SUN at breakers yard

Alexander (Sun tugs) owned the SUN. Built in 1906, she was the first in a series of tugs with the prefix of SUN. She went to Dunkirk, towing a launch and 2 ships lifeboats. She returned with 173 troops and 28 RN ratings.        

I took this photo in 1964 at the ship breakers (Thomas Wards) of Grays. Behind her is the ELDER DEMPSTER ship CALGARY.

The second photo shows a fire on the CALGARY and the Blue Circle tug RESOURCE

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  • This was quite a busy time at the Thos W Ward Ltd shipbreaking yard. However, by the time that the ship-towing tug SUN arrived (15 May 1964), the old Elder Dempster cargo ship CALGARY (arrived 19 April 1958) had long gone. The large vessel in the background is the Panamanian ship AGUANTE (arrived 16 March 1964), and beyond that can be seen the funnel of PARITA (arrived 1 April). Other vessels in at the same time, and a couple of these could have been off camera to the right, were the Wm Cory & Son lighterage tugs RANGER, REGIS, REPULSE, and RESERVE. The Cory tug RESOURCE had arrived on 13 April. The Blue Circle Cement tug that was in the yard in 1964 was named BLUE CIRCLE, and this arrived on 24 July. The early to mid-1960s was a time when the Thames lighterage business was well in decline, and taking the year 1964 as an example, over 40 barges were also scrapped at Grays during the year.

    By Roger Jordan (28/06/2014)
  • Well done John, thank you.

    By John Baldry (03/05/2014)
  • Thanks for this suggestion. It’s a good idea. I need to think about the best way of doing it as it could involve quite a bit of work. It may take a while before I can get it done.

    I have now separated them in to two categories. A few pages – the buses from the Magdeburg for example - are in both categories. If anyone spots a page that has ended up in the wrong category, let me know.

    By John Matthews (01/05/2014)
  • Message to the ‘Web Site Manager’:- I suggest that the Browser Site titled “Transport-ships; buses; trains; stations” be re-titled “Land Transport” and that a new Browser Site titled “Ships” be created. Who knows how many more great photos/histories Jack Willis will post. 

    Wonderful Tilbury memories Jack, thank you, keep them coming.

    By John Baldry (30/04/2014)

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