Hartlepool craft were never TCC, they were British Transport Commission (post war) and from 1963 British Transport Docks Board, until the THPA was formed in 01/1967.

Thought so N.E. I don't remember them being part of the TCC Fleet in my time and I made the assumption that it must have been when the THPA was formed after I had left the TCC. THPA certainly seemed to have made a cull of the TCC Fleet from the information this site holds which is of interest to me as I wondered what happened to them. They were certainly an education to a young Marine Engineer.

I think that by 1967 the TCC fleet could be descibed as 'old and knackered' so not alone on this site

Some of the vessel's were undoubtedly old especially No2 but I have to say the older ones were built like brick outside netty's that and good engineering practice kept them going for a lot longer than the more modern Vessels that reach around the 20 year mark and are heading for the scrapyard. They were not what you would call hard pressed sometimes a Hopper would only do one trip to sea a day and of course it was only day work with weekends off normally. I don't think the TCC were the only Port Commissioners who kept their fleets long past their sell by dates. We could do with the return of steam power and oil fired Boilers to burn off some of the rubbish that is at the bottom of the Distillation Towers which they are trying to pass through Diesel Engines these days causing all sorts of problems. Just need some Scrubbers (no not that type ) to clean up the exhaust and Bob's Your Uncle, kill two birds with one stone getting rid of the rubbish that's one grade up from Asphalt plus reliable steam power plant that could last for over 40years. A curse on Westminster Dredging and their sophisticated power plant working 24hrs 7 days a week putting good local men out of work who enjoyed "Just messing about on the River" and getting paid for it, not a lot mind you but you would have been lucky in those days to find a job you enjoyed and be well paid for it, but you can't have everything.

Hornbeam wrote:G.M. Taximan, hopefully you were not the chap who fell in off the Floating Crane and bobbed up on the other side with comments of "You could have took a chipping hammer with you " I understand from a third party source, never went on the Hartlepool Tugs I presume that came about when the TCC morphed into the THPA.

That could have been George Sedgewick who later became skipper on the Wilton.

I remember George, Wilton's Chief was off for some reason,had a nice little Engineroom four cylinder Crossley, MWD Gearbox two Gardner Auxiliaries, Ian G. was her Chief went on to do greater things with Crosthwaite Tugs.