'SS Robin' arrives at the UK port of Tilbury on Saturday. Photo: Andy Howes

An update on our post from last June on the SS Robin, an 1890 built steam coaster, the last of her kind and the oldest complete steamship in the world.  She arrived in Tillbury last week aboard a a custom built pontoon barge in time to celebrate her 120th birthday.

World’s oldest steamship returns to London

SS Robin, the world’s oldest complete steamship, arrived at the Port of Tilbury on Saturday after London’s principal trading port stepped in to offer the newly restored ship a home.

After successfully completing two years of major conservation works the historic ship, one of London’s only three Core Collection ships, left Lowestoft last Friday, arriving at Tilbury the next day. After being delayed by adverse weather conditions since Sunday 12 September, London’s SS Robin arrived back on the River Thames having celebrated its 120th anniversary on Thursday.

The £1.9m programme of conservation works, funded by Crossrail, was completed on SS Robin this summer, converting the 1890 built ship into a dynamic floating museum for 21st Century London. Before it reaches the capital, the SS Robin has been given a temporary home by Forth Ports PLC, owners of the Port of Tilbury, while the Trust which owns it evaluates options for its future base in the capital.

Regarded as one of the most important British built ships, SS Robin will spend the final stage of its journey to London at the capital’s Port of Tilbury after being restored to its former glory at Lowestoft.