RMweb Premium 21C123 Posted October 2, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 2, 2021 Hello I’ve recently built up one of the scalescenes steel barge kit, scaled up to O gauge. Does anyone know of any photos of the prototype ? I am trying to work out a couple of things, the mooring arrangements when the wharf is higher than the barge and also the towing arrangement. The suggested bollards don’t really make sense for either of these. thanks Roger 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 (edited) Snap! I did the same thing, 0 gauge too.. I'm working on extending the Canal Dock to 5' long. Thread here: John Edited October 3, 2021 by brossard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold phil_sutters Posted October 3, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 3, 2021 (edited) These are the nearest I have on file. The Osney lighters have paired bollards. The mooring lines are fastened with figure of eight hitches. On the Thames lighter the bollards have cross-pieces to stop the lines rising. Edited October 3, 2021 by phil_sutters Additional info 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 21C123 Posted October 3, 2021 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted October 3, 2021 Thanks both John, your thread was one that encouraged me to have a go at this model. Phil, that’s an interesting collection of barges there, gives me some ideas thanks. Roger Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted October 3, 2021 Share Posted October 3, 2021 Very gratifying to hear Roger. Good luck with your efforts. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold phil_sutters Posted October 3, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 3, 2021 2 hours ago, 21C123 said: Thanks both John, your thread was one that encouraged me to have a go at this model. Phil, that’s an interesting collection of barges there, gives me some ideas thanks. Roger There were, and maybe still are, a whole cluster of retired lighters, less than half a mile downstream from Tower Bridge in central London. Some are houseboats, some as the one shown above are gardens and there's this one, a bike park. I have a more distant shot showing it much more crowded with bikes. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jeremy Cumberland Posted October 4, 2021 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 4, 2021 Mooring is no problem. Ropes will lead forward and aft to some extent (it might be very little; it might be a lot) from the boat, and they will be slack. If it is tidal, they may be very slack, depending on whether anyone will be around to adjust them. If you imagine the ropes being tied off on the dock (with a bowline, perhaps) before being secured on the boat, then you will get the turns on the bollards on boat correct: the line to the shore is on the bottom in the middle, and the figure of eight turns are above it. It won't pull up off the bollards, honest. Ropes will touch the edge of the dock wall, but since they will be slack this does not much matter. If there is any current, then there will probably be one or more springs (ropes tied to the shore at one end of the boat and tied to tbe boat at the other end) to resist this, but I never saw springs being used with barges on canals. I cannot answer for how the boat would be towed ( I don't recall ever seeing them towed), but separate lines port and starboard would make sense to me. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DGO Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 On 04/10/2021 at 08:13, Jeremy C said: I cannot answer for how the boat would be towed ( I don't recall ever seeing them towed), but separate lines port and starboard would make sense to me. Typically tow is a single line to the single central forward bollard. On the Thames and other wide rivers two barges may be lashed together alongside each other using the port and starboard bollards, the Lines from the barges to the tug would still go from each of the central forward bollards to the tug forming a V. The kit must represent a powered barge, as you will note in the pictures above unpowered barges do not have tillers, this would explain the lack of a forward towing bollard on the model plus the raised prow which would just get in the way of a towing line. To represent an unpowered barge just remove the raised prow and the rudder/tiller at the stern and add a central forward bollard perhaps 3 scale feet back from the bow, You could optionally also add a fairlead right on the bow as this helps when towing. That said there are barges with high prows, though less common in the UK they do occur and in this case they do indeed use a line from both port and starboard bollards out to the tug though you would normally expect the lines to pass through Hawse Holes in the raised prow plate Double tow https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fmedia.gettyimages.com%2Fphotos%2Fcirca-1965-a-tug-towing-two-river-barges-on-the-river-thames-london-picture-id3423793&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.gettyimages.com%2Fdetail%2Fnews-photo%2Ftug-towing-two-river-barges-on-the-river-thames-london-news-photo%2F3423793&tbnid=aAQSNW1F_9bpoM&vet=12ahUKEwiZscLrl7PzAhUbMRoKHW9iCj4QMygJegUIARDIAQ..i&docid=-D7vpgOh5XXwTM&w=1024&h=782&itg=1&q=towing thames river barge&ved=2ahUKEwiZscLrl7PzAhUbMRoKHW9iCj4QMygJegUIARDIAQ High Prow barge being towed https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=https%3A%2F%2Fc8.alamy.com%2Fcomp%2FD23MT1%2Ftug-boat-towing-an-empty-barge-on-the-river-thames-in-the-pool-of-D23MT1.jpg&imgrefurl=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.alamy.com%2Fstock-photo-tug-boat-towing-an-empty-barge-on-the-river-thames-in-the-pool-of-52942625.html&tbnid=TiTKW2grK5XGwM&vet=12ahUKEwiZscLrl7PzAhUbMRoKHW9iCj4QMygIegUIARDFAQ..i&docid=mmkvnFNVwxskuM&w=864&h=1390&q=towing thames river barge&ved=2ahUKEwiZscLrl7PzAhUbMRoKHW9iCj4QMygIegUIARDFAQ Hope that helps Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted October 5, 2021 Share Posted October 5, 2021 (edited) I made the bollards on mine from plastic tube etc. The kit does provide info on building the tiller but the arm is made from plastic strip.. Always great to add to the knowledge base. John Edited October 5, 2021 by brossard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold phil_sutters Posted October 12, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 12, 2021 (edited) In views I have of the Thames lighters, as unpowered barges are classified, are seen being towed singly, in pairs, two abreast, also four in two pairs, two abreast being propelled and in one view the tug is towing alongside the lighter with lines to the bow and stern. I have seen our local lifeboat bringing in a trawler, initially on a long stern tow, but on arrival in Newhaven harbour they switched to alongside towing, so that it is easier to position the towed vessel against the quayside. Edited October 13, 2021 by phil_sutters Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fulton Posted October 12, 2021 Share Posted October 12, 2021 Was tempted by this download, but needs to be swim headed, ie. hull fore and aft cut away, for my interests around the Thames and Medway. The hull design looks more continental to me. Have printed off the cargo ship, in 4mm, which I hope to build soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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