Cross Ness

LEFT (south) bank point marking the transition from Halfway Reach into Barking Reach 13 miles from London Bridge. Once known as Leather Bottle Point.

Cross Ness Lighthouse by Mike Millichamp.
It was established in 1895 and today at 41 feet high shows a light visible for 8 miles. -

Cross Ness Lighthouse

On the southern bank the East London Sewage Incinerator at Crossness is a new landmark for the area. It has a shiny metallic façade and curved roof reminiscent of the Thames Flood Barrier further up-stream.

The Crossness Pumping Station, located close to the riverside on the western side of the sewage works, is also an important landmark and a visitor destination. The Beam Engine House, part of the Pumping Station complex, is a Grade 1 listed building in a Victorian Romanesque style, featuring some spectacular restored ornamental iron work.

The sewage works is separated from Thamesmead by Riverside Golf Club, and from the residential areas to the south and the industrial estates to the east by Erith Marshes.

A new Local Nature Reserve, Crossness Local Nature Reserve, has been designated east of the sewage works. The land here is managed for wildlife and a warden has been appointed.

A large industrial area stretches from Crossness Sewage Treatment Works to Erith, which includes the Belvedere Industrial Estate, a large electricity power station and fragments of marsh and ditches. This area has been the focus of significant regeneration in recent years. Most of the industrial and warehouse buildings are shed-like and flat-roofed.

Thamesmead

LEFT (south) bank

Barking or False Point

RIGHT (north) bank point as Barking Reach turns slightly from southwest to west
On the north bank is Creekmouth.

Barking Barrier

RIGHT (north) bank barrier, the 60m high tidal flood prevention drop gates for Barking Creek

Barking Barrier

Once the decision to close the Thames barrier has been made staff at the Barking barrier are alerted. The main gate of the barrier weighs 300 tonnes and takes 45 minutes to close ie: 35 minutes for the central gate to fall from the 'parked' position to the water level and a further 10 minutes to reach the river bed. When closed the barrier precludes all water.

Ideally the barrier should be closed at a time which maximises the storage capacity behind the barrier for fluvial flows from upstream. Overall, the optimum time for closure would be when water begins to flow from the Thames into the Roding mouth. During low flows from the Roding this will be soon after low tide. However, during high fluvial flows it would be beneficial to delay closure and allow water to flow from the Roding. Modelling of the effects of closure timing on storage capacity behind the Barking barrier has been undertaken by NRA Thames Region. Preliminary results suggest that, in general, the best time is about two hours after low tide.

1610: Camden -

The Tamis, which is mightily by this time increased, doth violentlie carry away with him the streames of many waters, hath a sight (to speake onely of what is worth remembrance) of Berking, which Bede named Berecing, a Nunnery founded by Erkenwald Bishop of London, where Roding, a little river, entreth into the Tamis.