# Preston Tugs?



## MervR (Jul 25, 2011)

Anyone out there with a knowledge of Preston tugs and their operations.
I am curious: how far down the river did they go? 

Has anyone got any photos of them working with the ex Landing Craft RoRos or the Bardic Ferry class

Good to hear from you .

Thanks, MervR


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## Tony the hippy chippy (Sep 24, 2021)

MervR said:


> Anyone out there with a knowledge of Preston tugs and their operations.
> I am curious: how far down the river did they go?
> 
> Has anyone got any photos of them working with the ex Landing Craft RoRos or the Bardic Ferry class
> ...


I know nothing of the tugs but do know preston docks is a marina the lock gates are still operational leading down the river sorry I can't be any more helpful tony


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## MervR (Jul 25, 2011)

Tony the hippy chippy said:


> I know nothing of the tugs but do know preston docks is a marina the lock gates are still operational leading down the river sorry I can't be any more helpful tony


Thanks, Tony.

Shame the docks closed.

MervR


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## niggle (Aug 24, 2005)

Preston dock tugs as far as I am aware usually only went as far as Bull Nose to guide ships into first set of locks but possibly they would escort vessels further out towards Lytham but I doubt if the went further than the Nelson Buoy at end of Estuary, incidently one of the Nelson Buoy lightvessels is now mounted as a gate keeper exhibit opposite the old Dock Offices on Watery Lane.


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## MervR (Jul 25, 2011)

Thanks, Niggle.
The Nelson Buoy was pretty close to the locks??

I am writing a history of Leith built tugs, three of which served Preston in 1950s-70s[ I am just trying to get a handle on their operations.

Thanks,

MervR
Southampton


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## niggle (Aug 24, 2005)

Hi MerR, The Nelson buoy was located at the mouth of the River Ribble at the end of the navigable channel which had to be constantly dredged and had some retaining walls built some remains of which can be seen at low tide from Lytham.The Nelson buoy was moored approx on a line across the Estuary from Lytham to Southport. I spent many happy hours with my father during the early to mid sixties down at the locks watching ships arrive and leave, the tugs I remember were the Hewitt, John Herbert and Frank Jamieson which I think are the ones you are interested in.
As the locks had a max width of some 66 feet which is one of the reasons the dock closed as ships were becoming bigger and the silting of the channel, the tugs wre often used to guide ships into the locks so were locked through into main dock and remained until outgoing vessels used them as most did not have bow thrusters which limited their manoeuvring ability.


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## MervR (Jul 25, 2011)

Thanks, Niggle:

I am building up the picture now.

Do you recall the stern tug's operating mode as being tug bow connected to the stern of the tow? I think this was similar to towing operations on the Manchester Ship Canal?

Happy Days

MervR 
Southampton


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## boatpilot (14 d ago)

In the early 1960s I went down the River Ribble on board several of the tugs including the Charles Hearn. Usually went down about two miles from the dock. On one trip I was on the stern tug attached to one of the DeLarrinaga ships which had brought timber from Canada. The tow was let go about four miles down river at Freckleton. There was also a tug on the bow.


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## MervR (Jul 25, 2011)

boatpilot said:


> In the early 1960s I went down the River Ribble on board several of the tugs including the Charles Hearn. Usually went down about two miles from the dock. On one trip I was on the stern tug attached to one of the DeLarrinaga ships which had brought timber from Canada. The tow was let go about four miles down river at Freckleton. There was also a tug on the bow.


Thanks for this information, Boatpilot; I am beginning to get a grasp of operations on the Ribble. Do you have any pics of the Preston traffic, particularly the tugs and tows? I am (jointly) writing a book on Leith built tugs. This includes Preston's three diesels. 

Regards,

Mervyn
Southampton


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## boatpilot (14 d ago)

MervR said:


> Thanks for this information, Boatpilot; I am beginning to get a grasp of operations on the Ribble. Do you have any pics of the Preston traffic, particularly the tugs and tows? I am (jointly) writing a book on Leith built tugs. This includes Preston's three diesels.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> ...


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## boatpilot (14 d ago)

No I dont have and photos.


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## MervR (Jul 25, 2011)

boatpilot said:


> No I dont have and photos.


Do you recall how the stern tug was attached to the DeLarrinaga vessel? Bow to stern?

Thanks, Meryn


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## David Wilcockson (Jul 10, 2005)

MervR said:


> Do you recall how the stern tug was attached to the DeLarrinaga vessel? Bow to stern?
> 
> Thanks, Meryn


The Ramon De Larrinaga was the vessel, one of the largest to get into Preston, but I have no idea as to the tugs.


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## boatpilot (14 d ago)

[The rope usedQUOTE="MervR, post: 3097412, member: 59556"]
Do you recall how the stern tug was attached to the DeLarrinaga vessel? Bow to stern?

Thanks, Meryn
[/QUOTE]


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## boatpilot (14 d ago)

boatpilot said:


> [The rope usedQUOTE="MervR, post: 3097412, member: 59556"]
> Do you recall how the stern tug was attached to the DeLarrinaga vessel? Bow to stern?
> 
> Thanks, Meryn


[/QUOTE]


boatpilot said:


> [The rope usedQUOTE="MervR, post: 3097412, member: 59556"]
> Do you recall how the stern tug was attached to the DeLarrinaga vessel? Bow to stern?
> 
> Thanks, Meryn


[/QUOTE]


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## boatpilot (14 d ago)

The rope used was the ships rope.


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