An unusual London traffic incident today. A tall ship, the Lord Nelson,
struck Tower Bridge in an unsuccessful attempt to do a U-turn when the
skipper realised the bridge wasn't going to open.

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/3717685.stm:
"The operators of the Lord Nelson thought they had requested the bridge
open for its journey from Southampton to West India Dock."

Hmm. They seem to have gone a couple of miles past the entrance to West
India Dock.

"Andy Spark, from the Jubilee Sailing Trust, said: 'We believed the
bridge was booked, but it didn't open - we don't know why yet.' ... But
the Corporation of London, which owns Tower Bridge, said: 'No lifting of
the bridge had been booked in.' ... The Lord Nelson, a training vessel
for both able-bodied and disabled people, has now moored at West India
Dock."

Did they perhaps confuse Tower Bridge with the lifting bridge over
Prestons Road that provides entry to West India Dock?

Anyway, I'm surprised that any sailing vessel would carry on towards the
bridge just hoping that it might lift, though to be fair the incoming
tide would have carried her towards the bridge. (Crossposted to
uk.rec.sailing for more informed comments on this aspect.)
--
Richard J.
(to e-mail me, swap uk and yon in address)