PLA Galleries

In the early hours of Wednesday 22nd August 2012 the Paralympic Agitos were carefully lifted into position on Tower Bridge to replace the Olympic Rings.

PLA harbour service controlled navigation around Tower Bridge for the arrival of the Olympic flame into London.

On Sunday, 22 July 2012, the Olympic Torch took to the river for the second time, passing from the Veolia jetty in Havering to Erith Yacht Club, Bexley. The torch bearer was carried on the fire boat, Fire Dart. PLA harbour launch was in attendance to monitor navigational safety.

On Friday, 27 July 2012, the Port of London Authority (PLA) accompanied the royal barge, Gloriana carrying the Olympic Torch, on the last leg of its 70-day UK tour, downriver from Teddington Lock to a barge with Olympic rings on outside City Hall. Five launches were used during the operation, with more on normal duties available if needed, as the PLA controlled navigation around and within the flotilla. A team of PLA rowers on-board the cutter Penelope joined other cutters accompanying the torch downriver of Chelsea.

On Friday, 27 July 2012, the Port of London Authority (PLA) accompanied the royal barge, Gloriana carrying the Olympic Torch, on the last leg of its 70-day UK tour, downriver from Teddington Lock to a barge with Olympic rings on outside City Hall. Five launches were used during the operation, with more on normal duties available if needed, as the PLA controlled navigation around and within the flotilla. A team of PLA rowers on-board the cutter Penelope joined other cutters accompanying the torch downriver of Chelsea.

The PLA Marine Services crew continued their work with Olympic Games preparations on Wednesday, 18 July 2012, laying moorings for super yachts in the Royal Docks.

The Paralympic Torch took to the River Thames during the final stages of its epic 24-hour relay from Aylesbury to east London on Wednesday 29th August 2012. The Torch Party boarded the ex-PLA survey vessel Havengore, which transported Winston Churchills coffin on the River Thames during his State Funeral in 1965, at Greenwich. Escorted by a small flotilla of vessels, the Havengore crossed the Thames to the Isle of Dogs where the Paralympic Flame continued its journey to the Olympic Park at Stratford for the Opening Ceremony later that evening.

In the early hours of Tuesday 21st August 2012 the Olympic Rings, which have adorned Tower Bridge for several weeks, were removed to make way for the installation of the Paralympics Agitos symbols. Our photographer was on the scene to record this event -

A pop-up event, part of the Cultural Olympiad

After seven years of planning by the PLA and its partners on the river on 11 July 2012 vessels started to arrive on the Thames for London Olympic Games 2012. It marked the start of a stream of vessel arrivals and events on the river in the run up to the Opening Ceremony on 27 July 2012. Our best shots of the Games build up on the river are in our latest photo gallery.