The three outer river berths each had two gravity loading spouts. This is just a hint of how filthy an environment it was to work in. Can you imagine how much worse it must have been when all six berths at the staithes were in use at the same time.
The coaster would get a good hosing down before she sailed, all that muck on the deck will end up in the river I suppose. (could that be that a patch of coal dust floating on the surface of the river?)
The distinctive chimney-like structure with the rounded top seen across the river was built in 1797, it is a shot tower which was in use until 1951, in its later days as part of the Elswick Works of Associated Lead Manufactures Ltd.
Although it became a listed structure sadly it had to be demolished in 1968/69 because of unstable ground beneath it.
TONJA was built at Haugesund in 1957 for Norwegian owners Skips A/S Einar S Haver of Stavanger. Her ownership changed about half a dozen times before her final days under the Honduran flag. Strangely she went to went to ship breakers in 2008 carrying the name TONJA