Penarth Dock, South Wales - the heritage and legacy

Volume Eight - Pre-Victorian to the present day - more aspects - Pamir and Passat - the end of an era . . .

Passat arriving at Penarth Dock in October 1949

'Passat' arriving in Penarth Roads during October 1949 under tow. The P & A Campbell's paddle steamer 'Glen Usk' launched in 1914 passes astern on her journey from Penarth pier to Cardiff pier head. 'Passat' arrived in Falmouth two days ahead of the 'Pamir'. The height of her masts were nearly 184 feet (56m) above the waterline and she had two 3.5 ton anchors. The photo is a fine addition to, and has pride of place in my Penarth Dock Collection. The lower image has been colourised. [000] [001]

The leading tug is 'Falcon' owned by the Edmund Hancock (1929) Company Limited who worked their tugs from Cardiff. The distinctive funnel in yellow with a black top contrasts with the black hull with a white line and red boot-topping. Falcon was originally launched as 'Goole No. 10' in September 1896 at the South Shields yard of Rennoldson & Sons. She was purchased by Edmund Hancock in 1948 and broken up in 1958. It appears that she was substantially improved and refitted by their new owners with a new bridge house being added; the original being open to the elements, good for visibility but not so good on a typical Bristol Channel day! Originally she was fitted with triple expansion steam engines of 75 h.p. being 169 tons gross weight.

I am unable to confirm the identity of the trailing tug but clearly she is also in Hancock livery so could be the 'Royal Falcon' of 1934, 283 tons gross with 1,250 h.p. steam reciprocating engines. [292] [293]

The trailing steam tug 'Royal Falcon' built at the yard of A & J Inglis Limited of Glasgow and launched during August 1934. She was built as the 'Flying Falcon' for the Clyde Shipping Company and renamed 'Royal Falcon' when sold in 1959 to Edmund Hancock (1929) Limited of Cardiff. She was eventually sold onto R. & J. Rea Limited of London in 1963, being sent to a ship-breakers yard at Troon later the same year. Thanks to Clyde Built Ships for the information. [425] The photograph is from the Penarth Dock Collection. [001]

The leading tug towing 'Passat' was the 'Falcon' which is pictured moored at the Pier Head, Bute Docks, Cardiff. [000] [002]

There was also a tug named 'Falcon' which towed the 'Terra Nova' out of Cardiff in June 1910 with Captain Scott on his fateful journey to the Antarctic, but I am not sure if this is the same vessel or her predecessor. Can anybody assist me here please?