Greenwich - London Transport Museum

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The river highway Services to row passengers between Greenwich and London began in 1816. Steamboat services followed in the 1830s. They later faced stiff competition from the railway. By 1876, the surviving London Steamboat Company (LSC) was running reduced summer services only, between Chelsea, Greenwich and Woolwich. On 3 September 1878, the LSC pleasure steamer Princess Alice collided with the 890–ton collier Bywell Castle and sank at Woolwich. Over 600 people died, making it Britain’s largest civilian disaster. It marked the decline of the river as a passenger highway. Thames steamboats pass the Royal Naval Hospital, Greenwich, c1840. LBG The Princess Alice collides with the Bywell Castle. Illustrated London News, 1878. LBG ‘She [Isaacs’ aunt] . . . took me to the mortuary where she recognised my mother and the baby . . . My father’s body was never found . . . My brother William . . . was not identified until three days later . . . he had been struck on the head and had given his name wrongly.’ WT Isaacs, survivor of the Princess Alice collision. Interview in the Kentish Mercury, September 1938
In 1905, the London County Council (LCC) attempted to revive passenger services along the river from Hammersmith to Plumstead. But they suffered huge losses and closed in 1908. Only a handful of private operators survived, carrying day-trippers during the summer months. Services were briefly reinstated for six weeks in 1940, when London Transport ran river buses between Westminster and Woolwich. They were to replace the trams which had been damaged by bombs during the Blitz. LCC steamboats at Greenwich Pier, 1906. LBG Crowded pleasure steamer at Greenwich Pier, c1910. 2006/4989 Tram conductor taking fares on the emergency river bus service, 1940. 1998/56538
Page 1 and 2: Greenwich The growth of London thro
Page 3 and 4: Map of Greenwich Canary Wharf L & G
Page 5: Greenwich’s transport story Henry
Page 9 and 10: Although fares were expensive, by 1
Page 11 and 12: The Woolwich Free Ferry has carried
Page 13 and 14: In Woolwich and Plumstead workers w
Page 15 and 16: The Greenwich foot tunnel opened in
Page 17 and 18: At its peak during the First World
Page 19 and 20: Into modern times North Greenwich s
Page 21 and 22: Want to know more Greenwich Heritag

Greenwich - London Transport Museum

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