# R.Able & Sons of Runcorn



## Weyport

Hi. Any information on the following Richard Able dredgers would be appreciated, particularly: 
Were they in fact all aggregate dredgers? 
Were they steam or motor, coal or oil? 
How did they load (grab or suction) and where exactly did they dredge and discharge?

Bretherdale. Lunesdale. Monsaldale. 
Peakdale. Rossendale. Saxondale. 
Alladale. Romulus. Flyingdale.

Any other information about Able's fleet / history also very welcome

Take care out there.

Paul


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## treeve

by the way, I believe it was Richard ABEL


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## treeve

http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/showthread.php?t=1485

check out the National Archives site ...
Reference BWWN 
Covering dates 1778-1958 
Held by The Waterways Trust, David Owen Waterways Archive 
Creators Weaver Navigation Trustees


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## bob2bob

Try this site runcornhistsoc.org.uk they have a paperback RUNCOVA, Richard Abel the founders funeral is in, also the web site has a lot of info and photos of Runcorn and Weston Point docks, Abels boatyard used to be where the Jubilee bridge starts on the Runcorn side. and was still working till the bridge started in the 50s


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## bob2bob

Onthe same site is a link to a Cheshire County web-site, where the tithe maps for 1875 and 1910 show the old Runcorn docks, Weston point docks, And West Bank dock Widnes layouts.


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## Weyport

Very many thanks for the feed back & spelling correction.

Paul


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## 1945fenney

Hi Paul would love to chat with you. I worked on all Abels ships you mentiioned regards John


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## 1945fenney

*Richard Able Dredgers*



Weyport said:


> Hi. Any information on the following Richard Able dredgers would be appreciated, particularly:
> Were they in fact all aggregate dredgers?
> Were they steam or motor, coal or oil?
> How did they load (grab or suction) and where exactly did they dredge and discharge?
> 
> Bretherdale. Lunesdale. Monsaldale.
> Peakdale. Rossendale. Saxondale.
> Alladale. Romulus. Flyingdale.
> 
> Any other information about Able's fleet / history also very welcome
> 
> Take care out there.
> 
> Paul


Paul can give yuou all information you need on the above dredgers I worked on all of them


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## waddas

H im actually trying to find out anything about the 'Bretherdale' 
My mothers grandfather was skipper on her. (I have an old black and white piccy.)

Ollie


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## flecouteur

Hello Paul

They were all coal fired except for the Rossendale which had twin screw Paxman Ricardo diesel engines and the Saxondale which was coverted from being coal fired to diesel. (single screw). I am not familiar with the Romulus and the Flyingdale was actually the Fylingdale, and I think from memory that the Alladale was the Allardale. 
They all dredged off New Brighton and were all aggregrate dredgers except for the Allardale, Fylingdale and Saxondale which were purely sand carriers. (I do not like to use the term barge).
When the Rossendale first came into the fleet she did not have dredging equipment which was added at a later date, as was an enclosed wheelhouse. 

They all loaded by suction but the Bretherdale and Monsdale had a single crane forrad to load barges brought out to them by the tug Richard Abel when Abel's had a tug and barge fleet. (I remember once my dad coming home early in the morning after the Bretherdale had sunk off New Brighton. Fortunately the crew on the Richard Abel saw what was happening and they positioned a barge alongside the Bretherdale before she sank. My dad said he never even got his shoes wet). These two dredgers used to load the sand carriers by pipe. 

All of the fleet used to discharge in Canning Dock (Where the head office was) and Collingwood Dock in Liverpool and at a berth in Birkenhead Docks.
The Rossendale, Saxondale, Allardale and Peakdale used to discharge in Manchester. The original berth was at the end of Number 8 dock but later on when William Cooper's quit there berth in Pomona Dock Abel's took it over.
The Rossendale was the only dredger to discharge in West Bank Dock, Widnes but later on when Hoveringham Gravel's brought out Abel's there Hoveringham 1 and Hoveringham 11 dredgers visited West Bank Dock.
Hope this helps you
Regards
Frank Le Couteur


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## KEITH SEVILLE

I have been reading the informations about the Abel dredgers which worked on the Mersey for many years.
Canning Dock, Liverpool was my vantage port in the sixties. After starting as an office messenger then with shipping agents, I used to see the Abels fleet discharging in the South East end of Canning Dock with the assistance of the large shore crane which discharged into the silos on the quay.
I asked this question some years ago but nobody could help me then.
Can anybody advise when the Rossendale was built and when/where she was scrapped please ??.
I think she was built 1926 but not sure about this?? 

Regards
Keith


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