# Tug Metrec



## billyboy

I worked for a few weeks on this twin screw diesel tug on the Brighton marina project. she had twin caterpillars in her at that time.
I understand from the skipper at that time she was originally built to barges on the Rhine. her twin screws were of the two bladed type running in fixed kort nozzles.
She was probably owned my metal recovery's at that time and was on charter to Chrisiani neilsons
Anyone know what became of her?
Billyboy


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## Riverman

Here you are Billyboy, her known history. Perhaps someone else can add more.

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(ex German Monopol tug)
Registered: (GBR)ON 366985
134 GRT, L22,35m, B5,84m, D1,80m (69.7'x18.2'x5.6')
2 scr, built 2x steam
re-engined 1962 2x diesel 6cyl Deutz type FM-716, 200bhp (400bhp total)
re-engined 1977 2x diesel 8cyl Caterpillar, 570bhp total, sp 10,5kn

M 284
1943: Built by "Weser Werft" at Minden (DEU)
1943: delivered to "Bundes Schleppbetrieb" at Minden (DEU)
1962: re-engined 2x diesel 6cyl Deutz type FM-716, 400hp total
1968: To "JADI - Scheepvaartbedrijf Gebr. A.L. & A. Wilson" at Zwijndrecht (D. Wilson at Terneuzen) (NLD), renamed FONDA
1974 -xx/07: for service on the Bristol Channel, between Avonmouth and Portishead (GBR)
1974 -11/11: sank at Avonmouth (GBR), raised but declared total loss
1975: To "Metrec Ltd" at Newhaven (GBR), repaired, renamed METREC
1977: re-engined 2x diesel Caterpillar, 570hp total, fit with radar & marifone
1984: To "Seaboard Marine (Nigg) Ltd" at Cadball (GBR), renamed VERASPEAR
(GBR flag, regd Inverness, ON 366985, 67 GRT, 0 NRT)
1989 To ?? (IRL)
fate unknown

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Riverman

http://riverman.gotdns.com


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## meechingman

I'll look down at the museum for you BB, I'm sure I've seen a few pix that they'd let me scan if I ask nicely!

I can't remember her being on charter to Christiani Nielson, but you'd know that better than me! Can you remember their old boiler - er, steam tug - Chrianie?

Andy


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## billyboy

Thank you riverman. She certainly got around during her life. very easy to handle as well.
Andy. Thanks for looking for a picture. Neilsons had the contract for Brighton marina and had their stickers on the tug.
Cant recall the Chrianie. but there was an old tug called the chrisiane at newhaven some years before the brighton marina project.


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## billyboy

Andy. Incidently. the metrec was used during the filming of "queen Kong" out of newhaven. In the film it was an all female crew. with flower boxes around the wheelhouse. My oldest Brother George was skipper at that time.


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## meechingman

Billyboy, I'm sure you are thinking of the Chrianie. That was her name for sure. An old TID, still steam fired, she worked on the Royal Sovereign light tower job for C-N, alongside their support ship Amanda. She even stood in for Meeching towing barges on occasions.

Andy

PS. Just been down the museum. It is Chrianie. I have a lovely big b/w photo to rephotograph or scan. I'll post it when done.

There are no references to individual pix of the Metrec, but we think she appears in a few others. I didn't have much time for a look but will do so on another visit.


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## meechingman

*Chrianie*

Here's the pic of the Chrianie, was this the one you remembered? There were a couple of other tugs I can recall. The MNS52 - ex Tidworth, of course, and then the Danzig and the later Tiderip and Kingston. I'm sure there was another one and I think it had a blue hull, but that was 40 years + ago!

Andy


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## billyboy

Nice picture of the Chriane Andy, thanks for that mate. The metrec was a blue hull with white deckhousing. there was at one time a smaller tug there there called the chrisiane which i think was Diesel single screw. The metrec was twin screwed and larger than a tid (i think)
Thanks for your time and help on this one Andy. Much appreciated mate.


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## meechingman

I'll try to find a pic of the Metrec for you, BB, and I'll see if any of the guys there know anything about the Chrisiane.


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## billyboy

think to be exact the name was "Christianie". as you say Andy it was a few years ago now. and my grey cells are not what they used to be...LOL


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## Riverman

Billyboy, you are not getting your Chri??????s mixed up with this one are you?

(sisterships: ESSO GREENWICH, ESSO READING)
Registered: LR56-57:59473 /LR60-61:60298
(GBR)ON 186011
77 GRT, (75'0"x19'8"x8'3.1/2")
1 scr, diesel 2tew 5cyl Crossley, 550bhp-634kW

ESSO READING
1953: Built by "W.J. Yarwood & Sons Ltd" at Northwich (GBR) (YN 886)
1954 -xx/01: delivered to "Esso Petroleum Co Ltd" at London (GBR)
(GBR flag, regd London, ON 186011)
1966: To "Silvertown Services Lighterage Ltd" at London (GBR), renamed SILVERCLAD
1971: To "J.P. Knight Ltd" at London (GBR), renamed KOKODA
1974: To H.G. Pounds
1974: resold to "South Ocean Services Ltd" (K. Ratcliffe) at Portsmouth (GBR)
1977: To "Christiani & Nielsen" (GBR), renamed CHRIANIE IV
1982: shipped to the Far East (Singapore or "West Indies" ??)
fate unknown

She was down that area and was owned by Christiani & Nielson so could have had the name Christiani painted on her casing.
Just a thouhgt.

Riverman


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## meechingman

BB. I cam across a pic of the dredger AA Raymond being towed out of Newhaven after conversion to diesel electric power. Meeching is towing, but there's another tug acting as stern tug. It's a low res scan of a pic, but the original is apparently in the museum too. The unknown tug's name is quite large and I hope it may be possible to read it on the original. This would be very early 60's so it's obviously not the Metrec, but maybe it's the Chrisiane that you're thinking about or the tug I'm remembering.

Riverman, any pix of the tug you mentioned. Chrianie IV? Maybe the steam Chrianie met her maker somewhere between 71 and 74. 

Andy


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## billyboy

Riverman, feel sure thats the one. she was owned at one time by Christiane neilson's.
Andy, I worked for a while on the AA Raymond conversion. she was towed in by meeching and tidworth. I was not there when she was towed out. Should see me standing on the deck of the raymond as she was towed in.
Look forward to seeing the pictures andy
Metrec was blue in color with white superstructure. she had smart twin exhausts.


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## Riverman

Andy, here are the details of the steam tug Chrianie, I think it answers your question.

TID-class (numbered from 1 to 183, no nr 13) (T.I.D.=Tug,Inshore and Dock)
Registered: (GBR)ON 180300
54 GRT, 14 NRT, L21,87m(19,82), B5,49m, D1,836m(2,44) (71.0'(65.0')x17.0'x7.4' or 71'0"(62'3")x18'0"(17'0")x5'11.1/2"(8'0"))
welded steel, 1 scr, C2cyl by "John Dickinson & Son Ltd" at Sunderland (first 90 coal fired, next oil fired) 36bhp-220ihp, sp 8,5kn

TID 107
1944 -12/08: Launched by "Richard Dunston" at Thorne (GBR) (YN T.528)
1944 -10/11: completed for the UK MOWT Ministry of War Transport (GBR)
(GBR flag, ON 180300, c/s MPQM)
1944 -xx/11: allocated to War Dept.-Army, based at Harwich
1948: To Admiralty, Harwich & Chatham
1957 -30/12: To Chatham
1968 -05/01: for demolition to "T.W. Ward Ltd" at Grays, Essex (GBR)
1970: To "Christiani & Nielsen Ltd" at London (GBR), renamed CHRIANIE
1973: To Mr B. Pearce at Malden, Essex (GBR). Parts of the ship are used to refit the conserved TID 172
1975: broken up at Sittingborne, Kent (GBR)

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Billyboy and Meechingman, check out the link below for a pic of the Chrianie IV

http://riverman.gotdns.com/web_pics/Chrianiehttp://riverman.gotdns.com/web_pics/ChrianieIV.jpg

Riverman


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## billyboy

Riverman. Yes thats the one meant. nice picture too. Just need one of the metrec now.


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## Riverman

Sorry Billyboy cant help you there, I have no picture of the Metric.

Riverman


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## billyboy

Riverman, Dont supppose there is any news of the tug Meeching doing anything is there?
Seems a waste of good PK Harris tug to just sit there rotting


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## Riverman

I have not heard of the Meeching doing anything special, in fact I have lost track of her. The last I heard of the Meeching she was laid up on the buoys at Queenborough. I shall have to make an effort next year to do a run from Sheerness to Borstal (by boat) and note the locations of all these old craft, that will keep me occcupied for some time.

Riverman


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## photoman

Re Chrianie: she was saved from the blowtorch in the early 70s by Barry Pearce, a partner in Cook's barge yard at Maldon at the time, and was on the Blackwater for a few years. Barry used her occasionally, and she made a wonderful sight on barge match days. There is still a TID-type at Maldon, Brent owned by Ron Hall.


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## wkmarine

Twin screw tug veraspear one, in 1979/80 was sailing as the George B at Arnish point Stornoway Isle of Lewis.Managed by Batty towage and salvage Broadstairs Kent, Then in oct 81 ran aground on north end Inchmarnock (clyde) she disappeared then, sprang up again 82 in Dunwoody (Granton) colours working with the (TID) Niparound, Then transfered to SB offshore (Bowling and Granton) Towing rock from Furnace (LOCHFYNE) to Rhu for the new marina break waters ( I sailed on her for Batty and SB offshore) before being sold to Nigg


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## meechingman

I'd forgotten about this thread!

Billyboy, the tug I referred to above that helped Meeching tow out the AA Raymond was the Sunnyside, ex TID59.

According to the info I was given, the Metrec you're thinking of was in fact the former Knight tug Kitava, ex Silvergilt, ex Essso Greenwich. It was Esso Reading that bacme Chrianie IV.

From lighteragetugs.co.uk :

Built 1953 by W.J. Yarwood & Sons Ltd., Northwich. YN 879. L75'. B19'8". D8'4". 77grt. 550bhp 5cyl Crossley HGN5/50 two-stroke diesel engine. ON185851

11-1952 Launched. 2-1953 Delivered to Esso Petroleum Co Ltd., London. 1966 Sold to Silvertown Services Lighterage Ltd., London, renamed Silvergilt. 1971 Sold to J.P. Knight (Rochester) Ltd., Rochester, renamed Kitava. 1978 Sold to Metal Recoveries Ltd., Newhaven, renamed Metrec. 19?? Owners Pounds Shipowners Ltd., Portsmouth. 1980 Sold to Pagasitikos Shipping Company, Piraeus, renamed Lacon. 2005 Still registered.


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## billyboy

Thanks for that Andy. The Metrec was a twin screw job with 6" dia 2 bladed props running in Kort nozzles. She had twin Caterpillar diesels and was used in my time to tow barges of chalk out of Brighton Marina. Light blue hull with white superstructure.
The story was that she used to tow barges on the Rhine. Powerful and very manoverable.
She was used in Newhaven during the making of the film "Queen Kong" George Still was the skipper.


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## meechingman

In that case you're thinking of the first Metrec as described by Riverman above, as the ex Kitava was single screw. According to the dates MNS owned both tugs at the same time but I can't recall him having a Metrec and a Metrec II. He did have another twin screw tug at that time. It said Metrec on the wheelhouse but he apparently named it Fonda - after Jane Fonda. Wonder if he renamed his first Metrec as Fonda?

Is this the one?


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## billyboy

Its not that one in the attached picture Andy. Tghe Metrec i refer was bigger and looked more modern with twin exhausts similar to the Meeching.
When she worked on the film Queen Kong she had flower boxes around the wheelhouse. And she was the tug towing the large barges out of Brighton marina.
24/7 job soon had me tired ha ha ha


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## meechingman

Well, that has me beaten, Billyboy. I can't recall another larger MNS tug, the rest of his were ex TID's. The only Metrec shots at the museum are the ex Kitava and this one.

That film was apparently 1976 and never released commercially due to an injunction from the King Kong people!


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## wkmarine

Thats the Veraspeare one alright,, she was a good old tug,,


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## wkmarine

*veraspeare one*



meechingman said:


> In that case you're thinking of the first Metrec as described by Riverman above, as the ex Kitava was single screw. According to the dates MNS owned both tugs at the same time but I can't recall him having a Metrec and a Metrec II. He did have another twin screw tug at that time. It said Metrec on the wheelhouse but he apparently named it Fonda - after Jane Fonda. Wonder if he renamed his first Metrec as Fonda?
> 
> Is this the one?


 thats the veraspear one ok!1


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## billyboy

wkmarine said:


> Twin screw tug veraspear one, in 1979/80 was sailing as the George B at Arnish point Stornoway Isle of Lewis.Managed by Batty towage and salvage Broadstairs Kent, Then in oct 81 ran aground on north end Inchmarnock (clyde) she disappeared then, sprang up again 82 in Dunwoody (Granton) colours working with the (TID) Niparound, Then transfered to SB offshore (Bowling and Granton) Towing rock from Furnace (LOCHFYNE) to Rhu for the new marina break waters ( I sailed on her for Batty and SB offshore) before being sold to Nigg


I wonder if George Still would have been the skipper on there at that time. I know he did a bit for Batty and was at Stornaway too. (my older Brother).


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## vandervelden

*Tugs built at Van Der Velden Shipyard at Zwolle Netherlands*

I am searching for aditional information on a tug built at Van Der Velden Shipyard at Zwolle Netherlands in 1953.
First owner Bijlsma Zwolle, name "André", dimensions 17,52 x 4,20 metres, 9,778 ton waterverplaatsing, registration number 1129 B Zwolle 1953, engine 6 cyl, Mak-Deutsche Werke nr.18008 type 6M.241 built 1954, 150 hp. 
In april 1960 she was sold to Christiani & Nielsen and sailed in the Durban waters, South Africa.


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