Thames Clips: October 2020

Friday, 30 October 2020

Specieswatch: theme park offers no joy ride for jumping spider

... A creature able to leap more than 10 times its own length and land on prey with unerring accuracy to render it helpless by injecting poison sounds like a monster from science fiction. But this is the hunting method of the distinguished jumping spider Attulus distinguendus that lives on two sites alongside the River Thames, near London. It was only discovered in 2003 and is now threatened by plans to build a theme park on its home, the Swanscombe Peninsula, in Kent. ...

Royal Ghost Stories: The Tower of London – Royal Central

... Most peculiar of all, however, is a tale from the Yeoman Warders who guard the Tower. As early as the year 1210, wild animals were kept at the Tower of London, often referred to as the menagerie. There are records of elephants, leopards, lions and even a polar bear, who used to go fishing in the River Thames, living within the Tower’s walls. ...

Tideway tunnelling machine passes safely beneath Tower Bridge - New Civil Engineer

... The 25km ‘super sewer’ - which will clean up the tens of millions of tonnes of sewage that currently pollute the River Thames - has had its outer tunnel shell built underneath west and central London and will soon start its final phase of digging in the east. Two other TBMs completed the first stage of tunnelling from Battersea to Acton. ...

... “Our engineering and construction teams, working closely with the bridge’s owner, the City of London Corporation, have done a superb job – and we’re now closer than ever to a cleaner River Thames.” ...

How Londoners can relax in a hot tub down the River Thames - MyLondon

Once Again the River Thames Offers a Chance for Water Borne Freight Service - Latest industry shipping news from the Handy Shipping Guide

... UK – With a nod to the past, when the River Thames was packed with barges carrying all manner of goods through the heart of the City of London, a cooperation between DHL Express and Thames Clipper Logistics is seeing freight carried on the waterway once more, albeit in much smaller quantities. ...

Newly Unearthed Warrior's Grave Poised to Redraw Map of Anglo-Saxon England | Smart News | Smithsonian Magazine

... Unlike most contemporaries, who were laid to rest in cemeteries, the Marlow Warlord was buried alone, in a north-south orientation overlooking the River Thames. In other words, Thomas tells the Guardian’s Nicola Davis, “He is positioned deliberately to look over that territory.” ...

The amazing story behind that sunken ship you can see on the River Thames - MyLondon

Lost and hound: dog tag lost in Thames nearly 100 years ago is identified

... A dog tag lost in River Thames mud for nearly 100 years was connected with the descendants of its owner last week. ...

... Sandy said the dog tag is one of his greatest finds, despite having mudlarked for eight years on the river Thames. ...

Dutch firm wants to bring a huge party boat for 1,500 passengers to the River Thames - MyLondon

... Dutch party boat company Ocean Diva wants to bring high end parties to the River Thames. ...

Duck Boats could return to the Thames as a ferry service while Hammersmith Bridge is shut | Daily Mail Online

... And now bright yellow duck boats could come to the rescue of Londoners by ferrying them across the River Thames while Hammersmith Bridge remains closed. ...

... It adds: 'We have over 15 years' operating experience on the tidal River Thames and have carried over 1.8 million passengers between since 2003 and 2017. ...

... Ms Skelley said: 'The taskforce discussed the impact of the closure of the River Thames and the urgency of re-opening the river as soon as it is safe to do so. ...

Cross-Thames ferries are the answer for post-Covid London, say campaigners | The Independent

... With Hammersmith Bridge closed indefinitely for essential repairs, campaigners in west London are calling for more ferry links across the River Thames. ...

The fascinating map that shows where in London you can spot dolphins and seals in the River Thames - MyLondon

... Dolphins, porpoises and seals have been spotted as far inland as Hampton Court as the river Thames continues to thrive. ...

... In 1959 the River Thames was declared biologically dead. However, 61 years later the river’s wildlife is thriving once again. ...

The day the Commons came back from the Blitz - BBC News

... The Palace of Westminster, home to both Houses of Parliament, is an iconic British landmark that exudes history from its spot on the River Thames. ...

River Thames housing development in Gravesend – people urged to have their say

Stranded fox saved from upturned boat on the River Thames

... A fox who had fallen onto an upturned boat was saved by the RSPCA and firefighters on Saturday morning on the River Thames. ...

... She was able to loop her grasper around the fox and pull him onto the platform and out of the River Thames. ...

Back In Time: When The River Thames Of London Was Stinking The Worst Ever In History

KenEx's tram under the River Thames between Essex and Kent could open by 2025 - Essex Live

... The River Thames splits the two counties apart, and until the Lower Thames Crossing is built there is only one viable direct route between them over the Dartford Crossing. ...

... The Lower Thames Crossing is a proposal for a new motorway connecting Thurrock and Essex to Kent through a tunnel beneath the River Thames. ...

... On the south side of the River Thames, the new road would link to the A2 and M2 in Kent. On the north side, it would link to the A13 in Thurrock and the M25 in Havering. ...

... The tunnel crossing is located to the east of Gravesend on the south of the River Thames and to the west of East Tilbury on the north side. ...

... And even though a tram under the River Thames sounds like a big new adventure, he reminds us that it's all be done before. ...

A 40-foot inflatable Borat statue floated down the River Thames today

... A Borat statue was spotted floating down the River Thames today (October 22). ...