Tugs Collection

Titanic Leaves Belfast
The Titanic leaving Belfast, Ireland, for Southampton, England for its maiden voyage New York, USA. It was built in Belfast 1909-1911, and fitted and furnished there 1911-1912. Date: 2 April 1912

SS United States - United States Line - Transatlantic liner - prior to construction and maiden voyage. Date: 1949

RMS Caronia - Cunard Line - launched in 1904 - scrapped in 1932. The start of World War I caused her to be requisitioned as an armed merchant cruiser

R. M. S. Queen Mary leaving Clydebank, March 1936
Photograph of the R.M.S. Queen Mary leaving John Browns shipyard, Clydebank, for Greenock on 24th March 1936. Several of the seven tugs involved in manoevering the Queen Mary down the Clyde are

Lambeth Bridge 1950S
Industrial steam tugs passing underneath Lambeth Bridge, London, England

RMS Queen Mary leaving Clyde shipyards, near Glasgow
RMS Queen Mary (Cunard-White Star liner) leaving the John Brown shipyards on the River Clyde, near Glasgow, on her completion. Date: 1934

A tug boat passes under Southwark Bridge, London
A tug boat passes under the newly re-opened Southwark Bridge on the Thames River in London, 1921. St Pauls Cathedral is seen silhouetted in the background. 1921

WILLOWGARTH TUG BOAT
Willowgarth, one of the REA diesel tugs, on the River Mersey at Liverpool, England. Date: built 1959

The Elephants Child
THE ELEPHANTs CHILD Kiplings tale of how the elephant got his trunk. A crocodile tugs at the elephants nose, and thus he develops a trunk!

Tugboat and container ship, San Pedro Port, Los Angeles, California, United States of America, North America

Liverpool Docks C1895
Liverpool docks, with the Cunard liner Campania

The Launch of R. M. S. Queen Mary, Clydebank, September 1934
Photograph of the launch of R.M.S. Queen Mary from John Browns shipyard, Clydebank, 26th September 1934. The ship is seen under the control of a number of tugs

HMS Queen Elizabeth in Rosyth Dockyard
The Royal Navys largest ever warship HMS Queen Elizabeth is gently floated out of her dock for the first time in Rosyth, Scotland in July 2014

The 36, 000-ton tanker, Esso Durham after her launch at the Walker Naval shipyard on the River Tyne, Newcastle

de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk G-AOUO of Air Service Training. AOUO was purchsed by the Royal Air Force Gliding and Soaring Association in the early 1970s and converted to a Supermunk

Queen Mary Ocean Liner, whistles used for signalling
Queen Marys three giant whistles two on the fore funnel and one on the midships funnel, were fitted. Each were seven feet in length, and could be heard five miles away, but so low pitched

Norddeutscher Lloyd shipping poster
A poster for shipping company Norddeutscher Lloyd, who operated out of Bremen in North Germany. Lines from Southampton - Cherbourg - New York, North America - South America

RMS Titanic, maiden voyage, 10 April 1912

Torpedoed Ship in Port
A torpedoed passenger steamship is assisted into port by tugs

Advert, John Cran & Co, Shipbuilders, Leith, Scotland
Advert for John Cran & Co, Shipbuilders and Engineers, Leith, Scotland. 1905

Harbour tug with containers and cranes in the background, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, North America

HMT Himalaya, British troop ship, with steam tug serving as its anchor. circa 1919

The North East paddle tug Eppleton Hall, seen here under restoration at Harrisons Repair Yayd, Bill Quay, before its voyage to the USA. 15th July 1969

The Hellyer Brothers latest trawler Orsino see here leaving Hull for the Icelandic fishing grounds. 7th December 1966

The RMS Olympic sister ship to the Titanic seen here arriving at Southampton docks The RMS Olympic was the first of the three sisters to be completed and was launched in 1911

The hull of the Former Crack liner ship Olympic leaves Jarrow bound for Inverkeithing, where her breaking up will be completed

Wreck of tugboat Blue Plunder at night off Nassau, Bahamas. January 2008

Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate HMS Somerset Sails for Operations Abroad
Pictured is HMS Somerset in the Plymouth Sound as she sails out to sea. HMS Somerset was given a warm send-off by families

RMS Titanic card, American Bankers Association Travellers Cheques, with people waving from the shore. Postmarked Brooklyn, 30 May 1912. Date: 1912

Daily Mirror - loss of the Lusitania, WW1
The Daily Mirror breaking the news of Lusitania's demise, 8 May 1915, Torpedoed by German Pirate. Date: 1915

RMS Queen Mary cruise liner - biscuit tin lid

Victory jigsaw puzzle, Queen Mary
Victory jigsaw puzzle, Cunard White Star liner, Queen Mary

Postcards, RMS Mauretania, RMS Aquitania
Postcards advertising RMS Mauretania (real photo, 7 June 1911) and RMS Aquitania leaving New York, postally used 17 October 1925. Date: early 20th century

RMS Queen Elizabeth 2, Cunard liner. Date: 20th century

Jigsaw puzzle box lid, RMS Queen Mary in New York, USA Date: 20th century

Two postcards, RMS Queen Elizabeth
Two postcards of the RMS Queen Elizabeth, Cunard White Star Line, with two tugs (top), and aerial view in Graving Dock, Southampton (below)

RMS Queen Mary with seven tugs, River Clyde
Seven tugs helping to steer RMS Queen Mary down the River Clyde Date: 1936

RMS Queen Mary guided by tugs on River Clyde
RMS Queen Mary, dexterous and anxious manoeuvring as tugs guide the ship downstream on the River Clyde Date: 1930s

German ocean tug Hansa of the Hamburg-Amerika Line Date: early 20th century

View of barges in the Panama Canal under construction, 1912 or 1913
MNY381031 View of barges in the Panama Canal under construction, 1912 or 1913 (silver gelating print) by Byron Company (fl.1890-1942); 12.7x17.8 cm; Museum of the City of New York

Launching a Space-Ship (litho)
2812588 Launching a Space-Ship (litho) by English School, (20th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Launching a Space-Ship)

Drawing water at the pump
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Tugs bringing Disabled Vessels into Ramsgate, casting off (engraving)
1622449 Tugs bringing Disabled Vessels into Ramsgate, casting off (engraving) by Brierly, Oswald Walters (1817-94) (after); Private Collection; (add.info)

With the Tientsin Relief Force, River Scenes between Taku and Tientsin (litho)
1600092 With the Tientsin Relief Force, River Scenes between Taku and Tientsin (litho) by Wright, Henry Charles Seppings (1850-1937); Private Collection; (add.info.: With the Tientsin Relief Force)

RMS Queen Mary in Southampton. Date: circa 1930

The Abyssinian Expedition (engraving)
1588452 The Abyssinian Expedition (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: The Abyssinian Expedition)

Torpedoed liner assisted into port (colour litho)
3622161 Torpedoed liner assisted into port (colour litho) by Lacy, Charles John de (c.1860-1936) (after); Private Collection; (add.info.: Torpedoed liner assisted into port)

A first attempt in 1850 by John Watkins Bretts Anglo-French Telegraph Company to lay
2619098 A first attempt in 1850 by John Watkins Bretts Anglo-French Telegraph Company to lay the first line under the English Channel, from Dover to Calais

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"Tugs: The Unsung Heroes of the Maritime World" From the majestic RMS Caronia sailing under the Cunard Line flag to the sturdy Willowgarth tugboat, they have played a crucial role in shaping maritime history. These powerful vessels have been witness to iconic moments such as the departure of RMS Queen Mary from Clyde shipyards near Glasgow and her subsequent departure from Clydebank in March 1936. In bustling cities like London, a tug boat gracefully passes under Southwark Bridge, showcasing its maneuverability and strength. Meanwhile, across the Atlantic Ocean at San Pedro Port in Los Angeles, California, a tugboat expertly guides a massive container ship with precision and finesse. Looking back into history, we find Lambeth Bridge standing tall amidst bustling river traffic during the vibrant 1950s. Liverpool Docks in 1895 reveal an era when they were essential for transporting goods and connecting nations through trade. Even Titanic herself embarked on her ill-fated journey from Belfast with assistance from these reliable workhorses. The launch of R. M. S. Queen Mary at Clydebank in September 1934 stands as a testament to both human ingenuity and the indispensable role played by tugs during monumental events. Shipbuilders like John Cran & Co in Leith, Scotland recognized their significance so much that they proudly advertised their services alongside these remarkable vessels. Not limited to sea-bound operations alone, it also found themselves assisting aircraft on land. G-AOUO - de Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk showcases this unique collaboration between air and sea transportation industries. Whether it's guiding colossal ships or aiding aviation endeavors, tugs continue to be unsung heroes behind countless maritime achievements throughout history. Their unwavering dedication ensures safe passage for vessels worldwide while silently etching their mark on our collective memory as guardians of our oceans' vast expanse.