I was really sad to see this photo of the ruins of the old Thornycroft yard on Platts Eyot going up in flames last week. It truly marked the end of a era in a very sad way as the blaze, which was fought by fire crews from all over the area, put the final nail in the coffin of what was once a thriving local business that built some of the finest fast launches in the world.
Year: 2011
Life-affirming project
I’ve always had a lot of time for the charity called the River Thames Boat Project, which aims to introduce people to our wonderful river and to give people – particularly youngsters and the disabled – the chance to spend time on the water.
Ashes remembered
Whenever Staines regatta comes around, it’s always a bit of a poignant time and this Saturday the event is being staged as a tribute to the memory of the crew of the Ashes eight, three of whom – David Firman, Alan Wickens and Alan Choules – died in a tragic accident at Penton Hook in April 1971.
Memories unlocked
One of the joys of writing a column like Riverwatch is that I’ve met so many lovely people who have special memories of the Thames over the years.
Environment Agency’s licensing blooper
A couple of months back I wrote a piece in this column exalting in the fact that Environment Agency inspectors had nabbed a significant number of boats on our stretch of the Thames which weren’t displaying the proper registration licence sticker and urging all boat owners to do the right thing and apply for the river equivalent of a tax disc.
A boat owner’s ABC
How many times, as a boat owner, have you stood and puzzled over a technical dilemma?
Trolley good news
Although I’ve never been a fishermen, several of my friends who are tell me that I’m missing a great way to relax and unwind – and given that fishermen spend a lot of their lives gazing at a float on the surface of the river surrounded by beautiful countryside and the sound of the birds singing, I can certainly understand the attraction.
Remember landing?
It always worries me that, bit-by-bit, our public rights can be eroded away simply because we don’t know when – or how – to protect them.
For those in peril…
To anyone who spends time messing about in boats of all kinds, the dangers inherent in a life on the water are always there in the background.
A lock back in time
We all take locks for granted as we travel up and down the Thames. These days, the modern electronic controls and smooth hydraulics that are in use at most locks allow easy passage from one river reach to another and the hardest problem for lock keepers to face is simply trying to fit a huge number of boats into the lock chamber.