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THE River Thames has been seen from a different perspective through the eyes of a Sidcup painter.

Fascinated with the river and its nearby surroundings, Chris Francis, 55, of Shuttle Close, has captured glimpses of the river with its declining fishing and heavy industries, along with new developments.

The father of two, who studied art, said: “Industry fascinates me in any case. With the river as a big flowing plain in the foreground and the clean, sharp shape of the Dome, you have a good contrast to the iron crumbling structures beside it.”

Since Summer 2000, the former public relations consultant has been lugging his easel along the river banks between Greenwich and Charlton.

Using acrylics and inspired by impressionism, Mr Francis has brought out different angles of the Thames.

Some of these angles have up until been overlooked until now.

Familiar landmarks like the Royal Naval College and  Canary Wharf are used as backdrops to new insights into the river.

Between also painting life models and nudes, he plans to continue his trail along the river from Bexley to Lewisham, and eventually to  Dartford.

His work has been exhibited in central London, Eltham,  Greenwich and Bexley.

A solo exhibition will also be opening in Tunbridge Wells next month.

A SECTION of the Thames Path has been given a much-needed revamp after the discovery of gun cartridges on a wharf.

Around 300 cartridges dating back to before the First World War were found buried on Anchor Iron Wharf, near the Cutty Sark pub in Greenwich, during excavations by developer Berkeley Homes.

The developer, which is building 85 apartments on the site, was forced to close the footpath between Lassel Street and Hoskins Street in August following the discovery.

The walk has now reopened complete with a new stretch linking the path which fronts the power station with Ballast Quay. There is also a new cycle track as well as landscaping of the wharf.

 Greenwich Society members welcomed the new addition to the riverside path despite having reservations over the merits of the architecture of the flats.

Spokesman Ray Smith said: “That particular walk used to involve diving into a rusty corrugated iron canyon complete with graffiti and topped with barbed wire. How different are the splendid river views afforded by the new landscaped quayside.” Greenwich Cyclists also welcomed the reopening of the path. Spokesman Liz Delap said: “This is great news for us as the path is a very popular tourist route and a lot of our rides start nearby from Cutty Sark Gardens.” The area had been cordoned off while the gun cartridges were cleared. The developer has said the previous occupier of the wharf, which once contained Henry VIII's stables, was a scrap metal merchant who apparently acquired the cartridges to sell off as scrap metal.

Berkeley Homes sales and marketing director Ian Plumley said: “We’ve spent £100,000 landscaping the area and moving the footpath nearer to the river to create a more pleasant route. Residents in the adjoining properties think it's absolutely fantastic.”

THE second tunnel of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) under the River Thames has been bored through in record-breaking time.

Susie, the Dirt Digger — as named by children at St Joseph's Primary School, Springhead Road, Northfleet — completed her journey underground from Swanscombe to  Thurrock, Essex, 50 days ahead of schedule, smashing the previous record set 40 years ago for the  Dartford Crossing.

The digger covered 170m a week to bore a 2.5km tunnel under the Thames as part of the CTRL project between Southfleet and London's St Pancras station. The breakthrough means the project stretching 39km is now 60 per cent complete.

A new railway company has been formed to bid for the franchise to run train services in the West.