Vessel at Transporter Bridge

[SAILFIN]

Can anyone identify this Motor launch it looks similar to a seaplane tender and it's on Heritage Unlocked.

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=ht ... osaic&ip=1

[Hornbeam]

Unfortunately I don’t have a name and I don’t remember her working the river which she obviously did, what I do know is that unlike the Tees Commissioner which was a Narrow Beam she is an ex Broad Beam Seaplane Tender design and therefore built by British Power Boats and Designed by the great George Selman with Scott Paine looking over his shoulder. The larger version of this Hull design was used in British Power Boats Air Sea Rescue Launches (Hants and Dorset) along with MGB’s and MTB,s. Also used as a basis for the American Elco PT Launches.
Interesting photo Sailfin thanks for publishing it, looks like a Female aboard, Floating Canteen. Those steps I remember well
Willie Gray’s “Gray Gull” was the larger version of the same Hull design, I am sure you will remember her chugging up and down the river with her unfetted twin exhausts which could be heard all the way up the River.

[Hornbeam]

Having had a closer look this morning I am thinking Dive Boat as it looks like one of the chaps has a set of Diving Goggles on his Forehead and the Female with what looks like a Safety Gilet on (Dive Supervisor?)
The attached photograph kindly supplied by another member.of this Site appears to be a British Power Boats built ex MTB/MGB used as a mobile Welding Set which I remember well, it seemed such a shame that this George Selman designed Hull built for speed and a upscale design of the Broad Beam ST in this article just plodding up and down the Tees. You have to wonder what sort of War Record she had?
Both vessels, Craftsmen built Double Diagonal Wood Hulls would have been sold for a song compared to their build cost and usually found in the Rivers and Canals in the South of England, engineless and used as floating homes for those who had been Bombed out.

[SAILFIN]

Thanks for your post and info on this boat it did occur to me straight away when I looked at this photo it was a tender originally from 1940s era.I do remember the Grey Gull but somehow I recall it belonging to Smith's Dock Shipbuilders. Nice photo by the way.

[Hornbeam]

The attached photograph shows a Broadbeam ST in RAF Colours and how the subject vessel would have looked, this particular vessel was kept by a Private Owner after demob in her RAF Colours which she still carries today after an extensive refit.
There is a some video of her at full trot on U Tube and she looks superb in the capable hands of Phil Clabburn who is undoubtedly the expert on refitting ex RAF Launches although he is not the owner of this particular vessel.

[Hornbeam]

This is how the Willie Gray’s “Gray Gull” would have looked in her RN War Canoe days, unless she was the MTB version.

[SAILFIN]

Beautiful boats I dont think there are many around. I tried to do some research on Thornycroft building seaplane tenders but as far as I know they got as far as the drawing board and produced plans but can't find any info of any built which leads me back to The Tees Commissioner having Thornycroft engines and not having them installed further aft makes me believe she had a lot af alterations done or she was just an oddball.

[Hornbeam]

See Attached