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Pallion Shipyard Comments

The new Pallion yard in 1975

By Email 21/05/08

Hello.

Do you know of any recent developments taking place at the Pallion Shipyard.

 
Even if whole ships are not built there, the use of a facility like this for the Mars program, and future ship sections that could be assembled at Graythorp, is huge.
 
I do not understand the pressure for offices, and restaurants there, and any retail. It's does not make any sense.

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By Email 11/06/08

Bob Begg sent some information for the website and added;-

Hi John,

I have just had a look at your Pallion website quite impressive.

I am working with John Emerson – Dave Ingram – Andrew Purvis and we have put our brains together (There maybe half a good one) and the following list may help you in updating your website as follows.....

...........  Also when the yards closed Michael Cook, Frank Longstaff and John Barker formed a Sunderland Ex Managers Association where we used to meet 3 times a year but as every one is getting older we only meet once a year the last Friday in November at the Rosedene for a meal and one of us does a speech reminiscing on the old days in shipbuilding.

A few years ago John Barker was quite ill and relinquished the Treasurers job which I took over and I also produce a News Letter twice a year. We have still got 48 members who come from far and wide to name a few James Marr,  Eric Welsh, Brian Tennant, Ritchie Spencer, Dudley Clark, Neil Smith, Derek Dunthorne, Harry Gardner, Bob Place, Jim Dawson, Ted Walker, Ken Lovell etc  plus SFE and  Doxfords Engr Managers.

This year will be our 20th meeting so we have done well to keep going for that length of time, our average to each get together is about 40 people.

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By Email 20/06/08

Fred Gooch has been in touch;-

Hi John,
 
I've just been looking at your website about Pallion Shipyard. Very impressive.
 
I worked at Pallion from 1973 until July 1988, mostly in the Buying office. I started in the Buying Department as a Technical Clerk and eventually worked my way up to be a buyer.
I thought you may be interested in some of the people I worked with....... 
 
..........As I was a bit of a photographer in them days, I have a number of photos of my days at Pallion which I can send you when I can dig them out. I also have photos of many of the ships that were built at that time that may be of interest.

I really enjoyed my time with Sunderland Shipbuilders Ltd, but not, I'm afraid, with NESL. 

Best of luck with your website
 
regards
 
Fred Gooch  

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By Email 30/06/08

Ron Forbister has been in touch;-

Hi John ,

I've been looking at your website with Fred Gooch & also passed your details onto John Conlin both will be in touch about stories / photo's / info that they have for you.

Offices & Departments page;-

I worked in the steel drawing office for a short while for Bill Whitehead ... in the late 70's .... I served my time as a shipwright at Deptford  ..but came into the Pallion D.O. as a trial scheme to do a 2 year training stint .. then become a steel draughtsman ... obviously the lads called me a "dilute draughtsman"...... anyway ... I got on well with the likes of Ken Wilson & Ken Jefferson .. who both helped me find my feet & understand the job

I played football for the steel DO against the downstairs pipe boys one night at Belford house & have got a photo of the team which I will let you have ......

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Email 02/08/08 from Alan McGourley

Hello John;

 
I have just received my ex managers news letter which references your history of Pallion. I was the manager reporting directly to Patrick Thompson and responsible for the building of the yard.
 
The yard was designed by A&P Appledore based at Killingworth and owned by Court Line. Prior to building taking place I along with Patrick, Alec Dixon, Jim Philliskirk  and Charlie Kirkham spent a week at Appledore in Devon .
The yard although bigger was built on the same principle of being a dock and ships floated out. 
 
Initially North Sands and Greenwells were looked at but due to the costs of having to pile for the Dock floor were rejected. Therefore Doxfords became the choice.
 
Pallion was the largest totally undercover shipyard in the world and was built on time and within budget.
 
 At the same time of building the yard the tech block was also built.
 
During the building of the yard the shipyard workforce built the caisson at the top of the dock. A visit by Graham Day who at the time was MD of Camell Lairds took place .
He was amazed to see the shipyard workers building the caisson ,Sprinklers being installed in the roof by shipyard plumbers and Wimpey guys pouring concrete all going on in the dock. His remark was that at Cammels the unions will not go into there new assembly hall until everything was completely finished.
 
Court Line were a breath of fresh air to shipbuilding. Prior to the start of Pallion they commissioned the building of the group pipe shop at Deptford.
 
Since the closure I have worked in various countries. In China I visited Dallian Shipyard where I saw the 2000 ton Rolls Press from Deptford and 2 Nc machines from A&P.
 
The picture I have attached of the ferry I saw whilst on a Caribbean cruise coming out of the port of Cozamel in Mexico Feb 2006. I do not know if it was one of ours or someone else building under our design. Would be interesting to know.

(Ed; The ferry was built at Sunderland - see more info and the photo on the page ;-  The Pallion Factory Ships )

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Sunderland Echo 'On the Waterfront';-

Former shipyard workers may be interested in a website chronicling the history of Pallion shipyard from its establishment by William Doxford in 1857 through to closure in 1989.

Created by John Bage, a 25-year shipbuilding veteran, the site is dedicated to Pallion shipyard and its workforce to show future generations how good British shipbuilding really was.

Besides discovering facts about the yard's early and more recent history, readers can learn about key milestones in the development of shipbuilding at Pallion and study details of ships built by Doxfords between 1863 and 1972.

In 1975, a modern covered shipyard complex was opened at Pallion. The website describes facilities at what was once the world's largest "ship factory" and includes particulars of ships built there, beginning with a series of 12 cargo vessels built for Andrew Weir's Bank Line.

Forming part of a larger family and local history website, John's well-illustrated narrative can be found at www.johnbage.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk , then by clicking the link to Pallion shipyard website.

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I stood by the building of the Firbank as Second Engineer, was involved in the changing of a cylinder liner whilst at anchor in Sunderland Bay after the explosion and went on to have a very happy and successful maiden voyage. After leaving her went on to be Chief Engineer on Forthbank, then most of the Doxford built ships and finishing on the Fish Class with 76JC4 engines until made redundant in 1987

During my 14 (mainly happy) years with Bank Line, I sailed on the Birchbank, Firbank, Shirrabank, Cedarbank, Cloverbank (as the Sibonga and Sienna), Riverbank, Tenchbank, Troutbank, Crestbank, Dacebank, and finishing my service on Pikebank, also several voyages on the Doxford engined Forthbank Class from Swan Hunters. Only one voyage with Bank Line on other than Doxfords that was the Irisbank from H&W yard with opposed piston engine of course. Apart from occasional problems with leaky liners always very reliable engines, and for someone brought up on the LB and earlier with leaky swinging arms a doddle to work on, and no need to bring your own 28 lb. hammer!
Cliff Cocker

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The information supplied by these people has been added to the various pages.

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Stories and photos from employees and their families are needed for this website.

  Contact me at;- jbne17514@blueyonder.co.uk

DISCLAIMER; Although attempts are made to ensure complete accuracy, I cannot accept any losses incurred due to errors or mistakes within. Data has been sourced from many places and therefore can be subject to errors. It is the individuals responsibility to double check all information.

Copyright © 2008 John Bage

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