River Thames: Pudge
A Thames sailing barge, Pudge, on its way up river: it's now at Greenwich...
I'd hoped to see Pudge yesterday as it sailed up river: I missed it, but found out it was heading for London and its trip included mooring and staying overnight at Gravesend so headed down there this morning ahead of the low tide hoping Pudge would set off when the tide turned, as it did.
Pudge was built in 1922 and was one of the last wooden hulled barges (pitch pine on oak which I'll need to look up...). It spent most of its working life sailing between London and Ipswich but made it as far as Hull and Boulogne. It's also a Dunkirk Little Ship and took part in the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk in 1940. It's had an engine since 1932 and unluckily for me sailed under power while I was watching. Never mind: next time !
It's now owned and operated by the Thames Sailing Barge Trust, "a registered charity that exists to preserve two Thames barges in sailing condition for the benefit of the public and to pass on the skills required to sail them". I believe that's the purpose of its trip to London. The Trust's other barge is Centaur, which I've not seen.
In the background are the cranes of London Gateway, a few miles down river. A container ship, Hanoi Express, is moored there now; it has a "deadweight tonnage" of 229,348 metric tons. Its predecessor on the Thames, Pudge and other barges, could carry 150 tons...
[IMG_3679a]
River Thames: Pudge
A Thames sailing barge, Pudge, on its way up river: it's now at Greenwich...
I'd hoped to see Pudge yesterday as it sailed up river: I missed it, but found out it was heading for London and its trip included mooring and staying overnight at Gravesend so headed down there this morning ahead of the low tide hoping Pudge would set off when the tide turned, as it did.
Pudge was built in 1922 and was one of the last wooden hulled barges (pitch pine on oak which I'll need to look up...). It spent most of its working life sailing between London and Ipswich but made it as far as Hull and Boulogne. It's also a Dunkirk Little Ship and took part in the evacuation of troops from Dunkirk in 1940. It's had an engine since 1932 and unluckily for me sailed under power while I was watching. Never mind: next time !
It's now owned and operated by the Thames Sailing Barge Trust, "a registered charity that exists to preserve two Thames barges in sailing condition for the benefit of the public and to pass on the skills required to sail them". I believe that's the purpose of its trip to London. The Trust's other barge is Centaur, which I've not seen.
In the background are the cranes of London Gateway, a few miles down river. A container ship, Hanoi Express, is moored there now; it has a "deadweight tonnage" of 229,348 metric tons. Its predecessor on the Thames, Pudge and other barges, could carry 150 tons...
[IMG_3679a]