Taking gravel by night on the Thames

Last night I listened to an episode of London Nights which travelled with a gravel barge on its journey - by night - from Fingringhoe on the Colne to Deptford Creek via the Thames. The Bert Prior carries 250 tons.

I've transcribed the first bit to give a flavour.

(Narrator) For over a hundred years a company called J J Prior has been bringing sand and gravel right up the Thames into London from a quarry at a place called Fingringhoe on the River Colne in Essex. On a warm summer's afternoon the vessel Bert Prior starts out on a 12 hour trip to Deptford, where she will dock just before dawn. The crew consists of the Master, Dave Heikel; Dave Godwin, the mate; and John Hooley, a young deckhand. And on this trip they are joined by our reporter Julian May.

(Actuality) Right, what we're doin' now, John an' I, we're slidin' the hatch boards over to cover the cargo. Once it's hatched over we will sheet it, the sheets chocked down with wooden wedges, an' it has straps across, to stop any ingress of seawater. When you're carryin' 250 ton of cargo you don't need to top it up with seawater!

The half-hour programme was fascinating, and included poetry by Mario Petrucci. Listen again (or for the first time), but do so in the next seven days.