Of the four sailors, only the added: “The lifeboat rescued the sediment – lay just beneath the skipper was wearing a lifejacket, two people in the water and surface of the water. but the river’s temperature – just transferred them to the Lady Initial harbour master reports six degrees centigrade – had left Aileen . We gave them basic first suggest the aid then took them to Royal yacht struck Terrace Pier where an ambulance one of the paramedic was waiting. The groynes, lifeboat went back for the two suffering a people in the mud.” metre-long The mud rescue proved tear in its problematic for the lifeboatmen port (left) because the two 19-year-old side as its casualties, having reached the bilge keel ‘safety’ of the bank, were afraid ripped off. to get back in the water and The boat board the lifeboat. slipped Graham said: “Having got to beneath the the mud, they were reluctant to

4 come back into deeper water but we couldn’t get the lifeboat up to them at such a low tide. So our helmsman, Dave Greenfield, went over the side with a safety line attached and coaxed them back into the water so we could get them aboard the boat.” Back in the river, the PLA salvage vessel Crossness , which had been ordered into the area when the rescue was first launched, arrived at the scene. With the dive team, its crew lifted the stricken yacht off the river bed and took it to the port authority’s Denton jetty for further investigation. Harbour master Roy Stanbrook said: “Our initial enquiries suggest the boat hit a groyne. We certainly recovered the vessel from outside Whatever the outcome of the “Undoubtedly their information the safe shipping channel. investigation, coastguards are helped us direct rescue resources “But what’s not clear at this convinced the person who dialled to the sailors swiftly. Without that stage is why the yacht was sailing 999 and asked for their assistance prompt information, this incident among the groynes when they’re played a crucial role in the rescue. could have had a very different clearly marked by buoys on the Anthony Mayhew, London outcome.” river, and also on the charts.” Coastguard watch manager, said: Atlantic vs Thames Lifeboat crews are in winds up to force tackling the seven. Thames in a new Unlike the diesel rescue vessel. powered E-Class, the They’ve been Atlantic has two using an Atlantic petrol-driven 115 85 to respond to horsepower Yamaha incidents between outboard engines. Charlton and The RNLI and Port Canvey Island of London Authority since December. anchored refuelling The craft replaces a jet-powered facilities off Denton before the Atlantic Tiger Marine E-Class boat that’s been arrived, to give crews easy access to based on the river for nearly seven petrol. years. Ian said: “Our original boat, the E- The Atlantic’s owners, the Royal Class, is more suited to rivers, so it will National Lifeboat Institution, say stay in service on the Thames as a A sea captain, who’s worked aboard cargo ships, bulk they’ve called in the new vessel relief craft serving Tower and Chiswick carriers, container vessels and because it handles a wider variety of lifeboat stations.” off-shore oil rigs is leading the marine conditions than existing London Both the new boat and Port of London Authority’s diving and salvage operations. lifeboats. its predecessor take their The PLA has appointed Geoff Ian Dunkley, station manager at the names from Olive Laura Buckby as its new marine Atlantic’s Gravesend base, said: “The Deare, a Gravesend services manager. He’s now conditions we face range from those resident who funded responsible for a fleet of vessels; driftwood collection; oil spill you’d expect on a tidal river to those the vessels clearance; and maintaining associated with the sea. through her will. moorings, navigation buoys and “This new rigid inflatable inshore safe marks. Geoff heads a team of 64, lifeboat is more at home on this part made up of boat crews, divers, of the Thames than its predecessor, and shore staff, based at Denton the E-Class.” Wharf near Gravesend, Kent. He started his marine career in Atlantic 85s have seen action 1964 as a cadet on “HMS at RNLI coastal stations Worcester”, a training college around the country since moored on the banks of the 2005. Thames at Greenhithe. He went to sea in 1968 with At 8.5 metres long and Ben Line Steamers of Leith, first 1.8 tonnes, the new serving aboard general cargo Gravesend boat can reach vessels, then container ships. In 1982, he transferred to the a maximum speed of 40 company’s oil operations as knots. master and installation manager It’s fitted with radar and aboard jack-up oil rigs and vast floating drilling platforms VHF direction finding known as semi-submersibles. equipment, and has a manual Most of his oil career was spent self-righting mechanism to in the inhospitable North Sea, pull it out of a capsize. but he also served in the Gulf of Suez for four years. The vessel can beach in Geoff left the oil industry in emergencies without 1997 to join the Port of London damaging its engines or Authority as assistant marine services manager. steering gear, and operate

6 Pharaoh Size - At 16ft high and weighing a tonne, this Egyptian is one of Livett's Launches' biggest passengers. Made from 200,000 plastic bricks, he sailed up the Thames aboard the MV Edwardian to LEGOLAND Windsor in February, marking the end of a 1,395mile trip from the Czech Republic.

Barge operators have shipped the first Key Lock Opens commercial river cargo At 62 metres long, eight construction site for boats between the Thames and metres wide and three to navigate 24 hours a day. the 2012 Olympic Park. metres deep, the lock can Contractors Volker Alan C Bennett moved accommodate two 350- Stevin, who started work fifteen tonnes of Kierbeck tonne barges at a time. on the lock in March 2007, steel reinforcement bars Each barge can carry a should complete through the newly opened cargo equivalent in size to landscaping in the next Prescott Lock in February. more than 17 lorry loads. couple of months. The remains of an 800-year- The shipment means British Waterways reckons Commercial traffic old water mill have surfaced that an additional 5.5 that around a third of the approaching the lock from on the Thames. kilometres of inland construction traffic for the the Thames is being The medieval structure, uncovered at Greenwich waterways around the Games could be moved by controlled by the Port of Wharf by archaeologists, is Olympic site have now water. That could equate to London Authority while the earliest of its kind to be been plumbed into 1.75 million tonnes of construction at the discovered in the capital. the nation’s second Oak timbers, dating back to cargo, cutting as much as Olympic Park is underway. 1194, form a 10 metre by 12 biggest Port. 4,000 tonnes of The authority has also metre base that would have British Waterways, which greenhouse gases. given extensive supported a water wheel has led the £21.5 million The lock will also stop environmental, tidal and with a 5.2 metre diameter. They have been so well lock project, says the river levels upstream from river survey advice to the preserved in the riverside structure will have a major draining away at low tide, Prescott Lock team peat that the carpenter’s tool impact on 2012’s so the water will be deep throughout the building marks are still visible. Simon Davis, from Museum environmental credentials. enough around the programme. of London Archaeology, said: “Tide mills may have been numerous along the Thames foreshore in the early Track Changes medieval period. “However, little evidence of Rail bosses are giving In addition, crews the 1840s. mills in use at this time has Barnes Bridge a £3 working for Network Rail “We hope the long-term been found on million facelift. will replace corroded benefits of this scheme archaeological sites, so this Sixteen thousand metal and damaged will outweigh any short- discovery is very significant and exciting.” square metres of brickwork. term disruption while we The structure has been wrought iron trusses and Richard O’Brien, from carry out these vital dismantled and logged, and arches on the Grade II the rail company, said: improvements.” key sections have been moved to York listed structure will be “Barnes Bridge is an The work was due to Archaeological Trust for cleaned, stripped down important river crossing start as Tidal Thames conservation work. to the bare metal and re- for one of our busiest went to press. It is painted in two tones of commuter services, with expected to finish early grey. a history going back to in 2010.

08 ging 20 Port dred Port dredging 1930

Patrol boat, built 1997

uilt 1946 Patrol boat, b

PLA divers 2008

PLA div ers 1948

Port Control 2006

Port C ontro l 1959 Save Our Soles Charity supporters gave lifeboatmen a fundraising day. City Cruises is ploughing £700,000 into a staggering £25,000……to take a hike. Crewman Martin Blaker-Rower, who’d makeover for the MV Eleven rescuers from Chiswick ditched given his colleagues their marching Mayflower Garden. their vessel in January and set off on orders, said: “It was an amazing day. The company has taken the boat out of service a 21-mile slog from to Twenty one miles isn’t an unmanageable and shipped it to Tower Bridge. distance to walk, but we were wearing Portland in Dorset for a The one day trek, which took in 10 our full lifeboat kit, which isn’t the major rebuild. When complete, the Downing Street and the Houses of most comfortable clothing for long vessel will be capable of Parliament, marked the Royal National distance walking.” holding 300 passengers Lifeboat Institution’s annual SOS and will look similar to the firm’s RiverLiners. Key Events Spring/Summer 2009 It’s expected to return to the Thames this Easter 30 March PLA 100 – Museum of www.museumindocklands.org.uk and start duties with the – 19 April Centenary Exhibition London Docklands City Cruises sightseeing fleet on a circular route 6th April PLA 100 – Museum of www.museumindocklands.org.uk Explore the PLA Archives London Docklands between Westminster, Waterloo and Tower 10 – 13th Devizes to Westminster Devizes – www.dwrace.org.uk piers. April Canoe Marathon Westminster Bridge The company says the 16 April PLA 100 – Museum of www.museumindocklands.org.uk Mayflower Garden’s new A Century of Service London Docklands role will allow its tourist 18 April PLA 100 – Cadogan Hall www.cadoganhall.com service to run every 35 Centenary Concert minutes, instead of the 19 April PLA 100 – Museum of www.museumindocklands.org.uk current 40 to 45 Historic films London Docklands minutes. of the Port of London 25 April Hammersmith Hammersmith www.hammersmithregatta.org Amateur Regatta

2 May Chiswick Amateur Regatta Chiswick www.quintinboatclub.org/chiswick/regatta 9 May Borne @ Chiswick Chiswick www.maabc.com 16 May Town Regatta Putney www.putneytownregatta.org.uk 20 May Port of London Challenge HQS Wellington www.tradionalrowing.com Chelsea 23 May Regatta Twickenham www.twickenham-regatta.org 13 June Thames Sailing Barge match Gravesend www.thamesmatch.co.uk 20 June Henry VIII Pageant/Tudor Pull Tower of London to www.traditionalrowing.com Hampton Court 27 June Richmond Amateur Regatta Richmond www.richmond-regatta.org

10 In-depth Detail Port authority river surveyors are going summer, covers 14 miles from public with some of the most detailed Wandsworth, through central London, charts ever produced of the Thames. to Woolwich. The move, designed to enhance “Commercial vessel operators are navigational safety on the tidal river, will expected to carry these charts to work on The Port of London give commercial and recreational boat the Thames, but we think they’ll also Authority has appointed Peter Steen operators access to the same level of prove popular with private boaters as as its new marine information as PLA pilots. well as those with other interests in pilotage manager. John Pinder, the authority’s the river. Peter, a sea captain by profession, heads hydrographer, says London is the first UK “Much of the effort in their production 90 Thames pilots who port to do this: “It’s taken us three years has been getting the high level of detail guide more than to produce the charts in this format, onto A2 paper size, so they can be used 10,000 ships through the capital’s waters but they’ll make a major contribution to inside confined wheelhouses.” each year. safe navigation. Unlike conventional charts, the PLA He started his “They detail water depths, piers, publications detail the roads, buildings ocean-going career in bridges and obstructions to a degree and facilities which line the river. 1972 and gained experience aboard that you just don’t get on currently The folios contain up to 11 loose vessels ranging from available charts. charts so they can be updated deep sea general cargo “We’ve divided the tidal river into three individually as the port completes and bulk carriers, to inshore survey and folios. The first, to be published this new surveys. dive support boats. He came ashore in 1989 to join the Port of London Authority as a Volunteers Clean-up duty officer at the Thames Barrier Fifty environmental the mayfly which can only navigation centre volunteers scoured the river survive in a clean before moving to the bed after the Port of London environment. It’s a good sign river’s salvage team. In 1996, he was Authority pulled the plug on that the river is healthy and promoted to marine the Thames. thriving. services manager, a At low water the upper “These events are good post he held for 12 reaches of the tidal river are because the more people see years. His new job in the kept at an artificial level by how much life there is in the pilotage department Richmond Lock and Weir to river, the more they’ll want to makes him ultimately ensure the Thames stays look after it.” responsible for day to day operations which deep enough for boats. The trust was joined by staff include liaising with But once a year, the PLA lets the water and pupils from Tower House and shipping agents, drain away so its staff can carry out vital Marymount International schools, arranging transport for pilots to boarding maintenance work on the structure. residents of , and families, locations, and training This ‘draw-off’ gives volunteers with ecologists and archaeologists. new recruits. the Environment Trust a chance to study Among the rubbish they cleared from the river’s wildlife close-up and also clear the shore near the Embankment, the debris from the bed. White Swan pub, and Ranelagh Drive Environmental teacher Joe Pecorelli were a set of false teeth, an eel’s skeleton, said: “We found a wonderful diversity of a knife, batteries, road signs, and species including the delicate nymph of shopping trolleys. hey’re accused of fouling boat propellers, hampering bank side rescues, forcing rowers into oncoming traffic, snagging masts, and ripping holes in river defences. But the sycamore and ash trees rooted along the edge of the will and the best tree surgeons in enlarge, destabilising the bank and Thames between Putney and the world, we won’t be able to letting water flood into the are also charged with threatening recover the situation.” revetment. This could eventually other wildlife. The Port of London Authority cause the towpath to subside The vegetation, which has civil engineers who recruited which would compromise river spread unchecked along eight Ian were unaware of the black defences in the long term.” kilometres of river frontage, is poplars when they contacted him. In response to the problem, swamping a major colony of They’d been concerned by the the port authority asked Ian and native black poplars – Britain’s number of sycamore and ash trees his team to survey more than rarest trees. taking root in the granite 1,000 individual trees between Now the Port of London revetment wall that lines the Beverley Brook and – Authority has sent specialists to study each root system, trunk, into the area as a prelude to a and crown. 20-year operation that will The specialists also quizzed rescue the poplars and enhance around 200 towpath users to gauge river safety. local feeling. Ian Barrow, who heads the “One common worry was that consulting team at Bartlett Tree dense vegetation on the banks Experts, was called in to survey the would hinder rescuers if a walker riverside. He said: “Occasionally fell into the Thames,” said Ian. you hear stories of people up and “This is something I have a lot of down the country finding two or sympathy with because, while I three native black poplars and was surveying one of the trees, I putting management plans into actually fell in. Apart from getting action to protect them. Yet this quite wet, it was, I can guarantee, stretch of the Thames alone has 40 difficult climbing out with all the of these trees. In UK terms, this growth around me.” piece of riverbank is an extremely Obstructing a casualty’s escape valuable resource. embankment and protects the route from the river isn’t the only “Some of the trees are at least towpath from the Thames. safety-related charge to be levelled 200 years old. They’re not big in PLA civil engineer Andrew at the trees. height, but they’re huge in stature. McKay said: “Many trees have The PLA’s river manager, “However, they’re struggling to grown through the revetment and Alexander Brown, says the cope with the extremely vigorous are held in place by nothing more vegetation is causing concern for plant growth around them. If than a few granite blocks. those on the water. nothing is done to help them, “Their roots can’t penetrate “Sailors have told me that their these precious trees will be deeper into the bank than that, so dinghy masts get caught in the swamped completely. the trees have little physical or branches,” he said. “Some are already under severe nutritional support. stress, competing with weed trees, “Where they’re competing for like sycamore and ash, for light light, some are leaning out over and root space. the Thames to the point where “They’re literally at a tipping their branches are trailing in the point. They can still be salvaged if water. This makes them extremely we take action now. Otherwise they unstable and a number have will shade out and begin to collapsed into the river. decline. Then, even with the best “The holes they leave gradually

12 “And safety boats can’t get Thames are in talks about how to people ashore because vegetation preserve the native black poplars below the surface at high water and even create a seed bank, so can foul their propellers. the species can be reintroduced “Rowers are being forced out into other parts of the country. away from the safety of the bank, And both authorities are into parts of the river where confident this tree management bigger vessels navigate, because plan can be carried out in a of the obstruction caused by way that’s sympathetic to the trees. the landscape. “And the Port of London Jim Trimmer, who heads Authority’s own salvage teams the PLA’s planning and have been picking up branches, partnership team, said: and even whole trees, that have “The views along this drifted away on the Thames.” stretch of river are very The management plan Ian important. has drawn up for the PLA, which “But, unfortunately, includes replanting as we can’t preserve them well as pruning and felling, in aspic. If we walked has been tailored to tackle the away and left the trees, we needs of every tree but could wouldn’t be protecting the ultimately cost as much as half scenery. The vegetation a million pounds. growing in the revetment Ian said: “The type of work can’t survive in these we’re recommending involves conditions and the bank removing the most damaging itself is under threat if growth in the revetment over a something isn’t done. number of years. This might “That’s why we are involve cutting back some of working closely with a the new growth through number of community pollarding or coppicing. groups to ensure the work “Of course, tree surgeons will we intend to do benefits have to fell some of the larger the river, its people and trees purely on safety grounds. We the environment. found specimens that are so “Ultimately we believe decayed I’m amazed they’re still the Thames can be kept standing. I certainly wouldn’t stop safe and the views we all to read the paper under them!” love can be improved for Ian also proposes that some of future generations.” the felled sycamore and ash at the b Tree surgeons will back of the towpath be replaced work closely with with species that have a greater ecologists to minimise benefit for birds and animals, like impact on wildlife, and hawthorn and field maple. the wood they remove Most importantly, the Port of will be chipped and London Authority and the London returned to the Borough of Richmond upon environment. t was an aviation legend, a job like no other they’d pilots guided the plane downriver notching up 22,769 flight encountered. to the North Sea, its last route out hours during its life, and Sections of riverbed were of the capital has become every breaking the sound barrier temporarily removed to make way bit as iconic as its life in the air. 6,842 times. But when G- for the massive load. The Now one of those pilots, John BOAA, the last of British specialist heavy lift vessel, Terra Freestone, has been awarded the Airways’ seven Concordes, Marique , was called in to carry prestigious Merchant Navy Medal, Imade its final departure from the fuselage from Isleworth to its not just for the work he did with London, it didn’t have an air crew final destination, Edinburgh. the supersonic airliner, but for at the helm – it had three sea And the pilots and harbour services to Thames pilotage and captains instead. masters went through a youth sail training. No longer relying on its four painstaking operation to ensure “Concorde was definitely a Rolls-Royce/Snecma Olympus the aircraft moved at times in the highlight of my career,” said John. 593 engines, the giant of the tide when the water was deep “It was a difficult trip. Not only skies was shipped out of the enough to accommodate because it was challenging from a capital by water. Concorde, but not too high to nautical point of view but also And, for Port of London prevent it squeezing under because the whole journey was Authority pilots John Freestone, London’s bridges. played out in front of thousands Peter Widd, and John Reid, it was In the five years since the of spectators who were lining the

14 sea-going career,” he said. “I sailed time off. But once I was back on out from Venice and was gone for the Thames that all changed and I two years and seven days. signed-up with the Sail Training “These days shipping Association in my spare time.” companies wouldn’t get away with John’s out-of-work interest has putting a crew to sea that long given him access to some of the but, back then, it was fairly most famous tall ships in the common. world including the Winston “And it was a great experience.” Churchill , the Lord Nelson , and John stayed on the high seas the replica of Captain Cook’s until 1969, when he returned to Endeavour . the Thames, joining a company It’s also helped his current day called MacAndrews which sailed job as a Thames pilot, making river banks. regular services between London him the Port of London “We were the centre of attention and Spain. Authority’s first choice for and under a lot of scrutiny, it was Its ships carried general cargo helping visiting square riggers very daunting. But at the same on the outward journeys but came reach London. time, it was a buzz to be part of back to the capital loaded with John became a pilot 20 years such a historic event.” wine and sherry. ago: first guiding ships through It was a far cry from John’s first Despite renewing his the shoals and currents of the journeys on the Thames. As a acquaintance with the Thames, Estuary as far as Gravesend, then child growing up in Greenwich, he John spent the following years taking specialist loads – like had a fascination with the river – working as ship’s master and Concorde – through the capital his grandfather and uncles trading to the Med and the from as far upstream as Putney. working either with barge Middle East. He’s handled everything from companies or in the wharves. It wasn’t until 1974, when he container carriers to general cargo By 1953 he’d enrolled with the joined the Council vessels, HMS President to London Nautical School and later (GLC), that his move back to the Tattershall Castle . found work with Odells, a river became permanent. And his skills have been passenger boat company that He served aboard the GLC’s showcased on TV – most notably operated on the upper reaches of Edward Cruse , a twin screw triple with Griff Rhys Jones, Rory the tidal Thames. expansion steam ship that worked McGrath and Dara O’Briain in the But in 1959 he left the river for out of Becton and Crossness. BBC’s Three Men in a Boat. the open seas, signing-up with And, with his long days on “I’ve always loved the river Saint Line, a shipping company the ocean over, he spent his free and the sea, and count myself that ran old war-time tramp time developing his passion for lucky that I’ve been able to do the steamers around the world. sailing ships. work I’ve done,” he said after His first ship, Cape St David , He said: “All the time I was at receiving the Merchant Navy was docked in Venice and John sea, I couldn’t commit to any Medal from Government security was bundled on to the Orient interests outside my job – I’d be minister Admiral Lord West. Express to meet her there. away for long periods and I “But I never expected to get a “It was a pretty flash start to my couldn’t guarantee when I’d have medal for it.” hipbuilders are them to fit under London’s bridges creating a fleet of at high tide. The tugs will have customised tugs for collapsible masts and their recycling facility in Wandsworth. the Thames.The boats, wheelhouses will be set lower into Cory, which has been on the under construction at their accommodation decks. Thames for more than a century, the Damen Shipyards Each boat will be powered by says its boats save around in Holland, will arrive two Caterpillar engines, making 100,000 lorry journeys each year. in the capital in 2010. them capable of top speeds in Chief executive Malcolm Ward They’ve been ordered by barge excess of 10 knots. They’ll have a said: “Our river operations are operator Cory Environmental to bollard pull of 16 tonnes and be integral to the company’s success replace all but one of its existing fitted with 100 brake horsepower and transporting refuse by water vessels. bow thrusters to boost their is an environmentally friendly way The four new boats will be built manoeuvrability. to deal with London’s waste. It around Damen’s Shoalbuster 2208 Like Cory’s existing tugs, the helps to reduce the number of design but will have crucial Shoalbusters will tow barges HGV vehicles on the capital’s modifications to make them loaded with sealed containers roads, and cuts both congestion suitable for Britain’s busiest inland of London refuse. and carbon emissions. waterway. The company is boosting “These new tugs will ensure we In particular, their air draught – its river operation to serve maintain our high standards of the part of each vessel above the a new ‘waste to energy’ plant operation on the river for many water – is being reduced to allow in Belvedere and a materials years to come.”