Kevin Blair sent me this photo of No 296. I think it was taken from the TIC basin at Howdon.
Looks like an Admiralty launch of some sort. Doesn't look like a TIC vessel but is similar to TIC PATROL.
Photo is by John Johnson

She does have the look of an early Admiralty Steam Pinnace, Wood Hull, Wine Glass Stern.

Look and ye shall find......

296 (HSL)

Owner: The West Wales Maritime Heritage Society

Area: UK

Hull

Harbour service launch. Construction: Double-diagonal wood..
Built 1942 by Hancocks Shipbuilding Co. (Pembroke) Ltd. at Pembroke Dock
LOA: 52' 6", Beam: 13' 7", Draft: 5' 3",
Raked stem, transom stern, fo’c’sle, original wheelhouse, aft saloon.

Boiler

RT Scotch Built 1942
Fuel: Coal, Pressure: 120 psi,
Single furnace, 6' dia x 6' 10" long.

Engine
Compound. 8" + 16" X 8"
Built 1942 by LNER at Cowlairs Works, Glasgow
pv on HP, sv on LP valve. SLRG valve gear.
LP Xhead lever driven air pump, HP Xhead lever driven fp and bilge pump, inboard surface condenser and Truslove circulating pump. Weed clearing blast on circulating water intake.

Propeller

3 blades, 46" X 59"

History

Built for Admiralty, 1946 to Tyne Improvement Commissioners. Oct 1974 to Ian Wilton, Newcastle for preservation, last steamed c1983. Acquired December 1990. 1999-2000 undergoing restoration including replacement of hull with that of a “DAN 3”, a Foden motor powered HLD with teak hull, copper sheathed. Contact Peter Davidson: 01646 682465

Last Modified: 2014.04.01.

Credit to Peter Davison. 1992.

Magnificent. Thanks Paul

EDIT: I have moved the topic to the TIC section.

So the vessel is still "original" barring for a new Hull and a Diesel engine nice little Enginerooms a bit like a TID, the SLRG refers to the Stephenson Reversing gear and the Fire and Bilge Pump are Ram Pumps fitted to the same Crosshead as the Air Pump which itself is driven by a Cantilevere arrangement driven from HP Crosshead ( as previously mentioned)
The "Blast" arrangement on the Circulating water inlet is to clear the Rose Plate of weed and other assorted crud and was done by blasting steam at Boiler Pressure into the Strum Box after the M.E and Circulating Pump had been stopped, and the Inlet Valve closed.
For those of us who have worked on Triple Expansion and Compound Engines the number of bearings on a Doxford was not a concern as the number of bearings on the old steam jobs far outweighed the number of bearings on any Doxford
But I have to complement the present Owner for keeping her going bringing back memories for Liberty Men. "Fall In"

Sounds like the 'Flying Scotsman', always in existence but are there any original bits still?

As you see N.E. the Hull is very similar in Construction and looks to the John Vincent, just not the same dimensions.
" If it ain't broke don't fix it"