Commercially Registered Motor Vessel

[Hornbeam]

As indicated in the Subject this superb vessel is registered for commercial cruises amongst the Western Islands, built in the 1960’s by local Craftsmen and designed by a local chap I remember the design features of this Steel built vessel as I did in the day know the Designer and was invited to see his design proposals for other Steel built vessels along with this style of vessel on which I had a trip along the Tees on the first one built.
Any members on Site remember these vessel’s in the 1960’s and where they were built, there is a Railway connection.

[Hornbeam]

The vessel concerned was one of the vessels designed by A. Briggs a former Central Engineering Hartlepool, Whitby Shipyard man who left the previous employment and set up a Steel Boatbuilders at the old Locomotive Works at North Road in Darlington.
His first builds were named CEBEC 1, 2 , etc which I witnessed on Trials along with a visit to North Road, we did ponder over his designs for future Craft at his home.
The vessel photographed is not one I saw in build or on Trials as I was rolling around some Ocean but the basic design of this vessel pointed me to a classic CEBEC build although she has had a number of “modifications”.
By the time I came home after a number of trips something had happened at CEBEC and I lost contact (no Mobile phone in those days).
You could say he was certainly a “character” and owned a superb Aston Martin.

[Hornbeam]

Added is a photograph of the Pre Production all Steel boats built at Darlington in the old North Road Locomotive Works which I saw in build CEBEC 1 & CEBEC 2. Both were wetted in Middlesbrough Dock and then sailed to Stockton Quay where Trials were carried out. C2 alongside, C1 heading towards the Camera.
C1 had problems with a leaks from her Stern Glands and I was invited aboard to have a look at the problem(s), unlike today’s modern Glands they had if I remember correctly a turn of Serpant “C” followed by a turn of Greasy Hemp and so on until the Stuffing Box was full. Although I am not 100% certain on that as I have packed a fair number of Glands during my seagoing days.
Sorry about the picture quality.