# Furness Bridge



## Fairfield

She was the first,I think in a series of 150000dwt ore/oil carriers built at Middlesbrough in the 1970s for various owners in the Seabridge consortium hence the BRIDGE names.
In later years,this became a controversial class of ships,mainly due to one,LIVERPOOL BRIDGE built for Bibby Line and later renamed DERBYSHIRE which sank in a violent storm with the loss of all of her crew.
However,this was in the future in 1971 when this photograph was taken at Greenock when FURNESS BRIDGE arrived for some work to be done on the Clyde.


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## Chouan

Haverton Hill, not Middlesbrough.


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## non descript

*A bit harsh*

Chouan,

Wow... It may be the way I am reading it, and it was really meant as a gentle and amusing comment, but in the cold light of day, your comment looks a tad abrupt.

I am far from an expert, but I would have said that as *Haverton Hill *is an area of *Middlesborough*, your "correction" is somwhat uncalled for.

For those of our Members who are not familar with the geography of that part of the UK, this  one  may help.
Mark


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## japottinger

*South Bank*

Hello Tonga,

can you tell me what is the current status of the former Smiths South Bank drydock?
I recall being there on Manipur etc, there was a fairly drab pub just beside the railway line and cross over bridge.
Saalams,
Jim


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## non descript

Jim,

You are giving me credit things I know nothing about. - What I know about Middlesborough could be written on the left-hand paw of a baby Flying Fox, and still leave room for the recipe for _Nuku'alofa Kava Royale_. (Jester) 

I will leave others to give you a proper answer.
Mark


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## trotterdotpom

Haverton Hill is not in Middlesbrough, it is on the north side of the Tees, ie County Durham. From Middlesbrough, the romantic route to Haverton Hill is over the iconic Transporter Bridge (if it's working) to Port Clarence. However, I do remember one of those bulk carriers being built and it's looming presence over the bus station on Newport Road in Middlesbrough - maybe the ill-fated Liverpool Bridge, I can't remember.

Sparkie2182 told me only yesterday of his visit to Haverton Hill, finding it a total wasteland with a ramp going into the river where the slipway used to be. Apparently the area was used as an "end of the world" type scene for some film.

John T.


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## trotterdotpom

*South Bank*



japottinger said:


> Hello Tonga,
> 
> can you tell me what is the current status of the former Smiths South Bank drydock?
> I recall being there on Manipur etc, there was a fairly drab pub just beside the railway line and cross over bridge.
> Saalams,
> Jim


Jim, pretty sure Smiths Dock at South Bank is long gone. I used to drink with a few blokes who worked in Ship Repair at Smiths - even though they were all ex seagoing engineers they used to brag about swiping ships' tools! Takes all sorts, doesn't it?

I think the pub you refer to is the Junction and it's probably still there. South Bank has it's own website now and it may or may not include instructions on how to prepare your own baby for cooking.

John T.


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## non descript

John, thank you for this and clearly I owe Chouan an apology, for Haverton Hill is NOT area of Middlesborough and he was correct in his posting at #2.

I am sorry.
Mark


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## Chouan

Smith's Dock has long gone. My late father was Repair Yard manager until they stopped doing repairs, then became Stores Manager until he took voluntary redundancy. Then they closed. He had been an Engineer Superintendant with Stricks, until they were taken over by P&O and he was made redundant, then Chief with Souters, until they found out about his heart attack when on leave!
The last time I was at Haverton Hill it was being used as a survival school for N.Sea people. I worked there as an instructor on their lifeboats. Still the end of the world! As a shipyard, if their work on the Bridge class are what they are to be judgeb by, they left a lot to be desired.
Sorry, Tonga, if my original post was a bit abrupt.


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## non descript

Chouan, thanks but no apology needed and thanks for the good update. (Thumb)


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## Rage

This was taken at Haverton Hill and is the furness bridge's Launch.


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## marinero

Rage said:


> This was taken at Haverton Hill and is the furness bridge's Launch.


Rage, thanks for that Picture. I sailed on her for a couple of years.
Regards (Thumb)


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## Rage

marinero said:


> Rage, thanks for that Picture. I sailed on her for a couple of years.
> Regards (Thumb)




No Problem, this was taken by my dad who help build the furness bridge and travelled up to Greenock to finish it off.


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## sidsal

Memories !
In 1947 during the worst winter ever with ice floes in the North Sea we ended up in Smiths on the MATHURA which had been shortened there as she was considered too long for the Hoogly river. She had gounded in Alex and her bottom was corrugated. I was 3rd Mate and was told to empty the lifeboats of their 1st aid tins which contained morphine. They were put in No 1 hold's lockfast as they were too big for the master's safe. I went on leave for a couple of weeks and when I returned I found the yard swimming with plain clothes policeman trying to look inconspicuous in their size 12 polished boots. Odd ones hovered at the corner of buildings - they stood out like sore thumbs. The cause was that the morphine had been stolen and there were notices flashed up in the local cinemas etc warning people.
We used to get the bus or train to Redcar and get tanked up and then go to the local dance hall which, until closing time was occupied solely by girls, sitting around the dance floor. How things have changed - can you imagine girls waitingg patiently until a crowd of chaps staggered in breathing the fumes of Newcastle Ale all over them before doing the foxtrot !!
Another memory of the Tees was Greythorpe on the north side where there was a dry dock among the fields. I joined the Fort Camosun there when she was being repaired after being torpedoed in the G of Aden (2nd torpedoing).
It was 1944 and we used to walk to Seaton Carew for nights out and walk back. However on the walk back we passed a factory which worked all night and we would wander into their canteen and have a meal - never any checks - we never paid.


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## joebuckham

japottinger said:


> Hello Tonga,
> 
> *can you tell me what is the current status of the former Smiths South Bank drydock?*
> I recall being there on Manipur etc, there was a fairly drab pub just beside the railway line and cross over bridge.
> Saalams,
> Jim


there is a dredger cork sands in the #1 drydock a & p south bank A&P Tees Limited. 
The yard, has three dry docks with direct access from the River Teesand caters for small-to-medium sized vessels as well as work on offshore supply boats, anchor handlers and standby vessels. is part of the the larger A&P Group.

there have been quite a few owners since smiths, but it appears to be still going


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## non descript

Rage said:


> No Problem, this was taken by my dad who help build the furness bridge *and travelled up to Greenock to finish it off*.


Now that comment will strike a cord with Fairfield, who raised a question on this matter *here*


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## BOB.WHITTAKER

Not the Furness Bridge but I sailed on two of the sister ships the Sir John Hunter and the Sir Alexander Glen in 1975/76 .This with Houlders, both were good jobs at the time and didnt get the same reputation as the Furness Bridge,I was told by Hartley Reid (Super for the F.B.) It was "character building" to sail on her, fortunately I managed to stay clear, I went on the JOULE!!!!! instead. Bob Whittaker


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## non descript

BOB.WHITTAKER said:


> ...I was told by Hartley Reid (Super for the F.B.) It was "character building" to sail on her, fortunately I managed to stay clear, I went on the JOULE!!!!! instead. Bob Whittaker


Now, the Joule WAS character building.... (Jester)


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## Geoff Clode

They built three "Bridges" at haverton hill-FUrness, Tyne and English. I worked on two of them. I remember chocking the winches to .003" on my knees in the snow. arthritis in both knees now! We fitted 30" pipes through wing tanks through to the accomodation and stopped there, which became a weak point. thats why they broke their backs! design fault. the shipyard was a hard life but every friday half a day. across the transporter and into the pubs, robin hood (bandbox). we came back one day drunk & transporter was shut so we climbed up crossed over, sobered up when I looked down & came down on my ****!


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## Bombersman

BOB.WHITTAKER said:


> Not the Furness Bridge but I sailed on two of the sister ships the Sir John Hunter and the Sir Alexander Glen in 1975/76 .This with Houlders, both were good jobs at the time and didnt get the same reputation as the Furness Bridge,I was told by Hartley Reid (Super for the F.B.) It was "character building" to sail on her, fortunately I managed to stay clear, I went on the JOULE!!!!! instead. Bob Whittaker


I sailed with Hartley Reid of South Shields who was was chief Engineer with Houlders on the Brandon Priory round about 1963. He had his wife, son and daughter with him.

Bob W.


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## plater

Rage said:


> This was taken at Haverton Hill and is the furness bridge's Launch.


I remmember it well. Plater


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## ALAN TYLER

Thanks for the pics Rage/Fairfield I sailed on her 2nd voyage in Dec 71, Alan.


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