Blyth Shipyard

[Canny lass]

Can your old man give this guy any tips?

He says: it depends what the problem is . If it's the shorts gliding downwards because of the weight of the water then a bit of good old fashioned, British knicker elastic should do the trick. If it's the ramp structure then he'll need a bit more time to think about it.

[John White]

He says: it depends what the problem is . If it's the shorts gliding downwards because of the weight of the water then a bit of good old fashioned, British knicker elastic should do the trick. If it's the ramp structure then he'll need a bit more time to think about it.

I didn`t want to mention the shorts!

[keith lockey]

Getting off subject, sort of, but Lake Powell & Lake Meade was where they filmed the opening crash scenes of the original Planet of the Apes with Charlton Heston.

[keith lockey]

Getting off subject, sort of, but Lake Powell & Lake Meade was where they filmed the opening crash scenes of the original Planet of the Apes with Charlton Heston.

DOH - THIS BIT OF INFO WAS IN REGARDS TO THE VIDEO ABOVE.

[Dr Pit]

Foxy,

The last ship built and completed in Blyth was the Rogate (number 395) in 1967. There were two built after this but they were not completed.

They were later finished in, I am told, India.These were the called hopper barge number 4, and number 5.

Owt else just ask.

[John Fox (foxy)]

Foxy,

The last ship built and completed in Blyth was the Rogate (number 395) in 1967. There were two built after this but they were not completed.

They were later finished in, I am told, India.These were the called hopper barge number 4, and number 5.

Owt else just ask.

Thats a Pint I owe you, Thank You!!

[Alan Edgar (Eggy1948)]

I have said this before - thanks for the memories. This topic brings a lot back and also adds a name to one of my stories. Ship 395 was the last ship, that without my intervention would probably have missed the boat. I left Blyth ship yard in May 1966, still the same age as when I started there, 16, and I never knew (or could remember) what name it was launched under. The Rogate will now be added to the story, I have told in many a pub, of how I ensured that ship got launched before the yard closed.

Left school expecting to get an apprenticeship, electrical, at the 'A' pit. No chance said me mam a pitman's daughter and 4 brothers in the pits, she had seen enough dust and coughing to last her. My first job from school, I remember ships 393/4 & 395. Conned by management to work in the General Stores until a vacancy came up in the Drawing Office. They knew it would never happen as the yard was on it's last legs. But I am glad that it happened, even though I escaped in May 1966 before the final closure. At 16 I had no idea what was going on but the pleasure that place gave me, then, and looking back is priceless. No wonder the Japanese could build ships cheaper than us. They did not have to paint the whole town whatever colour the latest ship was being done in. Almost every house in Blyth had a door/shed the same colour as the latest ship. The guy in the paint store, can't member his name just that he only had one leg, sold paint, ciggs, booze as well as pandering to the latest ships requirements. The Japanese blacksmiths did not have to make wrought iron gates for the foremen's drive ways, or basketball hoops, and fittings, for every gable end in Blyth. During the winter months the labourers could not be found to move flanges from the blacksmiths yard to the ship so welders and riveters stood idle. The labourers were busy keeping the foremen's stoves stoked up in the foremen's cabins. The general stores labourers would get one of the large wooden blocks, that were used in the dry docks around the ships keel, and bring it back to the store to be sawed up on the electric saw and made into bundles of sticks, for each foreman. Known locally as 'fxxxy' wood for the foremen to take home for the wives to light the fire and keep him warm at night! No idea how many blocks were used each month but they were always charged to the cost of the ship.

Can't remember which store had the copper pipe but I do know it came in 21ft lengths. Labourers would come in with a chitty for ship 395 for 3 x 5ft lengths. They would be cut but the whole 21ft was charged to the ship and the 'scrap' 6ft was cut into bait-box size pieces and distributed, on a daily basis, to all the store lads, including me, to be sold to your local scrap man.

I never saw what the carpenters were producing for the home. Saw what they did on the ships and it was fantastic. First encounter with a carpenter was when the store's manager was off at a meeting, I, at 16, was in charge and had to ensure the relevant team were informed when the GPO man delivered 395's ships bell from the foundry. The ship could not sail without it's identifying bell fitted. Bell delivered and GPO man left saying – 'see you tomorrow at 13:00 to collect the bell'. Can't remember who checked the bell was Ok but after checking the carpenter had to be told so he could build a crate for the bell. The bell had just arrived in a crate but a new crate had to be made! It would go off for engraving with the ship's name and where and when it was built. Carpenter came early the following morning, built the crate, and left. At 13:00 GPO man arrives –'where's the crate?, 'in the corner' my reply. 'Lids not fixed on, can't take that and got to be away in 5 minutes'. 'Hold on, I'll get a hammer and nails out of this massive store I work in'. Did that and lid nailed on and GPO man went away happy. I was beaming, quick thinking and the bell was off to be engraved and would be back in time to be fitted before the ship went off to sea on it's trials. Hero. Then I heard a union meeting. An unqualified person had been seen nailing a lid to a box and this could lead to a walk out! I had been seen putting the lid on the box by the person allocated to do the job. Two hours later the yard was back to normal. There would not be a walk out on this my first offence. I was to be reprimanded and it would never happen again. The union guy, 18 stone plus Terry Coppin, forman riveter pinned me to the wall with one hand and warned me – 'never do a skilled man's work again'. 'But Terry' I whimpered, 'the carpenter had left the lid off'. 'Yes' said Terry 'he had done the skilled job of making the crate. The putting on of the lid is unskilled work and that was to be done by the joiner, that saw you nailing it on'!

Not half pleased ship 395 completed it's ships trial and made it into service.

Thank you Foxy – I too owe you a pint, as long as you are a fully fledged skilled drinker.

[Malcolm Robinson]

Eggy,

Your account of your first experience working should be required reading for all school leavers, the title of which would be, "How we gave away our world class manufacturing base!"

The best we can hope for now is to bolt together pre-made (in other parts of the world) and delivered to site bits which will make up the likes of the trains Hitachi are being applauded for 'making' here.

[Keith Scantlebury]

I enjoyed reading that Eggy. It is a pretty apt story especially as the guest speaker at E.B.P.C.'s annual assembly was Martin Lawlor, C.E.O. of the Port of Blyth who was giving a talk about what is going on in and around the port.

[johndawsonjune1955]

Blyth shipyard announced its closure on world cup day 1966 and closed in 1966. the last ship was the Rowgate then Marinex by Blyth Shipyard launched in 1967.

Gregson and co ltd took the yard over the dry docks and launched Marinex 4 on july 1st 1990. it was a sand and gravel dredger.

They built some smaller ones. 11 Liberty boats for the admirralty. they left Blyth 2 and three at a time they got the order in July 1970.

32 fibre glass ice patrol boats for the Admirralty 1970.

1971 they began a stone freeze trawler desined by AHay and Smart of Liverpool.

in 1972 it was took to the Tyne to complete and called Princess Ann