Porthmadog Tugs
The Importance of Tugs[edit]
Tugs were crucial to the successful development of Porthmadog as a port. Commercial sailing vessels will not sail very close to the wind and take a lot of space to go about. That would make tacking into or out of Porthmadog with its shallow bar and narrow channel very difficult unless the wind were sufficient to give some steerage way and was on the beam. It could require a wait of several days to get the conditions to handle a ship in or out of Porthmadog under sail. In the nineteeth century no sailing ships had auxiliary engines. Choosing the right stage of the tide was a help. A rising tide but shortly before high water was best for entering or leaving port since if the ship went aground the rising tide would lift her off. But tugs made a huge difference.
Wave of Life (1)[edit]
This vessel was a wooden-hulled paddle tug with a single engine.[1] She was the first tug based in Porthmadog and came to the port in August 1862. She was succeeded by the James Conley.
Wave of Life (2)[edit]
She was built by Hepple of Newcastle on Tyne in 1872.[2] She was an iron built twin engined paddle tug owned by Porthmadog Steam Tug Co. She succeeded the James Conley and her master was Lewis Jones. She was rebottomed at Hugh Jones, Block's yard at Pen Cei. When relaunched Emrys Hughes's mother broke a bottle of port wine on her bow. When eventually sold after a fine career of service to Porthmadog ships she was auctioned off for £150.
James Conley[edit]
This was another wooden paddle tug owned by the Portmadoc Steam Tug Co and built at Newcastle on Tyne.[3] When the Cambrian Railway was being built from Minffordd to Porthmadog, James Conley was given the job of moving a locomotive on a barge from Aberdovey to Porthmadog where it was landed at Pen Cei and wheeled along the street to the site of Porthmadog standard gauge station. When the replacement tug Snowdon was bought, Lewis Jones sailed the James Conley to Newcastle upon Tyne and returned with the Snowdon, passing through the Caledonian Canal. In 1884 Robert Williams was the engineer and Simeon Thomas the fireman.
Snowdon[edit]
When built in 1884 in Newcastle she cost £2,000.[4] Her master was Rhys Jones. According to Lloyds Register she was built of iron. She was constructed by Lawson and Eltringham at South Shields and belonged to the Porthmadog Steam Tug Co. Ltd. She was 106 tons gross, 96 tons net and 9.5 tons registered.
Draig Goch (Red Dragon)[edit]
She was the last tug in Porthmadog in 1914 but only spent a little time there. She was sold in 1924 and scrapped in 1953. (Porthmadog Maritime Museum, 2020) She was a screw vessel, not a paddle boat.
For a picture of one of the tugs towing a small ketch rigged ship towards harbour, see here.
References[edit]
Porthmadog Maritime Museum (2020) Facebook post on 12/9/20.
- ^ Hughes E and Eames A (1975) Porthmadog Ships, Gwynedd Archive Services, County Offices, Caernarfon p 269.
- ^ Hughes E and Eames A (1975) Porthmadog Ships, Gwynedd Archive Services, County Offices, Caernarfon pp 269.
- ^ Hughes E and Eames A (1975) Porthmadog Ships, Gwynedd Archive Services, County Offices, Caernarfon pp 209- 210.
- ^ Hughes E and Eames A (1975) Porthmadog Ships, Gwynedd Archive Services, County Offices, Caernarfon p 259.