Released at the beginning of September 2018, to celebrate 40 years of Paddle Steamer Waverley's visits to the Thames this DVD is of a voyage up river from Gravesend to the Pool of London, plus archive footage of Thames excursion steamers of the past.

In this film we join Waverley at Gravesend and sail up the Thames to London, passing under the QE2 Bridge, past the Thames Barrier and the high-rise buildings of Canary Wharf business district.

We sail past the historic waterfront of Greenwich, before which we cross in Blackwall Reach – not once but three times – the Greenwich Meridian of zero degrees longitude. After passing Limehouse and entering the Pool of London we have the excitement of Tower Bridge opening as the steamer sails through to turn, with the assistance of a small tug, immediately below London Bridge.

With the help of maritime historian Peter Box, we discover the history of passenger steamers on the Thames and through archive footage see Waverley on her first Thames visit in 1978.

Written and presented by Chris Phillips, filmed and edited by award-winning director David Ellery, with original music by Jonathan Cohen.

Approximately 53 minutes duration.

OnDemand