Sponsors
National Historic Ships UK acknowledges the financial support of its sponsors
Registration number
2744
Status
Registered
a12admin
Details
Function
Service Vessel
Subfunction
Tug
Location
Chatham Historic Dockyard
Vessel type
Tug
Current use
Ongoing conservation
Available to hire
Yes
Available for excursions
Yes
Construction
Builder
Cook, James W, Wivenhoe
Built in
1962
Hull material
Steel
Rig
None
Propulsion
Motor
Number of engines
1
Primary engine type
Inboard diesel
Boiler type
None
Boilermaker
None
Dimensions
Length: Overall
69.29 feet
(21.12m)
Breadth: Beam
18.64 feet
(5.68m)
Depth
7.48 feet
(2.28m)
Air Draft
13.12 feet
(4.00m)
Tonnage: Gross
68.00
History
TOUCHSTONE is a tug of welded steel construction built by Cooks of Wivenhoe for the Cory Tank Lighterage Co. in 1963. Until the early 1980s she was mainly employed towing petrol lighters from Thames Haven to Aylesford on the River Medway. When this trade was discontinued she was assigned to the River Thames household rubbish trade running between City of London wharves and Cory's disposal/landfill site on the Mucking Flats marshes.
By the early 1990s she had become a standby tug at Gravesend. In 1999 TOUCHSTONE was sold out of service to Rob Chandler who endeavoured to maintain her as a working preserved craft and regularly attended festivals in South east England and Europe.
Update, July 2024: Vessel under new ownership. The tug has had an MCA survey ready to pass back into commercial service with no defects and only a few recommendations. She will remain locally operating on the Thames and Medway by a family run towing business
Key dates
-
1962
Built by James W. Cook of Wivenhoe
-
1962/1999
Lighterage work on the rivers Thames and Medway
-
1990s
Used as standby tug at Gravesend
-
1999
Laid up at Cory's yard at Charlton and sold to present owners
Own this vessel?
If you are the owner of this vessel and would like to provide more details or updated information, please contact info@nationalhistoricships.org.uk
