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Interested in fitting out a narrowboat Narrowboat Isabella:- Construction at Liverpool Boats Fit-Out:-
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Tow Boat Under Bridge |
Interested in fitting out a narrowboat
Narrowboat
Isabella:-
Construction at Liverpool Boats
Fit-Out:-
The towboat is approaching the bridge with barges loaded with coal.
This frame gives you an idea of how fast the river is running. Obviously at or near flood stage
The bridge has not opened and the boat can't stop. Notice that the tug has released the barges. He is backing as hard as possible to try and avoid a collision with the bridge.
The current has swung the boat around sideways.
Now sideways on, the boat starts to go under the bridge
now further under the bridge
now completely under the bridge
amazingly the boat comes up the other side
and starts to right itself
The wheelhouse door and the door in the second deck are now open.
Look close at the bottom right-hand side of the picture and you will see that the bridge guardrail is underwater.
Look at the water pouring out of the second deck doorway.
The working deck is still underwater, but rising.
Look closely and you can see smoke coming from the exhausts. The engine is still running!!!
Notice the prop wash at the rear of the tug. The boat is upright and back under power.
Cropped version..... look carefully and you can just see the white water at the left hand side of the picture!!!!!
The lesson learned is not to underestimate how strong river currents can be..... keep away from those weirs and bridges on the canals!!!!.
I recently received a couple of guest book remarks / e-mails regarding these photos:-
"your page on the towboat that went under the bridge was very interesting to me as I know the Captain of that boat. He is Jimmy Wilkerson, the name of the boat was CAHABA and Jimmy was the captain at the time of that incident and was trapped in the wheelhouse. It happened on the Tom Bigbee River in Alabama at the Rooster Bridge, 12 miles below Demopolis, Alabama in about 1979. The river was flooding at 72 ft. All boating traffic had to jump the dam (go over the top of the dam) in Demopolis. Jimmy lives in Pensacola, Florida now."
"yes the pictures of the boat under bridge is in fact my dad and have the newpaper clippings from the wreak the wreak happen on the tombigbee river in alabama.usa not ireland."
"Just looked at your page entitled "Towboat under the Bridge" The Captain of that boat lives in Florida and the incident happened on the Tom Bigbee River in Alabama. The name of the boat was "Cahaba" Thought you might be interested."
"I talked to Jimmy yesterday and he was amazed that the pictures are on the internet. He doesn't have a computer to look at the pictures so I printed them out for him."
isn't it amazing how the power of the internet connects people and events
