Knocker White, Historic tugboat at Trinity Buoy Wharf, England
Knocker White is a tugboat built in the Netherlands in 1924 and now moored at Trinity Buoy Wharf in London. The vessel measures roughly 77 feet (24 meters) long with a narrow hull designed for navigating crowded river channels and pulling cargo ships.
The tugboat was built in 1924 at a Dutch shipyard and initially operated under a different name on European waterways. It came to England decades later and was eventually preserved as part of the historic vessel register.
This vessel represents working life on the Thames, showing how tugboats were essential to daily port operations and river traffic. The boat itself tells the story of maritime workers who depended on ships like this to earn their living.
The boat sits at the wharf and can be viewed from the docks, allowing you to walk around and examine its hull and structure from various angles. Visit during daylight hours for the best view of the vessel and its surroundings.
What makes this tugboat special is its collapsible funnel that could lower to pass under the low bridges crossing the Thames. Later, diesel engines replaced the original steam power system, allowing the vessel to operate more efficiently on the river.
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