In July last year an Invitation was received for
PORTWEY to attend the 2nd annual London Boat Show. This was
recognised as being a golden opportunity to have the Tug open and in steam for
visiting by the general public in their hundreds if not thousands. The 1931
built steam (but oil fired) tug
CHALLENGE, and the 1945 built ‘puffer’ VIC56 also attended and we were all well
supported.
Much of the autumn was therefore spent in repairing,
cleaning and painting PORTWEY both inside and out. The forward cabin was to be
the ‘museum’ and sales area, and a system for showing visitors around the
vessel without confusion was devised. Crew and Guides had to be arranged to
cover the ten days and with a minimum of eight or so volunteers needed each day
(four for the Engine and Boiler Room and four on deck, in the cabin and
wheelhouse) this caused the need for considerable planning. Crew had to remain
on board each night for safety and security reasons.
The organisers required paper work, the main item
was a Risk Assessment Scheme, which had to be planned and implemented. Passes
had to be arranged and photographs for these provided. Food had to be obtained
for each of the ten days, and at three meals a day this was no mean task. We
are indebted to our Historian, Peter Clisby, who cheerfully took on this chore
on most of the days. Other members, and the wives of two, also provided meals
for which we were most grateful.
Having had the boiler surveyed following last minute
replacement of two fire tubes and one of the feed water valves securing bolts, and
loaded 10 tonnes coal at the end of December, on 5th January PORTWEY
was ready to steam the vast distance of one and a half miles from the West
India to the Royal Docks. At least not much coal was needed for this journey!
These docks consist of three separate stretches of
water, the Royal Albert, the King George and the Victoria. They still form the
largest enclosed stretches of water in the country - together providing some
three miles of clear water. The vast Excel exhibition centre has been built on
the site of the refrigerated warehouses which used to unload frozen and chilled
meats and fruit from ships of the Blue Star and New Zealand Shipping companies
amongst many others. The London City Airport lies between the Albert and King
George Docks, otherwise the vast acres once covered with warehouses and all the
paraphernalia of shipping lie empty. Other than during the Boat Show virtually
nothing moves on the water.
The Trust Secretary and a number of Trust members
spent much of their working lives either on ships using the Royal Docks or
working ashore within the Dock complex and thus found the visit to Excel
brought back many memories. It is very hard to believe that the Docks closed to
commercial traffic nearly 25 years ago!
Movement of shipping within the Royal Docks is
closely controlled by the Airport Authorities as the aircraft landing guidance
systems can be upset by chunks of metal floating past! Therefore movement can
only take place between aircraft landing and taking off times. PORTWEY joined a
group of vessels waiting to enter, amongst which was ‘SUHAILI’, Sir Robin
Knox-Johnston’s round-the-world yacht, still looking in mint condition. A large
R.N.L.I. Lifeboat was also there which was comforting.
.5.
The first weekend saw storm force gales which, of
course, affected the north of the country and Scotland badly, and then came a
day of rain. Fortunately, after this, although still windy the weather eased
and at the end of the week there were some fine days.
PORTWEY was opened to visitors from 1030 until dusk,
at about 1630. Each day there was a constant stream of visitors, and on
occasions entry had to be restricted to prevent too much congestion. The coal-fired
boiler was the centre of attraction and allowed visitors to warm up following a
cold wait on deck. The forward cabin housed the ‘museum’, showing pictures of
the Tug from the Trials Voyage on the Clyde in 1927 through to the present
time. Other artefacts and sales items were also in the cabin. Visitors then
went to the Wheelhouse and could shock people all around by blowing the
whistle.
PORTWEY and CHALLENGE steamed up and down the
Victoria Dock at lunchtime on most days. This gave much exposure to the crowds
examining the fibre- glass yachts ranged along the quayside, and to those
visiting the frigate HMS Sutherland.
Although the show was due to finish on Sunday
evening, the King George V lock would not be opened until 9 p.m. This was far
too late for PORTWEY, as the crew would not have had everything ‘put to bed’
until well after midnight.
So the return to the West India Dock had to be made
on Saturday and we parted company with CHALLENGE and VIC56 at 2 p.m. All agreed
it had been a worthwhile exercise, although hard work during each of the 10
days. It was estimated that approximately 1000 visitors were shown round.
Approximately £2000 was taken from the general
public by means of sales and donations which did pay for the coal! Although not
of the best quality this did keep the tug in steam and did not make clouds of
smoke as dire predictions had thought it might!
As a final thought, PORTWEY’s boiler was kept in
steam for 12 days, the longest period since the Tug came to London from
Weymouth in 1982.