Thames Steamers & Passenger boats

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benm	Thames Steamers & Passenger boats	Lead	[-]
Posts: 4 ( 2-Jul-2008 10:59 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : thames steamers, windsor belle, windsor castle, boats Share your stories & memories of these wonderful vessels. To get the ball rolling,here is a boat built in Windsor that you may well know: Grand Duchess Seen here looking tatty near the end of her career The very sad end of such a wonderful steamer! Built:1923 Length:93ft 3 in Operators: C. Maynard,Windsor (1923-5) G.F Short,Kingston (1925-38) Salters Bros (1938-61) Sold to John Tait (1969-19xx) Sunk and in poor state (197x) Scrapped (19xx) Built at Windsor by Summers in 1923/1924 and fitted with a second-hand compound engine built in 1906 by White of Cowes for a steam pinnace for HMS Agamemnon.Used in September/October 1940 on the wartime emergency river service between Westminster and North Woolwich. The engine is now at Markham Grange Steam Museum, near Doncaster. After her career she was sold by Salter Brothers (Who removed her engine) to John Tait who was a farmer at Sandford. She sank several times being pumped out by the fire brigade, eventually being broken up by the E.A. Although she was the sister ship to the New Windsor Castle ,she was built of pitch pine to save on costs as apposed to burma teak as specified by Arthur Jacobs. It is likely that Maynards funded the project as Lance Summers worked for them as well and this is probably why it was registered to them whilst being built. A fine vessel with a sad end. Last Edited By: benm 2-Jul-2008 11:02 PM. Edited 1 time.
thamesweb		#1	[-]
Posts: 1258 ( 3-Jul-2008 09:35 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Good idea, a thread devoted to steamers with a Windsor connection. Thanks a lot. This is an excellent start as I was not aware of a sister ship to New Windsor Castle. The obvious question is 'Was she built on Jacob's Island too?' And where was the picture taken of the hull drawn up on the bank? (Presumably because she would otherwise sink!) There is much that could be covered, and discovered, on a thread like this and I love the idea of pulling it all together under one roof. Examples of boats would be 'Humble', 'Angler' and 'Esperanza', the smaller passenger launches that used to operate from Windsor Promenade, and the fleet of Salter's steamers that used to operate from Thames Side below Windsor Bridge.
benm		#2	[-]
Posts: 6 ( 3-Jul-2008 11:53 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I will try to find out where the location of "Summers" as im not sure if this was on Jacobs island or not. The picture of the hull drawn up onto the bank i am not sure of either, it is somewhere on John Taits 'farmland' however. I can supply full historys on Humble,Angler and Esperanza if you wish. Salters steamers at Windsor
Pat Larkin	Salter's Steamers at Windsor Photo	#3	[-]
Posts: 213 ( 3-Jul-2008 08:17 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I love this photo. All those people just so eager to get onboard the steamers, while the passengers are trying their best to get off!! Can you imagine the noise from these day-trippers? Where did they go after their trip? Perhaps they boarded a Windsorian Coach and took a trip to see Windsor Castle, then had tea by the river....or maybe they walked up the steps and wandered along the riverside to buy an ice cream and feed the ducks!! The steamers gave such a lot of pleasure and still do.
benm		#4	[-]
Posts: 8 ( 9-Jul-2008 04:56 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Keith French Writes: The Empress of India and Windsor Castle in the foreground probably on hire to Salters the Cliveden swinging to go back to Kingston with The Queen of the Thames onthe wall the boat in the background is harder I dont think it is a Salter built vessel possible ex Maynards
benm		#5	[-]
Posts: 12 (15-Jul-2008 03:24 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	An update on the above postcard: I have been thinking about the boats in the top berth I now think the inside one is prbably the Grand Duchess because The Windsor Castle was working upstream coming down from Maidenhead at the time. How do I Know this? Well the photographer took this one and the almost consecutively numbered one of the Castle from the same spot on Windsor bridge. The photo shows it to be a big boat with no rake on the saloon doors but with unusual railing stachions suggesting it to be the Duchess. I also think there may be a third boat in the top berth facing downstream I cannot see a funnel so it could be the Hampton Court or The Nuneham both converted 1947/ 48 . This would help date the phto because the Castle was converted in 1958 . The cobbler was much higher before it and the wier were rebuilt in 1964.
Pat Larkin		#6	[-]
Posts: 236 (16-Jul-2008 05:57 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	benm, when you say 'with no rake on the saloon doors...', what exactly is 'a rake', I've put it into Google and still can't quite come up with a sensible answer. ??
thamesweb		#7	[-]
Posts: 1288 (16-Jul-2008 06:38 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Just the doors at an angle, I thought... No?
benm		#8	[-]
Posts: 13 (18-Jul-2008 12:04 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The saloon doors were 90 degrees to the foredeck on the tunnel boats and the Castle and Duchess ,on others they were raked back to match the windows
benm		#9	[-]
Posts: 15 (20-Jul-2008 08:41 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	1947 at Windsor
Pat Larkin	1947	#10	[-]
Posts: 243 (21-Jul-2008 09:53 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	This is another lovely picture benm, and just my 'era'....looking at the little girl with the lady, that's 'me', well not actually, but 'virtually'. At that time my Mother worked in the Railway Buffet just around the corner from the Salter's Offices. Another of her numerous jobs. She'd take me there in the school holidays and I'd have to stay behind the high counter, well, to me it was 'high'..... How many boats/steamers are moored up there, can I see 6 stacks? Also, the phone box wasn't in the other two pictures, so a bit of modernity creeping into the whole picture. Look at the milk crate, not many of those around now. The stripey hut is in one of the other photos you've put on the forum, suggesting that picture is, maybe 1930's, pre-war? On the wall above the notice board advertising 'Steamer Excursions Daily', there's a sign, with an arrow 'saying 'First Turn Right', would that be a direction to the railway station. I can't quite make out the lettering above the arrow. A busy, everyday picture of life then, it's lovely. It shows just how important the River Thames, the steamers and Windsor Castle are in Windsor's long history. Can't imagine the town without the steamers or the castle - thankyou.
thamesweb		#11	[-]
Posts: 1298 (21-Jul-2008 03:22 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	...I can't quite make out the lettering above the arrow... At a guess it reads Southern Electric. Certainly a 'C' on the end. It was worth promoting the fact that the line was electrified in the early 30s. Steam was considered smelly, smutty (in the true sense of the word), and generally dirty by a lot of people. Not in the least romantic!
thamesweb		#12	[-]
Posts: 1299 (21-Jul-2008 03:24 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I think the date is right as immediately post war, although that car shape might just have been around in 1939. Is it a Morris 8? (Edit) Yes, an E series from 1939... so might be just pre-war. Last Edited By: thamesweb 31-Jul-2008 06:40 PM. Edited 2 times.
Pat Larkin	1947 and all that...	#13	[-]
Posts: 244 (21-Jul-2008 06:39 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I think you're guess is right, 'Southern Electric' does look like the wording above the arrow. Electrifying the lines was the saviour of us all really. The noise the steam engines made was awful, especially in the 'other' station at the top of Thames Street. I know I was terrified when taken on my first train ride....all I can remember is sticking my fingers in my ears and hating it all. Compare all that with a trip on the Thames in a steamer, well, there's no contest! Last Edited By: Pat Larkin 21-Jul-2008 06:42 PM. Edited 1 times.
Pat Larkin	When The Thames Floods at Windsor	#14	[-]
Posts: 261 (31-Jul-2008 02:51 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	What happens to steamers etc. when the river floods? Are the steamers/pleasure craft taken away and moored up somewhere? What happens to house-boats and their owners? The river authorities are obviously warned about imminent flooding, so how much time, generally, is there to take avoiding action? thankyou.
thamesweb		#15	[-]
Posts: 1336 (31-Jul-2008 06:48 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The steamers will be back at 'home port' in the event of flooding, Salters at Oxford, French Bros at Clewer (and Runnymede these days) and of course they rise up with the flood waters. It would be the owners' responsibility to make sure that the moorings were relaxed if necessary as the boats rose, and that goes for all the cruisers in the marinas too. Some owners will have their boats taken out of the water for the winter if there is space available. Houseboats are normally at their moorings all year and the owners also must take care with the mooring lines. They usually have walkways ready to set up on crates or scaffolding but if the flooding is really high, they might need thigh boots too, or a rowing boat!
benm		#16	[-]
Posts: 18 (17-Aug-2008 11:43 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	See this fantastic 1948 Salters Steamer footage showing the Cliveden among other steamers. I edited the footage together and added some music. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giYHwmYZHw8 Enjoy
Pat Larkin	Fantastic, thankyou Ben	#17	[-]
Posts: 277 (18-Aug-2008 08:13 AM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	What a lovely surprise that was, and what a change from watching The Olympics!!!!! I have never seen a steamer, in my life, lower it's funnel/stack, so that was a real surprise for me. Great film, and the music was just right for the occasion, a real change from 'Messing about on the River', which always seems to accompany any 'river films'... Really, the steamers were like river buses in those days, weren't they, or was the ticket seller collecting fares because there was no actual office to buy them from......I loved it and will watch it again and again, just to look at the scenery, the boats and the faces on the film.....I was hoping my Mother might have been on 'the back of the boat', sorting out teas and snacks, but it wasn't her, never mind, a lovely piece of Thames/steamer history Ben, thankyou again. I think the two crew members, picked out at the end of the film, where they're about to throw a line, may have been having a laugh as to who could throw the best line...I bet that dig in the ribs hurt a bit. Where do these snippets of old film come from I wonder? There must be thousands of feet of film that no one knows about, all stowed away in someone's loft or shed....
Pat Larkin	Old video of Thames boat trip.	#18	[-]
Posts: 278 (19-Aug-2008 03:14 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hi Ben, we've found our 'old' video camera and with it is a short video clip of my Husband and Granddaughter taking a boat trip on the Thames at Windsor. He filmed it some 15 years ago and forgot about it til we watched your 'u-tube' video. How do we transfer this clip to a dvd, or don't you have that technological know-how??? He knows how to put them on the old VHS cassettes and also how to make copies, but has never thought of DVD's til now. Any help you can give will be appreciated, then when the film's been copied to a dvd, we can send a copy to thamesweb. Thanks anyway, Ben.
benm		#19	[-]
Posts: 19 (20-Aug-2008 11:33 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Hello Pat A great bit of footage indeed, i too keep watching it. The steamers were indeed like River Buses, but i assume if you got on the boat at a lock and there was no ticket box,then you could buy tickets onboard. I will ask Keith French about this,see what he has to say,im sure he can tell us. The two crew members standing on the boat as it enters the lock are the 'Mate' and the 'Boy (deckhand)' . The mate has the rope in his hands and i think they were just having a laugh and trying to muck about on film. The snippets of film im told were from a salters film called "Sweet Thames runs softly". The boat in the film as it enters the lock is the Cliveden,my favourite of all Salter Brothers vessels. Sadly it was withdrawn in 1994 from service due to modern safetly standards and has never gone back in the water. Its locked away in Salters Slipway being kept in good condition but no work carried out sadly. I hope she comes back shes a lovely boat. Here are 3 of my favourite photos of her: The last one shows her at Henley , her last few years in service Ive never tried to transfer an old tape to VHS then to DVD. I know you can buy units that let you copy VHS to DVD but not sure how they work without using them. I have seen some sights such as this offering to do it for you but not sure how trustworthy they are : http://www.transfervideo.co.uk/
Pat Larkin	Cliveden	#20	[-]
Posts: 280 (21-Aug-2008 01:51 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Lovely photos Ben, really great shots of the Cliveden. Happy passengers, happy crew and all onboard enjoying the river and the scenery. Someone's been having a beer or two on the first photo, haven't they? Couple of empty glasses and a bottle of 'something' there - if I didn't know the photo was old, I'd guess that the bottle was 'St. Miguel', the Spanish beer, but that couldn't be, could it?? I like the 'cigarettes, chocolates, minerals and ices' display. Would the lock-keeper have sold them as a side-line, I wonder? Today, that wouldn't be 'allowed' for Health and Safety reasons!!! I wonder sometimes why Salters and other boat owners, haven't converted some of their older boats into 'floating holiday homes'. At least anyone at all interested in the old steamers and the history of boats, could pay to hire them out for a couple of weeks a year and spend some quality time on the Thames. I don't mean to cruise on the river, but to be tied up and moored by a piece of land or in a slipway perhaps. This would give the owners some revenue and, in turn, they could maintain the old steamers so they wouldn't fall into disrepair and then rot on a slipway somewhere. Once these lovely boats have gone, they've gone forever, and all we are left with are photos and films.