River Thurne

[JennyMorgan]

My guess for this old image is about 1920. I see that there appears to be two flag poles besides the shed on the left, do these relate to the starting line at the local sailing club, as there is to this day?

 

[Polly]

Looks likely

[Springsong]

I have two from the Thurne. Afternoon tea at Potter Heigham Bridge.

[JennyMorgan]

 

Can't imagine why but in times gone by, as youngsters, we would have said that the boat on the right was powered by a Broads Outboard'! 

[JennyMorgan]

Another Potter Bridge shot, my guess is either side of WWII. The black wherry, what a lovely shape! The yacht on the left has what looks like a wherry style rudder, a wherry yacht perhaps but one I am completely unfamiliar with, any ideas?

 

[Springsong]

Not one I recognize either, canoe stern ? Our Ernest Woods cat boat had a rudder like that.

[BuffaloBill]

Interesting to compare the bridge heights from then and now!

See the height at the arrowed points.

Also nice to see the old Bridge Hotel which we used to use

fairly regularly when we first hired a riverside bungalow

upstream of there called "The Nest", which is still there, before

we went on to hire cruisers from 1964 onwards.

[AdnamsGirl]

Dutch Tutch c1920s

 

Potter Heigham riverside and Dutch Tutch c1920s by AdnamsGirl, on Flickr

[AdnamsGirl]

Potter Heigham c1920s. Applegates boat sheds on the left, either side of the bridge and Herbert Woods on the right where the bridge pilot's office now stands - pre the Broads Haven basin being dug out. The launch in the foreground was, I believe, "Sirdar" built by H.C. Banham at Horning.

[AdnamsGirl]

Trading wherry at Horsey Staithe c1890

 

Carol

[LizG]

Some time in the late 60s

[AdnamsGirl]

Jigsaw pieces!

Liz, I wonder whether your photo was taken whilst the bridge was being repaired after this rather unfortunate accident in the 1960s. I've not been able to pinpoint the exact year though. (The lorry driver was rescued)

 

Carol

 

[LizG]

It's the right side of the bridge. I will see what I can work out from other pictures. Between 1966 and 1970!

[BuffaloBill]

It's interesting to note the height of the bridge above the waterline in that photo with the scaffolding.

It's like I remember it.

Whilst I'm on the subject, does anyone remember the bridge height gauge that used to be just inside HW entrance that could be swung out to try your boat before heading for the bridge? I don't have any photo's myself but do remember using it.

[LondonRascal]

Notice in the photo of the bridge under repair, how there is a car coming over it - and that all that is stopping it or any pedestrian 'falling in the water' is some small wooden staked fencing.  These days, the bridge would be closed for perhaps months while it was all sorted.

One thing I learnt not too long ago was the reason why for a few years the two triangular parts of the bridge were ‘shored up’ with wood and girders. This is because the bridge was ‘spreading’ – literally the middle sagging and the two sides spreading out.

How many times do we talk of this bridge, compare heights in old photos and so on.  I really think it would be a great topic for some proper academic research.  These days with powerful computers I am sure it would be possible for analysis to be made on tidal flows, how river depths at the bridge of further downstream may affect height under the bridge and so on.   

I remember in the late 90’s it was certainly a real possibility of being able to go to Hickling and not as it is these days almost an impossibility for all but the most narrow and low of boats.  

What worries me is slowly but surely Wroxham Bridge is becoming more of a challenge to get under.

[JennyMorgan]

I do think that there is a case for bypassing the bridge if for no other reason than to preserve it. In doing so I hope that the authorities maintain the limitations imposed by the newer road bridge and resist calls to open the area up to all and sundry. A large part of the attraction of the area is its exclusivity. Heaven forbid that Hickling becomes another Horning.

[webntweb]

5 hours ago, BuffaloBill said:

It's interesting to note the height of the bridge above the waterline in that photo with the scaffolding.

It's like I remember it.

Whilst I'm on the subject, does anyone remember the bridge height gauge that used to be just inside HW entrance that could be swung out to try your boat before heading for the bridge? I don't have any photo's myself but do remember using it.

I do remember Wood's bridge height gauge. Can't recollect seeing it used though.

Roy

[LondonRascal]

I think that would be perfectly reasonable Peter - if the medieval bridge was not there it would not mean new 'fly bridge' style boats would suddenly all head up to Hickling etc but at least the bypass bridge being just a few inches higher and straight not arched would provide those low air draft boats far easier access to the upper Thurne.

But naturally the real issue is money - raise it, move it, even knock it down - all costs someone something but leaving it stay as it is far less.

 

 

[Poppy]

I think that those trying to make a point about bridge height now and then may be forgetting one important fact - The Thurne was tidal in the 1920s ( as it has been for centuries), and it still is today.

We have no means of telling at what state of the tide these various shots were taken.

What has undoubtedly changed is that the Lower Bure is no longer regularly dredged, then there is the design of hire boats' of course...

[JanetAnne]

15 minutes ago, Poppy said:

I think that those trying to make a point about bridge height now and then may be forgetting one important fact - The Thurne was tidal in the 1920s ( as it has been for centuries), and it still is today.

We have no means of telling at what state of the tide these various shots were taken.

What has undoubtedly changed is that the Lower Bure is no longer regularly dredged, then there is the design of hire boats' of course...

If you look at Adnams Girls picture of 'Sirdar' the decks are level with the quayheading. Agreed, we don't know the state of the tide in the picture and we don't know Sirdars freeboard but if we assume it's about the same as what... a carribean, (can't be much less or you'd be unable to move around inside), can anyone remember a carribean decks being level with the quayheading recently? 

If the bridge is splaying out etc then perhaps the quayheading was being forced up to compensate?

Isn't it funny that Beccles still manages a respectable rise and fall on the tides yet the Thurne does not when they are both a similar distance from Yarmouth. 

Last time I mentioned dredging on here I was called disingenuous but maybe a decent flow down the lower bure may help and save so much dredging further up the system? It may even elliviate that waterfall that cascades through Yarmouth twice a day. I can't remember it being that bad in the past...

[LizG]

I too remember the height thing in the yard at Woods but don't recollect ever seeing being used or infact where it was.

We would have just come through from the yard side - look at all the yachts moored up through the bridge so it would have been a Saturday!  We could get through with as little as 6' 3" so gauging what the tide was doing wouldn't be easy to judge.  To narrow it down for Carol (the old albums aren't accessible at the moment due to a decorating issue!)  it would 1966 onwards up to 1970 but I suggest possibly 1966.  This photo was taken in 1965 as it was dated in my scan and shows no repair? And it would appear the tide was much higher?