thames lighters

[Tony Wilding]

Does anyone know why Thames Lighters were referred to as Swim Head Barges, i know the bow and stern were flat and raked, same both ends, i believe very early Thames Sailing Barges had a Swim Head Bowlighters.jpg

[robpage]

I think the flat plate wedge shape "Swim Head " bows are pre 1900 , so I suppose it is an old name that stuck , even when the bow became a more streamlined shape

best description I could find is at
The Bulbous Bow

[Ivan Cloherty]

Does anyone know why Thames Lighters were referred to as Swim Head Barges, i know the bow and stern were flat and raked, same both ends, i believe very early Thames Sailing Barges had a Swim Head Bow.

I think you will find that it is because they never had any rudders and could be towed in any direction and also gave them a greater cubic, the ones in Bulbous bow article I think depict a a flat inclined bow with a rudder at the stern, which the author calls a swim end barge (which is locally incorrect), but ask any old London bargee (if you can find one) and he will tell you that a swim end barge never has a rudder, as if it jams over for any reason it makes towing difficult. Towing swim end barges is easier for the tug and can be turned in a tight circle by shortening one of the towing ropes. Working along the river you pick up a few bits of knowledge and customs

[Charlie Hannah]

Have a look at this link many happy trips remembered.Colour on the Thames.click on Link below.Watch on full screen.

Colour on the Thames (1935) - YouTube

[happy daze john in oz]

Now you gone and done it. Watched that and came over all nostalgic, remembering days when the world was OK and we did not have the problems of today. Well if we did we never got to hear about them.

[Charlie Hannah]

I'm preety sure it was first put up by Brian a while back but it,so fits in with the thread,i suppose lots of those at sea today would not realise what a Thames lighter was,as i dont think they are around as much now as they were in our days at sea.I really do get a kick out of looking at things the way they were back then.

[Ivan Cloherty]

There was a story circulating in the 60's about a Court enquiry when a Master was up defending his ticket and was asked to explain why his ship was involved in colliding with two ships in the London docks. They had a model of the dock with ships moored either side showing plenty of room to manouver between the two lines of ships and the Court was at a loss to how he hit the others. The Captain took out a box of matches emptied it all over the water area in the model and just said " and thems barges".......... he kept his ticket.

[Graham Payne]

When I married had kids and packed up going deep sea, did not fancy home trade, I tried to get a job on the "Thames"
NO CHANCE
It was a family affair, Great Grandfather even Grandmother and even then downwards, unless you married into them.
Believe me the so called Unions "Closed shop" and "Port of London Authority" were no match for these people,
they had it stitched up so tight that even their ar*e was watertight.

[Tony Wilding]

I heard it was a closed shop also, as you said the only way in was to marry into it, family histories went back a few generations as watermen, i believe they have there own Guild, had an experience a few years ago at the opposite the London Eye, i took a minibus full of mentally disabled adults to london for the day, parked at Greenwich by Cutty Sark, took a return trip to the Embankment, returned at correct time, the boat came in, offloaded, then there was a discussion with the Skipper that i overheard, crowds waiting to board the boat,the Skipper said he was finished for the day, refused all passengers,i was the only one to hear this conversation, next we are told by the other person on the Pier , it was being taken out of service because of engine problems, i was stuck there with 12 disabled people, whos medication was in the minibus at greenwich, was told to find my way back to Greenwich, when i said i heard the real truth why it was out of service, his attitude rapidly changed, many phone calls later and a walk to the next pier we were taken to Greenwich by another companies boat.

[John Pruden]

maersk line are upgrading the fleet to carry from 18 000 to 22 000 containers how big are they going to be in the future????jp