Search results for ""Author Thames"

The River Thames is simply a fantastic place to paddle your canoe, kayak or paddleboard, whether touring, training, racing, expeditioning or just 'bimbling'. From its early reaches in the Cotswold Hills, through the Home Counties into London and far out beyond into the estuary, the river's surroundings are remarkably varied and diverse, yet always attractive and engaging. If your mental image of the Thames depicts an urban sewer, be prepared to be amazed; the water is clean, the banks are invariably green and naturalists describe the river's ecosystems as a 'wildlife superhighway'. This natural beauty is equalled by the human story which the Thames narrates; from locks, gardens and parks to mansions, abbeys, castles and palaces, the paddler is continuously immersed in what MP John Burns famously called 'liquid history'. The riverine Arcadia of willow-draped banks, back channels and islands celebrated in Three Men in a Boat and The Wind in the Willows was not a myth, and it still exists.Is a paddler's guidebook to the Thames needed? Britain's best-known river might actually be the least-known by paddlers.The huge paddling population and numerous canoe clubs based along it belie a surprising fact; many of these paddlers aren't sure what is found up- and down-stream from their patch. In a river stretching 347km, this is both understandable and forgivable. However, there are other reasons for the relatively low numbers of paddlers encountered whilst enjoying the Thames. Information about where and how to launch is hard to come by, existing guides and media give the impression that the Thames is the preserve of powerboats and rowers, and finally, the perception often lingers that it isn't actually very attractive or interesting. This book sets out to redress these major omissions and misconceptions, and to reclaim John 'Rob Roy' MacGregor's river for paddlers.Mark Rainsley has spent three decades using paddlesport as a means of avoiding adulthood and responsibility. He is a fanatical paddler who has descended challenging whitewater rivers worldwide, and who is dedicated to exploring every nook and cranny of the UK's coast by sea kayak. He created the UK Rivers and UK Sea Kayak websites and is a prolific contributor to paddlesport magazines and other media.Mark authored other Pesda Press titles.

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This book deals with the civil engineering heritage of the capital and Thames Valley. The development of London has attracted the design and construction skills of a range of eminent civil engineers and contractors. The work of Sir Marc and I K Brunel, the Rennie family, Robert Stephenson, William Cubitt, Sir Joseph Bazelgette, and many others is included. The books in this series have all been designed specifically as guide books for exploring these landmarks, and provide the reader with a ticket into Britain's engineering history.

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This new title from Bradt forms part of its distinctive 'Slow Travel' series and is the only title available to cover the Chilterns and Thames Valley in depth. The Chilterns and the Thames Valley do not correspond to the specific boundaries of one county or region, old or new. Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Oxfordshire all have a share. Divided into six easily manageable sections, Bradt's The Chilterns and Thames Valley lifts the lid on what makes this area so distinctive. Chalk grasslands, beech woods, streams and wooded valleys provide a perfect landscape for walking and are easily accessible from London. About half of the area has been designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty - the closest such area to London. Rare plants such as fleawort and numerous orchid varieties, and birds including red kites, lapwings and skylark flourish. The Thames Valley follows the route of one of the world's most famous rivers. You can find key sites of monarchical and parliamentary power such as Windsor Castle and Chequers, the location of Magna Carta's sealing at Runnymede and the birthplaces of men and women who have led dissent down the ages. A host of well-loved authors has lived and written here, depicting Paradise, defining our childhoods and painting timeless images of England and its people. Eminent chefs own restaurants with national and sometimes international reputations. In short, the Chilterns and the Thames Valley together represent a wonderfully paradoxical mixture of world-famous tourist sites and lesser-known attractions full of quirkiness and character, which will repay the visitor's interest and attention many times over. From Windsor Castle to Whipsnade Zoo, Britain's oldest road - The Ridgeway - to National Trust properties such as Cliveden and Waddesdon Manor, the Henley Regatta to the Grand Union Canal, Bradt's The Chilterns and Thames Valley is the perfect companion.

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The OS Landranger Active Map series covers Great Britain with 204 detailed maps, perfect for day trips and short breaks. Tough, durable and weatherproof, covered in a lightweight protective plastic coating that can be written on, so that your favourite routes can be easily highlighted. Each map provides all the information you need to get to know your local area and includes places of interest, tourist information, picnic areas and camp sites, plus Rights of Way information for England and Wales. OS Landranger Active now includes a digital version of the paper map, accessed through the OS smartphone app, OS Maps.

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A souvenir book, with over 60 colour photographs showing the charm of this town well know for it's rowing and Royal Regatta.

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The OS Landranger Map series covers Great Britain with 204 detailed maps, perfect for day trips and short breaks. Each map provides all the information you need to get to know your local area and includes places of interest, tourist information, picnic areas and camp sites, plus Rights of Way information for England and Wales. OS Landranger now includes a digital version of the paper map, accessed through the OS smartphone app, OS Maps.

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London swelters in a heatwave in the summer of 1664, and in the corridors of power the temperature is equally high as an outbreak of war with the Dutch threatens to become a reality.--------------------------------The sixth adventure in the Thomas Chaloner series.In the dilapidated surroundings of the Savoy hospital, a delegation from the Netherlands has gathered for a final attempt to secure peace between the two nations. Thomas Chaloner, active in Holland during Cromwell's time, knows many of the delegates, including the sister of his late wife. Then the body of his former brother-in-law is found in the Thames. Chaloner discovers that the dead man has left enigmatic clues to a motivation for his murder. Was he involved in a plot to steal the crown jewels, or did he fall foul of one of the many people in London who are determined that the peace talks will fail?'Pungent with historical detail' (Irish Times)'A richly imagined world of colourful medieval society and irresistible monkish sleuthing' (Good Book Guide) 'Corpses a-plenty, exciting action sequences and a satisfying ending' (Mystery People)

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Between 1940 and 1945 London suffered 101 daylight and 253 night-time air raids from the Luftwaffe and V1 and V2's. There were 80,000 fatalities or serious injuries and appalling devastation. Well documented as these horrific events are, there was another major threat - the all too real possibility of widespread flooding whenever the Nazi onslaught breached the Thames' river defences. This superbly researched and illustrated book describes the vital role and unsung achievements of the London County Council emergency repair teams ably led by Chief Engineer Thomas Peirson Frank. Three rapid response units were formed and, in the event, undertook repairs to over 100 breaches of the flood defences, thus saving the Capital from drowning. We also learn of the fate of London's docks and bridges and of the ships, boats and barges lost in the estuary and tideway. This fascinating account has been compiled by the Thames Discovery Programme team and, 80 years on, pays tribute to the non-combatants who kept the major port running and saved London.

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Drawing on the resources of English Heritage’s unrivalled photographic archives, The Thames Through Times is a photographic journey along the length of the tidal river and over almost 150 years. We see the rural Thames as it approaches London, riverside towns, the civic and commercial development of the riverbanks, the working docks and warehouses, the development of the web of bridges that now links north and south, barges, sailing ships and warships, the great flood defences and a tiny beach that flourished briefly at the Tower of London. Featuring the work of pioneers of photography and some of the great topographical photographers of the 20th century, and with a fascinating commentary by Stephen Croad, The Thames Through Time chronicles the ebb and flow of the life of the river.

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'Many people say that Nick Ardley is a bit of an eccentric, or an anachronism from a simpler age, for the way he sails his clinker sloop around the Thames estuary, wending among the tide-riddled marshes to drop anchor where the fancy takes him, his trusty mate at his side. In this volume, he has a clear unabashed plan: a reflective journey between the Pools of Rochester and London, a path once of commerce, but now pleasure. Rochester was once of immense importance to Britain's past trading richness, but, even if the belching chimneys pouring acrid fumes and cement dust have evaporated, and oil refineries have slipped away; the wharves lining the banks remain alive. As a distraction, he wanders a little above Rochester and then again, a little above the Pool of London towards Richmond. Between, he lands amongst the marsh and mud, finding graves, the ribs of old sailors and farmsteads enveloped in purslane and lavender. Many towns sailed past were part of this heritage, supplying building materials, food and fodder carried by the tan sailed barge to London. Nick Ardley dips and dabbles into these communities and explores how they have metamorphosed.

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London’s docks were once the busiest in Britain. They had developed piecemeal from the beginning of the nineteenth century as the existing riverside wharves became too congested and pilfering became rife. Dock systems were built on both sides of the Thames. The largest group, ‘The Royals’ comprising the Royal Victoria, Royal Albert and King George V docks, created the greatest enclosed dock area in the world. Changes in cargo handling methods, such as containerisation, led to all new developments being concentrated at Tilbury from the late 1960s and the closure of the London docks, along with nearly all of the private riverside wharves and canal wharves. The London Docklands Development Corporation was set up to redevelop the dock sites. So what replaced the docks, and what remains to remind us of what was there before? This book follows the Thames Path, which has opened up much of what was once a largely hidden world, from Greenwich to Rainham and Erith to examine the changes and the heritage that remains on both sides of the river. Also included is the network of rivers, canals and sewers in East London that linked into and made use of the Thames. Finally, it looks at Tilbury on the north bank, where the docks are now concentrated, and Gravesend on the south side, a town with long maritime connections to London.

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An exciting new adventure series for young readers from Carnegie Medal winner Katya Balen, author of October, October and The Light in Everything Clem and her friends Ash and Zara are members of the Thames and Tide Club! Every weekend they go mudlarking by the river, searching for treasures that have washed up on the shore. Clem has found old things, new things and a whole heap of rubbish. But one day, she finds something really special. Something magical that belongs in the river and must be returned to its rightful owner … or else. Before they know it, the Thames and Tide Club are on the weirdest, wildest, underwater-iest adventure they could possibly have imagined on a mission to save Underwater London!

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There was nothing quite like the Thames-Clyde Express. Covering well over 400 miles, its route stretched from the dreaming spires of London’s St Pancras via the Shires of England, the legendary Settle-Carlisle line, Walter Scott’s Border Country and finally into Glasgow – the Second City of Empire. It never offered the quickest journey between England and Scotland, but it was undoubtedly the most scenic. A former signalman on the tracks of the Thames-Clyde Express, David Pendleton has written what he terms ‘a love letter’ to this famous named train. Rather than a text ending on the sad day in 1975 when the last train reached its destination, he instead views its history and the route it traversed from a present-day perspective. Here is a rich mix of anecdotes and observations, including attractions and oddities either visible from today’s train services or within easy reach of principle stations Gavin Morrison, one of Britain’s most experienced railway photographers, has compiled more than 60 books and has gained the highest reputation for the quality of his work. He is able to capture the Thames-Clyde Express in its glory days and portray both steam and diesel locomotives on the complete route from London to Glasgow in its many moods. The result is a superb array of images taken during a lengthy period of well over 60 years between 1955 and 2022. Collectively this book is a journey in both words and pictures that is highly informative and richly illustrated. It is to be enjoyed as a record of recent times as well as evoking memories of years long past

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The international bestseller that mesmerizingly charts quixotic journeys through London’s past, Mudlark thrills Anglophiles and history lovers alike. Long heralded as a city treasure herself, beloved “Mudlark” Lara Maiklem tirelessly treks along the Thames’ muddy shores, unearthing a myriad of artifacts and their stories—from Roman hairpins and perfectly preserved Tudor shoes to the clay pipes that were smoked in riverside taverns. Seamlessly interweaving reflections from her own life with meditations on the art of wandering, Maiklem ultimately delivers a treatise “as deep and as rich as the Thames and its treasures” (Stanley Tucci).

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Rising in the Gloucestershire Cotswolds, the River Thames flows in a generally easterly direction for 215 miles to the sea. It passes Cricklade, Lechlade and Eynsham before reaching Oxford, after which it flows on past Abingdon, Wallingford and Reading. From Sonning, the Thames goes past Henley-on-Thames, renowned for its regatta, to Marlow and then Cookham. Running through spectacular wooded scenery at Cliveden, it passes Maidenhead and flows on to Windsor, celebrated for its castle, and Eton, noted for its college. The river continues past Runnymede, where Magna Carta was signed, and Staines, where the London Stone marked the ancient boundary of London's jurisdiction on the Thames. Flowing past Shepperton and Sunbury, it reaches Hampton Court Palace and then Kingston upon Thames before arriving at Teddington Lock. Downriver of Teddington, the Thames becomes tidal. The upper part of the Thames was the focus of an historical journey in the author's previous book, The Upper and Middle Thames from Source to Reading (2007). This second volume, featuring the middle and lower reaches of the non-tidal Thames, is a continuation of the journey downriver. In this latest Thames portrait, the evocative collection of 18th-century aquatints, 19th-century engravings and early 20th-century postcards will delight river enthusiasts and riverbank residents alike. Locks, ferries, bridges, inns and boats as well as village and town scenes are depicted, along with images of people enjoying themselves just 'messing about on the river'.

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Just across the River Thames from St Paul’s Cathedral stands an old and elegant house. Over the course of almost 450 years the dwelling on this site has witnessed many changes. From its windows, people have watched the ferrymen carry Londoners to and from Shakespeare’s Globe; they have gazed on the Great Fire; they have seen the countrified lanes of London’s marshy south bank give way to a network of wharves, workshops and tenements – and then seen these, too, become dust and empty air.Rich with anecdote and colour, this fascinating book breathes life into the forgotten inhabitants of the house – the prosperous traders; an early film star; even some of London’s numberless poor. In so doing it makes them stand for legions of others and for a whole world that we have lost through hundreds of years of London’s history.

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_______________ WINNER OF THE INDIE BOOK AWARD FOR NON-FICTION THE TOP 2 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER A BBC RADIO 4 BOOK OF THE WEEK AN OBSERVER BOOK OF THE YEAR _______________ Mudlark (/‘mAdla;k/) noun A person who scavenges for usable debris in the mud of a river or harbour Lara Maiklem has scoured the banks of the Thames for over fifteen years, in pursuit of the objects that the river unearths: from Neolithic flints to Roman hair pins, medieval buckles to Tudor buttons, Georgian clay pipes to Victorian toys. These objects tell her about London and its lost ways of life. Moving from the river’s tidal origins in the west of the city to the point where it meets the sea in the east, Mudlarking is a search for urban solitude and history on the River Thames, which Lara calls the longest archaeological site in England. As she has discovered, it is often the tiniest objects that tell the greatest stories. _______________ 'Enchanting' - Sunday Times 'Driven by curiosity, freighted with mystery and tempered by chance, wonders gleam from every page' - Melissa Harrison 'Brilliant. No one has looked at these odd corners since Sherlock Holmes' - Sunday Telegraph 'The very best books that deal with the past are love letters to their subject, and the very best of those are about subjects that love their authors in return. Such books are very rare, but this is one' - Ian Mortimer 'Fascinating. There is nothing that Maiklem does not know about the history of the river or the thingyness of things' - Guardian 'A treasure. One of the best books I've read in years' - Tracy Borman

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From Hampton Court to the Thames Barrier, the landscape of London unfolds along the River Thames, from leafy towpaths, bustling thoroughfares, palaces and humble dwellings to industrial buildings, warehouses, power houses, pubs, theatres and churches. In London’s Riverside in Photographs: The Thames from Hampton Court to the Thames Barrier, photographer Franco Pfaller has recorded the huge variety of landscapes, buildings and other structures along the banks of the River Thames in London, including every bridge. Look through these photographs and you will quickly see the unique appeal of this great river artery running through the metropolis.

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The site at Cotswold Community in the western reaches of the Upper Thames Valley has been a focus for human activity since Neolithic times. Successive Bronze Age, Iron Age and Roman settlements developed within an increasingly open grassland landscape, which was heavily exploited for the growing crops and the grazing of animals. The spiritual lives of the inhabitants were glimpsed through a series of structured pit deposits and ritual monuments, including a potential Neolithic timber circle and Bronze Age round barrows. One of the most striking landscape features was a late Bronze Age/early Iron Age pit alignment that extended over 500m, possibly marking one of the earliest attempts at defining territory on a large scale. It was still a visible feature for some time as it partly dictated the position of the boundaries of a Roman farmstead, which occupied the site from the 1st to 4th centuries AD. The farm lay in the shadow of Roman Cirencester less than 5km to the north and may even have been involved in the recycling of refuse from this important urban centre. Following abandonment of the Roman farmstead there was no further occupation on site, although a small number of Saxon agricultural structures indicate continuing use of the land, which may now have been part of a locally-centred Saxon estate.

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A fascinating array of operators and vehicles are portrayed in the years leading up to 1972, when National Bus Company amalgamations changed so much. Starting in Oxford, characterised by City of Oxford’s red, maroon and duck-egg green buses, the River Thames is followed through Wallingford to Reading, where the Corporation ran trolleybuses until 1968. A diversion along the Thames’ tributary River Kennett displays both Thames Valley and independent Reliance’s vehicles around Newbury. Back on the Thames at Henley, wartime Bedford OWBs were in service as late as 1966. Looping down river through Marlow and Maidenhead, Windsor and the boundary of London Transport’s monopoly area are reached. Continuing downstream past Staines and Walton-on-Thames, London Transport’s final day of trolleybus operation around Kingston upon Thames in 1962 is illustrated before conclusion with unexpected independent bus operation at Richmond upon Thames. As well as quality pictures of both major and independent operators, the book contains unique images of buses and coaches bringing supporters to the iconic early 1960s CND Aldermaston Marches, along with second-hand buses on construction sites at AERE Harwell and elsewhere.

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‘Brimming with dark humour, fast-paced action … this is a top-class series that grows in stature with every new book’ Lancashire Evening Post SHORTLISTED FOR THE 2021 HWA GOLD CROWN AWARD LONGLISTED FOR THE 2021 CWA GOLD DAGGER London Society takes their problems to Sherlock Holmes. Everyone else goes to Arrowood South London, 1896. William Arrowood, Victorian London’s less salubrious private detective, is paid a visit by Captain Moon, the owner of a pleasure steamer moored on the Thames. He complains that someone has been damaging his boat, putting his business in jeopardy. Arrowood and his trusty sidekick Barnett suspect professional jealousy, but when a shocking discovery is pulled from the river, it seems like even fouler play is afoot. It’s up to Arrowood and Barnett to solve the case, before any more corpses end up in the watery depths . . . ‘An excellent historical thriller set in late Victorian London … highly recommended’ ***** Netgalley reviewer ‘Fantastic book. Beautifully written’ ***** Netgalley reviewer

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OS Explorer is the Ordnance Survey's most detailed map and is recommended for anyone enjoying outdoor activities like walking, horse riding and off-road cycling. The OS Explorer range now includes a digital version of the paper map, accessed through the OS smartphone app, OS Maps. Providing complete GB coverage the series details essential information such as youth hostels, pubs and visitor information as well as rights of way, permissive paths and bridleways.

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The history of the ancient town of Kingston upon Thames goes back to Anglo-Saxon times, and two Saxon kings were crowned there. Historically in Surrey, it has been an important crossing point for the River Thames for centuries and although the town is now part of Greater London, it retains its separate identity despite the massive growth of population in the area. Kingston also has a proud industrial past, being associated with military aircraft design and manufacture by famous names such as Sopwith, Hawker and Hawker Siddeley and British Aerospace. In A–Z of Kingston upon Thames author Julian McCarthy reveals the fascinating and often quirky history behind Kingston upon Thames, its streets and buildings and people connected with the town. Alongside the famous historical connections, he includes some unusual characters, such as Dr Battie, famous for his studies of insanity and arguably the origin of the term ‘being batty’, and Dr Daniel Biddle and T. Clarke, aviation pioneers. Tucked- away places are featured, as well as lesser-known associations, for example, with father and son land and water speed record holders Sir Malcolm and Donald Campbell, and the unusual such as the use of the Cucking Stool and the annual Shrove Tuesday football match. This fully illustrated A–Z of Kingston upon Thames history will appeal to all, especially those with an interest in this historical town.

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London’s docks were once the busiest in Britain. They had developed piecemeal from the beginning of the nineteenth century as the existing riverside wharves became too congested and pilfering became rife. Dock systems were built on both sides of the Thames. The largest group, ‘The Royals’ comprising the Royal Victoria, Royal Albert and King George V Docks, created the greatest enclosed dock area in the world. Changes in cargo handling methods such as containerisation led to all new developments being concentrated at Tilbury from the late 1960s, and the closure of the London docks, along with nearly all of the private riverside wharves and canal wharves. The London Docklands Development Corporation was set up to redevelop the dock sites. So what replaced the docks, and what remains to remind us of what was there before? This book follows the Thames Path, which has opened up much of what was once a largely hidden world, from London Bridge to Greenwich to examine the changes and the heritage that remains on both sides of the river. Also included is the Regent’s Canal, which took goods onwards into London and linked to the Midlands, and the sewer network that makes use of the Thames.

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Raised on its banks and an avid sailor, Caroline Crampton sets out to rediscover the enigmatic pull of the Thames by following its course from the river's source in a small village in Gloucestershire, through the short central stretch beloved of Londoners and tourists alike, to the point where it merges with the North Sea. As she navigates the river's ever-shifting tidal waters, she seeks out the stories behind its unique landmarks, from the vast Victorian pumping stations that carried away the capital's waste and the shiny barrier that holds the sea at bay, to the Napoleonic-era forts that stand on marshy ground as eerie relics of past invasions. In spellbinding prose, she reveals the histories of its empty warehouses and arsenals; its riverbanks layered with Anglo-Saxon treasures; and its shipwrecks, still inhabited by the ghosts of the drowned. The Way to the Sea is at once a fascinating portrait of an iconic stretch of water and a captivating introduction to a new voice in British non-fiction.

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William Grenfell, Lord Desborough, was, for many, the epitome of the perfect English gentleman: an exceptional sportsman, a dedicated public servant and a devoted husband and father.Grenfell’s astounding sporting achievements, from climbing mountains to swimming the basin of the Niagara Falls twice, from rowing the English Channel and winning the Amateur Punting Championship for three years consecutively, to representing Great Britain in fencing, produced his deep-rooted belief in the importance of sport. It wasn’t surprising therefore that he became the driving force behind the 1908 London Olympic Games, an enormous success despite being staged with only two years’ notice.A surprisingly modern public figure, Grenfell was elected as an MP before going on to hold a prodigious array of local, national and international roles: mayor of Maidenhead, leading the London Chamber of Commerce, promoting aviation, establishing modern policing, and serving as chairman of the Thames Conservancy. Although Grenfell’s public life was successful, his family was struck by tragedy, aged six he lost his father and he and his wife Ettie suffered the loss of two sons in the First World War and their third in a motor accident. Despite this, their home, Taplow Court, was a place for entertaining and had been a focal point for the Souls, including notable politicians such as A. J. Balfour and the young Winston Churchill, as well as writers like H. G. Wells and Henry James.In Titan of the Thames, Nairne and Williams disentangle the myths surrounding this fascinating man who spans the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and have pieced together a compelling biography of a figure whose story should have been told many years ago.

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London’s Waterfront 1100–1666: excavations in Thames Street, London, 1974–84 presents and celebrates the mile-long Thames Street in the City of London and the land south of it to the River Thames as an archaeological asset. The argument is based on the reporting of four excavations of 1974–84 by the Museum of London near the north end of London Bridge: Swan Lane, Seal House, New Fresh Wharf and Billingsgate Lorry Park. Here the findings of the period 1100–1666 are presented. Buildings and property development on sixteen properties south of Thames Street, on land reclaimed in many stages since the opening of the 12th century, include part of the parish church of St Botolph Billingsgate. The many units of land reclamation are dated by dendrochronology, coins and documents. They have produced thousands of artefacts and several hundred kilos of native and foreign pottery. Much of this artefactual material has been published, but in catalogue form (shoes, knives, horse fittings, dress accessories, textiles, household equipment). Now the context of these finds, their deposition in groups, is laid out for the first time. Highlights of the publication include the first academic analysis and assessment of a 13th- or 14th-century trumpet from Billingsgate, the earliest surviving straight trumpet in Europe; many pilgrim souvenirs; analysis of two drains of the 17th century from which suggestions can be made about use of rooms and spaces within documented buildings; and the proposal that one of the skeletons excavated from St Botolph’s church is John Reynewell, mayor of London in 1426–7 and a notable figure in London’s medieval history. The whole publication encourages students and other researchers of all kinds to conduct further research on any aspect of the sites and their very rich artefactual material, which is held at the Museum of London’s Archaeological Archive. This is a significantly large and varied dataset for the archaeology and history of London in the period 1100 to 1666 which can be continuously interrogated for generations to come.

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Revised and updated in 2021 this 3rd edition features facts and figures, insights and entertainment, wit and wisdom: from Brentford to Burscough, from Shardlow to Sharpness, from Tipton to Todmorden. All manner of folk have been encouraged to explore inland waterways using these guides, which have become as much a part of tradition as their subject matter. This 3rd Edition focusses on the Kennet & Avon, linking Bristol with Reading, and the River Thames between Oxford and Brentford, expertly interpreted to inspire you, on foot, afloat or by bicycle.

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During the 1970s and 1980s the Port of London, and shipping on the River Thames was in a state of transition. New methods of cargo handling, in particular the introduction of containers and Roll-on, Roll-off vehicle ferries called for new investment and a rethink on the way dock traffic was traditionally managed. As a result, The Port of London Authority decided to run down and close the various London docks and concentrate all new investment downriver at their Tilbury docks. These photographs, along with some from earlier decades, and mostly previously unpublished, are a fascinating insight into this period, when traditional ships and cargo handling methods worked alongside the new technology. Ships designed for carrying cargo in their holds were sometimes adapted to carry containers as deck cargo. There were also shipping types now lost to history, including colliers and sludge boats. Not forgotten are the passenger ships -cruise liners to ferries. The various vessels that serviced the port from tugs to salvage craft and floating cranes. Finally, the heritage craft from traditional Thames Sailing barges to former paddle steamers now adapted as floating pub/restaurants.

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A guidebook to walking the Thames Path National Trail between Woolwich Foot Tunnel in east London and the river's source in Gloucestershire. Covering 292km (182 miles), this straightforward trail takes around 2 weeks to hike. A level walk alongside riverside paths, it makes an ideal first long-distance trail for beginners.The route is described from east to west in 20 stages between 6 and 26km (4–16 miles) in length. An optional route extension from Erith in Kent to the traditional start at Woolwich Foot Tunnel is also provided. GPX files available to download Contains step-by-step description of the route alongside 1:50,000 OS maps Includes a separate map booklet containing OS 1:25,000 mapping and route line Handy route summary table helps you plan your itinerary Refreshment and accommodation information given for each route stage Public transport by stage is listed for those wanting to break the trail into shorter sections

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The River Thames Book, now in its seventh edition, is the best-selling guide to the non-tidal Thames from Teddington to its source in Gloucestershire. This complete guide covers the Barrier to Cricklade with the River Wey, Basingstoke Canal and the Kennet & Avon Canal to Great Bedwyn. Chris Cove-Smith's updated text describes the navigation with support of clear and detailed mapping. The River Thames Book also lists in exhaustive detail the facilities to be found along each section of the navigation.

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This edition includes the latest official UKHO data, combined with additional information sourced from Imray's network to make it ideal for small craft. It includes the latest official bathymetric surveys. The chart has been fully revised throughout. 1:120 000 WGS 84

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Virginia Astley has been a much admired songwriter and musician since the 1980s, known for her engaging lyrics as well as for her melodious style. Now her other two passions take centre stage in this book: poetry and the River Thames. She grew up by the river's upper reaches, knew the old lock-keepers and was familiar with all aspects of the Thames and its hinterland: both the natural world and the people whose lives are intimately connected with the river. In recent years, she has returned to the Thames, working for a summer as an assistant lock-keeper, and walking its length to record and respond to its landscapes, river life and river folk as a poet and photographer. Her pamphlet The Curative Harp won Ireland's Fool for Poetry chapbook competition in 2015 and was published by Southword. The English River is her first book-length poetry collection, showing many new sides to this multi-talented artist: as poet, nature writer, storyteller and photographer. The foreword is by Peter Townshend. `Virginia's story is about the river and the people who work on it, especially those who man the locks. She captures a view of the upper reaches of the River Thames that is entirely fresh. There are glimpsed moments of the claustrophobic beauty of the wooded parts that contrast with the open expanses of uplifting countryside where the river meanders through woodland and farmland. Focussing on the professionals who work on the river, and who manage the locks and the flood plains around them, Virginia suggests - as she works as a lock-keeper's assistant - that they become almost addicted to the peace and beauty of their place of work. She herself becomes enchanted, that is certain. She makes herself vulnerable in the most romantic way, working and writing and evoking everything she sees and feels as both a storyteller and poet, and as photographer.' - Pete Townshend, musician

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The AEC Regal IVs and Regent IIIs, or to give them their class prefix letters RFs and RTs, are among the most revered buses to have served London over the years. The RFs were maids of all work and were tailored for private hire work, Green Line coach work and ordinary stage bus work in both the central and country areas. The first of the type were introduced in October 1951 and a total of 700 vehicles were built for the London Transport Executive. They replaced virtually all the other types of single-deckers then operating in the metropolis. The RT was first introduced to service in 1939 and production ran to 151 vehicles before construction ceased in early 1942. Following the war the Park Royal factory recommenced building the type in 1947 with the last new chassis being rolled out in 1954, taking the bonnet number RT4825. Both types soldiered on throughout the 1970s as LTE encountered severe problems with their ‘OPO’ replacements before both finally bowed out within a week of each other in March/April 1979. This account charts the last years of operation of both types from the mid-1970s onward, focusing on South London.

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OS Explorer is the Ordnance Survey's most detailed map and is recommended for anyone enjoying outdoor activities such as walking, horse riding and off-road cycling. The series provides complete GB coverage and can now be used in all weathers thanks to OS Explorer - Active, a tough, versatile version of OS Explorer. The OS Explorer Active range now includes a digital version of the paper map, accessed through the OS smartphone app, OS Maps.

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London Transport was created in 1933 with monopoly powers. Not only did it have exclusive rights to run bus (and tram and trolleybus) services in the Greater London area, it also ran services in a Country Area all around London. Green Line express services linked the country towns to London and in most cases across to other country towns the other side of the metropolis. This country area extended north as far as Hitchin, east to Brentwood, south to Crawley and west to Windsor. But what of the towns at the edge of the country area? Here the green London Transport buses would meet the bus companies whose operations extended across the rest of the counties of Essex, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire etc. In some cases the town was at a node where more than one company worked in. At Luton there was a municipal fleet. Elsewhere, such as at Aylesbury there were local independent operators who had a share in the town services. It would all change from 1970 when the London Transport Country A

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A dramatic story of bitter rivalry and forbidden love, Pam Evans' London saga, LAMPLIGHT ON THE THAMES, is sure to appeal to fans of Kitty Neale, Katie Flynn and Kate Thompson. Since the end of the war, when Bob Brown had taken over the car workshop in London, Frank Bennett had been trying to get his hands on it. An East Ender made good, Frank was determined to get the prime site - whatever the cost.As children, Bob's daughter Bella and Frank's son Dezi became unlikely friends, though both families disapproved. Years later, their love blossomed, and it seemed that nothing, not even the feud between their fathers, could prevent their marriage. Until Bob's tragic death and his dying request to Bella . . .

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Fully revised and updated. This comprehensive guide to the London section of the Thames Path Trail Guide covers the route from Hampton Court in the east to the Thames Barrier in the west, with an extension into Crayford Ness. From the Mesolithic Period timber piles near Vauxhall Bridge to the innovative Shard skyscraper at London Bridge, the long and remarkable history of London is revealed. Clapham covers all the folklore from the famous frost fairs to the much-lamented beach near Tower Bridge, not forgetting the poignant recent visit of a large whale to the centre of London. The Thames winds all the way through London’s history and culture, from Henry VIII’s Hampton Court to the chequered fate of the Dome/O2. Accompanied by easy-to-read maps and colour photography, the London resident as much as the visiting tourist will find in this guide something new every step of the way.

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London Transport was created in 1933 with monopoly powers. Not only did it have exclusive rights to run bus (and tram and trolleybus) services in the Greater London area, it also ran services in a Country Area all around London. Green Line express services linked the country towns to London and in most cases across to other country towns the other side of the metropolis. This country area extended north as far as Hitchin, east to Brentwood, south to Crawley and west to Windsor.But what of the towns at the edge of the country area? Here the green London Transport buses would meet the bus companies whose operations extended across the rest of the counties of Berkshire, Surrey, Kent etc. In some cases the town was at a node where more than one company worked in. Elsewhere, such as at Guildford there were local independent operators who had a share in the town services.It would all change from 1970 when the London Transport Country Area was transferred to the National Bus Company to form a

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