London PS

[dave43]

I hope I get replies to this its been hardwork!
I collect postcards of London, I have a few of PS but got the one attached which shows (primarily) MV Royal Sovereign passing under Tower Bridge. BUT is that a paddle steamer above it at Tower Pier? in top LH corner of card, it looks wide enough and I have a card of PS Royal Eagle in 1946 around here, could it have been there?

[Walter Snowdon]

Hi Dave. the royal sovereign looks as if she is just arriving or leaving as by the wash her engines are running slowly astern. unfortunately the image is too blurred to make much out. for instance I cant see any mooring lines and as for the other vessel it is unrecognisable. Is there any way you could sharpen the image?. both before and after WW" there were a number of paddle steamers operatring upriver, mainly as "showboats and excursion trips. Regards, walter.

[dave43]

Sorry, I didn't realise that the  website only allowed me to upload 1 image, here is the whole postcard

[derekwarner_decoy]

Dave

You can upload more thain 1 image.....after the first upload ......look for [more attachments] box & click that ...also, read the text on attachment limits

Just keep each image below the limit.......the second image displays the larger file size

Derek

[tonyh]

Dave,

I found the photograph, on your postcard, appears in the book, London's Pleasure Steamers by Andrew Gladwell. The text which accompanies the photograph reads -

"Royal Sovereign passing under Tower Bridge with the Royal Eagle alongside Tower Pier. This photograph was taken in the late 1940s when Thames services experienced a boom in services. Royal Sovereign had just entered service and the Royal Eagle despite being less than than two decades old, was facing withdrawal soon after this photo was taken".

https://www.bookdepository.com/Londons-Pleasure-Steamers-Andrew-Gladwell/9781445641584?ref=grid-view&qid=1634893105901&sr=1-14

[Walter Snowdon]

Sorry Dave- I should have known it was the Rpyal EAGLE paddler and that the royal SOVEREIGN was a twin screw ship. Did you Know that the Royal Eagle gave its name to the fleet of EAGLE anti aircraft paddle steamers which were all converted to defend the thames and its estuary from low level bombing attacks and using the Thames as a navigating route to the heart of London on bombing raids The whole fleet of them were known thereafter as the EAGLE BOATS and were all armed with a large array of anti aircraft weapons. Put my initial ship name change down to old age!.regards, Walter.

[Walter Snowdon]

Looking more closely at the picture Makes me curious as to when it is! I have several postcards of paddlers passing Tower bridge and on every one the bridge is packed with traffic, particularly double decker buses and pedestrians. The only vehicle in this one is a single decker (Bedford?) yet the decks of the Royal sovereign are crowded. A late evening showboat trip immediately post war when there were very few vehicles about due to postwar austerity?, regards, walter.

[Walter Snowdon]

Back again! the picture shows her going downriver (EAST) and the length of the shadows of the bridge puts this at very early morning. Why is she so crowded?. A sunday day trio to go paddling down Southend maybe?. Regards, walter.

[dave43]

Thanks everyone for that, attached scan of other side of card, not much help except must be post 1948