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The old back to front telegraphs trick. And they fell for it again! That was the ex HMNZDT Manawanui. She was sold to the Maritime Park at Paeroa NZ for a dollar or so and then (in typical museum style) neglected her for 30 years by which time her engine was pronounced to be seized (I wonder why!) and then she started weeping oil from somewhere and the local bureaukrauts demanded that she be destroyed forthwith if she couldn't be moved under her own steam. So they panicked and the crane man gave his services in exchange for the engine which he hoisted out in one and had running within months back at his shop. Nothing wrong with it at all. Still gets run up for display on occasion.
So now we have but one left in original running condition -the James O'Brien in Picton NZ.[/QUOTE

That has brought my memories into line, yes it was the diving tender tug . Which one had the Fairbanks -Morse engine? , it was always referred to as the Douglas Fairbanks engine.
Great time , great memories in the ICE shop what With Lieutenant Wilkie and his fishery protection patrol coming home Friday after a few days in the gulf with confiscated undersized crayfish selling cheap to the boys .
 
The three I knew -Manawanui, Arataki and Kawateri (who became James O'Brien) all had Atlas Imperials but we did build 20 or so of them and a Fairbanks may have slipped in somewhere.
Correct, I have found my old list,


The Fairbanks Morse was aboard the old liberty boat
The Officers motor boat had a Gardner
The Commodores Barge had a Ford Mercury V8 conversion.
The Fairmile's and 72 ft HDMLs had Gray Marine diesels that replaced the Atlas engines and when I left there was talk of replacing the Grays with Fodens to standardise with British Admiralty.


Bob
 
T I d tugs

Greetings Cpt Steve Buttling here now living in the USA
I worked 5 years on HMNZ Dockyard tug Arataki with then skipper Don Moore Engineer Bert Williamson Peter Robinson Vince Harding and Tony Steele .Aratakis i d YTL 627
Manawanui was then the dive school platform with both powered by Atlas Imperials ( singles) A very lively ride in a head sea and a roller in beam seas !! Had some great times aboard her with a great crew
 
I've just visited and been aboard the BRENT in Maldon. No charge, donations gratefully accepted. They are currently trying to raise money to replace the boiler tubes.

The TID 172 alongside her has had quite a lot of hull plating replaced. some of it a bit crudely. I understood from the volunteers on the BRENT that the TID 172 is being moved to a new owner on the Medway; but there is currently a problem in arranging the necessary paperwork for the tow.

Martyn
 
Discussion starter · #46 ·
Received my advance copy this morning and happy with the end result. The publisher has advised me as below. Will post further details as I receive them

T.I.D Tugs of WW2
The publisher (World Ship Society Ltd) has advised the following

"As to pricing & availability it will be £10 (WSS members) / £15 (non-members) plus postage, but will not be available until stock arrives at our Chatham storage facility (circa 6th November). and a dispatcher in place to deal with orders"
 
Discussion starter · #47 ·
T.I.D Tugs of WW2
Today, I received this e-mail from a friend in Belgium

Good afternoon Bill,
Earlier, the doorbell rang and the postman handed me over the book about the T.I.D. Tugs you wrote.

I am flabbergasted for the details you were able to find. You have delivered a very good book and it will be on my desk for the next couple of weeks to browse it throughly.

In the meantime I can already congratulate you on the splendid work done about the T.I.D. tugs. From every page the thorough research can be read.. It can definitely be said that this book is a real "must".
 
Discussion starter · #49 · (Edited)
Publishers advert - minus the front cover image

LATEST BOOK FROM THE WORLD SHIP SOCIETY
THE T.I.D. TUGS OF WORLD WAR TWO

There were several British standard tug designs constructed during the war years, ranging from the large deep-sea Assurance and Bustler classes and the 164 vessels forming the thirteen classes with EMPIRE and ROCK prefixed names. The numerically largest class of 182 steam-powered vessels known as the T.I.D.s (or TIDs) was the smallest in actual vessel size. The need had been identified in 1942 for a small versatile tug easily adaptable to a variety of tasks which could be built using mass production procedures without clogging up slipways of yards better suited to the construction of larger vessels. The chosen shipbuilder was Richard Dunston Ltd and a tug was designed which would be of all-welded construction with no bent frames and twisted plates. Standardised boilers and engines, built by numerous different companies, were installed after launching which occurred within seven days of receipt of the prefabricated units. Once completed the T.I.D.s were employed on naval and army duties as well as commercial work under civilian control. Initially they operated from various U.K. ports, participated in the D-Day landings and were soon to be found in Ostende, Rouen and Gibraltar. By 1945 many T.I.D.s were being prepared for shipment to the Far East where they would replace vessels lost during the Japanese invasions. With the cessation of hostilities many T.I.D.s were sold for demolition, some remained in Admiralty service while others found worldwide employment. This A4 size, softback book contains the meticulously researched career histories of all 182 T.I.D.s. Sixteen of them are known to still be in existence although the final fates of a further 40 are unclear despite the author’s exhaustive research into the subject. The book is illustrated by 112 black & white, 38 colour photographs and nine drawings.

Available from WSS Book Sales, 49 Mount Road, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 3EZ, United Kingdom or by Email from jp006h3168@blueyonder.co.uk, price £10 to members (quoting membership number) or £15 to non-members plus P & P £2.33 (UK), £5.50 (Europe) & £5.45 (RoW). Payment may be made by GBP cheque or credit card. For the latter please state whether Visa or Mastercard and quote card number, exact name on card, card expiry date, card validation number and address of cardholder.


Also https://coastalshipping.co.uk/home/2113-the-tid-tugs-of-world-war-two.html
 
I'm trying to renovate a 1;144 scale model of a TID, from a kit.

Three things that I cannot make out from photos, on this website or via Google, are;

1) What lifesaving and firefighting appliances were there? I can only make out a single lifebuoy either side of the bridge on some photos, and no 'FIRE' box for a hose anywhere. Did they carry a small boat somewhere?

2) Did they have any sort of winches/windlass fore and aft? I can only make out a small cross-shaped bitt forward, plus a small hand windlass, based on a couple of photos and a visit to BRENT.

3) Did they carry an anchor? Again, I can find no photographic evidence for this-except BRENT has one hanging off on the stbd bow.

Could any of you inform me of answers to these questions, please?

Many thanks.

Martyn
 
Discussion starter · #52 ·
Suggest you obtain a copy of
THE T.I.D. TUGS OF WORLD WAR TWO by W. J. Harvey 2019 World Ship Society

WSS Book Sales, 49 Mount Road, Mitcham, Surrey, CR4 3EZ, United Kingdom or by Email from jp006h3168@blueyonder.co.uk, price £10 to members (quoting membership number) or £15 to non-members plus P & P £2.33 (UK), £5.50 (Europe) & £5.45 (RoW). Payment may be made by GBP cheque or credit card. For the latter please state whether Visa or Mastercard and quote card number, exact name on card, card expiry date, card validation number and address of cardholder.
 
I'm trying to renovate a 1;144 scale model of a TID, from a kit.

Three things that I cannot make out from photos, on this website or via Google, are;

1) What lifesaving and firefighting appliances were there? I can only make out a single lifebuoy either side of the bridge on some photos, and no 'FIRE' box for a hose anywhere. Did they carry a small boat somewhere?

2) Did they have any sort of winches/windlass fore and aft? I can only make out a small cross-shaped bitt forward, plus a small hand windlass, based on a couple of photos and a visit to BRENT.

3) Did they carry an anchor? Again, I can find no photographic evidence for this-except BRENT has one hanging off on the stbd bow.

Could any of you inform me of answers to these questions, please?

Many thanks.

Martyn
Have you seen this website about the building of a model TID tug? There's also a book that can be downloaded with more details on building the model.
 
Have you seen this website about the building of a model TID tug? There's also a book that can be downloaded with more details on building the model.
Thanks for the link.

An excellent model, very impressive, especially as it is a real 'steamer'.

Unfortunately, the link to the build website seems no longer valid.

I'll take photos next time I go to Maldon for a visit.

Martyn
 
Discussion starter · #56 ·
After TID53 Later Teal information please she worked Gisborne port in the 1960s tassie48
T.I.D. 53 c/s MJQZ
O.N. 169349. 54g. 0n. 65.0 x 17.0 x 7.4 feet.
C.2-cyl. (12½” and 26” x 18”) by the North Eastern Marine Engineering Company (1938) Ltd., Sunderland. Boiler by Davey, Paxman and Co. Ltd., Colchester. Coal fuel. 260 IHP. 8½ knots.
Post 1950: Unspecified type Paxman diesel.

16.11.1943: (Ministry Job No. A/MS/829) launched by Richard Dunston Ltd., Thorne (Yard No. 462) for the Ministry of War Transport, London, (Stanley Lancelot Tottle, Hull, manager at the Ministry).
04.01.1944: Registered at Hull, vessel No.2 of 1944.
06.01.1944: Completed. Allocated to War Department duties.
26.09.1945: Returned to the control of the Ministry of War Transport.
27.09.1945: Place in lay-up.
20.03.1946: Owners restyled as the Ministry of Transport, (Stanley Lancelot Tottle, Hull, manager at the Ministry).
xx.09.1946: Sold to the Westminster Dredging Co. Ltd., London.
29.11.1946: Hull registry closed, consequent of re-registry in London
03.01.1947: Renamed W.D. TEAL.
14.08.1950: Stranded on a sandbank on the River Dee and sank
11.09.1950: Salvaged and towed to Mostyn and later to Bromborough Dock, subsequently repaired, re-engined.
1965: Operated by the Westminster Dredging Australia Pty Ltd., on contract at Gisborne Harbour, New Zealand.
1969: Transferred to Singapore for dredging work.
1971: Sold to Transworld Marine Ltd., Singapore and renamed TEAL.
1971: British Mercantile Registry closed, consequent of sale to Singapore.
9.1972: Seen operating off Katong.
1974: Lying derelict, aft end submerged, at owner’s yard at Jalan Samulun, Jurong Town, Singapore.
Final fate unknown.
 
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