City Sailingvideo
Thames Transport 1915
8 March 2021 · 4 min · 270 views
What this video covers
The London Nautical School, established in 1915 following the Titanic disaster, utilized archival film to document the evolution of Thames River cargo transport.0:05 Early 20th-century operations in the Pool of London, the stretch between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, relied on manual labor rather than modern containerization.0:42 Ships discharged cargo into lighters—unpowered barges known as dumb lighters—which were rowed by hand or towed by steam tugs to various wharves.0:52 Thames sailing barges, characterized by flat bottoms and minimal crews, also navigated the river.1:45 To maximize efficiency, vessel movements were strictly synchronized with the tidal flow, traveling upriver on the flood and downriver on the ebb.2:31 Docklands were constructed with high walls to secure cargo against theft, a significant issue during the era.1:59 The river functioned as one of the world's busiest ports, requiring constant coordination between tugs, coasters, and barges to manage the heavy traffic flow.3:53
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