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Tidal Thames - through the Barrier


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3 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

A few shots of a convoy trip from Limehouse to Brentford, via the Thames Barrier. The river was very busy!

 

https://nbsg.wordpress.com/iwa-trip-to-margaretness/ 

 

DSC_6395.JPG.afae5a7fe08d3f3ecbe8d40b78cffcd9.JPG

Great Photos and it looks like you had a great cruise. I would quibble at the description of Ocean Majesty as a "boat", however. Ship please!:cheers:

 

Howard

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Yes. Great pics. Thanks for posting.

 

Looks like you had a fun cruise and the weather for it too.

 

The ferries from the IoW to that there gurt north island are using that magnetic docking system too.

 

I'm not sure what you mean about the 'old' ferries at Woolwich though. I'm so old I can remember the steam paddlers!

(Well, just about)

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7 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

Yes. Great pics. Thanks for posting.

 

Looks like you had a fun cruise and the weather for it too.

 

The ferries from the IoW to that there gurt north island are using that magnetic docking system too.

 

I'm not sure what you mean about the 'old' ferries at Woolwich though. I'm so old I can remember the steam paddlers!

(Well, just about)

Here is a little more information about the berthing system which explains a little about how it works.

 

https://mampaey.com/magnetic-auto-mooring-at-the-woolwich-ferry/

 

Howard

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11 minutes ago, howardang said:

Here is a little more information about the berthing system which explains a little about how it works.

 

https://mampaey.com/magnetic-auto-mooring-at-the-woolwich-ferry/

 

Howard

Thank you, that's very interesting, enjoyed the bit about allowing for braking lorries (conservation of momentum and all that). I did find the company's website but not something specific to Woolwich. I had assumed the ferries were continuing to moor by using engine power to hold themselves onto the pier. 

 

While the Ben Woolacott was waiting for us to get out of the way on Friday, he did a rather neat  540 degree turn, I hope not making the passengers too dizzy... 

Edited by Scholar Gypsy
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4 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

While the Ben Woolacott was waiting for us to get out of the way on Friday, he did a rather neat  540 degree turn, I hope not making the passengers too dizzy... 

 

Did his bow thruster button get stuck on? ?

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5 hours ago, Victor Vectis said:

I'm not sure what you mean about the 'old' ferries at Woolwich though. I'm so old I can remember the steam paddlers!

(Well, just about)

Me too, I used to spend some Saturday mornings getting the bus to Woolwich and then going back and forth across the river as a kid.

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2 hours ago, cuthound said:

 

Did his bow thruster button get stuck on? ?

I am pretty sure those boats have Voith–Schneider cycloidal propellers at each end, so can push the stern one way and the bows the other at some speed! (They are symmetrical, so either end can be the bows, with two sets of navigation lights). 

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8 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

Thank you, that's very interesting, enjoyed the bit about allowing for braking lorries (conservation of momentum and all that). I did find the company's website but not something specific to Woolwich. I had assumed the ferries were continuing to moor by using engine power to hold themselves onto the pier. 

 

While the Ben Woolacott was waiting for us to get out of the way on Friday, he did a rather neat  540 degree turn, I hope not making the passengers too dizzy... 

I used to take the ferry to and fro, when doing 7.5 ton delivery driving round the south east, it was fun to get on first, and sit in the cab just looking forward. All of east London would go past my gaze at least once on every crossing.

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6 hours ago, Scholar Gypsy said:

I am pretty sure those boats have Voith–Schneider cycloidal propellers at each end, so can push the stern one way and the bows the other at some speed! (They are symmetrical, so either end can be the bows, with two sets of navigation lights). 

Up until recently they were indeed VS systems but it seems that the ferries were replaced with two new ship equipped with Hydromaster azimuth thrusters which are more like Z drive units capable of rotating through 360 degrees, màking them very manouverable . 

http://hydromasterpropulsion.com/woolwich-ferry/

 

Howard

 

 

 

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Woolwich ferries used to be, perhaps still are powered by a pair of Paxman Valenta diesel engines, same units that powered the older Intercity HST 125 trains. In the summer there used to be what seemed a resident ice cream van parked cross wise just in front of below the bridge.  I remember the old steam ferries, they were side loading. There is also a foot tunnel entrance to walk under the Thames  near the ferry.

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On ‎31‎/‎08‎/‎2019 at 19:34, Scholar Gypsy said:

A few shots of a convoy trip from Limehouse to Brentford, via the Thames Barrier. The river was very busy!

So you would have seen 'Falco' moored at Brentford Gauging locks? He has lost his prop!! Awaiting rescue by RCR

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9 hours ago, howardang said:

Up until recently they were indeed VS systems but it seems that the ferries were replaced with two new ship equipped with Hydromaster azimuth thrusters which are more like Z drive units capable of rotating through 360 degrees, màking them very manouverable . 

http://hydromasterpropulsion.com/woolwich-ferry/

 

Howard

 

 

 

Thank you, I couldn't find much technical detail about the new ferries on the TfL website ....

1 hour ago, Old Son said:

So you would have seen 'Falco' moored at Brentford Gauging locks? He has lost his prop!! Awaiting rescue by RCR

Sorry I missed that, as I got off the boat at the lock to catch a bus home...

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Did you need to get an extension to your insurance policy to cover you downstream of the barrier? My policy doesn't cover me seaward of the Thames barrier.

 

I know some people don't bother as you're not downstream of the barrier for very long, but then again I extended my cover to go from Bristol to Sharpness and excluding waiting for the tide at Portishead marina I was only out there for just over 3 hours. I wouldn't dream of doing that without insurance so I guess the same I'd apply the same caution downstream of the barrier.. 

Edited by blackrose
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2 hours ago, blackrose said:

Did you need to get an extension to your insurance policy to cover you downstream of the barrier? My policy doesn't cover me seaward of the Thames barrier.

 

I know some people don't bother as you're not downstream of the barrier for very long, but then again I extended my cover to go from Bristol to Sharpness and excluding waiting for the tide at Portishead marina I was only out there for just over 3 hours. I wouldn't dream of doing that without insurance so I guess the same I'd apply the same caution downstream of the barrier.. 

WE tell our insurers (Mardon) everyt ime we intend going downstream of the barrier, sometimes they charge us (Approx £30) but other times they just say thanks for telling us!

 

Tim

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3 hours ago, blackrose said:

Did you need to get an extension to your insurance policy to cover you downstream of the barrier? My policy doesn't cover me seaward of the Thames barrier.

 

I know some people don't bother as you're not downstream of the barrier for very long, but then again I extended my cover to go from Bristol to Sharpness and excluding waiting for the tide at Portishead marina I was only out there for just over 3 hours. I wouldn't dream of doing that without insurance so I guess the same I'd apply the same caution downstream of the barrier.. 

It wasn't my boat, but I think the normal practice is that you  do need to arrange some extra cover downstream of the barrier. [As an aside, on an earlier Wash trip one of the other boats had been told by their insurer that the Wash was treated as a normal tidal transit connecting inland navigations (like Limehouse to Teddington, etc). It really isn't ....] 

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20 hours ago, blackrose said:

I've never been further downstream than Limehouse, but if I was going past the barrier I'm pretty sure Craftinsure would say "Thanks for telling us. That's £80 please!" 

Ask them.

 

Whenever I have needed to vary my Craftinsure policy it's cost a tenner for them to process a policy variation.  There may also be an additional risk premium, but I'd be surprised if it was £70 for one transit on the Thames.

 

Did they charge you £80 for Bristol to Sharpness, and if so was that for a single transit or for the remainder of your policy term?

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No problem. You've probably worked out that we were up in the Shard.  

I did, however, get in a small amount of trouble for paying so much attention to the narrowboats when it was supposed to be an anniversary treat! ?

Feel free to PM me with your e-mail address is you want the originals.

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3 hours ago, Sbg said:

No problem. You've probably worked out that we were up in the Shard.  

I did, however, get in a small amount of trouble for paying so much attention to the narrowboats when it was supposed to be an anniversary treat! ?

Feel free to PM me with your e-mail address is you want the originals.

Thank you. You should have taken your VHF set with you, then we could have given you a synchronized wave to wish you happy anniversary...

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