To promote and foster good relations between persons and organisations in the communities of Tyne, Wear and Blyth who are interested in maritime affairs
On the morning of 18th February 1964 the United States Coast Guard cutter Coos Bay, a 2500 ton
311 ft diesel-powered ship, was steaming in snow squalls and fog off the outer tip of the Grand Banks on her return from a three week winter weather patrol on ocean station BRAVO, located in Davis Strait off Labrador. The crew of 134 Officers, men and weather bureau observers had been alert for drifting icebergs, and now their thoughts were of homecoming two days hence. An emergency broadcast TTT was intercepted by the radio operator, advising that the British motor-ship AMBASSADOR, 7308 gross
‘Ambassador’
tons, with a crew of thirty five aboard was broken down and listing heavily in mountainous seas, some 370 miles south of the COOS BAY. Shortly thereafter and SOS signal was received. Meanwhile, the Commander, Eastern Area, U.S. Coast Guard in New York, had directed the COOS BAY had directed the COOS BAY to proceed and assist. COOS BAY’S maximum speed of 18 knots was soon cut down to 15 by the heavy seas as she plunged south along in the trough, rolling heavily
We are grateful to Philip Work for this interesting story
Tucked away in the North East corner of Cardigan Bay lies the small harbour of Porthmadog (Portmadoc), which was one of three major Slate exporting ports in North Wales during the 19th century.
Slate from the mines and quarries in the town of Blaenau Ffestiniog had originally been brought down to the river estuaries nearby on pack horses, however as the demand for good quality roofing slate grew in the early 1800’s, this method of transportation became inadequate.
In 1812 a causeway was built over the River Glaslyn estuary, and resulted in the hinterlands being reclaimed for farming, and new settlements established, the major one being the town of Porthmadog, and a harbour developed.
In 1836 a narrow gauge railway was opened connecting the slate town of Blaenau Ffestiniog and Portmadoc, and hence a means of transportation for the then ever expanding slate industry. Slate now reached the developing port of Portmadoc, where small sailing ships took slate around the ports of Great Britain and nearby Europe, Africa , North and South America.
Assistance getting out and into the harbour was required, as there are hazardous sand banks and rock reefs running out in a north east /south west angle across Cardigan Bay.
The expansion of the slate industry resulted in the demand for towing assistance for the small sailing ships into and out of Porthmadog; and a small tug company was founded. The Porthmadog Steam Tug Co. Ltd.
The first steam tug was built 1860 at North Shields by Hepple & Landells. ON 28619. Wood hull paddle tug “Wave of Life”(1). One 35hp side lever steam engine. Her first owners where in Liverpool. However she was sold to the Porthmadog Steam Tug Co.Ltd in October 1862 and registered at Caernafron. This tug held a Board of Trade summer passenger Certificates to ply between Aberystwyth and Bardsey Island from 1863 to 1868. She was sold again in 1872, to William Hepple of Newcastle upon Tyne, and re-registered at the Port of Newcastle 7.8.1872.
The second steam tug was built 1864 at Willington Quay for T.A Dry & M.P. Martin of Willington Quay, and W.G Dry of Gateshead and named “James Conley”.O.N. 49743. Wood hull paddle tug. One 30nhp side lever engine (cylinder 30″ diameter) 72 gross tons. Dimensions 81.8 x 17.1 x 9.1 ft. In 1866 she was sold to TSavin of Oswestry,(a railway construction contractor) and registered at the Port of Aberystwyth in 1866.
In 1871 she was resold to the Porthmadog Steam Tug Co.Ltd, and re-registered at the Port of Caernarfon, and continued to work for this company until 1884, when she was re-sold to S.Young of North Shields and re-registered at the Port of North Shields. She was sold a further two times, and was broken up in 1890.
The third steam tug was built in 1885 by Lawson & EItringham, South Shields. Iron hull 106g/tons. Two cylinder side lever engine 27″x 48″- 200nhp. By Baird & Barnsley Co. North Shields. Dimensions 96.0 x 18.7 x 9.4 ft. ON 80242. Named “Snowdon”.Registered at the Port of Caernarfon. and worked for the Porthmadog Steam Tug Co to 1900. She was sold to John Dry, South Shields, re-registered South Shields,
1900, and transferred to Redhead & Dry Tugs in 1929. Purchased by R.LCook Towage Co.Ltd of Sunderland in 1938 re – reg. Sunderland, and transferred to France, Fenwick Tyne & Wear Co.Ltd November 1947, and finally broken up after a varied career in 1950.
The fourth and last steam tug was the “Wave of Life 2” built by Hepple, Newcastle. Iron hull 102g/tons. Two side lever engines 50hp 26.5″ x 45″ stroke. Dimensions 91.2 x 17.9 x 9.2 ft. in 1872. for the Porthmadog Steam Tug Co. registered at the Port of Caernarfon. She continued to work until 1914, when the slate exporting trade had slumped, and was never to recover. She was sold to a Liverpool firm, and her hull was converted into a canal barge. The remains of which were broken up in 1935.
These tugs evidently were delivered by sailing from the Tyne north to Inverness, through the Caledonian Canal to Fort William, then south to their Welsh destination, and likewise a reverse sailing if they returned to the Tyne. This would make fascinating reading if any logs of their voyages had been made. Hope you enjoy these brief notes on the story of four small Tyne built tugs owned by the Portmadoc Steam Tug Co. between 1862 to 1914.
The development of the standard gauge railways in the North Wales area at the same time resulted in the demise of the need to transport slate via the sea… also at the end of the 1890s the demand for slate had declined. Finally the development of the steam ship resulted in there being no need for tug assistance in and out of the harbour.
(Originally written by Robert S Hunter for the magazine Sea Breezes 20th November 2003)
He died in 1943 when I was less than three years old, so my recollections of this kindly old seafaring gentleman with silver hair and a silver beard are limited to the outings he took me peddling my three wheeler to the park in Mansfield Woodhouse where we lived. He used to sit and talk with the other old gentlemen on the veranda of the green painted wooden bowls and tennis pavilion whilst I cycled round the paths in fear of the grumpy old “Parkie” who accused me of digging up his flower beds for worms.
I seem to remember a warm dark coloured winter coat he wore and a black homburg hat, which gave him great poise and dignity, and for some strange reason an air of tranquillity.
Not that his departure meant that he left the family, for he has continued to be a major influence on us, my parents, my brother and myself, as much today in the year 2003 as he was then prior to 1943
