I have received the following query!
*****
The Picture Stockton website has just posted a new image at
https://picturestocktonarchive.files.wo ... t13981.jpg
It is an extremely poor quality image.
The paddle tug (?) on the left is clear enough, but what on earth is that on the right.
Could it be an early dredger?
Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.
*****

Anybody any thoughts on that contraption (ploughing dredger??) or the identity of the tug?

Ron

Could possibly be a steam hopper berthed stern first into some sort of floating mooring?

Identity of the tug would be a bit of a lottery. Looks as though the funnel could be Tees Conservancy maybe.
If so I have the following paddlers that could be possibles


There may be others of course

Have seen this picture before about 50+ years ago, think it was on the wall of the old Flour Mill or The Bridge Hotel Thornaby and believe that it is a dredger working Flour Mill side, opposite Corporation Quay....

geoff

The mystery vessel looks like a twin Ladder Bucket Dredger,( from what I gather as I have not worked on one ) whereas on No11 both drives went up to the same Top Tumbler one of the drives on this type of craft goes to the twin Bucket Ladder. This type of Dredger can be usually found on Canals in a smaller version.

If members go to heritage.stockton.gov.uk there is a much clearer photograph of the vessel when you look at the Shipbuilders at Stockton, it certainly was a very busy place in its time.

Ron

can you give the URL of the page you mean at heritage.stockton.gov.uk as I can't find anythiing remotely like.

Ron M

Ron, if you go on to heritage.stockton.gov.uk "A brief history of the River Tees" should come up then scroll down to page 24 there is a clearer picture of what I believe to be the same double Ladder Bucket Dredger. The advantage of the double Ladder is that you can dredge two depths in the one sweep across the river. The second Ladder being set lower than the first. The craft is on the right hand side of the photograph. Can't help in regards to the Paddle Tug if that is what you are looking for. Regards Ron@2.

Thank you. Eventually found it under Resource Packs within that site.

Ron M