southtyneside

For a moment I thought it was the River Blyth! A fascinating image though and shows what an important river the Tyne was back then. (it still is) If we'd seen the other side of the river it would be buried beneath staithes loading coal for export. Here's what the above yard looks like now. It's beneath the plus in the centre. (courtesy of Flash Earth) www.flashearth.com/?lat=54.987788&lon=-1.447215&z... Thanks for sharing.

You can see the coveyor and loading gantry for the iron ore trains to Consett on the other side of the dock gates. There aren't many other pictures of it that I'm aware of.

When looking at these photographs it reminds me of the huge 3D map you have of the river within The Discovery Museum in Newcastle.

As a pipefitter I can imagine what getting to your work area would be like every morning. That is a long flight of steps to climb. It makes me appreciate what the most famous pipefitter in the world did before he was an entertainer. Of course I mean the great Joe Cocker.

from www.tynebuiltships.co.uk/ Name:CROFTER Type:Cargo Ship Launched:16/08/1951 Completed:12/1951 Builder:John Readhead & Sons Ltd Yard:West Yard, South Shields Yard Number:568 Dimensions:8377grt, 4776nrt, 468.0 x 59.9 x 37.9ft Engines:T3cyl (26.5, 44 & 74 x 48ins) + LP turbine, 3750ihp Engines by:John Readhead & Sons Ltd Propulsion:1 x Screw Construction:Steel Reg Number:183830 History: 12/1951 Charente SS Co Ltd (T & J Harrison & Co Ltd), Liverpool 08/1971 Spica Shipping Co Ltd, Famagusta; renamed AGHIOS GEORGIOS 1976 Ifestion SA, Panama; renamed SAN GEORGIO 1977 Broken up Comments: 1977: Broken up at San Esteban de Pravia, left Bilbao 18/05/1977