Thames Easter Eggs

  Here are five of our favourite 'Easter Eggs' stashed around the Thames... Blackfriars Bridge - The Resurrection! Looming alongside today's Blackfriars Rail Bridge are the original supporting pillars that once carried the mighty Victorian railway across the Thames.  The actual bridge was dismantled back in 1985 as it just wasn't capable of carrying heavier modern day trains and their increasing cargo.  The remains of the old bridge were used as platforms in the construction of the new bridge and are now preserved as a Grade II listed monument, you can still see them today if you look up as we pass underneath.  Interestingly Blackfriars bridge is also the turning point on the river at which fresh water merges into sea water, feel free to take a sip and see for yourself as we make our inbound journey - or not.... Lights, Camera, Action! Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade was filmed in... Essex!  Who knew our beloved Tilbury Docks could be the site of such brave and nautical adventure?  Well, Hollywood it seems.  Not only has Indiana Jones raced along the river, Harry Potter had his famous broomstick chase in €˜The Order of the Phoenix', Johnny Depp (aka Captain Jack Sparrow) escaped from the window of the Old Naval College down at Greenwich and James Bond has had many a speedboat race past the MI6 headquarters - memorably in €˜The World is not Enough'.  It took 7 weeks to shoot just this one scene as the Thames' 12 knot speed limit in that stretch of the water had to be factored in! Even Bond, it seems, has to play by the rules sometimes. He must have been hopping mad... Tower Life Boat Station Britain's busiest lifeboat station is €˜eggs-tremely' easy to miss. Tucked away in front of the iconic Somerset House, 25 volunteers work day and night rescuing people, possessions and often party-goers along the river, banks and bridges. In 2015 alone 465 people were rescued by crews from Tower Lifeboat Station, their work evidently an on-going asset to the river and its many active users. To donate to the RNLI CLICK HERE. The other (and original!) Boat Race Think you know the boat race?  Wrong, you've been watching the remake!  Irish actor Thomas Doggett founded a Thames river race back in 1715.  The oldest rowing race in the world (pre- dating the Oxford v Cambridge race by almost 120 years) and the sporting event with the longest continuous history - pits up to six single sculls in a 7.4km race from London Bridge to Chelsea Harbour.  Known today as the Doggetts Coat and Badge Race and set this year to take place on 1^st August, another reason to €˜hop on' down to the river this summer. Tower Bridge Chimney Is this the only bridge in the world with a chimney?  What use is a chimney to a river?  Millions of visitors cross Tower Bridge every year but few notice this cast iron chimney painted to blend in with the old-fashioned London lamp-posts.  It's a flue for a former guardhouse under one of the bridge piers, facing the Tower of London to help warm the cockles' of the men on picket duty.  Nowadays it services a small operations desk in a room directly under the bridge, probably one of the last remaining offices in London with the ability to host an open fire! Our advice - don't take your chocolate Easter eggs in there...