# Liverpool Cock tugs



## 3rdEng

There was a series of very smart tugs built for Liverpool Steam Towage in the 1930s or so, vessels like the Grebe Cock, etc., by Cammell Laird. Would anyone know where drawings of one of those vessels might be obtained for model making purposes?

Also, when you look at photographs of that series of tugs, they appear to have no ventilators at all. Cammell Laird was obviously very ahead of their time but how did they ventilate the boiler room?

Cheers,
Andrew 3rdEng


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## Alan Rolo

Hi I worked on the Black Cock (1954) sister tug to the Grebe Cock . There was an iron grid (6`x 3`) behind the funnel on the boat deck which had a iron hatch type cover which was closed only in bad weather . regards Alan Rolo


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## Coastie

What an unfortunate name! Either that or someone had a sense of humour!


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## Duncan112

Totally off topic but I see Facebook removed a pub's page due to a complaint that it was offensive and racist, the pub's name "The Blackcock Inn" However to give the other side of the story it was an unpaid personal page, fb like commercial entities to pay a fee.


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## tsell

I seemed to remember a Tickle Cock Bridge in Yorkshire and my wife says it's in Castleford - at least it was when she was a kid.

Taff


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## ndemus

I recently got a commission for an oilpainting of the port of Liverpool. I am looking for images of tugs, operating on the Mersey or in the docks in the years '50 or '60. I usually compose such a painting from several photograph's to achieve a dynamic image. Who is able to be of assistance? Please contact me by e-mail:
[email protected] You might look on my site, to have some idea of what I produce: www.nicompeeters.nl 

Many thanks in advance!


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## woodend

I was ship and tug mad when I was a 'lightie' in the early 50's and I remember well gate crashing the launches of the GAME COCK V and the FIGHTING COCK at Cammel Lairds. In those pre-security days no one took any notice of a school boy with a bike. If memory treats me right they were built on the same way and launched about 10 minutes apart. Most of the COCK fleet were there dressed overall to receive them and making a lot of noise.


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## Barrie Youde

#7 

Hi, John,

Where does the expression "lightie" come from?

Your origins and mine almost coincide, but I had not heard it until your recent use of it!


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## woodend

Hi Barrie greetings from the deep south! 'Lightie' is a good South Africanism and even though I will never lose all traces of my accent it has softened a bit and I have picked quite a lot of the local vernacular since 1966.


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## Arrow5

As a 10 year old on holiday with my parents at Banavie on the Caledonian Canal I wangled a lift on a "Cock" tug up to the first set of locks (and back to the digs in the local Postie`s wee red van). I think the name of the tug was Cockspur, was this one of the fleet ? My first "adventure" and what a thrashing I got from my mother !


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## Arrow5

Arrow5 said:


> As a 10 year old on holiday with my parents at Banavie on the Caledonian Canal I wangled a lift on a "Cock" tug up to the first set of locks (and back to the digs in the local Postie`s wee red van). I think the name of the tug was Cockspur, was this one of the fleet ? My first "adventure" and what a thrashing I got from my mother !


Still haven't found a picture of"Cockspur", any ideas? This incident would be in the 1950s. The canal people will have a record of transits I presume. My first meal of corned beef hash and tinned milk in the tea during my "voyage" !


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## BillH

Not sure if the following is the vessel in question, but not the same fleet

You do not mention a year but if 1946 then potentially this one moving from west to east coast.

COCKSPUR 
O.N. 146711. 135g. 1n. 85.4 x 21.0 x 10.4 feet.
C.2-cyl. (15” & 32" x 24") by Plenty & Son Ltd., Newbury. 42nhp.
1918: Completed as HS 84 by Edwards & Company Ltd., Millwall, (Yard No. 751) for the War Office Inland Water Transport Department, London. 
1919: Transferred to the Admiralty and renamed PETER PAN. 
7.1922: Sold to Ardrossan Harbour Company, (H. Hopperton, manager), Ardrossan. 
21.10.1922: First registered, at Ardrossan, as COCKSPUR. 
22.8.1946: Sold to Peter Foster & Company Ltd., Hull 
5.2.1948: 100% (5-year) mortgaged to the National Provincial Bank, London. 
3.1961: Sold to United Towing Company Ltd. 
24.4.1963: Arrived in tow on the Nieuw Waterweg enroute to Hendrik-ido-Ambacht, for demolition by Arie Rijsdijk-Bos & Zonen.


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## revueman

*Working on the Mersey*

My Grandfather was a Captain on a tugboat on the River Mersey. I am trying to find out about him and his working life on the Mersey. He died in 1953. His name was George Callon.


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## spongebob

Alan Rolo said:


> Hi I worked on the Black Cock (1954) sister tug to the Grebe Cock . There was an iron grid (6`x 3`) behind the funnel on the boat deck which had a iron hatch type cover which was closed only in bad weather . regards Alan Rolo


That iron grid , placed each side of the funnel , was exactly the same boiler room ventilation used on the double ended , coal fired steam ferries that served the Auckland Harbour prior to the Harbour Bridge.
A favourite seating place for school boys on a winters day until the wafting heat became too much .

Bob


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## Allanb79

Coastie said:


> What an unfortunate name! Either that or someone had a sense of humour!


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## Allanb79

Indeed.


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## Ron Stringer

Blackcock is a name given to the male Black or Northern Grouse, Lyrurus tetrix. Known for the gatherings of the birds at favoured locations (called leks) where they display in competition to seek the attention of females.Just last week heard a recording on BBC Radio 4 made at a Blackcock *lek*. Make some very weird sounds.


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## Willowgarth

Ron Stringer said:


> Blackcock is a name given to the male Black or Northern Grouse, Lyrurus tetrix. Known for the gatherings of the birds at favoured locations (called leks) where they display in competition to seek the attention of females.Just last week heard a recording on BBC Radio 4 made at a Blackcock *lek*. Make some very weird sounds.
> View attachment 685435


I can remember the Liverpool Screw Towing Company tug Prairie Cock berthed at the landing stage and the deck lad, who was cleaning out the cabins, brought the mats up on deck and carefully draped them over the bulwarks covering up the P and R of the tugs name. This caused a lot of amusement and laughter to the many young ladies from nearby offices who were taking a stroll along the stage during the lunch hour.
Fred


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## mike103

3rdEng said:


> There was a series of very smart tugs built for Liverpool Steam Towage in the 1930s or so, vessels like the Grebe Cock, etc., by Cammell Laird. Would anyone know where drawings of one of those vessels might be obtained for model making purposes?
> 
> Also, when you look at photographs of that series of tugs, they appear to have no ventilators at all. Cammell Laird was obviously very ahead of their time but how did they ventilate the boiler room?
> 
> Cheers,
> Andrew 3rdEng











Sedge Cock on the Mersey. Liverpool Screw Towing & Lighterage Co... Cock Tugs.... Steam Tug Kerne


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## mike103

mike103 said:


> View attachment 690610
> 
> Sedge Cock on the Mersey. Liverpool Screw Towing & Lighterage Co... Cock Tugs.... Steam Tug Kerne


here is a email for site above [email protected] .... and face book page Log into Facebook


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## Mike Kemble

I visited West Kirby Ashton Park, on The Wirral on 2 May. They had a few model boats including tugs on parade both on and off the lake. I believe they all com under a local model boat club. I was talking to one who did in fact use blueprints.Maybe they could help. This might be them:








Wirral Model Boats


Wirral Model Boats. 9,829 likes · 1 talking about this. A site for model boat enthusiasts to talk between themselves post Photo's and ask questions.




www.facebook.com


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