Comments on: At Victoria Park Model Steam Boat Club

By: Paul Rambow

Paul Rambow — Tue, 18 Apr 2023 08:12:27 +0000

Hello, I’ve long thought about building a model sidewheeler and fell in love with the boats ordered by the London County Council (1907-1907. But I cannot find any kits or plans anywhere. My guess is that they were destroyed in the fires of WW II. Do you know if such plans might exist? I have seen enough pictures to begin creating my own drawings from them. I’ve found several references that list their length as between 130 and 134 feet, but l don’t have beam or depth measurements. Can you help me in any way? I did just pick up the kit for a smaller sidewheel tug, the Vanguard, and am playing with lengthening it. I also haven’t been able to find a photo that clearly shows the boiler, although I’ve approximated it. I just want to be as accurate as possible. I wish I could cross the pond to see your boats. They are beautiful!.

By: Mike

Mike — Sun, 24 Jul 2022 20:51:02 +0000

Corrected..

I visited Victoria Park model boating pond in June 2022 and was disappointed to see that it was NOT maintained correctly for the purpose it was built for. It was impossible use my sailing boat due to thick weed and detritus from trees, bushes and wildlife. Why have the park authority let it get to this state? There is no point trying to use the pond unless you are a duck.

By: Susan

Susan — Wed, 01 May 2019 20:47:07 +0000

I so love this. Real hobbies (as opposed to,say, playing Candy Crush) seem to be a dying pastime, so it is reassuring to see people actually engaging a tangible interest.

By: Paul Loften

Paul Loften — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 15:15:16 +0000

Yes Martin an OP. I left in Parmiters in 1968 !

By: Ian Silverton

Ian Silverton — Mon, 29 Apr 2019 08:18:57 +0000

As a small boy living in Bethnal Green we lads used to come over to Victoria Park on a Sunday Mourning in the summer and watch these old men in there long Wellington Boots playing with there toy boats,how we all envied them,wish we had one! Could never understand why grown up men played with them,but now old maybe I do somewhat, thought the club folded some time ago when I was living near there,but nice to see in still thrives,power to its elbo

By: Martin Palmer

Martin Palmer — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 19:05:23 +0000

I remember being at Victoria Park boating lake in the late 50’s, or maybe early 60’s. I witnessed a boat cross the lake in a couple of seconds, making a deafening racket. I recall it as a thumping vibration, and was told the boat was powered by a small pulse jet, the type 0f power unit used by the V1 rockets aimed at London in 1944. I doubt anyone could get away with something as loud and dangerous as that now!
Were at school in Approach Road, but lived quite a distance away in Clapton? Do I guess correctly that you are an Old Parmiterian?

By: mlaiuppa

mlaiuppa — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 17:52:24 +0000

What a lovely passtime.

My brother got a lovely german made sailboat as a gift as a child but I don’t believe he ever sailed it. I’m not even sure he still has it.

There are no “lakes” suitable for model boats in my area. Our biggest and oldest park has a reflection pond, but it is full of lilies and sometimes fish or turtles and is four feet deep so unsuitable. But I surely wish we did have a suitable pond. I would go there just to watch the little boats and ships wend their way across or go in circles. Not a fan of the noisy ones so much. But a radio controlled sail boat would be absolutely lovely.

And they have a club house? I would have liked to see that. I’ll bet it’s as nice as the boats.

Congratulations on getting a loo after all this time. I guess Town Hamlets figured out that after a century, they weren’t going any where. Nice to see the hamlets building something constructive rather than approving the destruction of history.

By: Bernie

Bernie — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 17:44:45 +0000

Like Paul Loften I was at school in Approach Rd (Parmiter’s) and enjoyed rowing on the Victoria Park lake, but happily was never capsized; my summer lunchtime companions (ca. 1947-9) were perhaps more civilised. We saw some traces of the model boating club, details now forgotten, but enough to spur me to try to construct my own hydrofoils, with no success, and these delightful images show me what I missed by not being there at weekends. Summer then seemed to be always warm and sunny and endless!

By: Gary Arber

Gary Arber — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 16:32:52 +0000

I can remember my father taking me to Vicky Park as a small boy in the 1930’s on Sunday mornings to see the boats.
There were a lot of men with huge steam driven boats. Some of these boats were over six feet long, made of metal. There were also large sailing yachts with masts up to six feet high.
Remote control was unheard of in those days and boats were often stranded out in the middle, specially the yachts. Another thing that had not been invented was waist high waders so there were many unlucky boatmen who went home very wet
Gary

By: Paul Loften

Paul Loften — Sun, 28 Apr 2019 10:47:13 +0000

I always wanted to sail a model boat sadly but never did. I loved watching them when my mother took me to the boating pond as a child. Not at Vicky park though. I seem to recall seeing them being sailed at the Serpentine or the Green park or perhaps Kensington Gardens on summer Sundays We sat on deckchairs and watched the bands play in the bandstand in the park. It was the posh side of London and always a special treat for us children
I was at school in Approach Road just down the road from the Victoria Park boating pond . We sometimes played football in the park after school. I don’t know if it’s the same pond but there were rowing boats for hire and I recall taking one out with my school friends at the end of term and ending up in the lake !. I think I stood up in the boat and Bethnal Green schoolboys, being what they are ,saw the opportunity to rock their bums on the seat and send me toppling over the side. Very funny for them but It was a very unpleasant experience for me having to take the bus home to Clapton soaking wet with squelching shoes !