Farningham

[Whickham]

Not sure why this one is an Blyth. Maybe in for drydock.

The only FARNINGHAM I can find was built as the OCEAN VESTAL in 1942 by Todd-California at Richmond USA. Became FARNINGHAM in 1947 and renamed HELLENES in 1952, so that dates (ish) the photo.

Photographer unknown

and not forgetting BHC No 12 in the foreground

[magoonigal]

Could be........

Sold by Thompson Steam Shipping Co Ltd, London to Houston Line (London) Ltd and renamed HELLENES.

[creemaster]

There are quite a few pictures in circulation locally of ships in Blyth during the postwar years which were in for drydocking. Possibly due to the fact that shipping, especiallythe war built standard designs, had gone longer without surveys etc than peacetime would have allowed. Plenty of Tyne shots showing deepsea ships in drydock but with so much shipping needing attention it would be a case of any drydock in a hurry. Middle Jetty in the Import Dock seems a favourite place to put a ship to finish off any work and store and take on crew.
I think that the Dry Docks may have carried out conversions from coal fired to oil fired steam engines as well as full drydockings.

Graham