Ryton Engineering Ltd purchased the existing boat building yard of RD Lambie at Davey Bank, Wallsend, in 1972. The Lambie business continued under the ownership of the Ryton Engineering Group.
Ryton Marine Ltd was set up on the Lambie site with at first two, and later three covered berths, two of 220 feet in length and one of 280 feet.
The berths were then fitted out for shipbuilding.
Instead of slipways the yard used cradles running on rails to roll the vessels into the river.
The hulls of the first two vessels FREDA CUNNINGHAM and TRITON were partialy completed at Ryton Engineering and then delivered by road to the North-Eastern Marine Engine Works.
The large North-Eastern Marine hammerhead crane was used to lift the hulls into the river.
The hulls were then towed next door to Ryton Marine where they were hauled up the slipways.
The yard did not survive for very long completing only one ferry (FREDA CUNNINGHAM) and then two small stern trawlers (TRITON and BERNICIA).
Financial difficulties, believed to be cash flow, forced the company into receivership.
The Clyde tug FLYING FULMAR and the Cowes ferry NETLEY CASTLE were in advanced stages of construction but incomplete at the time of liquidation.
The forward order book also included a ferry for the Scilly Islands, an offhore platform barge and five trawlers for various Peterhead owners.
Two of the fishing vessels were in the process of being fabricated.
The Isles of Scilly Steamship Company had placed an order for a new ferry, at a cost of £750,000, to be delivered in 1974.
However, in March 1973 Ryton Marine went into sudden liquidation with £75,000 of the contract having already been paid up front.
The company failure also put the Isles of Scilly Steamship Co into severe financial difficulties, from which it took them some considerable time to recover.
Fortunately steelwork already purchased for the new ferry was able to be used by the Scilly Steamship Co to repair and maintain their existing ferry.
The liquidators kept some men on the payroll and arranged for the FLYING FULMAR and the NETLEY CASTLE to be completed by Ryton Marine (in liquidation).
The two trawlers that were already in process were transferred to Intrepid Marine who had shipyards at Berwick and Whitby.
Intrepid Marine hired some of the former workers and completed the two hulls at Wallsend. Then after they were launched they were towed to Whitby (one may have gone to Bewick) for completion.
The shipyard site was then taken over by William Brothers Offshore in 1974.
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Above extract from The Times 02/09/1971 - Copyright of The Times
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Above extract from The Times 13/09/1971 - Copyright of The Times
Above extract from the Wallsend News - Copyright of the Wallsend News, courtesy of John Dobson
Above photo from the Wallsend News - Copyright of the Wallsend News, courtesy of John Dobson
Above article copyright of the Wallsend News, courtesy of John Dobson
Above article copyright News - Copyright of the Wallsend News, courtesy of John Dobson
Above article copyright News - Copyright of the Wallsend News, courtesy of John Dobson
