For anyone interested in the removal of the masts from the SS Richard Montgomery in the Thames, it’s happening now!

[columnatedruinsdomino]

Live feed

https://www.iossc.org.uk/weather/?sn=cam1-rt

The first mast was removed yesterday. There is a time-lapse video on Facebook under James Bell Photography that shows the mast being lifted out of the water. I can’t seem to share it.

One down, two to go!

Ooooh I live near enough that ive been told the "all the windows will shatter if it goes up!" Story many times.

I'll have a look later 🥰

I may or may not have strayed uncomfortably close the first time i was allowed to steer a boat...
I doubt we were ever in real danger, was a kid, but in my head we were sooooo close!

Also, lots going on up this end of term Thames this week, what with the poor pilot whales too

Ooh, thank you!

Can I just ask why they're removing them? Don't they need a marker to show where it is for any craft to avoid the area or will they put buoys there instead? I don't live in the area so don't know how it's been managed.

Once the masts are removed the 500m exclusion zone should still operate and the wreck will hopefully have visible markers above the water for anyone straying.

The masts have been a problem for a few years, if they had moved significantly or collapsed they could have disturbed the thousands of tons of unexploded bombs in the hold. No one knows if the bombs are water damaged or are still in perfect condition. I think half are of the self-igniting type.

It will be weird once they are gone. I’m an ex-local who has grown up comfortable in the knowledge that as long as the masts are there nothing has been disturbed underneath! There’s always been wild stories of what would happen if there was an explosion, it’s regularly discussed in parliament. Hopefully the current operation will stabilise the wreck.

wiki entry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Richard_Montgomery

Oh, okay. Thanks for that. I had visions of hapless yacht owners crashing into it🙈

I've tuned in again today. Nice soothing watch to have on in the background!

Looks like 2nd mast is about to be lifted

Because they’re concerned they will eventually rot and fall on to the wreck below and, well, BOOM!!!

Bye bye windows 😂

Thank you for the link OP, very interesting!

Faffing attaching a cable, I think.

Wouldn't want that to drop before it's clear... 💥🪟

Yes! I saw the cage move and got too excited!
Annoyingly I’m going out now and it looks like it might be getting interesting!

Local people I was speaking to this morning said they're rather sad to see them go.

And not impressed with the Americans saying we can keep them, since they didn't want to know when it happened.

Ooh now. This might start to be the real thing.

That was a big boat going past!

They’re lowering something, could be a brace.

We're going to spend all day going, "This is it... no this is really it...", then miss it all happening in 10 minutes, aren't we?

Ofc! The metal brace thing that was lowered earlier hasn’t come up so maybe mast #2 will go tomorrow. But I bet it will be quick, no having a quick toilet break, you’ll miss it!

Occasional seagull action.

Second mast still proudly in place.

Thank you! I didn't know about this.

The tide was high earlier, now it's lower. Seems to be all that's happened today.

I didn’t know about this either. This is pretty close to me too.

Apparently the crane swung round for half an hour while I was out. Probably just to keep us interested!

Something appears to be happening!