FLYING FISH

[teesships]

The latest issue (no. 113, 6 April 2013) of the REMEMBER WHEN magazine published by our local Teesside Evening Gazette has several items of interest to ship enthusiasts, including memories of Head Wrightsons, and of the opening of Tees Dock 50 years ago in March 1963.
Of particular interest, however, was a photo of the paddle-tug FLYING FISH:

The write-up accompanying this was:

The history of this veteran is recorded for us by Dave at: http://www.tynetugs.co.uk/flyingfish1882.html. I was intrigued to note her early conversion to a trawler then later back to a tug, something not shown by John Proud in his SEAHORSES OF THE TEES.
What we do have is that she was in service on the Tees for only a relatively short time, from 1947 until scrapped in January 1951. Interesting, too, that although shown in Tees Towing colours she was actually the last tug owned by Charles Duncan & Sons Ltd., who had been absorbed into Tees Towing in 1922. She was also Tees Towing's last paddle tug.
Given these dates, the mention in the above article of naval vessels on the old Raylton Dixon site (closed 1922) seems something of a red herring? If the Eston Hills are visible in the original of the print then we are certainly looking at the south bank of the River Tees. Must admit the patchwork quilt shed behind the tug's funnel does seem vaguely familiar, but can anyone identify the location, as requested?

Ron

[magoonigal]

Come on Ron, you have to tell us!!!

"On the card illustrated he has included a small"......................WHAT hahahahaha

Assume he probably means Landing Craft of various types were built there.

Was the yard reopened during WWII and given another name??


Well John shows her as an "Excursion" vessel and does not mention that either. He does mention on Page 87 that she had been given the odd rebuild and that perhaps only the Hull was original.

[teesships]

.... small .... drawing .... of something entirely different!

Landing craft were built in Middlesbrough by TEESSIDE BRIDGE & ENGINEEERING Co. Ltd. although I'm not sure where they were based ... presumably somewhere along the Cargo Fleet section of the river against their steelworks? Also built by STOCKTON CONSTRUCTION Co. Ltd., Stockton-on-Tees. Having said that I have a feeling Head Wrightson were involved which may mean the Thornaby (Yorkshire/South) bank of the river?

Not much use, am I!!!!!?????

Ron

[magoonigal]

Other ones mentioned are Smiths Dock, Middlesbrough. Furness at Haverton Hill and Cleveland Dockyard, Middlesbrough.

[northeast]

Vague memory that if you went through the fence at upstream end of Dent's there was a site which I always thought of as Head Wrightson's, but quite possibly in error, if so maybe that was where they built landing craft?

Edit .... actually I have them down in my lists just for X types in 1915

X.6
X.7
X.5
X.199
DX.13
DX.14

[teesships]

The answer to the original query, plus another excellent photo, has just appeared in the latest REMEMBER WHEN:

For any of you who knew Ted Carr, who submitted the photo and information, I have received the sad news that he died last Sunday, 29 September.

This item appears on the inside cover of REMEMBER WHEN ....... (scroll down)
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
.... and, er, for a small fee, I might be persuaded to let Forumites see a photo from the inside back cover which .... (scroll down)
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
#
...... er, shows our founder member, George, in fancy dress for the Coronation in 1953!!
(George, I think you were sausages, rather than jockey????)

Ron