Echoes From The Past

Echoes From The Past

'The Thames Estuary sea-scape is one of horizontals: bars of dun green, grey, ochre, distant ragged breakers, cloud-shadow and the white dazzle of wet sand. Once, the only vertical objects were the leaning brown towers of the sailing barges.

This [...] world of sandbank and swatchway where life was lived to a stop-go rhythm of fair tide and foul, head wind and fair. Anchoring until the stream favoured, then mustering and striding up-river on a young flood with the shores reeling by.'

D. Sleightholme, [in forward to] Bob Roberts, Coasting Bargemaster, St. Anne's Press, Timperley, 1949.

SB Cabby (1928) off Tilbury in 1998 during the 68th. Thames Match

[Photo: J. Hargreaves 1998]

Thames Sailing Barges, A Canal, A Tunnel, Some Horses, And A Steam Passenger Train Service - All In The Same Place! Can This Be True?

If you, like most people, think of narrow boats when the topic of canals comes up - there was the proverbial exception to the rule. And yes ... there was a canal which was specially designed for those "leaning brown towers" - right on the River Thames. What is more the Thames Match race course still goes right past it! If you'd like to know more about the fascinating story and an ongoing modern day saga involving the Thames & Medway Canal, see here.