[JohnM]

Admittedly they were the later longer slimmer type, but I can still remember these parading past the steam tugs and lighters on the Battersea coal run.

Both went up river to Battersea Power Station full of coal and came back down full of Corporation rubbish destined for the Ockingdon land fills.

With a good breeze the red sails outpaced the steam tugs easily, but a tug with six lighters could deliver soooo much more coal. So another way of life was slowly elbowed aside.

Dunno if they still do, but back in the '90s there were a few Thames Barges regularly sailing the route ... but with a load of tourists instead of coal.