The Thames Steam Ferry

Wapping to Rotherhithe

A brief history

The two Paddle Boats were called the Jessy May the Pearl which was launched on the 2-10-1876.
Edward and Symes, the Cubbit Town ship builders, built these iron vessels. The boats were 82ft long, and had 42ft wide decks with an 8ft 9ins depth, nearly a rectangle in shape. The boats were steered by a rudder at both ends.
They had two sets of steering gear, worked from the top of each paddle box. This was in order to keep the decks clear. The funnels were placed on the sponson near the paddle boxes.
On the deck were 3 rows for wagons and carts and two for passengers. It could hold twelve two horse carts, maximum 50 tones.
The engine room skylights were placed between each cart track. Each end had a hinged platforms that could be raised and lowered by chains and winches. These platforms formed the end bulwarks and were the landing stage ramps.
The engines were 30hp, driving a pair of paddle wheels, via disconnecting apparatus, meaning one paddle wheel could be disconnected while the other wheel was still in motion. This gave manoeuvrability. The engines were made by Maudslay and Field.
The boat had a draught of 2’6” but were restricted to within Wapping Wharf in “low water spring”.

 The problems planning a landing stage
An intervening bridge or prow was necessary but the “Conservancy” would not allow any that had a height above 8 feet above Trinity high Water. The rise and fall of the spring tide at this point is 20ft. The passengers and vehicles needed, at low tide, to be raised 20ft from the boat’s deck to the shore. This was the problem that led to differing schemes being put forward for the landing system.

One solution considered was for a hydraulic lift for one or two vehicles, but 6 or 8 of these would be needed for a 15 min service, plus there would have to be a large landing stage.

Second solution would be to bring the boats between two hydraulic rams, similar to a Victorian Ship lift. The problem with this was the piers would need to go out 50ft into the Thames to cater for low tide. This would interfere with shipping.

The third, and eventual adopted solution, was the system of having a large lifting platform (landing stage) and winding drum connected with 8 to 10 heavy chains and worked by a 120hp steam engine. Duckham of Millwall Docks proposed this system and Duckham consequentially became the project engineer.

The final design

 A Jetty 100ft long, 19ft 6ins wide for 60ft then fanning out to 33ft was supported by cast iron screw columns. Enough space was provided on this platform for both outward and in coming traffic. Outgoing traffic was loaded onto the outer lanes.
The process was performed, powered by a hydraulic engine 25hp supplied by steam from vertical boilers 4’6” diameter and 12’6” high and an accumulator with 20” ram of 20ft stroke loaded to 750sq in.
The hydraulic pressure pipes were laid to the valve house on the stage where the power was split to 4 hydraulic presses, 12” ram and 15ft stroke.
To ensure the platform lifted horizontally each press connects with the other by rods; ensuring one cannot work without the other being in synchronisation.
One and a half inch pitched chain passed over 2 shelves on each ram and on the cylinder end and then round a pulley on the platform and the chin made good to fixed girders on which the presses are supported.
The pulleys on the platform were pitched to fix the links of the chain and were keyed to 2 strong shafts which pass under the platform, one from each side of the lift to the other end which shafts rotate as the platform is raised and lowered. The two ends of the shafts therefore rotated simultaneously and the two rams on each side moved in unison.
Therefore everything was rigidly coupled so that the platform moves evenly and on a level regardless of any uneven loading.

The platform was designed to float with 150tones loading additional to its its own weight so in the case of any mishap the platform would not sink.

 On the Wapping side warehouses were planned. The foundations for these were designed to be heavy because of the proximity of the Thames tunnel shafts and the disturbance of the ground when making the tunnel. 

A new roadway with vaults were been built from Wapping High Street to the jetty on a gradient of 1:16. The roadway is covered in wood block and granite block. Similar arrangements prevailed on the Rotherhithe side.

On the south side of the river some of the churchyard of St Mary’s Rotherhithe was not consecrated and sold to the ferry company to provide turning room for horse carts. The plot of land was on the NE corner near an old building called the “Blue Mountains” where once stood the Bone House.

The ferry ran daily, except Sundays from 6a.m. to 8 p.m.

The tariff for passengers 1d, for cattle 6d a head, and a cab with fare 8d (returning empty free), other vehicles 8d to 2/6d depending on the number of horses.

The estimated cost of building was £53,369, with estimated earnings of £30,000 per annum. Cost to run was thought to be 11,330 per annum. 

The Times reported on 22/5/78 that the Thames Steam Ferry was used for shipping military supplies from Woolwich to East India Dock. Stores were taken by the Royal Army Service Corps.  

On 25/9/78 the Times reported that the ferry would close the following Saturday to prepare for the increased traffic expected when the London Bridge was partially closed. It would reopen on the following Monday as there was no Sunday service. 

From 1879 there was a one ferry service only the service finishing completely in the 1880's.

The ferry closed in 1886.because it did not attract the wood merchants or persuade contactors to use the ferry and shorten their journey by 2 miles.

On 25/1/88 the Times reported that the proposal for the new Tower Bridge included the purchase of the Thames Steam Ferry. The ferry may have closed when Tower Bridge opened. 

During late September 1892 the LCC proposed a ferry from Rotherhithe to Ratcliffe, this will cost £400,000 estimate. On 16/11/92 the approval was given for the preparation of the Bill. On 15/11/97 the LCC asked for Bill to be withdrawn.

Resources, Graphic, Engineer Times St Mary's documentation.