Are you really sure they're not going to turn into Triffids

Two more of George's "Triffids" on barge UR902 ready to go 30/09/2017
I'm wondering what that tower of scaffolding is to be used for?

Smulders yard 11/10/2017


Barge UR902 still waiting to go and not scheduled to so until 20/10/2017


MULTRATUG 20 brought in barge BARGE RORO4 loaded with some new yellow "tops". Now being unloaded by the big crane.


The first tripod base nears completion.
Made up of, from the bottom up:
Cans - brought in
Tripod base - made on site
Tripod mid unit with a can on top (like the one on the quay) - brought in
Small quad top - brought in
Not a huge amount of local manufacturing content, mainly assembly work.

A view from upriver 29/10/2017 showing barge UR902 still alongside and now showing on the Port website as going out mid November.
Seems to be a bit of a delay in getting the barge out. Tug ERACLEA gave up waiting and sailed for Italy last week.
Looks like other quads assembed and waiting to go.

Barge UR902 alongside Northumbrian Quay 10/11/2017 and now due to go 24/11/2017 according to the port website.
Strangely the tug ERACLEA is down as going six days later?? Perhaps they are not a pair. Or....

Smulders yard at Wallsend 10/11/2017

Smulders yard at Wallsend 17/11/2017 as MULTRATUG 14 gets ready to leave with empty barge OSPREY CARRIER II

Interesting video about the Smulders Wallsend site:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGIrKsQ ... e=youtu.be

The Smulders site in the late afternoon light 28/11/2017 (I hesitate to use the term sun)

The Smulders site 14/12/2017 (Does it ever get light these days?)


The first of the "Tripods" is loaded onto a barge.