by fitter » Sun Mar 03, 2013 6:33 pm
Nice picture of a once familiar sight on the river. This and its sister were John Crowns contracts built after Thompsons had taken over the yard. Wear Hopper No3 was Crowns yard number 246. 640 DWT; Mirlees engine. Wear Hopper No4 was Crowns yard number 247. They were identical and each was 148ft -6" (45.26 mtrs) LBP. I can't remember if it was these two or the following two contracts (the tugs Flying Witch and Flying Wizard), that were "joined at the hip" and went down the ways together.
Have a look at the coal barge loading just aft of Wear Hopper No4. was its bridge a trial run for the Borgsten? If so, it had struts, just like the Borgsten and perhaps for the same reason! Both Hoppers were built for the River Wear Commissioners and were employed in carrying colliery waste and dredgings from the river to be dumped at sea. Was it three or four miles out?