The last days of the old Woolwich Ferries

A previous blog mentioned how keen I was to travel on the Woolwich ferry again - well there was a reason. The old reliables of Ernest Bevin, John Burns and James Newman, which have taking vehicles and pedestrians across since 1963, are about to be replaced.

Their last trips will be this week and then the ferry will close for 3 months from 6th October in order to change the piers for the two new vessels.

The old vessels seem to capture the 1960s, with seaside holiday wooden benches and smoking rooms and in a way its sad to see them go.

But the new ones will use a diesel-electric hybrid propulsion system so will be quieter and less polluting. And at least they will be replaced - there had been some suggestions to close the route down.

So recently I made my way down to docklands for one last trip across on a 1960s era Woolwich ferry....



Update: check out this "Ode to the Woolwich Ferry" from Londonist from 2 years ago