Sea Horses (Tugs) 1962

Major_Clanger said:
Great little film. Little did we know the writing was on the wall for our maritime future... now we have foreign built and foreign owned tugs pulling foreign built and foreign owned ships.

Lord Waverley, a PLA diesel tug, was towed to Erith for breaking last week.... Few British tugs left on the Thames now.
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Yep , and the British Crews ? what ?
 
bluerm166 said:
In the Medway circa 1970 .Lured from the Swale to the Sharfleet 'lagoon' by my dad we passed this handsome pair .View attachment 132221
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Good quality pics too.

I think we might still have a couple of heritage left tugs on our East Coast. "Brent" at Maldon and a steamer at Mistley. I was Stour way a few year's back and was treated to pass her under way. You could smell the coal smoke.
 
What amazes me for this kind of boat is that they have telegraph in the wheelhouse down to the engine room, and then some poor sod who spends his whole life down there moves the lever on the engine.

Why could they not work out a way to install the lever on in the wheelhouse?
 
westernman said:
What amazes me for this kind of boat is that they have telegraph in the wheelhouse down to the engine room, and then some poor sod who spends his whole life down there moves the lever on the engine.

Why could they not work out a way to install the lever on in the wheelhouse?
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I understood that them Tug Engines needed fettling when running , plus they needed them engines to be A1 and respond 'on demand' , without fail ; so guess that they thought best to have someone in constant attendance all the time when 'working' ; having someone observing the various guages , fuel supplies etc , and ready to take evasive activity before a failure occured was considered essential
 
Capt Popeye said:
Thank you Mr JC that Tug looks familar to the one I recall in Gillingham Slipway
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Some years ago the Dunkirk Little Ships were in town. I think it may well have been Gillingham or Chatham .

It was an open day and you could visit the boats. Also there was a steam tug there which you could go on. I don't think it was a Dunkirk tug though and I can't recall the name.

Anyway, we had a grand tour and the steam engine and gear were massive. Seemed to take up most of the hull. Definitely worth a visit on one if the chance comes.
 
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ex-Gladys said:
On my few days on a Sealink ferry in 1977, bridge control of engines had only just been introduced on ferries.... Possibly innate conservatism in the maritime industry??
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Just imagine parking your boat in a tight marina berth when every time you wanted to adjust the engine speed to had to ring down to the engineer in the engine room.
 
The "Kent" and one or two other smaller tugs are moored in MDL marina at the far end by the bridge .You can park virtually next door.
Many old tugs in various states of disrepair on various bouys in Rochester.
Another restored tug worth noting is the "Touchstone" skippered by Rob Chandler . frequently to be found at river festivals.
There is a TID tug on the wall at the Dockyard.Built in prefabricated bits sometimes by lady welders to be assembled elswhere.
 
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We were treated to a day out on X-Pilot by a friend for a birthday celebration. On a dull March day we had a fine time going upriver past Chatham and Rochester and were made very welcome.
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X Pilot has been hired by quite a few film and TV crews. She provides a very stable platform for the job.
Keel Cooled. :)
Now moored at Queenborough.
X-Pilot
 
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