'SS Great Eastern' Launch Ramp, Isle of Dogs

 

Steam Ship Great Eastern launching chains

Saturday, April 2, 2022

It had long been one of my ideas to walk along the Thames Path around the Isle of Dogs, to take in the historic aspects of the area.

And so, having left Borough Market and crossed the River Thames via Tower Bridge, I made my way through St Katharine Docks to Wapping and on to Limehouse, before finally making it to the Isle of Dogs.

Much of the area around West India Docks, which became disused in the 1980s, were redeveloped between the late 1980s and the 1990s, and became the second financial district for London, commonly known as Canary Wharf.

Continuing on my walk I finally reached one of the most historic places on the Isle of Dogs... Napier Yard and the launch ramp of the SS Great Eastern.

SS Great Eastern launch ramp.

This was the exact spot from where, on January 31, 1858, following thirteen unsuccessful attempts, the SS Great Eastern was launched sideways into the River Thames. 

A model of the SS Great Eastern, in the Museum of London Docklands.

She was the largest ship ever built, at the time, and was the brainchild of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

Timbers and the dock wall leading to the River Thames.

The slipway had been lost to the ravages of time, but was finally rediscovered in 1984 when redevelopments took place in the area. As the timbers were uncovered they were sprayed with water before they could be injected with a preservative.

Preserved for Posterity.

The reason for the thirteen unsuccessful attempts stems from the fact that two slipways were required, rather than the usual one. Both slipways had to be at an identical height to carry the weight of the 12,000 tonne ship, but a miscalculation made the slipway at the bow of the ship being steeper than that at the stern.

A history of the SS Great Eastern.

Also, if you visit the Brunel Museum in Rotherhithe, you will find an original grinding wheel, from the Great Eastern Yard.

An original grinding wheel from Great Eastern Yard, now at the Brunel Museum, Rotherhithe.

Gainsborough Pictures

 

Gainsborough Pictures

Monday, March 28, 2022

Wandering east along the Regent's Canal, from Angel, I soon found myself in Shoreditch Park.

Commemorative Plaque.

To the north of the park are the old Gainsborough Pictures film studios, which were converted to apartments in 2004.

Film Reel sculpture.

There is a sculpture of a film reel, in Shoreditch Park, and a giant sculpture of Alfred Hitchcock's head within the grounds of the apartments, which, unfortunately, I wasn't able to access on this visit.

'The London Master's Guide' by Sean Hunt

Way back in 2019 I came across a Kickstarter project that blended my passion for all things London with my love of reading, but with a dash of fantasy thrown in for good measure... 'The London Master's Guide' by Sean Hunt.

The London Master's Guide

Reading through the various pledges I decided to become a backer. This would be the second book that I would back, concerning London, on Kickstarter, with the first being 'Faith in the City of London' by Niki Gorick.

The blurb on the Kickstarter page went as follows:

London is one of the most historic and oft visited places in the world. It’s a true multicultural hub, made up of thousands of points of interest, a multitude of strange delights and vibrant people. Ancient pubs sit in the shadows of towering skyscrapers. Long-forgotten paths open up into new avenues. History peeks out from behind every rooftop, daring you to become a part of London's legend.

The London Master's Guide is the world’s first tour book that blends real-life travel with the magical genre of fantasy.

The book is an essential guide to one of the world’s most storied cities, filled with curious attractions, macabre history, and legendary destinations. But this isn’t your regular travel book. It’s full of original artwork that brings London to life through the lens of fantasy and is written in a way that makes your upcoming trip a part of the city's history.

The London Master's Guide serves to inspire your imagination, fuel your wanderlust and give you all the tools that you need to plan your very own adventure. 

Come intrepid adventurer! There are many sights to see!

The goal of £18,000 to get the book from fantasy to reality was soon surpassed, with £23,769 being raised.

For myself, I had pledged £20 which got me a softback copy of the London Master's Guide and a digital (PDF) copy of the London Master's Guide.

Now all I had to do was to sit back and wait.. and wait... and wait. There's nothing like a pandemic to put a spanner in the works. Lockdowns, restricted travel and being unable to socialise all added to the timescale. The June 2020 estimated delivery was pushed back, but the project was still going ahead.

Then, in December 2021, I received my copy of the book through the post and... WOW! 

The glossy pages and amazing artwork, mixed with the tongue-in-cheek writing style, made this an incredibly unique book. The delay didn't matter any more. What I now held in my hands was well worth the wait.

The Black Dog of Newgate.

The artwork is exceptional and completely unique and the little snippets of history work well with the fantasy artwork.

Your traditional guide books get you from A to B, but miss the historical and more unusual aspects of this great city.

The London Master's Guide corrects this and takes you on a magical adventure through the historical, unusual and macabre aspects of London.

If you would like to know more about the book, purchase a copy or even look through the various other London Master's Guide merchandise available, then click on the link below.

London Master's Guide

British Telecom Tower

British Telecom Tower (GPO Tower, Post Office Tower), 2010

I have always been fascinated with the BT Tower, ever since I first saw it. I am not sure what it is about the building, once the tallest in London, but it just looks cool to me. Maybe it is its uniqueness that makes it so fascinating.

The view from below, 2010.

Also, considering how visible it is, it took me an age to get close to it. I would walk towards it and often find that I had passed it, or ended up walking down the wrong road and missing it again. In 2010 I made a conscious effort to finally get a decent photo of this historic tower... and I did. 

St Pancras Old Church

 

St Pancras Old Church

Wednesday February 16, 2022.

It was an unseasonably warm morning as Keilyn and I headed to London, for a wander long the Regent's Canal from St John's Wood to King's Cross.

Altar

Towards the end of our journey, as a slight drizzle could be felt on the breeze, we visited St Pancras Old Church where we also saw the Hardy Tree and the Sir John Soane Mausoleum.

Monument removed from the Old Chapel, Highgate.

Fortunately for us the church was open, so we stepped inside this historic building and had a good look around. Before we left we made a small donation for some votive candles, lit them and then continued on our journey.

Sir John Soane Mausoleum