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Tramp steamer Newton Hall


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Yet another beautifully built model Bob.

I'm not a ship modeller myself, but I always look forward to your finished models. Add in the fact that they are scratchbuilt, well that just makes them more outstanding.

Thank you for sharing them.

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Another cracking build Bob I see a Tyneside connection any Idea how she got her name? There was a Newton Hall near me which is also a suburb of

Durham City.

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I would suspect that 'Not often modelled' is a better tag than "unpopular" - especially when the builds are as fine as yours regularly are!

I, and I'm sure there are MANY others, LOVE seeing these builds of yours - real museum quality models! Well done (AGAIN!).

Kev

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Thanks,

For ten years, I had a shipping column in a professional maritime publication. Here is the entire article for Newton Hall!

Bob

NEWTON HALL

GENERAL DETAILS:

Year built: 1905

Original name: Drumgeith

Built by: J. Priestman & Co. Sunderland

Owners: Tyneside Line

Type: Steam tramp

Tonnage: 3,930 gross

Dimensions: Length 355 ft Breadth 48 ft Depth 26ft 2 in

The NEWTON HALL was typical of the steam tramp ships which were produced in their hundreds in the early years of the twentieth century. She was built as the DRUMGEITH for R.A. & J.H. Mudie of Dundee. The only reason that I did not build the model as the DRUMGEITH was the fact that I could not find the correct funnel colours for R.A. & J.H. Mudie!

The single screw ship was driven by a triple-expansion steam engine with cylinders of 25”, 42” and 68” respectively each with a stroke of 48”. Steam was provided by three coal-fired Scotch boilers each 14 feet three inches by ten feet. The steam pressure was 180 lb. The horsepower of the engine was listed as 373. Her service speed was 12.5 knots.

In 1905, memories of the days of sail had not quite faded out. The designers saw fit to provide the ship with two large jibs set from the foremast to the stem bar and the forecastle head. A large jib-headed (Bermuda) sail was set aft of the foremast. The mainmast carried a large staysail extending forward to the after end of the engineer’s accommodation and a jib-headed sail on the after side of the mast.

Although the accommodation was very spartan, it was better than most ships of that time. The bulk of the crew were not housed in the forecastle, but down aft in the raised poop. The port side of the poop housed the 22 fireman in upper and lower berths. Lockers and a single mess table were provided. A small single berth cabin was also provided at the forward part of the firemen’s accommodation. The starboard side housed 22 seamen and again, there was a small single berth cabin at the forward end of this section. These two single berths were possibly for the bosun and carpenter. Under the break of the forecastle head were two four berth cabins, one on either side. The port side one housed the quartermasters and the starboard one the cook’s boys.

The officers lived ‘midships. The captain had a reasonably large cabin on the starboard side of the lower bridge deck. This consisted of a sleeping cabin, bathroom and small lobby leading out to the centrally placed dining saloon. The chief officer was situated on the port side forward end of this accommodation block and a smaller cabin for the second officer was situated next door. Immediately aft of the captain, mates and saloon, a cross-alley ran the full width of the accommodation. On the starboard side, aft of this alleyway was a tiny two berth cabin, listed as “Steward.” In all likelihood, the steward shared this cabin with the cook. On the other side, was another tiny single berth cabin for the third officer. Two more cabins were centrally placed between the third officer and steward/cook. One of these was most likely a pantry and the other probably a storeroom.

The remaining officers lived in the accommodation block aft of the funnel casing. At the port side forward end was the chief engineer in a fairly large cabin, aft of this was the engineer’s bathroom, a short passageway and finally the fourth engineer. On the starboard side, the second engineer’s cabin was at the forward end, followed by the third engineer, a short passageway and finally, the engineer’s messroom. Between the fourth engineer and the messroom was a spare cabin, a storeroom and the pantry.

A total complement of 64 men on a 3,930-ton ship seems incredible in these days of reduced manning, but the wage bills were no doubt minimal when the ship was built

On the bridge deck itself, the helmsman was protected from the weather by an enclosed wheelhouse, aft of which was the chartroom. A short roof extended forward from the top of the wheelhouse to the front of the bridge. This gave some sort of weather protection to the officer- of-the watch, but the wings and sides were open to the elements.

The anchor windlass appears to be hand-operated as it is fitted with handles on either side, although it is possible that steam power could also be used. The four large cargo hatches on the fore and maindecks were served by steam winches operating eight derricks. The small hatch on the ‘midship island was served by a single steam winch operating two small derricks fitted on two very small and flimsy-looking samson posts. Three bunkering hatches were provided, one on top of the engine casing and one on either side.

The ship had a long life with a number of name changes. In 1915, she was sold to Brocklebank’s and became the MATRA. She came through the Great War unscathed and in 1921, became the NEWTON HALL of Tyneside Line. It is unlikely that she was fitted with wireless when new, but by 1921, the NEWTON HALL is listed as having both wireless and electric light. Six years later, she was sold to the Byron S.S. Co. and became MAID OF LEMNOS. In 1931, she was sold to Far Eastern buyers and became THERESE MOLLER. On the outbreak of World War II, the ship was 34-years-old and with her slow speed, the odds for survival did not seem very high. Nevertheless, the stout-old ship once again came through the conflict, thus putting ten years of war behind her. In 1946 she changed hands again to become the Chinese owned CHI HING. Two years later, she took her final name of TIEN PING. She sailed under this name for six years and was finally broken up in 1954 at the grand old age of 49 years. It would be interesting to discover what her manning level was in 1954 and whether she had been converted from coal-firing to oil.

The NEWTON HALL was, to outward appearances, a run-of-the-mill tramp steamer, but she was undoubtedly a very lucky ship and a credit to her builders, J. Priestman of Sunderland, who produced such a fine job almost a century ago.

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Sadly, merchant ships are a most unpopular subject for ship modellers. If there was any real interest, a lot more would be built Sadly, kits rule the roost these days and kit designers fortunately keep well clear of obscure merchant ships, I say "fortunately" because it keeps merchant ship models as "something special!" Whenever I take my models to the local model ship club, they scarcely merit any more than a casual glance!

I have posted the following on here before, but it is worth repeating:

The following words were written by Frank Bullen in 1906, and hold true today:
I think it may justly be inferred that the public do not want to hear about the Mercantile Marine, are entirely indifferent to the status of its members, and are content to take all the benefits to them as they take light and air – as coming in the course of nature, with the management and production of which they have no concern.
This opinion is borne out by my experience throughout our islands as a lecturer on the subject. Talking from the platform, I can always interest my hearers in any phase of the sea without introducing the slightest element of fiction. But I cannot induce them to read the matter up, nor can I find any evidence of the subject having been studied, however cursorily, except by persons who are, or have been, directly connected with it!
This I cannot fail to lament as being, in view of the paramount importance of the subject, quite unnatural and unnecessary, more especially when I see the intense interest manifested by people of all ranks and grades of education in games such as football, cricket and bridge, and the amount of earnest thought expended upon acquiring information concerning them, not only in their present, but in their past history.
Moreover, I know personally working men who have lavished upon horse racing an amount of brain-power that, legitimately applied would have made them a fortune!

Frank T Bullen, 1906

---------

Bob

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Bob they are our unsung heroes, being a submarine modeller i am acutely aware of their importance and the sacrifices made by our able merchant seamen, which are still being made today in keeping our little island supplied.

I love to see your work, so dont despair there are those of us who do appreciate seeing your inspired work.

All the best Chris

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Fantastic model!

I would home straight in on this model at a show as it's something I wouldn't have seen before. But you are right, most people will go straight for the Titanic or the Tirpitz.

It's because its what they are familiar with, like people on holiday opting for fish and chips instead of local delicacies they don't know, it doesn't mean the local food is bad.

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Very pretty build!

:photo:

Freighter models are a bit more popular around my parts (middle of the Great Lakes) but, as you say, nearly all scratch built.

The Edmund Fitgerald is about the only one with a prayer of being made into a kit I'm afraid.

Sylvan models does a few large (1/87th) scale kits though, including a gorgeous old tramp steamer that I wish I had time to build.

Q

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The Edmund Fitzgerald is a name I have not heard for a long time. I was on the Great Lakes a year after she was lost. We were loading grain at Thunder Bay and taking down to Cape Town.

I would love to see a model of a a geared bulk carrier Panamax size. I presume there is not an existing model of this type?

A lovey model of a great type of ship. Well done Bob.

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I love seeing models of ships like this, and wish that I had the skill, dexterity and references to build something like them. I have a soft spot for the post-war "blue flues", especially those with six and, IIRC, seven holds.

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Thanks for replies. I really don't understand why kits are needed to build them. When I was at sea (31 years), I was building them with a minium number of simple hand tools, and a rudimentary lathe home-made from a 12 Volt Minicraft hand drill mounted on a block of wood. I built miniatures because it was easier to get them home at the end of the voyages. I went from 8 feet to 1 inch to 32 feet to 1 inch literally overnight, and found it easier from the start. With miniatures, the most expensive part is the acrylic for the display cases! The rest is just made from bits of scrap wood, a bit of plasticard, brass and copper rod, and wire!

Bob

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Thanks for replies. I really don't understand why kits are needed to build them. When I was at sea (31 years), I was building them with a minium number of simple hand tools, and a rudimentary lathe home-made from a 12 Volt Minicraft hand drill mounted on a block of wood. I built miniatures because it was easier to get them home at the end of the voyages. I went from 8 feet to 1 inch to 32 feet to 1 inch literally overnight, and found it easier from the start. With miniatures, the most expensive part is the acrylic for the display cases! The rest is just made from bits of scrap wood, a bit of plasticard, brass and copper rod, and wire!

Bob

[/quote

You missed off one very important element from your list of materials and that is your pure craftsmanship.

I am the son of a merchant marine engineer and I just wish he was still here to see your models.

He himself was a great ship modeller, but preferred the radio controlled variety.

Imagine his dismay at my leanings towards aviation.

Keep up the good work Bob.

P.S. I'd love to see some photos of all of your "fleet" together.

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Thanks,

I am nothing special in model shipbuilding, but never ever thought "I could not do that" when I first saw a miniature model by the late Donald McNarry. I wrote to him and asked if he could point me in the right direction. He recommended his small book "Shipbuilding in Miniature," that I quickly obtained for the sum of ten shillings (50p) and I never looked back after that. Here is a similar tramp steamer to Newton Hall in the early stages, I would hardly call my rough methods "Craftsmanship!" :jealous: In fact my methods are greatly frowned upon by many "experts" in the field. I haven't got any pictures of my fleet "together" because they have all been sold, apart from a few that we have decided to keep! but I am NOT a business and I don't accept private commissions, it is just a hobby, I am long retired, being aged 72! At one time, I was producing about 14 a year, but it overwhelmed me, and in 2002 I stopped taking orders, but since then have never been able to get through to people that I am not a business. I build the models and display cases, my wife paints the seas. I no longer disclose what I am working on at the moment, and they only appear when complete! I believe that you all have the skills (probably lying dormant). It is just a matter of getting stuck into it and assuming that you can do it!

Bob

Early_stages_Medium.jpg

Edited by ShipbuilderMN
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ShipbuilderMN, on 07 Jun 2016 - 9:09 PM, said:

I really don't understand why kits are needed to build them

Not all of us have your knowledge of ships.

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You can get the knowledge from reading books, and looking at the plans in them. For years, I only built square-rigged sailing ships of which I had no personal knowledge or experience whatsoever (like the one below). If you want to learn about sailing ships, I would recommend the following books:

The Last of the Windjammers, Volumes I and II by Basil Lubbock.

Deepwater Sail by Harold A Underhill.

The Merchant Sailing ship series by David R. MacGregor.

If you want to learn about steamers:

British Ocean Tramps, volumes I & II by PN Thomas

Steam Coasters by C V Waine

The Steam Collier Fleets by Macrae & Waine

My own book, Miniature Shipbuilder 2015 was published privately last year with a short run of 100 copies. Mentioning it here was frowned upon greatly, but I feel it is OK to mention it now because it is sold out, and I am not planning on having any more printed!

2nd hand copies of all the above may be located on http://www.bookfinder.com

Or obtained from UK libraries. They all contain a fairly large number of plans.

They also make interesting reading about life at sea in all types of ship, and show that the many and varied adventures that were to be had in the merchant navy were every bit as interesting as in ships of war!

Really, it only depends on whether you want to build them or not! Several Britmodel members have asked me where to find out about such things, and most have indicated pleasant surprise at what they found!

Bob

Falls_of_Foyers_1883_Medium.jpg

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Loving your work, I've built a couple of wooden ships (from kits) but am now thinking about trying a scratch built project... quite fancy trying something a little less usual and mainstream, but as a novice in this field (and living in the middle east) I'm struggling to get hold of comprehensive enough plans and suitable materials.

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Meant to add, as a kid I used to love visiting the transport museum and Kelvin art Gallery in Glasgow - found the builder's models absolutely fascinating... guns or no guns! HMS Hood, or a tramp steamer; loved them all!

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