By far, the largest ship repairers in the port was T.W. Greenwell & Co. Ltd based at the South Dock. It was founded in 1901 bt T.W. Greenwell, who was its chairman 1901-1919 and 1932-1948. At first the firm made use of two public dry docks, but in 1922 the expansion of business led to the company extending its premises and constructing a dry dock 500 feet long and 75 feet wide with a new repairing quay 600 feet long, with a 40-ton , and later a 20-ton, electric travelling cranes.
This dock was opened in 1925. In 1939 Messrs. Greenwell took over , on a long lease , the River Wear Commissioner,s No.1 Public Dry Dock. This did very useful work during the war until it was badly damaged during a week end blitz in May 1943 , when bullets set fire to Greenwells oil tanks, so setting alight to the dock gates.
The firms plans for the reconstruction of this dock reached their culmination in 1952 when the new dock, taking the place of the old No1 was opened.
At the same time other extensions to the dockyard were also made available so that their No1 dry dock had a length of 675 feet with the entrance having a entrance width of 87ft 6 inches. The No2 dry dock was extended to a length of 565 feet with an entrance width of 75ft. They both had a draught over the cill and blocks at mean high water Spring tides of 27ft. Also extended was the repair quay to a length of 800ft with a draught at mean low water Spring tides of 23 feet. This made the No1 dock the second largest on the North East coast capable of taking oil tankers up to 33,500 tons deadweight capacity. It was officially opened in October 1952 when the SS British Realm docked ,at 28,598 tons deadweight she was the largest vessel to enter the port.
Greenwells and the men and women who worked there should be very proud in there achievements during the war years.
The firms plans for the reconstruction of this dock reached their culmination in 1952 when the new dock, taking the place of the old No1 was opened.
At the same time other extensions to the dockyard were also made available so that their No1 dry dock had a length of 675 feet with the entrance having a entrance width of 87ft 6 inches. The No2 dry dock was extended to a length of 565 feet with an entrance width of 75ft. They both had a draught over the cill and blocks at mean high water Spring tides of 27ft. Also extended was the repair quay to a length of 800ft with a draught at mean low water Spring tides of 23 feet. This made the No1 dock the second largest on the North East coast capable of taking oil tankers up to 33,500 tons deadweight capacity. It was officially opened in October 1952 when the SS British Realm docked ,at 28,598 tons deadweight she was the largest vessel to enter the port.
Greenwells and the men and women who worked there should be very proud in there achievements during the war years.
Oil Tanker ALEXIA converted into a Merchant Aircraft Carrier
The conversion of the oil tanker Alexia into a merchant aircraft carrier was a big achievement for the yard. In 1946 she was returned to be re converted back into an oil tanker.
The conversion of the oil tanker Alexia into a merchant aircraft carrier was a big achievement for the yard. In 1946 she was returned to be re converted back into an oil tanker.
Greenwells had the capacity and the skills to meet demands for conversions, repair work to destroyers, corvettes, navel escort vessels, tank landing ships as well as beach protection craft, boom defence vessels, salvage and dredging craft. They worked on floating cranes, merchant ships and the fixing and overhaul of guns and other defence equipment on board merchant ships.
Greenwells were proud of their work in salvaging the destroyers H.M.S. Ashanti and H.M.S. Fame which ran ashore on Whitburn Steel during thick fog in the early days of the war. Firstly , all the ammunition had to be removed hand to hand by the ships crew and landbased helpers. Then other heavy weights had to be removed from the Ashanti until she re-floated and taken to be drydocked at Greenwells. H.M.S. Fame was more difficult to float. Heavy guns and mountings also had to be removed, much done in bad weather before she would rise off the rocks and then be taken back to the docks on the Wear. Having both been repaired, both ships played vital parts in the war effort. Senior works manager , Mr. J.S. Martin was awarded the M.B.E. for the part he played in the salvage operations.
Greenwells and Vickers Armstrong on the Tyne converted the first merchant ships into tank landing craft.
Other Ship Repairers.
Greenwells were proud of their work in salvaging the destroyers H.M.S. Ashanti and H.M.S. Fame which ran ashore on Whitburn Steel during thick fog in the early days of the war. Firstly , all the ammunition had to be removed hand to hand by the ships crew and landbased helpers. Then other heavy weights had to be removed from the Ashanti until she re-floated and taken to be drydocked at Greenwells. H.M.S. Fame was more difficult to float. Heavy guns and mountings also had to be removed, much done in bad weather before she would rise off the rocks and then be taken back to the docks on the Wear. Having both been repaired, both ships played vital parts in the war effort. Senior works manager , Mr. J.S. Martin was awarded the M.B.E. for the part he played in the salvage operations.
Greenwells and Vickers Armstrong on the Tyne converted the first merchant ships into tank landing craft.
Other Ship Repairers.
