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[Alan-S]

 Good afternoon I am presently scratch building a model of sunxx1, but the plan doesn't show all the details so I am going a lot on photos, one thing I would like to know is the colour of the 3 lights on the mast and. The position of the, stern light, I would appreciate any information please,Alan

[Colin Bishop]

If you Google 'Tug Navigation Lights' there are lots of illustrations which will answer your question.

Colin

[Martin (Admin)]

 

[Ray_L]

Hello Alan,

Sounds like a great project. The Sun boats are brilliant; real classic Thames tugs. I'm presently restoring an old model of a 1960's Thames tug myself. Be sure to post photos. It would be interesting to see your progress.

Cheers,

Ray

[Ray_L]

Hello again Alan,


I have been using a couple videos on YouTube as a reference for my restoration project. Both are regarding the Sun XXIII (now Suncrest) which is a near sistership to the Sun XXI. One is entitled 'A Video Tour of Suncrest', and the other is 'The Brief History of SUN XXIII'. Perhaps you have already seen them. Suncrest is now berthed at Trinity Buoy Wharf in London, I believe, and hope to visit someday. Best of luck with your project.


Cheers,


Ray

[Alan-S]

Hi Ray sorry about delay in replying I seem to have difficulty in the  system, I have been looking at photos f sun tug xx1 on Royal Museum  Greenwhich, which has been very helpful,  and I have sorted Navigation lights out, I will  have a go at sending photo of it is at the  moment but still a way to go,

[dodes]

My father was chief engineer on her for several years, remember going to work with him for a 24 hour shift. Remember at about 13 years standing on the flying bridge with the master when she was the stern drag tug taking a royal mail ship from the locks through into the Victoria dock. Remember the master sat at the back of the top on a command stall, he used a tiller to steer her and the engines were controlled(throttle as she was engine room controlled gearbox for the shaft) by a simple Morse lever and the VHF unit was by him as well . Several London ship tugs had tillers fitted the depending on the masters requirement. But she was not fitted with a amber stern light then as that came about 1980 odd.

[dodes]

Hi Alan, if you message me with your address, I have a set of outline plans from the builder which some kind person gave some years ago, i will send them to you if you are interested to help your build,
.

[dodes]

I seemed to be timed out on my last reply. So I was going to say as she with other tugs at Gravesend became more involved with very tankers at Old Haven, she was fitted with a bow fender much like the Dog class tugs in the MoDn for pushing on as when strong winds sprung up at Old Haven they required 2 to 3 tugs pushing on as their moorings were insufficient to hold them on the berth, also she used wire tow ropes upto 500ft when tow in the bow, which they used a bull wire and a snatch block to recover using the dolly post aft and the shoulder bit working of the anchor windlass barrels.

[dodes]

Am trying to upload a pic of Sun22 her sister ship on trials, have tried to upload pics of the builders plans, but they are to big to load. But if I have your email address i can upload them to you. The colour pic is one i took of her in her final years at Gibraltar.

[Jonty]

How similar is Sun XXIII (now Suncrest) to Sun XXI? Because that is moored at Trinity Buoy Wharf, a short walk from East India station on the DLR.

[dodes]

She was different because of 1/ She was built by Pollocks of Faversham if my memory was right and 19 to 22 were built by Phillips of Dartmouth. 2/ she is smaller with a more compact bridge with a big rudder for working the upper London docks with smaller locks and kept at Wapping. 3/ The afore mention were built as ship handling tugs for estuary and upper London docks and were kept at Gravesend on their own moorings.

[dodes]

Sun 23 on trials

[dodes]

Hi Mate, i have most of the plans scanned on my desktop. Send me your email address i will gladly email them to you, tried to download but they are too big for this site.