# UNICRAFT - Dowsett-Mackay Engineering ConstructionCompany Ltd



## JMB (May 2, 2007)

There is a couple of pages about this company in a book that I got recently, I will summarise just in case of any use to anyone.

Dowsett-Mackay Engineering ConstructionCompany Ltd made various items for the Admiralty and in 1940 bought control of Lowestoft company Brooke Marine Motor Craft Ltd, later renamed Brooke Marine Ktd.

In 1943 they took over the old shipyard at Dinas, Port Dinorwic (this had built twent nine ships from 40 to 860 tons betwen 1849 and 1897).

Prefabricated steel sections were brought from Lowestoft and assembled into flat-bottomed all rivetted tugs about 50 ft long with a single-screw petrol engine. There was a later 55 ft version with twin screws.

They were known as unicraft.

These had a small open wheelhouse at the rear and were used for towing 60 ft barges (also made at Port Dinorwic). These were used as supply boats in the Persian Gulf waterways.

MB


Anglesey and Gwynedd: The War Years, 1939-45


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## vectiscol (Oct 14, 2006)

Many years ago I worked with a chap who told me that he had been sent to Port Dinorwic to oversee assembly of these tugs and barges, which were taken to Liverpool for shipment abroad.

If I remember rightly - and I stand corrected because having met so many people in my time, I confess that my memory is far from perfect from nearly forty years ago - his name was Norman McCleod, who during WW2 was a ship draughtsman at the Caledon yard at Dundee.


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## kapptein (Jan 31, 2016)

*Unicraft in Norway*

1949: Two Unicraft tugs came to lake Mjosa in Norway, WILLY and WINNIE, and they are still here - in good conditions at our museum MJOSSAMLINGENE. No photos were taken when they arrived, and we have never seen pictures of Unicraft as they were built. We are searching for pictures and further information about these vessels. Can anyone help?

http://www.mjossamlingene.no


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