 |
Waverley pulls away from Tilbury Landing Stage bound for Tower Pier. |
<!--#easybanner-->
Waverley on the Thames
Dateline 1 October 2000
After arrival at Tilbury on Thursday evening (28 September 2000), Waverley's engineers started a major repair to a steam leak near the manoeuvring valve which required complete dismantling. Despite working in shifts throughout the night, the task was not completed until 11.45 hrs. Consequently, Friday morning's sailing had to commence at Tilbury, five coach loads of passengers being transferred from Tower Pier.
As on the previous day, Waverley was swung using her anchor shortly after leaving the Landing Stage. At Southend, Captain Colledge relieved Captain Gellatly, who was off for a week's leave. Frank Turner, a local historian, was on board to provide an expert commentary on the Thames Forts and to give talks on the subject in the Lower Bar. Waverley steamed past the Red Sands Fort (once the home of the pirate Radio 390) and further east to round the Shivering Sands Fort (former base of Radio City). On this occasion, time did not allow passage to the Knock John Fort (Radio Essex).
|
Waverley pulls away from Tilbury Landing Stage bound for Tower Pier. |
The return to Southend was made promptly and the paddler sped on to Tilbury and Tower Pier. Tonight there was the evening charter by the PSPS and a commercial operator from Tower Pier and Greenwich. This cruise could not proceed as far down river as in other years and Captain Colledge swung her off Erith Yacht Club at 2130 hrs without the vast majority of the passengers being aware of the change of direction.
The paddler spent the night alongside Tower Pier, and was thus ready to start her epic journey to Clacton at 0900 hrs. This sailing gradually became fuller and fuller as one-way passengers joined at Clacton, Southend and Tilbury. A jazz band was engaged to entertain in the Jeannie Deans Lounge from Southend onwards. Eleven coaches were waiting at The Tower to return passengers home.
| The paddler heads into the sunset - a crescent moon shines by her lifeboat as the smoke rises from the twin chimneys of Tilbury Power Station |  |
Sunday's sailing was also an early start and took the paddler from Tower Pier to Tilbury, Southend and Whitstable.
 |
Waverley waits in the morning sun alongside Tower Millennium Pier, to give it its full title. |
Although the tide was in full flood, the steamer made excellent progress downstream, allowing time to land garbage at Tilbury. Although there were difficulties berthing at Southend, as the tide held the paddler off the pier, arrival at Whitstable was on time.
Shortly afterwards, Waverley was joined in the Kent harbour by the Kingswear Castle, which had brought 99 through the Swale from Strood. The mighty paddler's passengers had the chance to join the KC for a trip 'round the bay' or visit the interesting town of Whitstable.
All too soon, KC sounded three blasts on her chime whistle and steamed off bound for Strood, this time via the north side of the Isle of Sheppey. Waverley followed shortly afterwards, but we only had distant views of the coal-fired veteran as she was able to traverse shallower waters off the main channel.
| The steamer's funnels stand out in front of London Bridge as she swings before heading downstream for Tilbury to spend the next 36 hours off service. |  |
The view from London Bridge - HMS Belfast is floodlit between Waverley and Tower Bridge
Image by Stuart Cameron
