# Middle Docks and Engineering Co, South Shields - april 09



## **Mudlark** (Apr 24, 2009)

After spending all day on here watching the Osprey, i've been itching to get back and give it a proper look, so yesterday in the sunshine i took the ferry over!


Middle Dock and Engineering Co was founded in 1899, but there had been a dock on this land for at least 130 years before that...making this the oldest shipyard on the tyne.
One notable ship that was brought in and repaired here was HMS Blackprince, a ship my grandad served on in ww2.
Three more docks were added in the 20's, turning the salt pans into shipyard.
Middle dock, like the rest of the tyneside yards, went from strength to strength after WW2 and into the 60's.











Sandwiched between Readheads and Brighams yard... the huge no4 dock often housed the huge whaling ships that came in every year. I heard a great story from a worker in the pub about a penguin carved out of a whales tooth. Apparently everyone had one at one point, as the workers on the ships made them for the local kids!

The inevitable happened in 1982, and while there was security in the early days, there really is nothing left to secure here now.
The offices for the yard are burnt out... which is a shame as there were valubale records in there still, the remnants of which are scattered about.

Anyhow, on with the pics...
After being derelict for so long, the yard has a steetly-esque feel about it... anyone who thinks there is nothing here, think again.....





hee hee.......

























i loved this, bird footprints in the concrete!




















paperwork from the offices is just strewn about. 














































A quick nip into the pub afterwards and i came across this.........






That capped off the explore for me! There were plenty in the pub who were more than happy to share their stories..... i loved it!!!
There are plenty more piccies here
enjoy!


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## BigLoada (Apr 24, 2009)

Its sad to think of what it once was but good to see the old pics for comparison. That sign is a great one, glad they rescued it!


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## kevininwales (Apr 24, 2009)

good pics, are there many ships left?


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## frantastic (Apr 24, 2009)

very cool. I lodged in shields for a few months last year with an eccentric ex magistrate. might ask he is she can point me in the right direction and go take a look at that place myself, hopefully with out drowning! thanks for sharing


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## Trinpaul (Apr 25, 2009)

Wow  that's a nice show, especially the old B+W's


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## jonney (Apr 25, 2009)

Nice post mate. Great to see just how mighty shipbuilding on the Tyne used to be but sadly the decline has had a massive impact on the area. What a waste...


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