The Heugh

[SAILFIN]

I hope I have got the spelling right. She was as I remember a bouy tender and previously used for diving.
I remember the skipper Lenny Tabner but for some reason or other there doesn't seem to be any reference on here and I do hope
We maybe get some input.

[Hornbeam]

Don’t remember the vessel with the TCC sounds like a Hartlepool based vessel, the Bouy Tender on the Tees when I was there was the 1st Wilton? (Crossley Main Engine, Gardner Auxiliaries x2, her Chief was Ian Gardner who went on to greater things with the other Tug Company on the Tees at that time.
Lenny Tabner I remember very well he was a chap whom you could not forget, built like a man mountain ex MN, gave me a hell of a shock on No10 when I was on Her, put me right off my Luncheon when we had a body in a Bucket ( still clutching her Handbag)his Son with the same name is a well renowned local Artist and Campainer to keep the South Gare road out of the clutches of Houchen.
I would think Ron M may know as it sounds like the amalgamation with Hartlepool which happened after I was long gone from the TCC. and on the high seas myself with Reardon Smiths.
The other Bouy tender on the Tees was of course Little Sammy or was it Jimmy? in his Motorboat a character if ever there was one.

[northeast]

HEUGH was from the Richard Dunston yard at Thorne in 1960, see http://www.shippingandshipbuilding.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=212101&vessel=HEUGH
Further details welcome ... I did have a photo of her but have misplaced (OK, lost) it.

[teesships]

Yes, she would be a THPA rather than TCC vessel.
She, along with the old HEORTNESSE, were among the assets of the Hartlepool Port and Harbour Commissioners transferred to the newly formed Tees and Hartlepools Port Authority on 1 January 1967.

I have found two of my negatives of her:
3 March 1976:

and 30 August 1987 by which time she appears to have been cut-down to a barge:

Ron M

[taximan]

Don’t remember the vessel with the TCC sounds like a Hartlepool based vessel, the Bouy Tender on the Tees when I was there was the 1st Wilton? (Crossley Main Engine, Gardner Auxiliaries x2, her Chief was Ian Gardner who went on to greater things with the other Tug Company on the Tees at that time.
Lenny Tabner I remember very well he was a chap whom you could not forget, built like a man mountain ex MN, gave me a hell of a shock on No10 when I was on Her, put me right off my Luncheon when we had a body in a Bucket ( still clutching her Handbag)his Son with the same name is a well renowned local Artist and Campainer to keep the South Gare road out of the clutches of Houchen.
I would think Ron M may know as it sounds like the amalgamation with Hartlepool which happened after I was long gone from the TCC. and on the high seas myself with Reardon Smiths.
The other Bouy tender on the Tees was of course Little Sammy or was it Jimmy? in his Motorboat a character if ever there was one.

I well remember the Heugh and her skipper big Lenny. I don't recall her ever working with buoys on the Tees. I think her main duties were recovering floating obstacles from the river after heavy rainfalls etc. she was also used for fetching and carrying from time to time. a As you say Big Lenny was quite a Character. He would come to work on a small motor bike and one day he came across a young bloke trying to start it . Len told him "if you can get past me with that bike, you can keep it" Needless to say, Len kept his bike.
The other buoy tender was ML288 and the guy who was her launchman was Little Jimmy Robson from Seaton Carew. I think the 'Sammy' you mentioned was the guy who looked after the Buoys and mooring gear which was kept at the end of the graving dock and I have had many a brew up in his cabin.

[taximan]

Anothe pic

[northeast]

Thanks for the photos, which are clearly from the Thorne shipyard's collection.

[Hornbeam]

Taximan, interested in ML 288, any photos per chance or failing that a description especially a good guess at Length if you could please. For a many years I have been trying to trace a Launch which was left amongst others to go derelict at the wooden jetty just along from the Quay at Stockton.
If anyone else has any photos of this particular area in the 1950’s I would be obliged. Thank You.

[taximan]

Taximan, interested in ML 288, any photos per chance or failing that a description especially a good guess at Length if you could please. For a many years I have been trying to trace a Launch which was left amongst others to go derelict at the wooden jetty just along from the Quay at Stockton.
If anyone else has any photos of this particular area in the 1950’s I would be obliged. Thank You.

Sorry I cant help with a photo of ML 288 but there is one on line somewhere on a site something to do with Stockton, however it is not a very clear image. She was an open boat, perhaps a little over 35 ft long and was always loaded with several cylinders of calor gas which was used to replenish the buoys & beacons along the river. while I was working in the river gang the launchman was Jimmy Robson and his mate was a bloke called Allan Jefferies. If I recall correctly she was powered by a Thornycroft Diesel. When not in use the boat was moored inside a barge with a similar launch 'ML300' Launchman 'Tommy Nolan' which was used to assist the floating crane or worked with the survayers before the got their own purpose buit craft. The barge was the one with the spare Tees Fairway buoy on deck which was moored near the old Salt Union dolphins on the Port Clarence side.
ML 288 sank one night during a gale while moored at the barges opposite the Graving Dock. she was replaced by a new larger boat which had been bought a little while previously for use with either No 9 or No 10 dredger.

Below is ML 300 with launchman Tommy Nolan. ML 288 was very similar but with a transom stern and was slightly longer. Both boats had identical engines

[SAILFIN]

Great photos and nice to read about what become of her. What I love about this site is when a topic is started all the information comes out of the woodwork. Good memories and stories.