# Melbourne tugs



## YM-Mundrabilla

As a new member (yesterday), i attached a photo of the former Melbourne tug 'James Paterson' to my introductory post - just to see if I could - as hot oil and steam are more my thing than computers.

Anyway, it appears that I succeeded and it has been suggested that I attach the same photo to a post in the Tug forum which I will now do.

All I know is that this tug was an icon in the Port of Melbourne between about 1900 and 1960 and sadly I witnessed its scrapping at South Wharf on the Yarra in the 1960s (?).

Also attached is a photo of another Melbourne steam tug 'Tooronga' also from the 1960s (?).

Two other 'big' steam tugs that I remember in Melbourne from about this time were 'Batman' and 'Howard Smith/Melbourne'. The latter was sunk off Williamstown but I would appreciate a lead to or any comments members may have as to any of these vessels, please.

Regards
Geoff


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## tug

Hi 
a little info for you

JAMES PATERSON
ON 101744
247 GRT, 6 NRT, 131.5'x25.4'x12.5'
3cyl TE by shipbuilder, 155nhp single screw callsign VLFM

1902: Built J.P. Rennoldson & Sons, South Shields.
9-1902 Delivered to James Paterson & Co Pty Ltd, Melbourne. 

1960? Scrapped?

____________________

BATMAN
Salvage tug/Fireboat
ON 196731
Built 1954 by Mort's Dock and Eng Co., Sydney. 432 GRT, 59 NRT, 138'8"x33'6"x15'3" 3cyl TE by shipbuilder, oil fired, 1180ihp callsign VMYG



10-1954 Delivered to McIlwraith McEacharn Ltd [Managers Howard Smith] 
1966: still in service
fate unknown
--------------------------------

regards
TUG


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## YM-Mundrabilla

tug said:


> Hi
> a little info for you
> 
> JAMES PATERSON
> ON 101744
> 247 GRT, 6 NRT, 131.5'x25.4'x12.5'
> 3cyl TE by shipbuilder, 155nhp single screw callsign VLFM
> 
> 1902: Built J.P. Rennoldson & Sons, South Shields.
> 9-1902 Delivered to James Paterson & Co Pty Ltd, Melbourne.
> 
> 1960? Scrapped?
> 
> ____________________
> 
> BATMAN
> Salvage tug/Fireboat
> ON 196731
> Built 1954 by Mort's Dock and Eng Co., Sydney. 432 GRT, 59 NRT, 138'8"x33'6"x15'3" 3cyl TE by shipbuilder, oil fired, 1180ihp callsign VMYG
> 
> 
> 
> 10-1954 Delivered to McIlwraith McEacharn Ltd [Managers Howard Smith]
> 1966: still in service
> fate unknown
> --------------------------------
> 
> regards
> TUG


Many thanks Tug. 'Batman' was always my favourite as the last new steam vessel in Melbourne. It always looked smart and its unique colours were always well turned out. By this time JP was nearly 60 years old and despite being a Melbourne legend was not preserved.


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## Gary Stewart

*The "Patterson"*

As the grandson of the skipper of the Batman and James Patterson I was fortunate to have indellibly implanted in my memory (Thumb) the smell of hot oil and steam.
Now at the age of 58 I am building a replica Tug to reclaim those nostalgic memories and hopefully pass them on to grandchildren.
I will attempt to post photos of these great Tugs.


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## BR_Reef

The recent publication (ISBN 978 0 646 51642 4) _Of Full Steam & Taut Hawsers - The Tugs of Williamstown_ by Geoff Dougall, a 3rd generation Williamstown resident, is well worth seeking out as it fully details the tugs, and with great affection. Plus other images of BATMAN and JAMES PATERSON are in the Dredgers/Tugs/Harbour Craft section of the Ships Nostalgia Gallery.


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## Gary Stewart

Thanks for the name of the Publication. I will collect and enjoy it.
Gary.


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## John_s

My father used to film arrivals and departures on 16mm colour movie film and I have some footage of both the Tooronga and the James Patterson. I'm about to have some footage converted to video. Where could I post a copy?


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## knighta

*"Howard Smith/Melbourne" sinking*



YM-Mundrabilla said:


> As a new member (yesterday), i attached a photo of the former Melbourne tug 'James Paterson' to my introductory post - just to see if I could - as hot oil and steam are more my thing than computers.
> 
> Anyway, it appears that I succeeded and it has been suggested that I attach the same photo to a post in the Tug forum which I will now do.
> 
> All I know is that this tug was an icon in the Port of Melbourne between about 1900 and 1960 and sadly I witnessed its scrapping at South Wharf on the Yarra in the 1960s (?).
> 
> Also attached is a photo of another Melbourne steam tug 'Tooronga' also from the 1960s (?).
> 
> Two other 'big' steam tugs that I remember in Melbourne from about this time were 'Batman' and 'Howard Smith/Melbourne'. The latter was sunk off Williamstown but I would appreciate a lead to or any comments members may have as to any of these vessels, please.
> 
> Regards
> Geoff


Hi. Was the "Howard Smith/Melbourne" sunk in a collision with a container ship, circa 1971? My father's Orient Line wartime shipmate Bill "Mickey" Corns, was drowned in a tug accident around that time. 
Alan Knight.


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## Cisco

Yes, she was sunk on 9th August 1972 when assisting the liner ' Nieuw Holland'.
The engineer was lost. The wreck was raised and was in Victoria Dock for some time thereafter. Photo here http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/221869/title/s-2ft-melbourne/cat/523


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## Mike S

Yes she got tripped under the bow if I recall. Very sad and tragic event. 

James Patterson looks very like Wyola also built in South Shields circa 1913. Finally scrapped in 1970......I worked her as Master on her final day. She was on Collie brown coal by then and took a long time to warm through even though it was summer.

There was no choice as all the Newcastle coal stocks had been used up.
I really must try and dig out those old photo's.........


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## juniorstoker

My father, J.W Walsh (W2242) was a RAN stoker during WW2 and was part of a crew of 12 on ST Tooronga when she towed the coal hulk 'Rona' (ex-Polly Woodside) from Melbourne to Cairns in October-November 1943.


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## Sandy McLean

*The fate of the tug Melbourne (Howard Smith)*



Cisco said:


> Yes, she was sunk on 9th August 1972 when assisting the liner ' Nieuw Holland'.
> The engineer was lost. The wreck was raised and was in Victoria Dock for some time thereafter. Photo here http://www.shipsnostalgia.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/221869/title/s-2ft-melbourne/cat/523


The Melbourne was refloated in 1973 and then partially stripped at one of the wharves in Melbourne In 1979 It was sunk off Moreton Island near Brisbane to form part of the Curtin Reef near Tangalooma. Today it is popular dive site for scuba divers

A link to the dive site is as follows
http://www.divingthegoldcoast.com.au/index.asp?PageID=animal&CritterID=7414


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## ben27

good day ym-mundrabilla.30th march,2008,13:34,re:melbourne tugs.i have been reading this old thread.your post#1 shows the thumbnails of the tugs,great photo.thanks for posting regards ben27


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## Sandy McLean

knighta said:


> Hi. Was the "Howard Smith/Melbourne" sunk in a collision with a container ship, circa 1971? My father's Orient Line wartime shipmate Bill "Mickey" Corns, was drowned in a tug accident around that time.
> Alan Knight.


Yes William Corns was the cook and he was killed alongside Robert booth chief engineer, Robert Ryan greaser, George Boneham greaser, and Alex McDonald greaser. It looks like all below deck crew were killed and with the subsequent damage to the hull probably the boilers blew up
Here are a couple of links to the "Age newspaper at the time

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...-NUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2JADAAAAIBAJ&pg=4906,2093023

http://news.google.com/newspapers?n...uNUAAAAIBAJ&sjid=2JADAAAAIBAJ&pg=1080,1883736


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## namyar

"Howard Smith/Melbourne" was salvaged by the renowned dive-salvor Joe Engwirda of Brisbane and towed back to Brisbane. She lay for many years at the old customs house wharf before being scuttled at Curtain Reef.


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## BruceC

Hi Gary, what a great connection for you. 
My great grandfather supervised the building of many steam ships for Huddart Parker Line. From what I understand the James Patterson was also built under his direction. At the end of its working career our family was invited and spent a few hours on the James Patterson including towing one ship. It was a fantastic experience. We had a look through a 'modern' tug moored next door but I thought it was boring in comparison. Maybe it was your grandfather who hosted our visit. 
How are those models coming along. I would love to see them?
Cheers. Bruce. 


Gary Stewart said:


> As the grandson of the skipper of the Batman and James Patterson I was fortunate to have indellibly implanted in my memory (Thumb) the smell of hot oil and steam.
> Now at the age of 58 I am building a replica Tug to reclaim those nostalgic memories and hopefully pass them on to grandchildren.
> I will attempt to post photos of these great Tugs.


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## BruceC

*James Patterson*

Hi there. 
Did you manage to upload any James Pattterson footage? I would love to see it as I have a strong family connection. 
Cheers. Bruce. 


John_s said:


> My father used to film arrivals and departures on 16mm colour movie film and I have some footage of both the Tooronga and the James Patterson. I'm about to have some footage converted to video. Where could I post a copy?


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## BruceC

*Scrapping of James Patterson tug.*

Hi there. 
Re James Patterson. My recollection was that the James Patterson sat in one spot for a couple of years before being stripped, then the hull or whatever remained was towed out and sunk?
Do you recall that?
Cheers. Bruce. 



YM-Mundrabilla said:


> As a new member (yesterday), i attached a photo of the former Melbourne tug 'James Paterson' to my introductory post - just to see if I could - as hot oil and steam are more my thing than computers.
> 
> Anyway, it appears that I succeeded and it has been suggested that I attach the same photo to a post in the Tug forum which I will now do.
> 
> All I know is that this tug was an icon in the Port of Melbourne between about 1900 and 1960 and sadly I witnessed its scrapping at South Wharf on the Yarra in the 1960s (?).
> 
> Also attached is a photo of another Melbourne steam tug 'Tooronga' also from the 1960s (?).
> 
> Two other 'big' steam tugs that I remember in Melbourne from about this time were 'Batman' and 'Howard Smith/Melbourne'. The latter was sunk off Williamstown but I would appreciate a lead to or any comments members may have as to any of these vessels, please.
> 
> Regards
> Geoff


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## Sandy McLean

*James Patterson and Howard Smith*

James Patterson was seemingly removed from the tug fleet Aug 17th 1963 but I can remember seeing her around the port much later and one person tells me he saw her in 1969 but cannot confirm
Howard Smith renamed Melbourne was struck by a container ship off the Gellibrand light in Port Phillip Bay and sank when her boilers blew with the loss of 5 crew from below decks She was eventually refloated and ended up as part of the man made reef of Moreton Island in Queensland as a diving attraction
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/5538990/james_patterson_17_aug_1963_the_age_re/


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