Hawthorn Leslie (Engineers) Ltd - St Peter's

[Whickham]

Came across this photo of the Hawthorn Leslie (Engineers ) Ltd site at St Peter's on a Tyne and Wear Museum's website. Photo taken by Turners (Photography) Ltd in 1957.

Photo copyright Tyne and Wear Museums

[magoonigal]

Good Find.

Very little evidence of a "Working Quay" and virtually no Lifting Equipment.

[Whickham]

Yes indeed. Begs the question how did they get the engines to Hebburn (and elsewhere)?

[teesships]

The puzzling thing for me (as a Southerner!!) is why no ships in sight?

Ron

[Whickham]

Ron, there were no cargo quays in this part of the river. Newcastle Quay is just off photo to the left. As regards ships alongside at Hawthorn Leslie, I don't think they fitted the engines alongside. I think they were transported (by road?) to Hebburn etc. If so were they assembled and tested at St Peter's then taken apart for transporting elsewhere, I presume so.

[teesships]

Just to make sure I've got it right. St. Peter's was on the north (Newcastle/Walker) bank of the Tyne. Presumably where St. Peter's moorings now are? (Whereas, the main HL shipyard was at Hebburn on the south bank.)

Ron

[Whickham]

You have it right sir.

See: http://www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/Shipbuilders.html

The town names are "clickable"

[Whickham]

Also Ron, you mention the St Peter's moorings or marina. As there was no pre-existing dock there to make a marina, I had it in the back of my mind that the marina was the site of the old engine test bed. But that could be a load of old ######.

[northeast]

You'd have thought that it would have been easiest to put a small quay and crane there and barge the engines down and across to Hebburn. Rather than a road trip via the Tyne Bridge and through all the Newcastle and Gateshead traffic. Maybe there was one in the past.

[tynebuoy]

This is from Brian Newman's A Work Of Titans. It gives the impression that ships did go to St. Peters and also that Titan carried engines to ships.