680:
413:
436:, which was handling 12,000 coastal vessels and over 3,000 overseas vessels annually by the end of the eighteenth century, quickly became dependent on steamers. Previously, gangs of men in rowboats drew the sailing vessels to port against wind and tide. By 1830, the use of steam tugs became part of the battleground between the competing dock companies as the London and St Katharine dock companies used steamships to tow vessels up-river past the West India Docks. By 1860, screw tugs were beginning to appear, but paddle tugs continued to be constructed throughout the nineteenth century and only finally disappeared in the 1920s with the advent of diesel propulsion. One steam tug survives at
313:
472:
452:
277:
22:
703:
740:
721:
558:
491:
to Dover in 1844 were the first challenges to passenger traffic on the Thames. However it took the opening of the line to
Gravesend in 1849 to spell the end of the heyday of Thames passenger craft. "From 1851 onwards, it was no longer quicker cheaper and safer to go by water, and though the steamers
428:
in 1816. The use of tugs to guide sailing boats bringing passengers and cargo up the London river increased the efficiency of operations enormously and the paddle wheel showed off its maximum advantage. Paddle tugs could apply full power quickly in either direction and by having separate engines for
500:
Richmond or
Twickenham long remained the practical upper limit of steamboats on the Thames, though the competition through London was keen, with the fare dropping to 1/2d each way on shorter trips. Paddle Steamers found it difficult to pass through the narrow locks and as late as 1843 steam boats
45:
of 1819 became the first statute to regulate the safety of the new technology for the public. Wooden boats driven by paddle-wheels, they managed during this time to establish themselves as faster and more reliable than the earlier use of sailing and rowing boats for passenger transport within the
288:
Other vessels of this time were the
Majestic and Defiance. The Hero of 1821 was built locally and put to work. By 1822, the Margate SP Co. alone carried over 27,000 passengers to and from Margate and competition was brisk. The biggest boom came in the 1830s with the creation of the
548:
Boats were modified to maximise the number of passengers and minimize the air draught to get under the low bridges and the service entered a period of prosperity it was to keep for the next fifty years. Diesel engines did not take over until after the second world war.
193:. Brunel's attempt to interest the Admiralty in steam-powered tugs for getting naval vessels in and out of harbour was met by the rebuff that they "consider the introduction of steam is calculated to strike a fatal blow at the naval superiority of the empire".
237:
caught fire near
Whitstable on 2 July 1817 and was totally destroyed, mercifully with no loss of life. The cause was a lack of fireproof lining between the funnel and the wooden deck beams. Boiler explosions were not uncommon, happening, for example, on the
210:(80-100 tons) running daily during the summer season and carrying some 20,000 people between London and Margate. Both sailing and rowing boats reacted strongly to the new competition and improved their facilities or provided extra crews on the
257:, initially established in 1821 and incorporated in 1824, was founded by a syndicate of London businessmen including William J Hall, a shipowner, and brothers Thomas and John Brockelbank, who had timber and shipyard interests in
177:, the third major route in the Thames estuary, much used by passengers from the continent as well as for pleasure trips to the Kent coast by Londoners. The first steam passenger boat to have been built on the Thames, the
324:
Iron boats were introduced in 1845 by the City
Steamboat Company with their Citizen boats built by the Thames Ironworks. The Westminster Company also had iron boats specializing in taking gentlemen from the
679:
309:
boasted that they "had made the Thames navigation one of the most perfect in the
Kingdom". In 1835, the Diamond SP Company reported that it had carried over 250,000 passengers in the year.
157:
which was brought from
Bristol by a Mr. Dawson in 1813, but this was not a success. Civil engineer George Dodd placed an order for a steam paddle boat, also called
141:
was purchased by the London firm of Cortis & Co. She steamed down the east coast and arrived at
Gravesend in January 1815, entering service on the
161:, with Lepinghall & Co of Yarmouth in 1814 and this may have gone into service the same year, or possibly the next, on the route from London to
479:, launched 1925 for the General Steam Navigation Company, operating on the Southend, Margate and Ramsgate service, later to Clacton and Felixstowe
214:. By 1826 it was clear that the steamers were winning as new jetties were constructed alongside the river to service them, although it took the
492:
were still packed to capacity on summer holidays and at weekends, the money earned was not enough to maintain the large number of vessels."
250:
of 1819, which made it compulsory for all passenger-carrying steam vessels to be registered and inspected annually by a competent engineer.
660:
655:
1212:
848:
269:. By 1825 the GSNC was operating a fleet of 15 Deptford-built steamers, maintained from a yard at the Stowage, Deptford (a former
1207:
702:
196:
These three major Thames routes had been established since at least the seventeenth century, using a mixture of sailing boats (
766:
739:
979:
963:
858:
243:
624:
254:
330:
206:), the latter being large boats (minimum 15 tons) which carried up to 40 passengers. From 1802 there were 8 or 9
189:
and at 112 feet long larger than previous boats, was put into service in 1816 on the
Margate run and served as a
96:, being the birthplace of the steam engine, was quick to put the engine to use by and on the river; a land-based
169:
in
Scotland, which reached London on 12 June 1815 having covered 756 miles at sea. She was put into service as
568:
Numerous steamers took part in the 1000 boat float past for HM Queen Elizabeth II—a steam pinnace No. 438, SS
37:
in around 1815 and for nearly 25 years were the main use of steam to carry passengers before the emergence of
412:
1179:
509:
until 1877 to clear it before screw steamers became a practical proposition, when a service started between
797:
484:
306:
451:
312:
146:
645:
337:
underground. They were known as 'penny boats' from their standard fare. A competing 'ha'penny boat', the
301:
SP Companies which added many more new boats. By 1834, when they were fighting the establishment of the
488:
455:
1130:
720:
471:
218:'s Company, which had tried to hold on to their traditional monopoly, until 1841 to establish the
41:
in the south of England. During this time at least 80 steamers are recorded in the Thames and the
686:
334:
276:
302:
119:
97:
70:
1082:
916:
526:
229:
was the first new company to set up to exploit the new technology in 1815, followed by the
182:
348:
which opened on 23 March 1889. The original fleet was three side-loading paddle steamers,
8:
650:
639:
634:
345:
506:
333:
which opened in 1848 on the south bank - a route that was eventually taken over by the
270:
959:
854:
448:, is due to return to the Thames in 2018. She will be berthed at Trinity Buoy Wharf.
61:
was not maintained, and the first steamboat passenger service was established in the
50:
137:
which was launched at Dumbarton in June 1814 and having run for a few months on the
731:
665:
538:
437:
162:
109:
54:
502:
104:
in 1742. Other pumps soon followed. With the improvements of the steam engine by
21:
822:
Royal River Highway, A History of the Passenger Boats and Services on the Thames
591:
and regaled the royal party with her whistle. Other steamers involved were the
433:
326:
186:
153:
on 23 January. Another contender for the first steamboat on the Thames was the
505:. When they could, they found much of the river too full of weed. It took the
1201:
690:
510:
401:
66:
62:
629:
74:
34:
26:
81:. The first service on the Thames that can be established properly is the
585:
138:
123:
85:
in 1815, though the Richmond may have started taking passengers in 1813.
400:. Further up the river many bridges and several tunnels (the first, the
850:
Bell's Comet: How a Little Paddle Steamer Changed the Course of History
341:
was short-lived, retiring after its boiler burst causing loss of life.
198:
105:
78:
190:
127:
708:
258:
215:
114:
58:
514:
266:
174:
101:
93:
38:
552:
404:, opened in 1843) were constructed to take cross-river traffic.
545:, and have retained an important role on the river ever since.
530:
320:, built 1906, pictured on Gravesend-Tilbury run in 1924 or 1925
150:
1105:
557:
420:(1882) being towed by a steam tug on the Thames, around 1890
462:
at Woolwich in 1931, steaming upriver to Nine Elms Gasworks
246:
was established to enquire into the matter, leading to the
233:
in 1817. But major accidents were soon being recorded. The
1181:
President Departs For River Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant
761:
344:
The first steam ferry to cross the tidal Thames was the
49:
The early lead in practical steamboats established by
878:. Wiltshire, England: Cromwell Press. pp. 62–63.
576:, and the Fellowes, Morton, and Clayton narrow boat
429:
each paddle wheel could virtually turn on the spot.
1084:The Historical Development of the West India Docks
541:established a rival service using the steam boat
1199:
1059:, David & Charles: Newton Abbot, p. 145
564:- one of the first steamers on the upper Thames
1030:Londoners in the Eighteen-Fifties and Sixties
553:Steamers of the 2012 Diamond Jubilee Flotilla
799:CHELSEA WATERWORKS COMPANY: PROPERTY RECORDS
580:. Salters steamers also took part. The tug
133:One of the earliest records is of a vessel
972:
424:The first steam tug on the Thames was the
407:
953:
947:
873:
714:September 2010, ready to leave Lowestoft
556:
470:
450:
411:
311:
275:
88:
20:
16:Early 18th century steamboats in England
1028:Bennett, Alfred Rosling (1924), "XII",
1027:
911:
909:
392:. Dartford had a car ferry serviced by
1200:
846:
749:, last steam tug to work on the Thames
265:provided a service between London and
360:. In the early 1900s they were using
1069:
1054:
906:
466:
222:to operate their own steam service.
1166:
1154:
1042:
1015:
1003:
958:. Intellect Books. pp. 50–51.
900:
888:
834:
819:
784:
495:
261:. The Brockelbanks' paddle steamer
13:
980:"General Steam Navigation Company"
77:, using an engine manufactured in
33:Steamboat services started on the
14:
1224:
942:Steamers of the Thames and Medway
824:, David & Charles, p. 50
754:
625:John I. Thornycroft & Company
523:Thames and Isis Steamboat Company
242:in 1817. Consequently, in 1817 a
165:. Dodd next bought the steamboat
112:in 1803 and the building of the
25:A pleasure steamer passing under
1213:Steamships of the United Kingdom
738:
719:
701:
678:
255:General Steam Navigation Company
1172:
1160:
1148:
1123:
1098:
1075:
1063:
1048:
1036:
1021:
1009:
997:
934:
487:in 1838 and the opening of the
220:Watermen's Steam Packet Company
894:
882:
867:
840:
828:
813:
802:, London Metropolitan Archives
790:
778:
231:Gravesend Steam Packet Company
130:were soon sailing the Thames.
1:
1208:Transport on the River Thames
917:"General Steam Navigation Co"
771:
687:triple-expansion steam engine
501:were prohibited from passing
108:by 1776, William Symington's
485:London and Greenwich Railway
227:Margate Steam Packet Company
7:
956:Story of the Paddle Steamer
954:Dumpleton, Bernard (2002).
618:
376:. Another at Tilbury used
10:
1229:
671:
525:started a service between
456:Gas Light and Coke Company
765:Thames Paddlers website
1131:"New Home for Challenge"
1087:, British History Online
874:Clements, Paul (2006) .
1057:British Paddle Steamers
1055:Body, Geoffrey (1971),
646:Gravesend–Tilbury Ferry
537:taking 3 days. In 1888
408:Cargo tugs and steamers
122:in 1812 to service the
98:Newcomen pumping engine
820:Dix, Frank L. (1985),
565:
480:
463:
421:
335:Waterloo and City Line
321:
285:
30:
760:Thames Tugs website
693:, as installed in SL
613:Sabrina of Gloucester
560:
489:South Eastern Railway
474:
454:
415:
315:
303:Great Western Railway
279:
89:Early paddle steamers
71:North River Steamboat
24:
940:Burtt, Frank (1949)
876:Marc Isambard Brunel
847:Ransom, PJG (2013).
584:was stationary near
307:Thames Commissioners
202:) and rowing boats (
183:Marc Isambard Brunel
1106:"Steam Tug Portway"
944:, London, pp.82-83.
651:Woolwich Free Ferry
640:Yarrow Shipbuilders
635:William Watkins Ltd
483:The arrival of the
346:Woolwich Free Ferry
284:on the Thames, 1884
173:between London and
642:and Yarrows Boiler
566:
507:Thames Conservancy
481:
464:
444:. Another, the ST
422:
322:
286:
271:East India Company
31:
1110:Steam Tug Portway
1032:, T. Fisher Unwin
467:Pleasure steamers
53:in 1803 with the
51:William Symington
1220:
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1019:
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1007:
1006:, pp. 60–63
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984:P&O Heritage
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811:
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794:
788:
782:
742:
732:West India Docks
723:
705:
682:
666:Salters Steamers
496:The Upper Thames
438:West India Docks
331:Waterloo station
244:Select Committee
110:Charlotte Dundas
55:Charlotte Dundas
46:Thames estuary.
1228:
1227:
1223:
1222:
1221:
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796:
795:
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783:
779:
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757:
750:
743:
734:
724:
715:
706:
697:
689:and coal-fired
683:
674:
621:
555:
503:Teddington Lock
498:
469:
410:
208:passage packets
100:was located at
91:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1226:
1216:
1215:
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1159:
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1097:
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971:
964:
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859:
853:. p. 42.
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827:
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789:
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769:
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756:
755:External links
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593:Yarmouth Belle
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551:
521:. In 1878 the
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468:
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434:Port of London
409:
406:
187:Henry Maudsley
181:, designed by
167:Duke of Argyll
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921:Grace's Guide
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402:Thames Tunnel
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67:Robert Fulton
64:
63:United States
60:
56:
52:
47:
44:
43:Steamboat Act
40:
36:
28:
23:
19:
1185:, retrieved
1180:
1174:
1169:, p. 92
1162:
1157:, p. 86
1150:
1138:. Retrieved
1135:ST Challenge
1134:
1125:
1113:. Retrieved
1109:
1100:
1089:, retrieved
1083:
1077:
1065:
1056:
1050:
1038:
1029:
1023:
1011:
999:
987:. Retrieved
983:
974:
955:
949:
941:
936:
924:. Retrieved
920:
903:, p. 53
896:
891:, p. 39
884:
875:
869:
849:
842:
837:, p. 51
830:
821:
815:
804:, retrieved
798:
792:
787:, p. 53
780:
746:
727:
710:
694:
630:Ramsgate tug
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82:
75:Hudson River
48:
42:
32:
27:Tower Bridge
18:
570:Elizabethan
539:Salter Bros
416:The barque
374:Will Crooks
280:The tug PS
145:route from
65:in 1807 by
1202:Categories
772:References
517:using the
442:ST Portway
212:Long Ferry
204:tilt-boats
143:Long Ferry
128:steamships
120:Henry Bell
106:James Watt
79:Birmingham
1070:Body 1971
989:19 August
926:19 August
747:Challenge
661:SS Cervia
656:SS Wandle
586:HMS
578:President
574:Edwardian
519:Runnymede
446:Challenge
378:Catherine
316:Ferry SS
191:mail boat
185:built by
147:Gravesend
69:with his
1167:Dix 1985
1155:Dix 1985
1091:21 April
1043:Dix 1985
1016:Dix 1985
1004:Dix 1985
901:Dix 1985
889:Dix 1985
835:Dix 1985
785:Dix 1985
709:SS
685:Sissons
619:See also
527:Kingston
426:Majestic
418:Talavera
386:Gertrude
318:Gertrude
299:Woolwich
282:Ben More
273:depot).
259:Deptford
240:Richmond
216:Watermen
163:Richmond
159:Richmond
155:Richmond
115:PS Comet
59:Scotland
39:railways
806:6 April
728:Portwey
695:Nuneham
672:Gallery
588:Belfast
582:Portwey
515:Staines
460:Suntrap
362:Squires
339:Cricket
295:Diamond
267:Margate
175:Margate
135:Margery
102:Pimlico
94:England
83:Margery
73:on the
29:in 1900
1187:7 June
1140:13 May
1115:13 May
962:
857:
611:, and
609:Ursula
605:Kariat
601:Kennet
597:Alaska
562:Alaska
543:Alaska
531:Oxford
458:'s SS
440:, the
394:Mimmie
366:Gordon
358:Hutton
354:Gordon
350:Duncan
305:, the
235:Regent
179:Regent
171:Thames
151:London
35:Thames
711:Robin
572:, SS
533:with
398:Tessa
382:Edith
263:Eagle
225:The
139:Clyde
124:Clyde
1189:2012
1142:2018
1117:2018
1093:2012
991:2015
960:ISBN
928:2015
855:ISBN
808:2012
745:Tug
535:Isis
529:and
513:and
432:The
396:and
390:Rose
388:and
372:and
370:Benn
356:and
327:City
297:and
291:Star
253:The
199:hoys
730:in
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615:.
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599:,
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384:,
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368:,
364:,
352:,
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993:.
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