Portwey – A demanding old lady

In 1927, I wonder if the designers at Harland and Wolff’s at Govan near Glasgow had any idea that their creation would be still around in 2001.

Portwey was designed as a coastal and harbour tug for the Portland and Weymouth Coaling Co. to form part of the essential coaling fleet needed to keep Britain’s vast commercial fleet moving.

80 feet (24.3m) long by 18 feet (5.5m) wide with a displacement of 330 tons (9’ draft), Portwey is a typical British tug of the period used for towing barges, pulling and pushing (a period equivalent of the now common bow thrusters) ships about and taking fresh water to ships. She also carried Pilots out to ships.

She can do 9 knots, if the boiler crew can keep the pressure up to 140 p.s.i., and went out in all weathers.

Now, we believe, the only working coal fired twin engined steam tug in the world, Portwey is lovingly preserved by a small band of volunteers belonging to the Steam Tug Portwey Trust Ltd, a registered charity. Although belonging also means every member is involved in fund raising in order to keep this 74-year-old lady working. Recently we have carried out major boiler works, hull repairs, are about to commence replacing some of the wooden decking, and to rebuild the unusual double-ended sailing lifeboat.

Figure 3 - Portwey's lifeboat awaiting renovation

The fund raising never stops and we attempt anything to keep the old girl going; giving days out and rides to family, friends and small groups on the Thames, going to events where we can show the public around and shake the tin at the same time.

So, what has Portwey to do with canals and narrow boats? Well two of the crew members are associated with the movement, but perhaps more importantly for the canals, coaling at the present location of West India Quay, near Canary Wharf in London, has to be by water.

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