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Mike Stevens writes:
The cruise was organised by the IWA and marshalled by St
Pancras Cruising Club. The majority of the 28 boats involved (which included
narrowboats and barges) assembled the day before in the West India Docks, and
set off in company on the morning of the 16th, with a target time of
arriving off Parliament at 11:10.
The IWA had arranged for their senior people, with
representatives of the other groups in the alliance against the cuts, some MPs
and the Press, to view the cruise from the trip-boat Kingwood (provided
for free by its owners King Cruises, thanks to arrnagement by BMF).
The flotilla at Tower Bridge, photographed by Nigel Stanley
on board nb Pisces.
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The flotilla passing HMS Belfast,
photographed by Peter Scott from the high-level walkway of Tower
Bridge.
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The Police did a stop-and-search of every boat.
Here it's nb Lupin's turn.
Photo by Nigel Stanley.
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The flotilla in King's
Reach.
Photo by Andrew Day, probably from Westminster Bridge.
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Approaching Westminster Bridge. Photo by Peter
Gregory, who I think was probably on Libby Bradshaw's boat
Panacea.
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Westbourne, one of the PLA Harbourmaster launches,
preceded the flotilla through Westminster Bridge.
Photo by Mike
Stevens.
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I was ashore to get some photographs from the south bank of
the Thames opposite Parliament. It was a grey drizzly day, which didn't make
for very exciting photography.
The parade arrived exactly on schedule, led by
Kingwood and escorted by Police and Harbourmaster's launches. They
cruised past Parliament , passed under Lambeth Bridge then turned and (after a
bit of a delay caused by passing heavy commercial traffic) came back past
Parliament in the opposite direction before heading back to Limehouse.
Gnashers II, belonging to David Pearce,
the Commodore of St Pacras Cruising Club, leading the flotilla on the first
pass of Parliament.
Photo by Mike Stevens.
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Boats Gnashers II and Galatea,
both from St Pancras Cruising Club, photographed by Malcolm Wood (also from
SPCC) on board the Press boat.
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A couple of Dutch barges in the flotilla.
Photo by Mike Stevens.
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Narrowboat Fulbourne was one of three ex-working
boats in the flotilla.
Photo by Mike Stevens.
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The trip-boat Kingwood carrying the
official party.
Photo by Mike Stevens.
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Tony Baldry MP, a former Waterways Minister, (left) with
John Fletcher, IWA national Chairman on board mv Kingwood.
Photo
by Keith Langston
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A couple of cameramen on the press boat
capturing some real traffic on the Thames.
Photo by John
Fletcher
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Terry Streeter's Arun passing the Houses
of Parliament.
Photo by Peter Gregory.
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Graham Keens (who was on board Arun, writes :
There were about 24(ish) boats locking out of South Quay
and we were to meet another 5(ish) who were entering the Thames from Limehouse.
It's difficult to identify the exact number when you are part of a procession.
All vessels taking part were boarded by the Police and 'Stop and Search' forms
were completed for each vessel and master as the flotilla headed upstream
towards Tower Bridge. The weather was cold and damp, with occasional rain, for
the whole of the trip up to Parliament.
The charter vessel carrying the media coverage, invited
dignitaries and various officials for the waterways organisations came
downstream to meet the flotilla south of the London Eye and then turned to rush
back to Westminster to photograph the flotilla passing the Palace. Once past
the houses of Parliament, which showed very little evidence of anyone watching
apart from a security guard and a cook, we continued through Vauxhall bridge to
turn and return downstream.
Part of the flotilla coming through Westminster
Bridge,photgraphed by Stuart Sampson from the Press boat.
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Part of the flotilla on the return leg.
Photo by Mike
Stevens.
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Anne Louise from St Pancras Cruising Club, with a
prominent banner.
Photo by Mike Stevens.
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One of the crew on community boat Theo proudly
displays the flag of the Tideway Adventurers who run the boat.
Photo by Mike
Stevens.
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On the return leg, the flotilla passes the
Millennium wheel, photgraphed by Peter Scott from Westminster Bridge.
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The flotilla passes back through
Westminster Bridge on the return journey, with Hungerford Bridge ahead of them.
Photo by Nigel Stanley.
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It was when we passed back through Westminster bridge that
anyone viewing on the Big Ben webcam got a good view of the passing boats.
There were loads of supporters on the various road bridges we passed under all
waving and taking photos. I even noticed one lady was hanging a large home made
S.O.W. banner off the end of Westminster bridge towards the parliament
building. I hope she didn't get into trouble.
The journey back down to tower bridge was relatively orderly
but once through, all hell broke loose as boats rushed to be near the front of
the queue to lock through Limehouse at the leisurely rate of 3 boats at a time.
Earnest and Arun locked up with Fulbourne in the 3rd
locking and Arun moored up for the night in the basin above. By the
fourth locking, the BW staff had increased the number passing through rather
than sticking to three at a time. A quick trip to the Grapes for lunch
and a well deserved pint was followed by the return journey home. As we passed
Limehouse on the train the last set of boats was coming up into the basin.
Thanks to Terry and Neil for allowing us to join their boats for a trip to be
remembered. |
