Swansea and Port Talbot Docks History

Brian Murphy - Towage (2)

A donation from Howard Smith Charitable Trust to the Swansea Merchant Navy Association for their War Memorial Fund. In the picture are three members of the Heslop family, all tug Captains, who between them had more than a hundred years service. Manager Graham Davies is presenting a cheque to Frank Heslop, branch president of the Merchant Navy Association who retired from the Alexandra Towing Company in 1987 after 47 years, 37 as a tug captain. Frank was joined by his two sons, Ken and Richard, both tug captains, with 27 years and 25 years service respectively.
Left to right :- Sid Tovey, Graham Davies, Ken Heslop, Frank Heslop, Richard Heslop, Cyril Travis, Gus Collins, and Dave Thompson-Jones.


Ken Heslop, Frank Heslop and Richard Heslop.


''Alexandra'' seen here in 1987 in the lock at Swansea.


''Alexandra'' in the colours of her new owner G.P.S.of London in 2002.


''Alfred'' seen in Swansea in the early 90s.


''Alfred'' renamed the ''Defiant'' leaving Swansea in 1999 for a new home port in West Africa.


B.P. tug ''B.P.Protector'' seen here in Swansea. She was based in the Queens Dock oil terminal.


''B.P.Protector bought by the Alexandra Company Company in 1961, rebuilt as the tug tender ''Flying Breeze''.


Tug ''Cambrian'' built by C Hill of Bristol in 1959.  Sold in 1972 to the Malta Ship Towage Company.


The ex ''Cambrian'' seen here in Malta under her new name ''Mari''.


''Clyneforth'' built in 1943 by the Admiralty as the ''Empire Minnow''. Bought in 1951 by the Britannia Steam Towing Company.


''Clyneforth'' sold to Greece in 1960, seen here with her new name ''Ena''.


''Egerton'' leaving the lock at Swansea in May 1997.


''Egerton'' seen here in Gibraltar where she is now working.


''Fabians Bay'' in August 1992 before being sold later that same year. She came to Swansea in 1984 as the ''Sun 111''.



The two photos above are of the ''Fabians Bay'' in Greece in new colours and renamed the ''Philippos''.


''Formby''  in the Kings Dock 1951.


''Formby'' renamed the ''Poderoso'' and moved to Italy in 1969.


''Hendon'' before she moved to Greece in 1997.



The two photos above show the ''Hendon'' at Tilbury prior to sailing to Greece. She was renamed the ''Karapiperis 12''.


''Margam (2)'' sold to W.H. Muller in Holland in 1970.


''Margam (2)'' in her new colours and renamed the ''Rilland''.
 


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