Blackwall Railway Co
1840 The London and Blackwall Railway owned 3 paddle steamers which operated from the new Gravesend Pier.
When the Blackwall Railway Company - originally called the Commercial Railway - completed their line from the Minories to Black wall in 1840 (the terminal station being on the edge of the river at Brunswick Wharf) they commenced to run a line of packets to Margate and Ramsgate.
These were the PS Prince of Wales, PS Railway, PS Brunswick, PS Blackwall, PS Queen, PS Courier and PS Propeller
After running the steamers for a few seasons, the Railway Company withdrew them and entered into an agreement with the Star Steam Packet Co to run a service from Brunswick Wharf in connection with the train service to and from Fenchurch Street station. During the time this service operated, no better one existed. The express service, both in the morning and the afternoon, between London and Gravesend occupied, with the tide about 1.5 hours - against the tide some 20 minutes longer.
The Star boats used on this service were the JUPITER, MARS and VENUS. Although the passage between Blackwall and Gravesend was comparatively short, the service was a trying one for the boilers. The vessels had to start with a good head of steam, generally kept just under blowing-off pressure by the use of the donkey, and the fires could not be eased at the end of the passage until the vessels were close alongside the piers; again the donkey was brought in to requisition, with the fire-doors and smoke-box doors all thrown open to check, as far as possible, the steam from roaring off.
A few years later the company withdrew its steamers and transferred the business to the Star Co who served Brunswick wharf in conjunction with the Blackwall company's trains to and from Fenchurch-street.[1]
1866 The London and Blackwall Railway line was leased to the Great Eastern Railway from January 1st for 999 years. [2]
1897 The only opposition to a Thames Tunnel came from the Great Eastern and Blackwall Railway Companies, who had a ferry at Greenwich. There was no doubt that ferry would be injuriously affected by the tunnel[3]
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Engineer 1880/03/26
- ↑ The Stock Exchange Year Book 1908
- ↑ Eastern Post 29 May 1897
- 'Steamers of the Thames and Medway' by Frank Burtt