Walker Naval Yard History - The River Tyne | UK | HISTORY OF THE NORTH

I apologise if any information is incorrect, as the History of this location is very complex with multiple changes and a vast history. If you would like to know more about this location including some of the ships that were made from here, or the tragic accidents of the dangers of working in such a place I can do another video in the future.
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[@georgerobinson4210]

Brings back many memories. Started apprenticeship at the yard in 1963 but later spent time in Canada and later the Netherlands where I'm still living.

[@helpmehelp3009]

My Grandfather worked at vickers naval, then in depression was laid off three years later, and he went to vickers armstrong, and built tanks and military equipment til he was paid off at the age of 64 and a half. His pension was 7 shillings and six pence. 14 to 64.5 years old and your worth 7/6. Great Peopleton work for.

[@zulu3621]

I served my time in the shipyards, there were so many blokes like him worked there complete nutters.

[@alanbrown9178]

Good to see that the Arrol crane is still in use. There are still 4 similar cranes in existence on the Clyde, but none of them in use now. There was a fifth one, at Fairfield's, but that was demolished some years ago.

[@marklloyd3536]

I got the funding, when head of property at the City, out of the then brave and intelligent chief executive and councillors to refurbish the Arrol 80T cantilever crane as part of a deal to get a new factory built and working on the banks of the Tyne, it is now covered with sensors giving remote data on stresses etc., and when finished with an increased lifting capacity was then, reputedly, the most powerful heavy lift crane in the North Sea basin - a testament to the initial quality of a 90 year old piece of machinery. The factory was built and is working and the contract delivered on time and above spec.

[@davidhoward5392]

I was ships company on HMS Torquay which completed a one year refit at Swans in Wallsend, most of the ships company lived in Whitley Bay, a few acquired Geordie girlfriends and the odd wife during our stay, before returning to Portsmouth. A few of us were Geordies.

[@markrl75]

I can remember going into the Tyne on HMS Invincible in 1985 (the ships adopted town was Durham) and we were berthed at the by then pretty defunct Walker naval yard. Great shame its now all gone.

[@alanlittle3941]

An amazing video. Well done mate..Great history

[@livingonthetyne]

Thank you

[@POLITICAL-BIAS.]

I've watched this several times, and always enjoy reminiscing about the good old days.

[@NarnianRailway]

Just spent the day researching the site and excellent history, especially discussing Armstrong & Whitworth's Elswick yard and restrictions which operated in late 1800s. Some additional history of the Walker Naval Yard site mostly from studying historic OS maps and tynebuiltships: From 1810-1891 it was the Walker Iron Works. Much of the green spaces around Walker were small collieries and pits that supplied the iron works. Due to high cost of importing raw material, the iron works moved to Middlesborough. The 1895 OS shows the buildings and labeled Walker Iron Works (disused). Some terrace houses and inn existed at the south end (now Baker Hughes car park). OS maps from 1912 show the section of riverbank as bare as seen on the map 4:26, The Walker Naval Yard does show on OS maps until 1946. The details of the Naval Yard were censored. The High Walker Naval Yard construction began in 1912, keel of the battleship Malaya laid 1913, and completed 1916. The road entering the industrial estate is Malaya Road in honour of the Naval Yard's first ship. Most of Wincomblee Road in the industrial estate follows the railway that brought steel into the Naval Yard. Variety of ship types were constructed during WW1 including several Holan H class submarines (roster on tynebuiltships). In 1922 the floating dock Southampton seen at 9:05 was constructed for the Southampton Railway. In 1927 Vickers merged with Armstrong & Whitworth forming Vickers Armstrong. Most of the shipbuilding in 1920s and early 1930s were commercial vessels. At the start of WW2, the battleship King George V and battlecruisers (later converted to carriers) Courageous and Furious constructed. Most ships during WW2 were destroyers, gunboats and landing ships. Meanwhile Armstrong reopened the Lower Walker shipyard down river which built commercial ships in late 1800s. The Walker Naval Yard operated under Vicker Armstrong ownership till 1968 and nationalization of the shipbuilding industry. The various shipyards were placed under Swan Hunter which operated the Neptune yard between Lower Walker and High Walker (Naval Yard). The last ship constructed at the Naval Yard was in 1980. The site was later developed as the Offshore Technology Park with Wellstream/Baker Hughes occupying the Naval Yard. In 1993, Swan Hunter closed its shipbuilding yard just down river (north). Much of the housing estate to the west of the Naval Yard was rebuilt between 2003-2018 as part of a Walker regeneration plan. Development was announced in 2021 of the remaining Swan Hunter shipyard site down river. It was confusing looking at old OS maps and seeing no development in the first half of the 20th century. Realized the map details were censored upon learning it was the High Walker Naval Yard. The 1946 map showed the buildings shaded meaning the detail was added from the previous version as it was no longer censored.

[@livingonthetyne]

Thank you very much

[@NarnianRailway]

Battlecruisers Courageous and Furious were also constructed during WW1, in WW2 they served as aircraft carriers having been converted in the mid 1920s.

[@MALLY_DAGS_TV]

Excellent video Very professionally edited Definitely your genre

[@livingonthetyne]

Thank you 😊

[@marksweep1970]

Excellent upload mate..I'm from walker and lived right next to the shipyard..I used to sneak in the yard and go in the cranes in the late 70s early 80s

[@livingonthetyne]

Thanks. Haha nice one, aye it's good exploring around loads of places to get about.

[@toshishimura]

Get Lawrence Olivier to voice over the next one

[@RobertBullock-tg2ux]

Worked there as a Coppersmith 1959-67 Bob Richardson from Hebburn was the foreman in charge of the department or shop as it was known.Worked on ships Empress of Canada,The Northern Star,The Melampus and The Serenia a tanker. Bob Bullock put this report in.

[@livingonthetyne]

Thanks for sharing Bob

[@colinb8103]

The pictures also showed Swans Dock and Swans Wallsend

[@trevorashworth7307]

Good vids but please the w is silent in Elswick.

[@livingonthetyne]

Hahah thanks, noted as my pronunciations aren't the best to begin with but I will have a big video on Elswick this year. :)

[@gordonjenkins8171]

I wish this had subtitles for the deaf my old unke spent his life between Hebbern and walsend yards

[@livingonthetyne]

I’ll see if I can get some created.

[@gordonjenkins8171]

@livingonthetyne thank you my uncle lost his hearing because of the noise in the yards

[@aircamera400]

Great informative video. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Big like and subscribe from a fellow north east drone operator 👋🏼

[@livingonthetyne]

Thank you 😊

[@alanwann9318]

First went there 1963 aged 15, for people who dont know it was harsh ,no safety , and they paid men off when a ship was launched

[@wildcard1954]

It's pronounced Elsick - and I'm a Geordie.

[@drrd4127]

That ia not the North of the UK! Shetland is the North of the UK.

[@livingonthetyne]

North of England

[@richardkell4888]

At 02:11 I give up, intro far too long and in the FIRST SENTENCE we hear of ''El-wick''..... ffs!

[@livingonthetyne]

You know you can skip forward, and for future videos the intro has been reworked. Also I have since corrected the pronunciation. It’s not my best trait. But appreciate the comment. ☺️

[@jazzflute2465]

Can't listen to this fella, bloody hell man.

[@livingonthetyne]

What do you mean? I'm always looking for ways to improve. :)