Silvertown Services Tugs

[Corrimeala]

As a young apprentice Waterman/Lighterman on the Thames I worked for Silvertown Services. One of their tugs, the Silvertown, was sold to a company in Singapore.

Does any of the worldwide fraternity know what happened to her?

Mike

[ddraigmor]

I think there is one of the 'silver' tugs in the gallery with some of her history.

Jonty

[R58484956]

Following for interest only, info not asked for

Silvertown Service Lighterage Ltd.

Silverbeam 1951 92t 605 shp
Silverdial 1950 92t 605 shp
Silverlane * 1925 103t 480 shp
Silver mark 1937 88t 500 shp
Silvertown 1940 83t 520 shp
All above motor vessels
* rebuilt 1953

3 smaller launch tugs
Silverlit, Silverdash, Silverdot.
House flag. Two horizontal blue bands on silver field.
Funnel black with two blue bandsalternating between 3 silver bands.

[Corrimeala]

And I worked on or towed behind them all. Best of the bunch, the Silvermark. Now there was a tug with character.

The Silverbeam is still working on the Thames.

You mentioned them all but the gear launch the Silver Blue

Mike

[Corrimeala]

I think there is one of the 'silver' tugs in the gallery with some of her history.

Jonty

The photo in the gallery is the tug I am interested in. The picture appeared on a Thames Lighterage page (the Liquid Highway). We think this must have been at around the time of the Festival of Britain (!951) the casing is brown, when I worked on her it was always cream. Also she has a hard top wheel box, I think this was later removed so that she could get under the bridges.


Mike

[riversea]

This info from Piet van Damme's tugs database via 'Tugtalk' on Clydesite

SILVERTOWN
1940: Built by "Cochrane & Cooper Ltd" at Selby (GBR) (YN 1207)
1940: delivered to "Silvertown Services Lighterage Ltd" at London (GBR)
1966: To "W.E. White & Sons (Towage) Ltd" at London (GBR), renamed KEITH WHITE
1972: To Michael J. Batty at Singapore (SGP)
(PAN flag)
fate unknown