There are five Ferro Concrete Barges (FCB) in the Backwaters. These are described moving floodwards with the convention of right/left bank to seawards.
The Open Barges forming the Horsey Breakwater are metal Thames lighters, not FCBs.
Foundry Reach, off Walton Channel is home to Lady of the Twizzle, it has been converted into accommodation available for holiday lets at Foundry Quay. The story is told in in full by thecretefleet.com
Next to it is a closed FCB (a Petrol Concrete Barge or PCB) inshore of a metal lighter which largely obscures it from the water. The ash rubbing strakes are still in place. This was one of three that were holed to be used used as breakwaters protecting the bank.
Fifty metres southeast, still on the right bank, there is another PCB, also effectively a breakwater.
Another four hundred metres up the reach in a side creek on the left bank of the channel is the third PCB with a shed on top and vessels alongside. This was one of the three breakwater PCBs but was refloated to be used as a fisherman’s workshop. Again the rubbing strakes are in excellent condition. There were once two more in this area that were moved to West Mersea.
Turning back downstream, there is a, somewhat Dickensian style, houseboat that appears to be built on a concrete hull (too small to be an FCB).
Finally, though not concrete, there is a rusting hulk on the right bank just by the entrance to the reach.
Returning to Walton Channel and, westwards into the Twizzle, Tichmarsh Marina has another, open type, FCB that be found on land at Titchmarsh Marina: it is well disguised as a wooden bungalow by the marina car park.
The fascinating story of how it got there and its connection with the building of Titchmarsh Marina, is recounted in detail on the thecretefleet.com (Concrete Ship & Mulberry Blog).
All photographs taken in late 2024.
This makes five concrete barges in the Backwaters altogether. Strangely, only one is from the original five: their somewhat complicated history, which involves a Minister of Transport and caravan park is told in detail here thecretefleet.com (Concrete Ship & Mulberry Blog).
Return to Barges and Lighters.