DREDGERS - METRIC VULTURE - MUD BARGE

AT WORK (1982)

By Laurie Stonehouse

These photos were taken by Graeme Honeyball, who worked on the "TESTSIDE" from 1978-1985.  He tells me, once the river/harbour was dredged, a barge would then be towed by the Meeching Tug to a position between one and two miles south west of the harbour and emptied of it's load.

Photo:"METREC VULTURE"

"METREC VULTURE"

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:"METREC VULTURE" (2)

"METREC VULTURE" (2)

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:"METREC VULTURE" UP CLOSE

"METREC VULTURE" UP CLOSE

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:Metrec Vulture

Metrec Vulture

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:BARGE ON TOW

BARGE ON TOW

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:BARGE ON TOW (2)

BARGE ON TOW (2)

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:Look at all this muck

Look at all this muck

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:On tow "on the way out"

On tow "on the way out"

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:Still on tow

Still on tow

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:On tow "on the way back"

On tow "on the way back"

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:TESTSIDE

TESTSIDE

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:It's Sinking

It's Sinking

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:It's still sinking

It's still sinking

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

Photo:The Crew 1982 / 83 (Dave Nunn,Graeme Honeyball,Sid Willie,Alan Waite "MONTY",Ricky Ward,Derek Evans,Arthur ----- and "MOSKY"

The Crew 1982 / 83 (Dave Nunn,Graeme Honeyball,Sid Willie,Alan Waite "MONTY",Ricky Ward,Derek Evans,Arthur ----- and "MOSKY"

Kind permission of Graeme Honeyball

This page was added by Laurie Stonehouse on 04/04/2008.
Comments about this page

Great pix from the barge's point of view! I've seen it heaven knows how many times from the Meeching but not from this point of view before now. I'd almost forgotten how much Meeching could 'bounce', and how hard it was to keep the towline from snaking around.

A couple of points if I may. It was the two mud barges filled by the Testside that were towed out to sea, rather than Testside itself, of course.

The top three photos aren't the Testside. I think it's actually the Metrec Vulture - you almost can make out the two words in the name in the second pic.

Some very familiar faces in the crew photo, including Graeme at the front of course, but after so long I can't recall the names. Anyone know?

By Andy Gilbert
On 05/04/2008

My dad, Andy McIntyre used to work on the Sand Swift in the 80's. I remember standing on the swing Bridge waving him out to sea. Does anyone know if the Sand Swift had the same job as the Vulture?

By Craig Mcintyre
On 31/07/2008

When I was a kid my grandparents lived in Seaford, and one day we went to Newhaven to see the ships. I was about 9yrs old and I remember being transfixed by the Metric Vulture. Every time I went to stay with them I'd always ask if we could go and see the Metric Vulture, I don't know why but I just loved it!  Now aged 40 I thought I'd google it just to see if there were any photographs of her online and here I am, well chuffed! Brilliant!

By Jamie Lawrence
On 11/10/2010

I got my first diving job on the Metric Vulture, skipper was Ray Todd, and she was a salvage vessel bringing up scrap metal from sunken ship wrecks.

By Allan Cleverley
On 06/08/2012
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